Hack your Hardware: Difference between revisions
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* Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...) | * Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...) | ||
* Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners | * Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners | ||
* Extract the stepper motors | * Extract the stepper motors and other good stuff from a printer found on the sidewalk | ||
* Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom | * Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom | ||
* Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop | * Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop | ||
* Add a LED backlight or tasklight to a keyboard or a handheld game | * Add a LED backlight or tasklight to a keyboard or a handheld game | ||
* Add a dimmer to | * Add a secondary switch or a dimmer to a power strip | ||
* A one-wire hack turns a discarded ATX PSU into a benchtop | * A one-wire hack turns a discarded ATX PSU into a benchtop power supply | ||
* Replace the tired nicads in your favorite power screwdriver | * Replace the tired nicads in your electric toothbrush (or favorite power screwdriver, or other rechargeable toy) | ||
* Hotrod your | * Hotrod your power screwdriver with Li+ batteries | ||
You will have more and better ideas. Bring them and share! I personally will be adding a pilot light to my desoldering gun so I can tell when I have the f*cker plugged in. | You will have more and better ideas. Bring them and share! I personally will be adding a pilot light to my desoldering gun so I can tell when I have the f*cker plugged in. |
Revision as of 15:44, 7 November 2008
Workshop proposal: Hack your Hardware Jtfoote 14:11, 7 November 2008 (PST)
"No user-serviceable parts inside" -- we call bullshit on that!
Favorite gadget busted? Don't throw it away; fix it! (Or at least autopsy it for the good of science!) Bring in your hardware yearning to reach its maximum potential (or give its life for spare parts). 90% of electronics failures are caused by bad connections or simple mechanical problems: we'll show you what to look for and how to fix them. We give you permission to take things apart, see what's inside, and improve them.
Possible projects:
- Add an extra iPod input jack to your clock radio or computer speakers
- Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...)
- Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners
- Extract the stepper motors and other good stuff from a printer found on the sidewalk
- Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom
- Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop
- Add a LED backlight or tasklight to a keyboard or a handheld game
- Add a secondary switch or a dimmer to a power strip
- A one-wire hack turns a discarded ATX PSU into a benchtop power supply
- Replace the tired nicads in your electric toothbrush (or favorite power screwdriver, or other rechargeable toy)
- Hotrod your power screwdriver with Li+ batteries
You will have more and better ideas. Bring them and share! I personally will be adding a pilot light to my desoldering gun so I can tell when I have the f*cker plugged in.
Yes this could be dangerous, and we may break things. That's how we learn.
Proposed schedule:
Week 1: Take things apart, determine problems, solutions, necessary parts to obtain. Week 2: Having obtained parts, put things back together and smoke-test (if it doesn't smoke, it passes!)
Your comments and suggestions are a crucial part of this: thanks in advance