Ne566 Help

[shawn]

Anyone have Thomas Henry's book on the NE566 Oscillator? He apparently has stopped business selling those wonderful books. I'm glad I got two out of the 3 I wanted. Anyway, anyone know of a source to obtain one? If not any good suggestions on applications using it?

[ExpAnonColin]

They pop up on eBay now and then.  Try talking to the guy who had this auction up:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38071&item=7312380630&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

-Colin

[toneman]

U can find datasheets if U google.
There might B some "application notes" also...
Give it a google.....
pretty sure National and AnalogDevices and Signetics/Intersil used to make em.
but, after searching Mouser.com 4 "566" & vco, i can't find one(?)
i'm thinking they are obsolete(?)
MayB the FrostMan or RG would know(?)
there's also the 8038 that is very similar, & still can B ordered.
Some of the tricks done with the 566 can B applied to the 8038.
I'm talking bout the "Potpouri" article in Polyphony by JSimonton.
I think there was an Electronotes article bout the same thing(?)
MayB  Hammer has the old article(?)
If i remember right, Paia'a old, The Drum, used  the 566.
stayoscillatin'
tone

[shawn]

Thanks guys. i have plenty of chips, i was just out looking for his book.

[DiyFreaque]

You can find a fairly decent 566 VCO at Synth Guru Rene Schmitz's page here:

http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzs159/

I use a number of Rene's circuits, BTW.  He is one of those guys that seriously knows his sh..er...stuff (had a chance to visit him in Bonn last year - nice guy).

Don't overlook the XR2206 as well as the 8038.  Thomas Henry got excellent results with the 8038 by powering it from a negative supply. The data sheet examples for the 8038 inexplicably blow chunks - hugely inefficient examples that turn the thing into a miniature space heater.

The 566 is a discontinued chip, has been for quite some time now.  It does show up from time to time, as Colin mentioned.  The dreaded Futurlec, until recently, still had it.  I'm sure a couple of places on my long list of suppliers at least list it.  

I found it here, a place I've never ordered from, but looks legit enough:

http://www.kelvin.com

They list the LM566 (National's Version of the NE566) for $1.10.  They call it a PLL IC, but if it's an LM566, it's really a VCO.  It was used in a lot of PLL arrangments, so I can see why they would lump it in there.

Never overlook Joe Blow's local electronics shop.  I found a few at Wichita's only remaining non-Radio Shack shop not too long ago.

Good luck,
Scott

[shawn]

Thanks Scott. I have quite a few of those XR2206 chips as well as the NE566s so I'll have plenty to have fun with. Thanks for the links!

[DiyFreaque]

Hey Shawn,

The XR2206 is a helluva good chip.  I've got a manuscript for a book Thomas Henry was writing on those things - a source of great angst,  because it's unpublished and I've been entrusted not to distribute it or its ideas (I'm still in hopes Thomas still publishes either the book or the contents of it in magazine articles), but I will say that chip beats the pants off the 566 in a lot ways.  It slices, it dices, it makes julienne fries!

One cool thing about the XR2206 is that it's got a basic ring modulator built into it.  Now that's just a stompbox waiting to happen.....

Take care,
Scott

[shawn]

Hey Shawn,

The XR2206 is a helluva good chip.  I've got a manuscript for a book Thomas Henry was writing on those things - a source of great angst,  because it's unpublished and I've been entrusted not to distribute it or its ideas (I'm still in hopes Thomas still publishes either the book or the contents of it in magazine articles), but I will say that chip beats the pants off the 566 in a lot ways.  It slices, it dices, it makes julienne fries!

One cool thing about the XR2206 is that it's got a basic ring modulator built into it.  Now that's just a stompbox waiting to happen.....

Take care,
Scott

Well considering he took his website down I'm not holding my breath. Thanks for the tease though.