alt Hacker News5:55 video released on May 5th, as per description :)
For something feeling like a fairly specific IC, I remember seeing many projects that use it throughout the years in wacky ways - and seeing it makes me happy to know that the sentiment for this little piece is shared.
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The trick is that it's sold as a timer but it's really a kit of parts from which you happen to be able to build a timer.
There's a lesson in there somewhere.
otoh i.m surprised the accelerometer was already available since 1927. since microcontrollers only the hardcore eecs kids build pid controllers from opamps for fun (only do hn on phone hard to link to that maker article of a fully analog segway where the writer missed the "analog" part and was like WOW a self balancing 2 wheeler by a grad student and not another baby's first Arduino bday kit
my favorite use of a 555 is in a solar charge controller. It is a voltage controlled switch!
i have the page archived, but it's called A New Solar _ Wind Charge Controller Based on the 555 Chip (2_7_2026 12
I can upload the webrip if anyone wants it
I learned (long ago) it’s trivial to fool my satellite receiver’s modem’s dial tone verification for remote pay per view ordering (it doesn’t phone home right away but gets angry if it’s not connected to a phone line).
Turns one a single frequency that’s remotely close to one of the two tones of a dial tone will convince it. Wasn’t sine wave either but not a problem! 555 powered by a 9V battery.