DIY
Latest
Six axis controller constructed from three mice
We've seen some rather interesting mouse mods in our day, with some admittedly being more worthwhile than others, but an engineering mind over at LushProjects has definitely raised the bar quite a bit with his latest. Dubbed Three Blind Mice, the project consisted of two waves and more work than he ever expected, but yielded a very successful six axis (not that SIXAXIS) controller to use in 3D graphics applications such as VVVV. After realizing that panning and shuffling around camera angles with a 2D mouse / keyboard tandem was wasting entirely too much of his life, he embarked on a journey to "run three threads round three rollers from old mechanical mice." After realizing that Windows wasn't exactly keen on making things easy, he diverted his efforts into connecting the mice to the PC via an AVR microcontroller connected to the serial bus. By adding weights to an "opto-mechanical mouse with two horizontal rollers," as well as mounting a shaft and shaft-encoder through the middle of a mouse, he was able to realize all axes and utilize "mind bending math" to translate the mice data to on-screen orientation. While the full skinny is entirely too complex to be covered here, be sure to hit the link if this stuff suits your fancy, but make sure you've got oodles of time before even considering duplicating this one at home.[Thanks, Harry]
Nintendo DS doubles as wireless MIDI keyboard / controller
Joining the nearly endless amount of Nintendo DS hacks already in the wild is TobW's DS Sampling Keyboard, which "uses the DS's microphone and touchscreen" to interface with a software-based sampling keyboard. A close contender to join our Music Thing series, this wonderous hack takes advantage of the wee machine's excellent X / Y-axis controls as well as its built-in WiFi to beam the MIDI commands wirelessly. The program has been tested with Wifi, GBAMP, and M3, so "it should work on pretty much anything," and provides a much less expensive alternative to those dedicated offerings. While musical gizmos are always more effective when seen heard rather than just heard about, be sure to click on for a front row seat to the YouTube demonstration.[Via MusicThing]
Even simpler DIY "sensor bar"
Why go to all that trouble of building your own sensor bar when instead you can just stick a few candles on your television? That's right, the Wii sensor bar has been rendered completely unnecessary since intrepid gamers have begun replacing it with odd candles from around the house. Our masters over at Joystiq decided to test it for themselves, and they made a helpful video illustrating the experiment.Candles for the sensor. What will they think of next? We're guessing legions are out there testing this for themselves, just because it's good, zany fun. And hey, just think -- if the power goes out, you're already covered. Now if only someone would make a Zelda-themed candle -- preferably in red and blue.
The DIY wireless Wii sensor bar
Reader DoctaBu is fed up with the limitations of cords in what should be a wireless age, and he's taken matters into his own hands with this homemade improvement on the tied-down Wii sensor bar. He has no illusions about form over function for this project, either, because it's all about getting the job done. "Yes, it's ugly. Yes, it's ghetto. But, it is a wireless, battery-powered Wii Sensor Bar. And it works." Preach it, brother. He even made a video of the process for the curious, which we've included after the jump.We expect that by next week, someone will have springboarded off this idea and we'll be bringing you the Porsche edition of wireless sensor bars, complete with shimmering white finish, Jacuzzi and half-naked girls. Go to, DIYers!
DIY wireless Wii sensor bar
As some early Wii adopters have discovered, the Wii's sensor bar turns out to be far less complicated than it seems at first glance, consisting of nothing more than a couple of standard IR emitters, with that lengthy cord cluttering up your living room supplying nothing but a trickle of power to the device. While even a couple of standard TV remotes can serve as a substitute in a pinch, for a more workable wireless solution you'll have to bring your DIY skills to bear. Thankfully, as Brian "DoctaBu" Moore explains on his LiveJournal, the process is about as simple as homebrew projects get, requiring only an inexpensive trip to Radio Shack and some minimal soldiering abilities. While it ain't pretty, the contraption pictured above will let you enjoy a game of Wii Sports bowling (at your own risk) and rid one more wire from your life at the same time. Of course, if you're still hesitant to get your hands dirty, you can bet that there'll be more than a few third-party (if not first-party) options finding their way to store shelves before too long.
Detroit-area teen builds nuclear fusion reactor
We've heard of plenty of DIY projects, ranging from an MP3 player to a Wacom tablet, but a kid building a small nuclear fusion device in his parents' basement? That's something special. Thiago Olson, a 17-year-old from Oakland Township, outside Detroit, has just completed a 1,000-hour (that's over 40 days worth, but he spread it out over two years) project to build a small-scale nuclear fusion reactor. How does it work? The short of it is that Olson takes a vacuum chamber, fills it with deuterium gas and then jolts it up with 40,000 volts, which creates a very small amount of nuclear fusion. That sounds easy enough -- but now the question is, can young Dr. Strangelove hook up his reactor to the house so he can pay his parents' electrical bill? [Via MAKE: Blog, photo courtesy Detroit Free Press]
DIY Nintendo Wii component cables
While finding a Wii system isn't out of the question this holiday season, getting your hands on component cables has been nearly impossible, with the connectors MIA at most retailers so far and occasionally sold out on Nintendo's own website. At times like these we must take matters into our own hands. We've made our own cables before but this time you'll have to follow the lead of the NFG forums, and MacGyver a connection together; since the composite cable included with the system doesn't have all the pins necessary, some clever modders have resorted to paper clip stand ins. We don't know how well this will work as a long term solution, but if you're waiting the long two weeks or so before the official cables hit store shelves this should definitely hit the spot.[Via Joystiq]
DIY: Wii component cables
Not to be outdone by diminished stock and having to traverse the outside world's various brick-and-mortar outlets, the folks over at NFG Games forum have come up with their own solution: make their own! Apparently it's a fairly easy procedure, given that forum poster acem77 (who is responsible for the above "mess" as he puts it) used paper clips to add pins. Anyone planning on trying this out to hold them over until component cable stock is restored?[Via Joystiq]
DIY Wii Sports case
Unsatisfied with the flimsy cardboard sleeve cradling the pack-in Wii Sports? Then make your own, like reader Tim. Just grab any of the premade sleeves floating around in the intertubes (Tim suggests The Cover Project), print it out, and find a white DVD sleeve. If you picked up one of the demo discs offered not long ago at various retailers, you're set -- and Wii Sports can enjoy a place of honor next to your other Wii games, instead of being relegated to the dark and dusty interior of your TV stand.Haven't seen the original sleeve for Wii Sports, the one included with the console? Never fear, because we've included a few shots after the jump. We must say, the DIY case is much preferable. What gives, Nintendo? We didn't rate a real plastic box? Absolute shenanigans. If you're sticking with the original sleeve (why would you?), try not to spill anything on it. Wet cardboard is no one's friend.
Daisy MP3 Player Kit, a DIY DAP for $120
Looking for a weekend project, or haven't found a music player that'll satisfy your inner creative geek? Well, meet MAKE's Daisy MP3 Player Kit, an open-source setup that'll play MP3 and WAV files all from one little chip board. Of course, this is a kit, not a full-fledged player, meaning Daisy comes in parts -- you'll have to give it a power source and a case should you want to actually use it in the real world. You can buy whole kit (the caboodle is extra) from MAKE or direct from its Oakland-based creator for $115. By the way, if you manage to strap the Daisy to some sunglasses or other headwear, we figure that would place you right smack in the middle of the wearable MP3 spectrum, which ranges from the ridiculous iSoundCap to the sublime DIY Oakley Thump shades.[Via MAKE:]
UK artist builds DIY Wacom Cintiq tablet for under $200
Artist and gadget builder Drew Northcott, of Bicester, UK, has just spent the last five months building his own Wacom Cintiq drawing tablet (no, not a tablet computer). Now of course, Drew could just have gone the normal way and bought the 21-incher for $3000, but as he cleverly pointed out: "where's the fun in just buying something?" He told us that after having begun the project on June 8 with nothing more than an idea, he finally "bolted the case shut" on November 9 -- almost exactly five months after having begun his odyssey. How'd our intrepid young artist do it? Basically he gutted a working Dell 1501fp monitor, stripped out the screen, and put it together with the magnetic sensor from the tablet into the Wacom case, along with a 2-millimeter acrylic panel over the screen for protection. However, that's a much simpler explanation than his 18-part online series, where Drew's got tons of photos to document each and every exciting step. So the final question is, how much did all these parts (time costs aside) run our good friend Mr. Northcott? Roughly £100 ($190), a heckuva savings by any measurement.[Thanks, Chris M.]
Modder equips his Asus notebook with WiFi amplifier
Here at Engadget, we're all about DIY projects that make your (and our) life easier. Ever since the days when range-extending cantennas were the rage, we've all been hankering for increasing the reception of our notebook's WiFi adapter (legally). Displeased with the built-in Dell 1470 a/b/g mini PCI unit in his Asus A2H notebook, a brave, engineering mind over at NotebookReview took to eBay in search of a solution. After purchasing a $118 "Turbo-Tenna," he concocted a plan (hit the read link for the full skinny) to wire the amplifier internally in order to provide a sleek, unobtrusive appearance. Using a soldering iron and an "on / off switch," he wired the Hong Kong-based device to his laptop's power supply and routed the connector to free pins on the VGA output. Once complete, his reception went from spotty and sluggish (1Mbps) to a much improved 24Mbps. It was noted that the installation was a tad on the complex side, and when the antenna is in use, your VGA port is subsequently out of order -- but hey, who needs a connection to the board room projector when you're enjoying wireless internet on a beautiful offshore island?
How to turn your Mac mini into a Mac Cube
DIY Mac projects are always a iffy proposition. Not only does Apple make its products more difficult to rip apart than most, the sight of a dissected MacBook or iPod is often enough to make some of the more faint of heart readers break out the smelling salts. Not so for 123Macmini member Anthony, who looked at a mini and a G4 Cube and decided that they must be made one. The goal being, apart from the deserved bragging rights, to add a TV tuner and an expansive 3.5-inch 500GB SATA hard drive more suitable for a media PC than the mini's comparatively puny 2.5-inch drive. The TV tuner turned out to be the easiest part, with Anthony simply opting for Elgato's external EyeTV Hybrid unit, but the rest of the project is definitely a don't-try-this-at-home deal, with modifications aplenty right down to the power supply cables. Still, for specs like these in a genuine Apple box, it's about your only option at the moment -- at least until Apple maybe, possibly fills in the gap itself. Check out a couple more pics of the action after the break, then click through to the source for the complete blow-by-blow account.[Via Digg]
Geddes Reader DIY reading aid for the partially sighted
It may not be as portable or as flashy as some reading devices for the blind or partially sighted, but this new reading aid hack also doesn't cost upwards of $4,000. Created by 86-year old Edinburgh-resident Les Geddes, a retiree who used to develop weapons guidance systems, the homebrew solution is basically just a high-resolution video camera connected to a TV; it seems to get the job done, enlarging anything you swipe it over to a readable size, and it can be yours for nothing more than a donation of £50 (just under $100) -- presumably, it's a bring-your-own-display deal. In true DIY-fashion, Geddes also says he intends to make the plans for the device, dubbed the Geddes Reader, available on the Internet, though we're guessing some of you can throw caution to the wind and whip one up without a manual.[Via Scotsman.com]
DIY MagSafe for ThinkPads
It's not an ideal solution, but if any of the PC laptop users among you are suffering from a case of MagSafe-envy, you can try to alleviate your John Hodgman blues by putting your considerable DIY skills to use -- at your own risk, of course. For some guidance, you need look no further than the step-by-step guide kindly provided by Instructables member "Breath," which is specifically tailored to mod a ThinkPad power connector (but should be adaptable to other laptops if you're extra 1337). While your adapter will never be the same again after you're done with it, your laptop should thank you for it the next time you try to send it for an impromptu drop test. The usual disclaimers, however, apply -- if you light your home/work/self on fire, it's your own damn fault.[Via MAKE:Blog]
How To: make your own iPod Halloween costumes
Is $40 is a little steep for your iPod to be fashionable this Halloween? Yeah, probably. When I grew up moms or grandmas made all the costumes (except for those creepy William Shatner masks). So why not craft yerself a little iPod costume? Let's face it, dressing up an iPod isn't that hard. I used a marker, a tissue, and my iPod dock to create the lovely ensemble you see here.I also discovered the little hats that come with Mr. Potato heads fit my 4G iPods! I don't have a 5G, so YMMV. I've included complete instructions for the ghost outfit, plus a pic of my iPod as R2D2 after the jump. Feel free to share your own creations!
How to create a screensaver for your iPod
Rocking Linux on your iPod and hacking the firmware to change the on-screen graphics are certainly nifty tweaks to distinguish your otherwise commonplace Apple gizmo, but tossing a screensaver on there definitely ups the ante. While you may have seen video loops running on 5G iPods displayed at your local Apple Store, you probably figured a genius from the service bar rigged it up using a soldering iron or proprietary software, but the simplicity behind the secret is quite refreshing. To fancy up your own 5G (and likely 5.5G) iPod, simply create a folder dubbed "Demo Mode" and rename any video clip "Demo." After 2 minutes of stagnation while on charge, the device will automatically begin looping your recently renamed file, which is (presumably) sure to bring pure geek elation to even the most imperturbable PMP junky.[Via MAKE]
Megaginormous NES replica dwarfs competition
One serious Nintendo fan attempts to prove that size does matter by building a large-scale Nintendo Entertainment System. The massive wooden replica is eight feet wide, three feet high, three feet deep, and weighs over 400 pounds ... and that's without a game cart or controller. With those specs, it clocks in only slightly larger than the original Xbox, or the 360's power brick. A mysterious crafstman, who posts on NESforums.net as Nationalgamedepot, originally built the NES as a bed but now plans on using it as an entertainment center. Hopefully he'll take orders, because this looks spiffy. Plus, if you get yourself a giant NES controller, you've got a complete set. Miniaturization be damned.[Thanks, Dignan17]
DIY notebook sleeve from corduroys and a sweatshirt
No one with an internet connection is ever allowed to claim that there is a shortage of DIY tutorials and craziness on the internet, and this latest home-grown notebook sleeve from a guy named Sam is no exception. You see, Sam is an accident magnet (hey, his words, not mine), and he recently stained a pair of corduroy pants. He also ruined a sweatshirt a while back too - so what's an enterprising Mac nerd to do with all these ruined clothes and a 12-inch PowerBook which he might love just a smidge too much? Why, turn them into a case, of course! Sam wrote up a pretty thorough tutorial on how to put this case together, but he actually did this a few months back for his PowerBook, before the MacBooks were released. Fortunately, he included some extra math for the new machines so even more of you can play along.Check out Sam's tutorial to snag yourself one of the more unique notebook sleeves which, as they say on TV, are "not available in stores! Order now!" Er, click now!
TomTom Car Connect to spruce up handsfree calling?
Sure, speakerphone setups that broadcast your incoming calls through your vehicle's sound system aren't hard to find -- if you purchase a factory installed option, that is. But TomTom is looking out for you folks who've added a nav unit after the fact, and aren't exactly fond of using the pitiful excuse for an integrated speaker to listen in. While concrete details are slim, GPSReview has it that a Car Connect device should be coming down the pipeline to complement the company's GO 510 and 910 GPS devices -- as well as the motorcycle-friendly RIDER edition -- real soon. The unit hardwires into your vehicle's audio / lighting system, and transmits the turn-by-turn guidance, nav alerts, and most importantly, handsfree calls to your car's speakers. The device will even inform your TomTom GPS when it's time to switch from day to night mode as you toggle your headlights. Although there's no word on pricing (or whether this mysterious handsfree liaison will even hit the market), those fearful of a little DIY action need not apply.
