EEVblog  

Your "electrons falling out" joke never gets old.

Boring? Not at all! Chock full of electronic awesomeness. Random yet useful babble on mass electronics production, the 555 tutorial and best of all was the building block circuit theory explained very well. Might be boring for a veteran but ear candy to people that are interested in learning. I wish there were more teardowns that go into the circuit theory even if it were a simple toy or power supply.

I was wondering how many eevblog vids I have to watch before I hear the words 'Bloody arduino'. Now my life is complete :).

Discrete components is OK but it needs to be taken further... 555 Made with vacuum tubes, now that is a kit I would pay for.

Even though the 555 is an oldie, it sure is a very useful IC. I use it in many of my circuits.

I really enjoyed this video. I didn't even notice I had been watching it for an hour. It's like one of your EEVblabs but with you working on the subject at hand. Very entertaining and informative!

Still with you Dave, after an Hour! Thx so much for this video. Loved it so much!

"Every resistor is a winner" I don't know why this sentence pleased me so much.

G'day all... I started watching this vblog almost 2 years ago. I remember myself having trouble understanding Dave's accent (I was born in Europe, in a post-soviet country). I had no Idea back then that I'd ever visit Australia in my life... Here I am in Sydney. Almost 3 months now. Crazy life...

I remember using 555s in college back in the 1970s. As for soldering: gotta love the smell of that rosin flux core. Do it "right" and rosin particles stick to your nose hairs and you can smell it for DAYS. Fortunately, it's a rather pleasant aroma...

Assembling of the kit is interesting in and of itself. The discussion and chat is also super informative. So it's not just the putting together of the kit I (we) like, it's the information, tips, techniques and other good information which makes this "not incredibly boring".

Thanks Dave for another great video! I've already learned a great deal watching your videos and the breadth of your content seems to never end. I'm so glad you enjoy doing this since it is a very generous contribution to the hobbyist electronics community!

It's been nearly 30 years since I looked at any of this stuff but I've learnt so much over the last few days it's great. Cheers Dave keep up the good work. Good on yer mate!!

Dave, glad you enjoyed the kit!

My dad gave me an option, $20- on an arduino or $20- of 555 timer chips. I had so much fun with the 555s, very versatile and fun

It was not boring -.... somehow the relaxing part of doing such sets came over.

After 30 years in Electronics and design and now developing software and websites I am delighted to be a Dave addict! He reminds me how much hands on Electronics development is. I did not think people still got this involved anymore!

A superb video Dave, fitting tribute to the classic chip, and what a brilliant kit!

This was not boring at all. I have a very basic understanding of electronics and you made this understandable. I would like to see more of this type of video. Great job!

Holy shit! I'm not the only person who saves the offcuts for jumpers & such? Nice one Dave. ;^)

Dave, thank you for making this video. I realize this is from years back, however, I just bought this kit (Jan 2021) and was a little hesitant about putting it together for whatever reason. After watching your excellent video I actually feel confident that I can do the job following your guidance, and be aware of the mistakes too, which also are good tools to be aware of. Thanks for the tutorial and no it wasn't boring for me to watch and I learned quite a bit about several things along the way.

An AWESOME 555th episode, couldn't expect more. Well done!

the 555 timer held me back for 30 years i could never get them to work and it destroved my confidence as an electronics designer. With hindsight it was probably me and the cheap soldering iron that was either making crap soldering or frying the chip with leaking power. I ended up programing computers for 25 years, but in 2002 i discovered the basic stamp. That was my watershed moment. I now design my own shields around the arduino mega and have just got my first mojo fpga. By the way love your fpga video. wish i was young again when i was 18 they just launched the sinclair zx81 and i had one from the second batch. cant believe how far things have come already. Isaac Asimov would have swooned. Keep up the good work.

One of your best vids Dave, might just be the nostalgia and xmas on the way, but I really enjoyed that. Humility and everything !

I enjoy watching you construct kits Dave! It's relaxing for us to watch to I think, and I can pick up on some tips and tricks for myself! Thanks!

Thank you for the timestamps Dave! I really enjoyed getting to know the inner workings of the triple five timer

I really enjoy on how you broke down the 555 timer to its basic components. I've learned more from you than school. Thanks alot!

To answer tour question. Watching these are therapeutic for us too. Thanks Dave.

I quite like the in-depth analysis on the circuit. Great video!

EEVblog, you are truly expert on differential amps. Salute!

Dave, I didn't know anything about the 555 but now I do so you did great. I start solid state controls class next semester and these types of videos are getting me excited!!

Watching you assembling a kit is therapeutic ;)

Thank you! Not at all boring. I've used 555 timers in my entire electronics career and never bothered to learn how they work internally.

I really enjoyed this kit build and would really enjoy to see more. Thanks for the vid :)

I just ordered one of these. I LOVE the 555 Timer Chip! Now I can "See" what's inside. I also ordered two Tees with the 555 on the front. One just like the one you are wearing and the one with the block pin out diagram. Merry Christmas to ME!! Thanks Dave, for this exciting video. Yes, I said exciting!! I can watch circuit boards being assembled all day.

@EEVblog You worried far too much if I didn't want to watch your video I wouldn't have. We can always fast forward anyway! Going to try to make a comparator from transistors so this video was just what I needed.

I was at school, building a valve (tube) radio and playing with 0c71/0c81/bc109 and 2n2926 transistors. Then a friend introduced me to the 555 timer. Now, 44 years later, I am retiring and still mess around with this chip. Amazing that one chip can span an entire working life.

Love the way the circuit is explained. Just on a piece of paper loaded with interesting stuff.

Thanks Dave for the video. Now I understand the 555 a lot better.

It's not boring for youngsters like myself! also, i screamed at my monitor when you kept putting the transistors in backwards

I enjoyed watching the build, hope you do more. Now I want one of these kits...

This was great man! I know you don't think it was very exciting, but I'd watch this kind of stuff all day! Thank you so much! By the way, I'm loving my new EEVblog Bryan DMM!!

Very nice video Dave. Not nearly as boring as an "unboxing" video. Thank you.

Answer to your question at 10:10. For me I see the value of hearing you speak. Just getting acquainted with the lingo is important and you do such a great job at it. I appreciate all of your videos, though I have only seen a mere 30-40 so far! Cheers from San Jose California :)

Hi Dave. Really enjoyed your explanation of the circuit diagram, and probing of the signals inside the 555. I have so much to learn, and having typical design "bits" explained by a pro is so helful to enhance my electronics understanding. Thanks, and please do more of this.

Good to see all the non-polarised components (resistors etc), assembled in the same direction, even though electrically, it makes no difference. Nice wet soldering too. Top job man.

Nice video Dave on our old friend the triple 5. I've used them for years and still love them.

Loved it!...fun and cute kit , brings back good memories..gotta get me one for the season

Love the video! Very fun to watch you solder. I would like to second the earlier idea of the kit building rants!

Great video Dave. I have seen internal schematics of 555 before, but newer stopped to think about it really. Lots of stuff in it and some pretty clever tricks.

I enjoy watch the assemble process. And its also nice to watch at work when I can't build my own projects.

Very good video, excited to view the full hour.

Its therapeutic for me to watch RU-vid of people building stuff. You can build all the kits you want on video and I like many others will watch them.

Wow man, I wish I had viewed this back when you published! Just found it today, and well there is no way I can afford to buy a kit now. You see, I was a cop for over 20 years, all those years in a squad car really messes up a fellows back, and mine blew out when I fell on my ass in an ice storm back in 1993 in a small North Dakota town, where I served as the Chief of Police. To make a long story short, 4 surgeries later left me totally disabled and on massive pain killers that i must take to this very day. A couple of weeks ago, a letter came to our old Motor Home that we have parked in a small RV Park in West Central Arizona. It began "Congratulations on your Retirement!" a nasty beginning from Workers Comp, and went on to tell me that since I had reached the age of 66 years, the "bureau" has determined that I am "presumed retired!" So my paycheck will be cut in half beginning in May, the month I reach 66. Nice of them to give me fair warning, as we will have to drive back to South Dakota, the State where I own my home, and see if there is any way I can continue to maintain my nomadic way of life, or give it up, sell the Motor Home and go back to having to find someone who is able to shovel all that damn snow that falls on the Dakota's in the winter (the reason for our flying south in the fall with the geese.) So all funds are suddenly frozen in our checkbook and held back for necessaries. Hate to say it, but no more kits, no more parts, no more Arduinos and Esp8266's. Just food, propane for the cook stove, and gas for the Jeep I guess. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted, and I will still have these videos to keep my mind young and alert. Oh and all the resistors, transistors, etc that I have collected over the year.

WOW, that's a huge tip to use on the soldering iron. What we did to remove the smoke from soldering was to use a small PC type fan (120mm) that was AC powered. We mounted it on stands, put grill guards on it and also put a power switch. That gave it plenty of air flow to remove the smoke. Did a great job.

It was very entertaining video! Learned a lot from your kit build and commentary. Keep up the good work and thanks!

I just want to thank you so much for aligning the resistor bands I was a bit worried at the start, if you started putting them in "wrong" (in my opinion) I would not have been able to watch the whole thing. I found it fascinating and as mentioned I am one of those that enjoys watching the show "how its made" so I was riveted to the screen while you built this 555.

555 To rule the world! Its amazing that the designer did it by hand and him self. I love making blinkers and Atari sound punk circuits with em.

The way you talk when your soldering reminds me of my dentist when he works on my teeth.

Top video Dave I love how you went the distance explaining the circuit. One thing though your sticky note diagram of the set reset latch with NOR gates is actually OR gates. Great video keep up the great work.

Love your vids Dave, keep up your excellent work!

I'm a beginner, this kit looks awesome. Great videos mate, I don't understand very much but I learn more and more every time I watch.

I actually enjoyed this A LOT! :-) it was very fun to watch! :-)

love your videos, very helpful. Subscribed. especially the giant IBM hard drive tear-down haha.

Great review! Love that resistor pack!!

Still shows up on RU-vid Dave and it does not get old.

7:52 "I have to align the bands all the same way, otherwise the electrons will fall out." Nice. :P

Thanks for 'all' of your very beautiful videos you have made Dave! Sitting here watching this 555-episode this evening/morning, (perhaps rather more listening to you babling away, its often joyful) ..though also parallel with setting up/improve-planning on own sort of electronic lab here. A psu (or a couple of psu's) -project is on the schedule for the moment. Going to use a (good condition/quality, including little after-reworking on it) older computer-12v psu for making some 5 - 7,5 - 9 and 12 volts outs. Ebay have sent some linear regulators and some fuse-holders to start first project. Later wish to make an 0-40v lab-supply. Have nice week to you and your surroundings. Again thanks. br, Rolf (norway)

Dave, it's because we love hearing you talk.

I'm glad to see you put all the resistor bands up the same way. I put one in "upside down" the other week. There's no good reason fro it doing my head in, but it did. ;)

That's an awesome kit! The legs are a nice touch.

Very instructive and educational, thanks Dave!

I learned early on to read the directions for kits I was building, even simple ones with the silk-screen labeling everything, because there are almost ALWAYS some components where the silk-screen is shown or labeled backwards from the reality of some components included in the kit, and they added the correction info to the kit instructions.

Great video. I would like to see more videos of you soldering kits with the "pointless rambling". It is very interesting to hear some of your random thought as you are building a board. Believe it or not it is relaxing to watch, and watching you solder had helped my technique immensely.

cool kit. I ordered one. Thank you for the video and link and just for the record. I dont know why but I did enjoy this video. You did drop a few nice helpful tips

so glad u made this video... great explanation!!!

Hay, I learned a couple of things from this. not a waist of time. Great job as always.

Video about the best 555 I've ever watched, it may make an explaining about UA741 too.

Great detailed video Dave! I know this is pretty basic stuff for seasoned electronics people, but for newbies it's a treat. :)

The 555 was my first chip to tinker with. So,, when I saw Evil Mad Scientist produced this kit I was excited to jump on it. I haven't yet. Why? Because this cool kit is about the same price as a shiny new Raspberry Pi. You can almost feel my internal conflict. Anyway, your wonderfully fun to watch video has inspired me to look past price-point comparisons with other widgets. I'm getting this kit! Added bonus, the local parts store has a few in stock. Resistance is futile! Probing the discrete transistor based workings of this classic circuit is going to be epic good nerd fun for sure. Just so you know,, I'll be poking around the thing with my Rigol DS-1054Z quad-trace oscilloscope. Which I purchased without hesitation based on your recommendation. It's everything you raved about and more. Yes, I've modded it. So,, it's a full-tilt boogie 100MHz rig with all the bells-and-whistles.

That was a lot of fun actually. Thanks!

I received my kit today! Dave and everyone, you will be happy to know that (in 2019) the silk screened Mfg. logo was moved to the bottom of the board, the legs are (clear) anodized aluminum (nice!) and the "notch" in the board has been machined out on the pin 1 end. Also, the hard wire connections (through hole barrels) for each of the eight lugs are now located "inboard". They are now on the side of the dotted line, not at the edge of the board as you see here. Some other refinements have been made, also. Unfortunately, no "Triple Five". Ah! You can't have everything. :-) Silk screening doesn't affect functionality! :-0 Love the "script" (or "cursive") Font.. Nice Mods! Thanks Evil Mad Scientist!!

AWESOME!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!!!

This was VERY enjoyable, especially for a newbie like me, very insightful and refreshing Good On Ya mate :)

I love this, you are so cool Sir. Australians are so loveable and this guy is so full of info. Fab!

Arduino be damned!!! - THIS is a kit I can get behind! By the way, if you really feel these real-time buildups are boring, I say not in the least!!! This is EXACTLY the type of video content I scour the Undernet for, and I'm sure I am not alone! Excellent work, Sir - WELL DONE!

Dave, thanks for the great tutorial!

556! Now I have to wrap my head around this twice? :-) I will get there. I can solder the board and I understand point A to point B. And the basic function of discrete components. Circuits baffle me. I am going to watch this video over and over until it "clicks" in my brain. I just can't get it. I think I am getting close. Thanks, Dave. You are an awesome instructor. BTW, I built robots for iRobot and designed the wiring for the B21R's. I didn't design the circuit boards. (Obviously). That was one aspect that always eluded me. It will click with me, one day. You have brought me one step closer.

Dave, Thanks for all your videos. You're one cool Roo! Harry Bourne

Thats the issue. When one is as skilled as you are whats highly boring to you is highly educational to others. The trick is making something boring into something very interesting to nwwbies and you do that well. Teaching newbies will be your legacy so keep up the good work Dave.

Very relaxing watching this...soothing.

Great Video lesson ~ Yes, you are right I too without any training as a kid played with the triple 5 timer the Led you used I thought would be great as strobes on Models it worked for months on one little battery. Good job.

Great chip. My favourites include the LM3909 and ZN414. Hope to see them featured sometime. I learnt basic electronics from these 3.

Great, love it! I love the theory part - learnt a lot from this video so thanks =) I take it you are doing the 556 for the next video =D

"... now it's a blady arduino..." - You're getting old Dave ;-)

Great, thanks for 555 great episodes!!!

Good point Dave with the gum on the leads. I've run into that situation where the glue is a bit too aggressive! Sometimes I'll just cut the leads, and avoid the glue altogether.

Perhaps a mini followup video in the future Dave of the advantages/disadvantages of a 7555 CMOS. I find these videos interesting to demonstrate the large crowbar current in a 555 compared to a 7555. It's a long process but eventually I am trying to demonstrate to people an SCR and crowbar circuit used in a washing machine spin cycle. Another MAGIC video that I can point people toward. Thank you from Blighty.

You say it's a boring video, but thanks, I got a few laughs from your rambling commentary. It was great! (:

Great stuff.. Too Easy. Realy good analysis. Yes well done. Nice Digital O scope. And I saw the entire video. Enjoyed it. Good.