The function of the 555 timer is mainly determined by two comparators. The output voltage of the them controls the state of the RS flip-flop and the discharge tube. It also contains 3 working states.

Sometimes the best inspiration is limitation. The 555 timer does “one thing” — compares a voltage to a couple thresholds and outputs a signal accordingly. It’s two comparators, a voltage ladder, and a ...

You can use a microcontroller to build a clock. After all, a clock is just something that counts the passage of time. The only problem is that microcontrollers can’t track time very accurately. They ...