I am looking at a few cheap function generator ICs on ebay as a possible alternative to a 555 chip. I'm aiming to generate various tones and waveforms for a complex alarm project. Recommendations on chip type are very much appreciated. I don't have a fancy temperature controlled soldering iron so surface mount or temp sensitive chips are out of the question.

Can anyone advise how such a chip is normally used or provide example circuits? I'm quite new at electronics and still going through a massive learning curve.

Thanks

 

Google: function generator IC
Then Google each of the different IC's you find for specific circuit configurations.

Ken

 

XR2206 ICL8038 for starters.

Not in production but available through many vendors.

 

Sadly, just about all of the decent analog function generators are out of production.

If you design something using an obsolete function generator, when it breaks, you probably won't be able to find a replacement to get it working again - and if you do, it will be far more expensive.

However, you can use microcontrollers to generate sounds with simple square waves; or if you're clever you can even go as far as reproducing speech, music - or just about any arbitrary waveform in the audio spectrum. One nice thing about microcontrollers is that usually very little hardware is involved; practically everything is performed via software.

Have a look at Roman Black's BTC3:
http://www.romanblack.com/picsound.htm
Roman is a member here. He has lots of interesting things on his site to look at, and many very useful ideas.

I know you don't wish to hear this part, but there is a steep learning curve associated with learning microcontrollers. It can be quite bewildering in the beginning.