Build your very own PC monitoring gauges with USB, ingenuity

If you've never tracked down just the right desktop widget to display your PC vitals, perhaps analog gauges are your last hope at harmony with processor utilization. DIY Life has a nice how-to on how to hack your very own old-school gauges to work off of USB and, you know, gauge stuff. Unfortunately, the hack is pretty involved -- we set ten of our finest interns to the task, and only three of them made it back with all their appendages intact -- but don't let that frighten you too much, our interns are a rowdy lot.

[James Scott @ Feb 4th 2008 9:55AM]

Why is that guy so scary looking?

[Paul @ Feb 4th 2008 10:15AM]

This is pretty cool. I had been wondering if it was possible. To bad I dont have any experience with micro-controllers and I am not sure if I trust myself doing Surface mount soldering.

[sky @ Feb 20th 2008 4:25PM]

There is a better way to solder these surface-mount devices.. I go with the 'slap on as much solder as possible method', which does not care if you short-circuit the pins. Because afterwards, you 'suck up' all the solder using 'de-soldering' braid. It leaves just the bare minimum solder holding the parts to the board. Then, clean the board and test each pin with a tweezer. You can do 144-pin devices like this.

[Superprime @ Feb 4th 2008 11:01AM]

Why do this with surface mount parts? Everything there can be substituted for a part with DIP package

[John @ Feb 4th 2008 5:03PM]

Engadet has interns?

They'd be better off working for Kramerica.

[Mark @ Feb 4th 2008 10:51PM]

for all heaven's sakes, how hard would it be for an art school kid in san fran to become an intern for Engadget? Isn't there some sort of a gladiator-style soldering tournament i can enter?

let me know.