In this months Nuts/Volts there's an article about a new 555 from Semtech
http://www.semtech.com/analog-controllers-sensors-converters/sub-1v-motor-timer-controllers/sx8122/
It claims to run on 1 to 2 volts. The article calls it 555 like, pinout is different. Too bad it's SOIC...

 

This was posted a while back. The ICM7555 was also mentioned, which is a plug-in replacement for the LM555, but CMOS and TTL friendly. Doesn't go down to 1V, but can run off 2.5V though.

The sx8122 seems to be specifically designed for toys and such that run off a single battery, so it would have some niche applications, though nowhere near the versatility of the 7555 or standard 555. SOIC IS solderable, just not solderless breadboard prototype friendly. Not drilling holes in PCB makes SOIC preferred to me anyway. "Standard" soldering equipment can handle SOIC sized SMD without much problem at all, only half the size of DIPs, compared to 1/20th scale super shrink packages.

 

SOIC IS solderable, just not solderless breadboard prototype friendly

My students do a lot of their prototyping on breadboards, I guess we could do a smurfboard.. I didn't know about the earlier posting, I thought Nuts/Volts
was breaking some news..

 

My students do a lot of their prototyping on breadboards, I guess we could do a smurfboard.. I didn't know about the earlier posting, I thought Nuts/Volts
was breaking some news..

I think the thread was posted in November or October, right when the sx8122 was released as a datasheet. Nuts & Volts doesn't usually push every new IC out unless there is something useful about them, so the sx8122 must have piqued their interest due to to the very low voltage operation.

Didn't mean to change your thread, just mentioned the other that was mentioned in the last thread as well.

 

It would be worth making some simple adapters to convert them to 8 pin format, just for protoboards. What kind of course do you teach Gerty?

 

What kind of course do you teach

It's an entry level Electronics course, 20 months long. We don't go into great depths on any 1 subject. We also get into NEC regulations, motor control, house wiring. I've had students ranging in age from 18 to 64, and the 64 year old was a female.