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I posted to hackaday.com

Hacker finds better use for a Windows machine

http://hackaday.com/2010/03/01/hacker-finds-better-use-for-a-windows-machine/

[Patrick Becker] had an ancient PC on his hands with a blown PSU. He converted this into a stylish home for his Betta splendens.

The aquarium itself is fashioned from a piece for construction glass block with the top cut off. This allows for a window that looks through the tank and shows off the motherboard on the other side. He patched into the AC connector so that the original power cord can be used to control the pump. A lighted pump button was added to the front panel and a fancy bezel fitted to the viewing portal in the side of the case. He finished off the project with a PVC pipe for air and food. His blue screen of death now features water and a real fish.
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- fish
- aquarium
- betta
- glass block
March 1 2010, 4:00pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

The Uber Eeepc

http://hackaday.com/2010/02/18/the-uber-eeepc/

[F00] wrote in to show us his Eeepc that has been modded with almost every upgrade you can cram in one. He has an external cantenna for his wifi, an iPod hard drive, touch screen, added bluetooth with indicator lights, and an internal USB drive for booting linux. While the details are somewhat lacking on his site, you can find an article here for every piece you need to recreate his work. We’ve covered adding the touch screen, mounting external antennas, doing it all without solder, even changing the form factor. Not to mention the other Eeepc we’ve seen that was extremely well endowed.
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- tablet pcs hacks
- EeePc
February 18 2010, 8:31am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

GuruPlug, the next generation of SheevaPlug

http://hackaday.com/2010/02/08/guruplug-the-next-generation-of-sheevaplug/

Meet GuruPlug, an all-in-one server that is now available for pre-order. This is the next generation of the popular SheevaPlug that features some added goodies. The base model sells for the same $99 and appears to have the same specs as the original but for $30 more, the GuruPlug Server PLUS moves to 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports, one eSATA connector, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. All of this for $129 and it only pulls 5 watts? Wow.

Update: Thanks to [Foerdi] and to [Phil Burgess] for the pointing out that the hardware diagram on the features page shows WiFi and Bluetooth for both models.

[Thanks Chris]
- Tags:
- home hacks
- pcs hacks
- Linux
- server
- sheevaplug
- GuruPlug
February 8 2010, 2:42pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

ExoPC shows off some guts

http://hackaday.com/2010/02/07/exopc-shows-off-some-guts/

The folks over at Engadget have posted some pictures of the ExoPC’s insides. With the recent return of the tablet craze (remember xp tablet edition?) we’re seeing tablets everywhere. This one has some promise on the hardware side, sporting a 1.6GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. Unfortunately we’ve heard using solely a tablet interface with windows7 is somewhat cumbersome even with the built in improvements. We’re not too worried though, a customized appliance style linux interface probably won’t be too far off.

The last couple times we mentioned tablet style computing, people have emailed us about the Touchbook. It also seems pretty cool, but seems like switching applications is visibly laggy in the demo video. Then again, a slimmed down interface might reduce some of that drag.
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- windows
- tablet
- touchbook
February 7 2010, 9:52am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

C64 interface for your computer

http://hackaday.com/2010/01/23/c64-interface-for-your-computer/

Before we get started, lets just point out that this C64 was broken. He did not take a functional C64 out of operation for this. What he did do, was to build a hardware interface for for his VICE system. For those unfamiliar, VICE is a cross platform C64 emulator. [Simon] points out that the old games just weren’t as much fun without the original hardware. Having a broken C64 lying around, he put it to good use. It now acts as the interface for all the original fun stuff.

If you are a fan of the hardware, but just want to interface it as a normal USB keyboard, that is possible as well.
- Tags:
- peripherals hacks
- pcs hacks
- c64
- commodore
- classic hacks
- comodore
January 23 2010, 10:06am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

SheevaPlug PBX

http://hackaday.com/2010/01/20/sheevaplug-pbx/

[Greg] has been working on a version of Debian/ FreePBX/ Asterisk for people to be able to drop onto a SheevaPlug. If you haven’t seen it, the SheevaPlug is a tiny computer housed in a wall plug. They made some waves when they were announced last year, and we’ve spoken of them several times. [Greg] is offering up the operating system in a pre configured format for SD cards so you can just download it and drop it in your SheevaPlug. Yeah, there’s a little bit of work to do before it will boot, which you can see in the video above. Thanks for sending this in [Greg], keep up the good work.
- Tags:
- home hacks
- pcs hacks
- Linux
- phone
- sheevaplug
- linux hacks
- pbx
- phone hacks
January 20 2010, 7:28am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Suska open source Atari ST

http://hackaday.com/2010/01/07/suska-open-source-atari-st/

Got a special place in your heart for Atari computing? Now you can quench that need using new hardware. The Suska project has achieved complete hardware emulation of the Atari ST using an FPGA. The project’s progress tracker shows implementation of the major chips at 100%. They are running EmuTOS, an Atari emulator, as the operating system because running the original would violate copyright. The chip used is an Altera Cyclone III. You could load up the code on your own hardware but judging from the number of connections needed it might be less of a headache to buy a board from these guys.

[Thanks Erik]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- atari
- fpga
- Altera
- atari st
- suska
January 7 2010, 3:00pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Zilog in a matchbox

http://hackaday.com/2009/12/27/zilog-in-a-matchbox/

Now you can have a Zilog computer in the form factor of a matchbox. The RamBlade is a tiny PCB that uses a Parallax Propeller IC to implement the CP/M language. The OS is stored on a microSD card, with a four-pin serial interface (3V3, GND, SO, SI) that allows operation via a terminal program.

Smaller and more resilient than building your own from ancient logic chips, we see this a way to get a whole new set of people interested in this old technology.

[Thanks Oldbitcollector]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- propeller
- cpm
- z80
- classic hacks
- zilog
- RamBlade
December 27 2009, 2:51pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

The Harlequin project

http://hackaday.com/2009/12/11/the-harlequin-project/

This impressive little mod is quite fantastic really. [pakkei] has constructed the Harlequin, a home-made version of the Microsoft courier. This was a stock Dell mini9. Now, coupled with a display link touch screen monitor that happens to be identical in size and resolution to the original, it has become a new device. He has loaded Windows7 and is currently working on a case that can hold all the bits a little more organized than what you see above. We can’t wait to see this finished.

[via engadget]
- Tags:
- peripherals hacks
- pcs hacks
- laptops hacks
- dell
- tablet
- mini 9
- multitouch hacks
- courier
December 11 2009, 4:13pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Creating wooden enclosures

http://hackaday.com/2009/12/08/creating-wooden-enclosures/

[Matthias] built a wooden enclosure for his keyboard. He’s used to using a Commodore 64 keyboard and decided he didn’t need the num pad found on modern keyboards.

It’s not the finished product that interests us, but the methods he used to create such a nice looking enclosure. From the wooden binary adder he produced we know he’s a talented woodworker. He takes us step-by-step through the use of a scroll saw, table saw, and router tabled to turn out this one-of-a-kind. You may not own these tools but someone you know does. Follow his example and turn out your own wooden wonders.

[Thanks Harald]
- Tags:
- keyboard
- pcs hacks
- c64
- comodore
- saw
- wooden
December 8 2009, 2:01pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Pranav Mistry’s cool input devices

http://hackaday.com/2009/12/07/pranav-mistrys-cool-input-devices/

This new video about [Pranav Mistry's] SixthSense project doesn’t bring us much that we haven’t seen before. At least, not on that project. What really caught our eye was the device he shows off at the beginning of the video. Using two old ball mice, he constructed a grip style input device. It is simple and elegant and we can definitely see using this in future hacks. Not only is it cheap and apparently effective, it seems as though it could be constructed in a very short amount of time. all you need are the wheels that spin when the ball moves, 4 springs and some string. Why didn’t we think of that?

[thanks Sean]
- Tags:
- peripherals hacks
- pcs hacks
- gesture
- input
- ted
- sixthsense
December 7 2009, 9:07am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Tiny keyboard/touchpad has “hack” written all over it

http://hackaday.com/2009/11/26/tiny-keyboardtouchpad-has-hack-written-all-over-it/

Yes, we know, this is not a hack, yet it just has the vibe of something we’ll likely be seeing in many small form-factor systems and wearable hacks in the future.

The USB Wireless Handheld Keyboard is a diminutive keyboard and mouse replacement with a passing resemblance to a BlackBerry PDA — where the screen has been replaced with a laptop-style trackpad sensor. This seems a shoo-in for home theater PC use; it’s unobtrusive and won’t look out of place on the coffee table alongside the universal remote. But any tiny system requiring only occasional input could likely benefit.

The keyboard layout is funky as heck, though likely adequate for its intended use of couch web-surfing and interactive messaging (or whatever wild applications our readers will surely come up with). A USB wireless receiver and a charging cable are included in the $62 package. Video after the break…

[USB Geek via Engadget]
- Tags:
- wearable hacks
- peripherals hacks
- keyboard
- wireless
- pcs hacks
- wearable
- mouse
- usb
- trackpad
- htpc
November 26 2009, 9:52am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

USB accelerometer controller

http://hackaday.com/2009/11/20/usb-accelerometer-controller/

As you can see above, there is no wiimote in that accessory steering wheel. There is, instead, a home-made accelerometer controller that connects to the pc via USB. Based around a PIC 18F2550 and a 2 axis accelerometer, this device is detected by windows as a standard controller. The schematic and source code are available on his website. He says it can also be used as a “motion mouse”. You can see a video of that after the break.

When we first saw the video, we thought it might be the same person as the accelerometer controlled maze project, due to the wiimote steering wheel casing.

[via make]
- Tags:
- peripherals hacks
- pcs hacks
- pic
- game
- Joystick
- drive
- accelerometer
- RACE
November 20 2009, 8:31am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Server not as think as you drunk it is

http://hackaday.com/2009/11/03/server-not-as-think-as-you-drunk-it-is/

[Janos] pulled off a unique case mod by fitting a computer system inside of a whiskey bottle. Inside you’ll find a 733MHz processor, 256MB of ram, a 40GB hard drive, and a 60 watt power supply. The specs seem a little light but since this mod is from 2006 we certainly understand. Using the right server software this will still keep up with today’s demands.

It sounds like the hardest part was putting holes in the bottle. After a few failed attempts, [Janos] found a professional glass grinder to cut the openings for him.

The whole thing was running a little hot and instead of filling the bottle with oil (oh, how we wish he had) he added a second fan in the bottle’s neck and drilled some air intake holes. This brought the temperature under control while preserving the boozy look of this creative enclosure.

[via Lifehacker]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- server
- Case mod
- whiskey
November 3 2009, 10:00am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Computer learns from tic-tac-toe

http://hackaday.com/2009/11/02/computer-learns-from-tic-tac-toe/

MENACE, the Matchbox Educable Noughts And Crosses Engine, is a fancy name for a machine that plays Tic-Tac-Toe. The concept is a product of Professor [Donald Mitchie]’s work in the 1960’s and was featured as an example in the “A New THEORY of AWESOMENESS and MIRACLES” talk given at this year’s UK games conference.

[James Bridle] built this fascinating example of how a computational system can learn from its successes and failures. Each box corresponds to one of 304 different board layouts. The operator uses an index sheet to locate the box that corresponds to the current state, shakes the box, then looks to see which bean has randomly fallen into a partition in the box. The color/type of bean corresponds to a space that the machine has “chosen” for that move. If MENACE won the game a bead matching the move that was played would be added to each box used. If MENACE lost, a bead would be removed from each box used. This way the machine cannot make the exact same mistakes twice, and is more likely to repeat successful solutions.

[James] notes that he couldn’t find any evidence of this machine actually being built before. It is possible that this was always a theoretical device but now we’ve seen an actual build. We consider this to be a computer because it is calculating moves based on probability of success but what do you think? If you’re thirsting for more pictures there’s plenty to see in the Flickr set he’s posted.

[via BoingBoing]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- computer
- MENACE
- noughts and crosses
- probability
- tic-tac-toe
November 2 2009, 11:58am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Processor built with Transistor-Transistor Logic

http://hackaday.com/2009/10/30/processor-built-with-transistor-transistor-logic/

[Donn] wanted know exactly what is going on inside of a processor so naturally he built a CPU out of TTL components. He had previously built a couple of versions of a computer based on the Z80 processor. Using the troubleshooting skills he learned and a second-hand textbook, he set to work using 74LS series chips connected using the wire-wrap method we’re familiar with from other cpu projects.

The finished product runs well at 1.8 megahertz, but he also included a 2 hertz clock and a step clock for debugging. At the slower speeds, the register board (seen at the left in the picture above) lights LEDs and can be used to tell what the CPU is currently working on. Programming is accomplished through either a dumb terminal or a PC running a terminal emulator.

His writeup is from about five years ago but that didn’t prevent us from getting that fuzzy feeling in the geek-center of our brain when we read about it. It is well written and thorough so if you’re into this kind of thing there’s plenty to enjoy.

[Thanks Raleigh]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- z80
- cpu
- classic hacks
- processor
- 74ls
- transistor
- ttl
- wirewrap
October 30 2009, 1:02pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Upgraded Atari 1024STf

http://hackaday.com/2009/10/28/upgraded-atari-1024stf/

[Gerritt] wanted to give his crippled Atari 1024 STf a new purpose in life. He cracked it open and set to work filling it with some modern components. The keyboard from the nearly 25-year-old dinosaur doesn’t have all the keys we’re used to, nor did they all work, so he replaced the original with a 101 key model. The internal hardware was replaced with a microATX board, a picoPSU, Bluetooth and WiFi transceivers, a hard drive, and a slot-fed DVD drive. He even rebuilt the original mouse to use the circuitry from an optical mouse.

The final product is a 1.6GHz Pentium Mobile with one gig of ram. Now he has no need to pick up an EEE Keyboard PC when they hit the market.
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- atari
- Case mod
- 1024 ST
- EEE keyboard
October 28 2009, 1:18pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Cheap and flimsy PC case provides no protection

http://hackaday.com/2009/10/18/cheap-and-flimsy-pc-case-provides-no-protection/

[Rafael] tipped us off about a “case mod” he completed for his PC. The email he sent provides no details and the link just shows five pictures of his computer in a “dead file” container (we’re guessing he doesn’t want to be an Internet sensation). What we get out of this is that he took a corrugated plastic box meant to house old files on shelves, and thew a set of computer parts inside of it.

This would be a great hack if [MacGyver] needed a computer to defuse a ticking bomb while trapped inside of a room built completely out of metal. The plastic provides protection from shorting out the motherboard but, other than low cost, that’s the only upside of this hack.

The downside here is obvious, there’s no protection from physical damage. In fact, a good bump might flex the box enough to slam the motherboard into the PSU housing. And what’s with the external WiFi fob? We could understand the point of this a bit better if it could blend in with a rack of archived files in the back room.

We give this one an ‘A’ for creativity, a ‘B-’ for execution, and an ‘F’ for longevity. This should have been built in an acrylic case sized to fit perfectly in the yellow plastic box. But what does your unorthodox PC case look like? Let us know by sending in a tip.
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- fail
- mod
- case
October 18 2009, 10:24am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Exploding processors for real

http://hackaday.com/2009/10/06/exploding-processors-for-real/

After we posted the “High explosives pc case” earlier we saw a resounding outcry in the comments for combustible destruction. Oddly enough, we got a submission of something along just those lines. [tazzik] has taken the heat sink off of his athlon 1400+ and covered the poor processor in potassium chlorate. As you can see in the video, this was not a very effective heat management decision. It is definitely fun, but nowhere near as explosive as our thermite shenanigans.

[thanks Steve]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- fire
- potassium chlorate
- Thermite
October 6 2009, 5:00pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

High explosives PC case

http://hackaday.com/2009/10/06/high-explosives-pc-case/

[Ilias] let us know about his new HTPC case mod. He took a surplus Ammo-case and with a bit of work turned it into a livingroom eye-sore masterpiece. His build has some nice touches, including a slot-fed DVD player, switch-based fan control, and key-and-button “nuclear launch” type power-on controls.

A few things to learn from this project: Cleanly cutting holes in a steel case for the connectors is tough. You can see that [Ilias] did a pretty good job with it and in several cases used rubber gaskets to cover the rough edges. Secondly, the slot fed DVD had to be mounted upside-down. We assume this will be fine, but we’d like to hear a follow-up after a few years of heavy use. Finally, the GFAF (girlfriend acceptance factor) ran very close to critical on this build as [Ilias] didn’t clean up the metal shavings on his porch and ended up with rust stains everywhere.

Case mods are an enjoyable hobby. We hope this will inspire you to take the leap. If you do, don’t forget to send your completed project into our tip line.
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- dvd
- Case mod
- htpc
- ammo case
- explosives
- gfaf
- steel
October 6 2009, 12:00pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Building an IR receiver for the popcorn hour c-200

http://hackaday.com/2009/10/05/building-an-ir-receiver-for-the-popcorn-hour-c-200/

[Linuxworks] has posted a writeup on how to build an IR module for the popcorn hour c-200. We weren’t familiar with the popcorn hour c-200, so we had to look it up. It seems to be a media center pc sort of thing. We’re not reviewing the unit itself, since we’ve never used one, so we’ll just get back to the mod. The device uses an RF remote, which some people didn’t like as much. Luckily it has an expansion port which can be utilized to get IR signals into the machine. [Linuxworks] has used a cheap IR sensor and a standard headphone plug. He notes that equipment passing power through these plugs should be turned off before plugging them in or removing them as they short momentarily during insertion.
- Tags:
- peripherals hacks
- pcs hacks
- ir
- infra red
- popcorn hour c-200
October 5 2009, 10:00am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Microsoft unveils Open Source multi core OS

http://hackaday.com/2009/10/01/microsoft-unveils-open-source-multi-core-os/

A new operating system, code named Barrelfish is being developed by Microsoft research labs and ETH Zurich in Switzerland. This operating system is being built with multi core operations foremost in priority. It is supposed to be extremely scalable and able to function on a very wide range of hardware. You can download the current snapshot of it on their site and dig into the source code, released under a 3-clause BSD style license. If you would like to learn the primary differences between this OS and Windows or Linux, you can read this PDF.

[via Engadget]
- Tags:
- misc hacks
- pcs hacks
- Linux
- windows
- microsoft
- operating system
- os
October 1 2009, 11:00am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Internal Wireless Headphones

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/28/internal-wireless-headphones/

Wireless headphones can be a wonderful way to help clear up the clutter inherent in most desktop PC systems. However, after plugging a wall wart in, and the headphone jack into the computer, the number of wires used has actually doubled. After [Parker] found an old set of JVC 900 Mhz wireless headphones (and a generic 900MHz transmitter), he cracked open the case to see what he could do with them. Realizing that the transmitter used a 12V DC source, he powered it with an unused floppy connector (which provides +12V, +5V, and two ground lines). He also wired the audio-in line directly onto his sound card headers rather than feeding out a headphone jack to the back. He then wrapped the whole thing in plastic to prevent unwanted shorting and placed it back in his PC, leaving him with a very functional wireless system. Detailed photos after the break.
- Tags:
- wireless
- pcs hacks
- wireless hacks
- drive
- 900mhz
- headphones
- floppy
September 28 2009, 8:34pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

SLI anytime anywhere

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/25/sli-anytime-anywhere/

SLI, for those who don’t know, is the process of taking two Nvidia graphics cards and allowing them to work in parallel to render to a single monitor. In theory this doubles the power, getting more FPS for video games. Great right? Except due to encryption, only a limited amount of motherboards can actually support SLI.

That is, until now. Russian hackers at xDevs discovered that the newer encryption is based around string identifiers. This can be modified within the operating system itself, so in theory any motherboard could work. Be wary, this could brick your system; but if successful, you’ll have more power without shelling out for an officially SLI supported motherboard.
- Tags:
- peripherals hacks
- pcs hacks
- motherboard
- any
- chipset
- sli
- xdevs
September 25 2009, 8:54pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Android app “tests” Windows vulnerability

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/14/android-app-tests-windows-vulnerability/

An Android App for “testing” the Windows SMB2 vulnerability we covered last week has been released. For testing? Yeah right! The availability of this kind of software makes it ridiculously easy for anybody to go out and cause some havoc. Go right now and double check that your machines that run Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 are protected (see the “workarounds” section.)

[Thanks Tom101]
- Tags:
- android
- security hacks
- pcs hacks
- windows
- vista
- exploit
- android hacks
- smb
- vulnerability
- server 2008
- smb2
September 14 2009, 3:30pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

In-depth MAME cocktail cabinet build

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/09/in-depth-mame-cocktail-cabinet-build/

Recently, a friend of ours got married who is a Ms. Pac-Man fanatic. His best man set out to fulfill the groom’s dream of owning a Ms. Pac-Man cocktail cabinet. The problem is that the unit he was after was selling for $2500. It’s great to buy the real thing (and with guest contributions he did,) but if it’s not available consider building your own.

[Alex] has put together a comprehensive guide for building a MAME cocktail cabinet. Unlike the mini-cabinet we saw last week, this is intended to be used sitting down and features controls on more than one side. His guide details the use of an original arcade CRT or an LCD flat panel, high-end controls via an I-Pac 4 controller, and a PC running MAME and MaLa software for Windows. The result is a professional looking build with controls on three sides of the table.

[via Gizmodo]
- Tags:
- home entertainment hacks
- pcs hacks
- mame
- games
- arcade
- cocktail cabinet
- i-pac
- mala
- ms pac-man
September 9 2009, 6:00pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Windows 7 and Vista crash via SMB exploit

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/09/windows-7-and-vista-crash-via-smb-exploit/

[Laurent Gaffié] has discovered an exploit that affects Windows Vista, Windows 7, and possibly Windows Server 2008 (unconfirmed). This method attacks via the NEGOTIATE PROTOCOL REQUEST which is the first SMB query sent. The vulnerability is present only on Windows versions that include Server Message Block 2.0 and have the protocol enabled. A successful attack requires no local access to the machine and results in a Blue Screen of Death.

[Laurent] has a proof of concept available with his writeup in the form of a python script (please, white hat use only). There is no patch for this vulnerability but disabling the SMB protocol will protect your system until one is available.

Update: According to the Microsoft advisory this vulnerability could lead to code execution, making it a bit worse than we thought. On the bright side, they claim that the final version of Windows 7 is not open to this attack, only Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

[via Full Disclosure]

[picture: Inquirer]
- Tags:
- news
- security hacks
- pcs hacks
- windows
- bsod
- vista
- windows 7
- smb
- vulnerability
September 9 2009, 8:14am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Proto-board Z80 computer

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/07/proto-board-z80-computer/

We’ve seen Z80 processor based computers before but they usually use a printed circuit board to easily and reliably connect all the components. [Marton] sent us his Z80 based computer from a while back that is built entirely on prototyping board. He made his own video board that utilizes a TV as the monitor and his own mainboard incorporating a keyboard controller. The system runs at 4 MHz, has 32k of ram, and runs [Marton's] own system software which he has posted. Its quite impressive and we love the protoboard porn with thousands of grey wires running everywhere.

[Marton] used the resources on [Hans Summers'] site for his project. Make sure to check it out if you’re interested in a broader background concerning DIY Zilog Z80 computers.
- Tags:
- misc hacks
- pcs hacks
- prototype
- z80
- proto board
- zilog
September 7 2009, 2:34pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Cellphone-controlled home

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/06/cellphone-controlled-home/

[Tixlegeek] used a Motorola 68HC705J1 development board to remotely control his home through his cellphone. The video above, as well as [Tixlegeek]’s website, is in French, though the video has been captioned. The development board (called the ERMES125) is controlled by a PIC externally. It has an array of LEDs, and apperantly a few high voltage relays. The PIC is connected to a laptop through a serial interface. The laptop is running a small web server, which uses CGI to control the PIC from a webpage. This system allows [Tixlegeek] to log onto the webpage from his web enabled phone, click a few buttons, and have appliances turn on or off through relays controlled by the PIC (via serial signals from the laptop).
- Tags:
- cellphones hacks
- home hacks
- pcs hacks
- pic
- home automation
- motorola
- 68hc705j1
- ermes125
September 6 2009, 2:00pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Firefox master password recovery tool

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/01/firefox-master-password-recovery-tool/

It’s great in this day and age that browsers can remember our passwords for us, allowing us cross-site security without the hassle of memorizing a million different random passwords. It’s great, that is, until we forget our master password. Fret not, though; there is a solution. The folks over at Lifehacker show us how to use FireMaster to recover forgotten or misplaced Firefox master passwords. Perhaps a better solution is to just store those tricky passwords where nobody will find them.
- Tags:
- security hacks
- downloads hacks
- pcs hacks
- cracking
- firefox
- password
- brute force
- firemaster
- master password
September 1 2009, 3:09pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Update: Foundation PC Cooling

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/31/update-foundation-pc-cooling/

[gigs], whose foundation-based PC cooling project we covered earlier, has posted his initial test results. There was a large debate going back and forth in the comments as to whether or not this would work, and hopefully this should clear most of it up. He used a 150W fish tank heater to simulated his system’s heat output, and used a quiet fish tank pump to keep the water flowing. Over 8 hours, he was able to maintain a constant temperature 16° C (61° F). While not quite frigid, this would definitely provide ample cooling for normal operation with some headroom for overclocking.

Chart of results after the jump.

[thanks to gigs for getting back with real data so soon]
- Tags:
- home hacks
- pcs hacks
- overclocking
- pc
- water cooling
- follow up
- foundation
- WaterCooling
August 31 2009, 5:30pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Foundation cooling

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/26/foundation-cooling/

Overclockers are always trying to come up with new, colder, and quieter ways to keep their PCs cool. [gigs] was so dedicated to this, he decided to lay 6 meters of copper pipe to use as a radiator in his new house’s foundation. As of now, the foundation is laid (copper pipes and all), and the forum posts come complete with finished slab pics, though there is no house to speak of yet.

[via Slashdot]
- Tags:
- home hacks
- pcs hacks
- cooling
- slashdot
- overclocking
- pc
- water cooling
August 26 2009, 7:56pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Bench power supply adapter

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/24/bench-power-supply-adapter/

Every electronics workbench could benefit from having a bench power supply. Converting a PC power supply works, but often, it involves splicing wires and limits the supply to only bench use, and building one from scratch is definitely an undertaking. To counter this, [silic0re] and his father came up with a detachable adapter that simply plugs into the existing connectors. The adapter provides posts for four different voltages and can be built in no time. It’s nice to see a solution that will let you use any power supply laying around without having to worry about the dangers of opening it or cutting it up.

[Thanks silic0re]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- tool-hacks
- power supply
- adapter
- psu
- bench supply
- quick hack
August 24 2009, 11:01am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

A Linux server that tweets power changes

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/22/a-linux-server-that-tweets-power-changes/

Twitter has been used for lots of experiments, both useful and just for fun. [FIRESTORM_v1] sent in his project that falls under the useful category. When he wanted a way to monitor his server’s power statistics, Twitter was a logical choice. Similar to the Tweet-a-Watt, he wrote a script that posts messages from APCUPSd to a Twitter account that he follows, and gets the updates on his phone. [FIRESTORM_v1] documents all of the scripts he used and the steps to get your server up and tweeting.
- Tags:
- security hacks
- pcs hacks
- Linux
- twitter
- tweet a watt
- apc
- moitoring software
- power usage
- scripting
August 22 2009, 12:37pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

OpenPogo, an alternative to Pogoplug software

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/21/openpogo-an-alternative-to-pogoplug-software/

Many of us heard the news of Marvell’s SheevaPlug plug-in PC being released alongside its consumer solution counterparts. One of the prominent products based on the SheevaPlug hardware is the Pogoplug. The Pogoplug is essentially a no-configuration media server that allows you to plug in a hard drive and network cable to make data readily available anywhere you have Internet access. It’s a great idea, but the underlying software is closed source, limiting the demographic of the device to consumers who are happy with an out-of-the-box solution. Enter OpenPogo, a solution for people who want a bit more control over their device. OpenPogo gives users more say over what their Pogoplug does; from running a torrent client to a web server to a Ruby on Rails server. The possibilities for the device are limitless, and OpenPogo makes turning our ideas into reality it just that much easier.
- Tags:
- home entertainment hacks
- pcs hacks
- Linux
- sheevaplug
- openpogo
- plug computer
- pogoplug
August 21 2009, 3:30pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Reverse engineering USB drivers

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/20/reverse-engineering-usb-drivers/

When [Jespersaur] purchased a Luxeed LED keyboard, he was disappointed to find that the drivers were not open source and didn’t support all the features he wanted. His solution? Hack the drivers that come with it, and implement his own. In his article, he gives a basic rundown of beginning reverse engineering by multiple methods and a brief introduction to libusb. For the Linux drivers, check out [Kurt Stephens]’s site, where he supplies a link to the source code, instructions on building it, and a tutorial on sending commands to the keyboard.
- Tags:
- keyboard
- led
- pcs hacks
- Linux
- usb
- programming
- reverse engineer
- led hacks
- drivers
- libusb
August 20 2009, 1:12pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Modular computing

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/20/modular-computing/

This is the Illuminato X Machina, a “cellular” style computing system. Each unit is a fully functioning computer with its own processor, storage and communications. You can watch above as a change in the operating software is propagated across the grid. You can see the LEDs in the video going nuts, there are actually LEDs on the sides too. [Justin] described it to us as a personal fireworks show on your desk. This system is fully open with the schematics and source code available on their site. You might recognize these guys too, we covered their Open Source GameBoy.
- Tags:
- wearable hacks
- pcs hacks
- serial
- parallel
- modular
August 20 2009, 9:41am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Building an Apple 1

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/14/building-an-apple-1/

With all the recent talk of hackintoshes going around, we thought we should post this oldie. It is a writeup on how to build your own Apple 1 called Replica 1. If you’ve got the $149 laying around and think you can handle the construction of a mere 88 components, you can make one yourself. Not only can you order kits or complete units, they even have a download page with applications and games. It might be fun to have one of these sitting on the desk right next to our minimac. If you really don’t want to buy one, but maybe want to just play a little bit, there’s always virtual apple.

[via DVICE]
- Tags:
- pcs hacks
- apple
- macs hacks
- mac
August 14 2009, 2:25pm | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

DOSbox on Zipit

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/10/dosbox-on-zipit/

Who out there has a Zipit? Great, now out of the five of you, who really wants to run Dos on it? Well, for the one or two of you left reading, now you can. The directions can be found here. [Hunter] has worked out a way to get DosBox running on his Zipit. At 315 mhz his old DOS games, like AD&D shown above, are running quite snappily. You can download everything you need to get up and running from the site. If DOS isn’t your thing, you may want to check out the Linux how to as well.

[thanks Harold]
- Tags:
- home entertainment hacks
- pcs hacks
- handhelds hacks
- dd
- dosbox
- zipit
August 10 2009, 8:31am | More »
I posted to hackaday.com

Serial hacking with an ATtiny2313

http://hackaday.com/2009/08/06/serial-hacking-with-an-attiny2313/

[Sprite_tm] automated a portion of serial hacking by sniffing out the baud rate using an ATtiny2313 and FT232 breakout board. The firmware assumes 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit (8N1). This is pretty much defacto among serial ports so it should work well, though some devices do use different settings. The auto detection routine can sniff rates as low as 110 baud and supports non standard rates. Released under GPLv3, the software is also supplied in hex format. [Sprite_tm] has provided great project in past such as Working with VFDs, Controllable bristlebot, and AVR boost converter. Additional information regarding serial hacking after the break.

A great deal of electronics have an Achilles’ heel, known as a serial port. These embedded ports are often used during development to debug functions, load and upgrade firmware etc. At the very least circuit traces are generally brought out for automated testing purposes. Looking up chip pin outs and tracing circuits is one small step in serial hacking. After the traces are known the voltage level is then determined(CMOS,TTL,RS232,etc). Then a few tests are run on the port. These tests generally give indications regarding the potential of the port(does it have a driver, does it have a protocol, what is the baud, etc). If information regarding the baud and other criteria can not be found in the data sheet, [Sprite_tm]’s method would certainly save a great deal of tedious time. Some controllers, like the 68HCxx may have a boot ROM which eliminates most of the guess work in setting up the serial port. We use the Null-modem emulator project (com0com) almost daily to help sort various serial problems. This is highly recommended, for anyone spending a considerable amount of time with serial devices.
- Tags:
- home entertainment hacks
- misc hacks
- pcs hacks
- AVR
- Electronics
- DIY
- microcontroller
- controller
- attiny2313
- FT232
- serial hacking
August 6 2009, 8:14am | More »

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