_[sdiy]_ICL8038 worst ic off all time!

[Scott Gravenhorst]

=?iso-8859-1?q?Karl=20Dalen?= <karldalen at yahoo.se> wrote:
>I cant understand why such a crap design are still made?
>Even a simple neatly done discreete design would out perform
>the 8038!

Well, I think the datasheet contains examples of the worst ways
to _use_ the 8038.  Check http://www.midwest-analog.com/diylvco.html
for what I would call the right way to use it.  The circuit has
a wider linear sweep range than the datasheet circuit and it also runs cool.

>There should be a list of "worst-IC-designs-of-all-time" it would 
>also be nice with a list of the most "neat" IC design of all time to!
>In the first list i would definitively put the 8038 and a bunch of
>early FM chips! In the second list i would put the 555, the 4046.

555, I agree, in fact, I'd put that on the "worst IC of all time" list.
The 7555, however is fine.  I like the 4046 used as a PLL, I built a
frequency multiplying module with one.  The VCO basically sucks by itself.  

>KD
>
>>I used ICL8038 for my test bench setup. It is there only to make noises,
>> generate clock etc. Doesn't have to be linear, exp, whatever, no need to
>> be stable.
>> And still I don't like it. Especially waveshaping is terrible (read:
>> changing slopes in triangle wave). It affect frequency a lot.
>> Must admit it's pretty stable. Without worrying about temperature (small
>> plastic box with power supply and other stuff in it) it stays within
>> 0.1% of set frequency for hours.
>> Mine has range from 0.2Hz to about 0.5MHz. Usable range of CV is 10:1 in
>> frequency
>> 
>> Roman
>> 
>> ---- Wiadomo¶æ Oryginalna ----
>> Od: "Mark L. Reiser" <mlreiser0 at msn.com>
>> Do: synth DIY <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>> Data: Sat, 06 Mar 2004 18:21:14 -0700
>> Temat: [sdiy] ICL8038
>> 
>> >1. I just came upon some ICL8038 function generator ICs
>> >
>> >How do people feel about building a VCO with an ICL8038?
>> >
>> >Keep in mind, that I am not looking for a great VCO. I would use it
>> mostly
>> >as a small unit to interpret CVs from various controllers for testing
>> and
>> >experimentation. If it sounds like a bad casio, though, let me know --
>> it's
>> >not so hard to just build the oscillators the hard way.
>> >
>> >Mark L.     
>> >
>> >
>>  
>
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>adressen http://se.docs.yahoo.com/travel/index.html 
>

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-- Scott Gravenhorst | LegoManiac / Lego Trains / RIS 1.5
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