Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

If we had an “utterly awesome” tag here on SlashGear, you can bet I’d be using it for this. Pocket Lucho has a history of making incredible miniature arcade cabinets, and his latest fully-operational model is a Neo Geo cabinet complete with illuminated marquee and false coin slot.

The screen is courtesy of a PSone clip-on LCD attachment, which is held into place via magnets so as to make internal access more straightforward. A magnetically-latched door on the side gives access to the cartridge slot and more, while there’s also a port for attaching a second controller and a video output.

In the videos below he explains first how he made the cabinet, and then runs through a demo of it in action. No word on what sort of money he spent, but I bet he could find plenty of takers if he made these to order.


Friday, June 12, 2009

Robotics platform manufacturer RoBe:Do Robotics have added a third model to their range of netbook-powered ‘bots, the Three. As with the previous two platforms, the Three is a modular chassis which uses a USB-connected motor controller; the buyer slaps their laptop or netbook onto the deck, and it acts as the Three’s brain.



Three is supplied fully-assembled, and in its most basic form has two 6.7-inch wheels with twin 120 rpm motors. They’re apparently faster than any RoBe:Do have used before, and are powered by either 8 or 16 rechargeable NiMH 9.6V batteries.

Into the system you can plug an optional three-sensor digital IR navigation array, for autonomous control, or any number of USB sensors, webcams, I/O controllers and other gadgets to adapt the platform. C, C++, C#, Flash AS3, Java, .NET, Python, VBScript and Visual Basic are all supported, among others, and you can use a Linux, Mac or Windows based notebook or netbook.

The RoBe:Do Three is available to order now, priced from $439 ($399 as an introductory offer); the navigation array is a $79 option, while the batteries are priced at $34 or $44 for the 8 or 16 packs respectively.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

The PSP Go! is shaping up to be great, but it doesn’t have a full QWERTY keyboard, does it. Acidmods forum member folklord36’s PSP Laptop does, though, courtesy of an Xbox Chat Pad, together with relocated speakers, LED lighting and more.



The screen section is a customized Joytech visor, which conveniently has the same finish as the PSP, and here donates its super-sturdy hinge that can be positioned at anything up to 180-degrees. That takes the LCD and the PSP’s original speakers, which are repositioned to the large holes either side. Normal earphone fabric covers them up.

Meanwhile the rest of the PSP - now with the QWERTY keyboard - remains on the bottom, only with some new LED lighting. A custom flat cable extension connects the LCD ZIF port to the screen itself. No word on how long it took him, nor how much he spent, but this is certainly a unique PSP.

Friday, June 05, 2009

There’s little that excites us more than a DIY synth, but slapping an arcade-style joystick onto a fuzzy, glitchy, beeping analog monster practically pushes us over the edge. Synth-master Unearthed Circuits has combined four oscillators with various levels of pitch adjustment and come up with Drone Machine; the joystick individually mutes or activates each one.

Pitch is either controlled by the cluster of retro knobs in the lower left-hand corner, or can be thrown over to the bank of photo-resistors up near the top. The dangling arm is actually a strobe light that can be directed at those photo-resistors for some extra-glitchy triggering.

Finally there’s an effects section, with overdrive, fuzz and ring-mod effects. Again, there’s the potential of linear control over them via knobs, but the metal handles at the front are in fact body contacts for less predictable results.

 

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