Hi I need a waveform generator, integrated in a circuit... I found bougth an old ICL8038 that I realize after too late it costs 9$ (a bit too much) and the reason is that it is out of production. I am a bit skeptic on building new design with something is already known is obsolete. So I checked around for "more modern" alternative.
I realize that the famous Max038 is also obsolete ("strongly not adviced" in the datasheet). NTE864 is expensive 30$
Then I found that exar produces the Xr8038 and the XR2206, but I haven't found on their website the XR8038 (start thinking is dying out even this).
So my conclusion is : It seems that after a while all the waveform generator become out of production ... the next dying will be the XR2206 (the last one seems in production).
I know how to make a square wave from a 555timer, but I was concerned about the precision, i.e. a specific IC for waveform generator like one the cited should be more reliable ? My concerns are linked to the fact that I am building a medical device, so precision and reliability matter. Please let me know your opinion.