Ben Heck -- Engadget

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Ben Heck's latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard

by Ross Miller, posted Jul 5th 2009 at 6:33PM

Even after five iterations, Ben Heck's portable Xbox 360 models are still a spectacle to behold -- he seems to keep outdoing himself every time, both in functionality and style. This latest model has the appearance of an oversized plastic polycarbonate Macbook when closed, and packs a 17-inch Gateway LCD panel. The big improvements here include the Jasper motherboard, a flush-mount DVD door and side panels, digital potentiometer / button volume controls, and an ethernet port in addition to WiFi. Not everything's been kept, as Heck says he ditched the camera, not seeing a point for it -- but hey, there's still two USB ports if any of his (already spoken for) customers want to add it. Impressive work, indeed. See it for yourself in the video after the break.

[Via TechEBlog]

Continue reading Ben Heck's latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard

SUPERTENDO portable SNES hack elevates an artform to something impressively commercial

by Paul Miller, posted Jul 2nd 2009 at 10:06AM

Yeah, we're all been-there-done-that with portable SNESs these days, but we've never seen it done like this. Marshall posted his creation, dubbed the "SUPERTENDO," to Ben Heck's forums, which seems to imply (along with the looks) that he took some queues from similar designs already floating around those parts. What really sets this one apart, however, is the vacuum-formed chassis and the instant "make me an offer" move to a sale -- being owned by a major faceless media conglomerate ourselves, we like to see a guy who's out for a buck. A quick hands-on Video is after the break.

[Via benheck.com]

Continue reading SUPERTENDO portable SNES hack elevates an artform to something impressively commercial

Nintendo handheld packs 76 old games behind one tiny screen

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted May 29th 2009 at 12:44PM

Ben Heck forum member Brian has built us a sweet little Nintendo-on-a-chip handheld that puts a Super Joy III KIRF TV game, a 2.5-inch display, a controller, and 4 AA batteries under the same roof. This bad boy not only allows you to play 76 games on the go (though, sadly, not at the same time), but it looks great doing it as well. Hit up that video after the read link and see for yourself.

[Via Nowhere Else]

Continue reading Nintendo handheld packs 76 old games behind one tiny screen

Ben Heck's Commodore 64 laptop mod: like 1982 without the feathered hair

by Thomas Ricker, posted Apr 6th 2009 at 4:56AM

Benjamin J. Heckendorn seems unusually enthused by his latest hack'n mod, calling the Commodore 64 laptop "probably one of, if not my favorite project I have done." That's saying something from the man who brought the "Benheck" finesse hammer down upon just about every modern and classic PC / game console and accessory you can think of. The C64 lappie features a C64C motherboard, a Gamecube power supply, and special 1541-III DTV device that emulates a floppy drive using a FAT-32 formatted SD card -- all while keeping true to the beige 8-bit spirit of the original. And if we're not mistaken, he's controlling it with an Atari joystick seen in the video posted after the break. Then again, there could be an Xbox 360 controller hiding in that joystick knowing Ben.

[Via Nowhereelse]

Continue reading Ben Heck's Commodore 64 laptop mod: like 1982 without the feathered hair

Ben Heck's Xbox 360 Controller Monitor lights up your latency

by Ross Miller, posted Mar 26th 2009 at 7:54PM

Ben Heck's latest device isn't gonna help you take your next-gen gaming on the go, nor will it let you play with one hand. Instead, the Xbox 360 Controller Monitor is designed to test gamepad latency using a data cable hooked up directly to each button and fed into a 8 x 8 inch display board. Each action lights up the corresponding indicator, and it includes three levels of sensitivity for each cardinal direction of the joysticks and shoulder triggers. At $600 (controller and AA batteries included), it's not exactly something for the hobbyists out there, but already this thing's got some major gaming street cred: it's currently being used for playtesting on Mass Effect 2, the new Wolfenstein, and the just announced Modern Warfare 2.

Continue reading Ben Heck's Xbox 360 Controller Monitor lights up your latency

Ben Heck fashions breath-controlled kick pedal for Guitar Hero

by Laura June, posted Mar 3rd 2009 at 11:53PM

Ben Heck's at it again, and this time, he's cobbled together a breath-controlled kick pedal for use with Guitar Hero (or Rock Band, if that's your flavor) meant for people in wheelchairs, or who don't have use of their legs, but still want to get in on the rocking action. After tearing apart the kick pedal to expose its piezoelectric sensor, he mods it so that, rather than reacting to physical pressure, it'll react to air pressure. To get the job done, you'll need some PVC piping, a hot glue gun, and a drill. Hit the read link for full instructions and video of Ben himself testing out the device!

[Via Hack a Day]

Portable Wii mod renders this Wii portable, modded

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jan 26th 2009 at 1:03PM

Better keep an eye out, Mr. Heckendorn -- we know that the modding community is pretty cut throat -- just like the Ice Pirates in that movie, uh, Ice Pirates -- and now it looks like there's another young hotshot on the scene. Fifteen year old modista Xteaphn (that's pronounced Steven, folks) has a little sideline going on custom-made portable hardware, with several mods to his name -- including this pint-sized, battery-powered Wii. The thing is tiny -- it's dwarfed by a 13-inch notebook -- and a full charge will give it about an hour of play. Stunning video after the break.

Continue reading Portable Wii mod renders this Wii portable, modded

Ben Heck crams Xbox 360 controller into Atari 2600 joystick

by Donald Melanson, posted Jan 9th 2009 at 4:52PM

As we've seen, a little Atari 2600 is a sure way to liven almost anything -- cakes, candles, landfills -- and it looks like the Xbox 360 is no exception, as none other than Ben Heck has proved with his new so-called 3600 controller. As you might expect, Ben didn't exactly take the expected route to wind up at this creation, instead opting to use the guts of a Guitar Hero 3 controller, which he somehow managed to squeeze into the base of everyone's favorite one-button controller (even leaving room for a guide button and ring of light on the underside). Be sure to hit up the link below for a must-see video of the controller in action and, of course, plenty more pics.

[Via Xbox-Scene]

Nintendo Sixtyfree Lite-R elegantly crams N64 into a luscious handheld

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 27th 2008 at 12:10AM

Ben Heck's apprentices are showing their true colors again, with modder SifuF churning out a real winner over the holidays. The Nintendo Sixtyfree Lite-R just might be the most elegant portable N64 that we've seen to date, with a clean, low-key design, beautifully integrated buttons and a cartridge slot that's about as non-cumbersome as possible. Of note, there are no internal batteries to speak of, thus it's forced to rely on an InfoLithium (or any 7.2v supply) clipped on the rear. Tap the read link for a pictorial look at the build and final product.

[Thanks, Adam]

Xbox 360 portablized, ruggedized and Ben Heckified into Pelican case

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Dec 24th 2008 at 2:04PM

It seems that our man Benjamin Heckendorn has elevated the laptop Xbox mod into something of an art form. Remember the boxy white model that looked like a way outclassed Toshiba Portege (ca. 1995)? Or how about the sci-fi stylings of the Xbox 360 Elite laptop? If you're looking for something a little more rugged, the newest addition to the menagerie sees the console mounted in a Pelican case. The rest is the usual Ben Heck artistry: 17-inch widescreen LCD, speakers, top loading DVD-ROM, removable hard drive, USB and ethernet ports -- all set in brushed aluminum. And the best part? This isn't a consignment job, so if you're going to be working on an Alaskan pipeline or find yourself shipping out with the military, you might want to consider making an offer. Video after the break.

[Thanks, Stagueve]

Continue reading Xbox 360 portablized, ruggedized and Ben Heckified into Pelican case

How-To: Build a 'Guitar Hero' foot pedal controller

by Benjamin Heckendorn, posted Dec 11th 2008 at 5:26PM

Benjamin J. Heckendorn returns from a vision quest of Xbox 360 laptop-building and Jasper-hunting to share a new how-to project with Engadget readers. In this episode, he'll describe how to build one of his Guitar Hero foot pedal controllers, which allows those with physical limitations to play their favorite guitar rhythm games using a foot pedal! Read on for the complete how-to.

Continue reading How-To: Build a 'Guitar Hero' foot pedal controller

Inside an Xbox 360 Jasper: Ben Heck dissects the mythical console, then tells you how to find one

by Benjamin Heckendorn, posted Dec 10th 2008 at 6:05PM

"Gentlemen! I give you... JASPER!" [lightning crackles, thunder sound FX]

Ace modder Benjamin J Heckendorn (aka "Benheck") has found -- and immediately dissected -- an Xbox 360 Jasper. As widely reported, it was inside an Arcade unit. In the following story, he not only details what he finds inside, but will also clue you in on how you too can find this model on store shelves. Read on for the exclusive Engadget look at the guts and the glory!

Continue reading Inside an Xbox 360 Jasper: Ben Heck dissects the mythical console, then tells you how to find one

Ben Heck outdoes himself with Xbox 360 Portable

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 1:01AM

Seriously, how many spare Xbox 360s does Benjamin Heckendorn have laying around? By our count, this is the third instance where the modder extraordinaire has shoved Microsoft's latest console into something that's theoretically playable on one's lap, and obviously, this one is the best one evar. Dubbed the Xbox 360 Portable, the unit is said to weigh almost as much as his sister's cat, and it differs from most other on-the-go 360s by featuring a removable standard Xbox 360 hard drive, two accessible memory card slots, no keyboard (use the chatpad!), an internal WiFi module and beveled edges for extra safety. We'd ask what crazy mod he's planning with all the free time coming up over the holiday break, but honestly, we'd prefer to be surprised.

Ben Heck apprentice strikes again with DarthCast

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 15th 2008 at 5:51PM

Look out Ben Heck, you don't want to be overcome by one of your own followers, now do you? Merely months after the clearly talented hailrazer churned out a mighty impressive portable Nintendo 64, the guy has done it again by creating an on-the-go Dreamcast -- using the same style of Lazer Doodle shell, to boot. After acquiring another chassis, a Dreamcast, a Quantam controller, PSOne LCD, power supply and some serious battery power, the DarthCast was created. Reportedly, the thing can go for around three hours before puckering out, and you'll know your time is short when it starts sighing heavily in a muffled tone. Check the vid after the break, and pay your respects in the read link, son.

Continue reading Ben Heck apprentice strikes again with DarthCast

Darth 64 mega-mod results in portable N64 that breathes funny

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 8:56AM

We wouldn't go so far as to say that the apprentice has become the teacher, but over three years after modder extraordinaire Benjamin Heckendorn crafted his very own portable Nintendo 64, along comes one of his dedicated followers with another take on things. The Darth 64 is easily one of the most convoluted console hacks we've ever seen, utilizing bits and pieces from an N64, PSOne, GameCube and a Lazer Doodle. Somehow or another, hailrazer was able to actually make those seemingly unrelated components work together to form a "handheld" N64 console -- one that's battery powered, no less. Tap the read link for lots more construction pics, and don't forget to bow down upon entering.

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]