Hardware Modding show and tell

ryodoan

Resident Bum
Nov 2, 2007
409
117
I was in chat today and got talking with ChronoTriggerFan about hardware modding we have done and figured that it could be fun to start a thread about it.

In the order they were done:

Mouse LED Swap Red --> Green
IMG_1566.jpg


IMG_1572.jpg


This is my external hard drive, for some reason the manufacturer had one side light up a horrible shade of orange all the time, and then had one side blink blue:
IMG_1440.jpg


So I did some re-wiring:
IMG_1455.jpg


The final result lights up blue constantly on both sides, then blinks red, creating a nifty lighting effect:
IMG_1458.jpg


At about this point I attempted a complete computer case mod that failed miserably (I still have yet to assemble the parts because I did such a crappy job on the paint... It chips off it you sneeze at it). However, I learned a lot from that mod. I have like 50 pictures from this case mod attempt, but they would fill up this thread.

In any case, the next project I did was a desk power supply for testing components and as a source of power for my breadboard.

I added an On / Off switch and a power indicator LED
IMG_1871.jpg


In this picture you can see I unwisely chose to use a metal base plate for the power ports, this was later upgraded to a non-conduction acrylic sheet with the voltages etched into it.
IMG_1866.jpg


My latest completed project is by far my favorite. This is a 48 port 100/10 switch. We got it off ebay for $60, it had some case damage, a broken fan, and a firmware problem. We fixed it up and then did this to it:
IMG_2474.jpg


In the dark:
IMG_2473.jpg


Then, after we had already done all of that to it, we decided to google its model number: And found this out...

Overall I would say it was a good deal for $60

So, thats what I have got, what all have other people done?
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
I suppose that's the price you get for something damaged. I baught a Bass Guitar with a broken distortion knob, a worn out amp and solid travel guitar case for £80. The case alone was £80, i repaired the knob and got the guitar appraised at about £600, the amp was no big since it was too small to use my bass on, i gave it to my brother.

Havn't really done any hardware modding though, so i don't really have any relavent pictures to show, i just thought it's interesting how simple things like a broken knob can change the bargain of your deal, by as much as hundreds of pounds/dollars.
 

ryodoan

Resident Bum
Nov 2, 2007
409
117
Yeah, the switch was an amazing deal. When we got it, it looked like it had been dropped. The grill over one of the fans was banged in, the fan behind it was broken and made a horrible noise.

When we hooked it up it refused to run any faster than 10 mb/s.

We pounded the fan grill back out, bought all new fans (Higher output, lower noise), and my cousin called up Entrasys tech support and they were surprisingly helpful in getting the firmware reset and updated.
 

ChronoTriggerFan

L420: High Member
Feb 3, 2008
434
73
pffft those are nothing :D

I present to you, The SNESBOY

snesboy001.jpg


Specs:
  • 7.2V 3200 MaH battery
  • 5" diagonal screen
  • SNES Rev 2 board
  • built in controller
  • 2nd player controller port

The SNES boy is a portable SNES (duh). I cracked open a SNES revision 2. and then wired up a sony PSOne 5" diagonal screen, after replacing the 30v light tube with power efficient white LEDs. Then, I made a SNES controller out of 3.5mm tact switches, and wired it up to a SNES controller chip (note, those contacts on the chip are soo tiny... took me an hour to wire 14 wires.)After hooking up the controller, I ripped of the Power supply connector, and replaced it with the 7.2V 3200Mah rechargeable RC battery. While all the wiring was done, i made a case out of 1/16 inch engraving plastic. the case probably has at least 50 hours work into it. The construction had me dremeling out holes for controller pieces, and after extensive hot glue, sealing it in with car bondo(best tool I ever used). The end result is a portable SNES! w00t!


A preview onto my net project, the Sweet64, a portable N64. I've slowly been working on this, but mostly because of me being lazy mapping, it's still not done :(. The case alone has probably 100-150 hours of work into it, and it looks AWESOME! for the wiring aspect, I've started to relocate the cart slot, so it doesn't stick out the back at a 90° angle. The current status is this:


The case:
IMG_1057.jpg



The Mobo and case:
IMG_0084.jpg



Now i need to finish it, now that its summer and all :p
 

ryodoan

Resident Bum
Nov 2, 2007
409
117
Yeah, I did most of the work on the weekends back when I first started college. The switch was my most recent project and that was about a year ago.

I think time is leaking out of the universe at an alarming rate. We need to commission a consortium of scientists to look into this pronto.
 

Snipergen

L13: Stunning Member
Nov 16, 2007
1,051
150
bike-mower-1.jpg


Heh no really the only thing I did decent that's half modding is putting custom firmware on my psp :p
 
Last edited:

Axii

L1: Registered
May 27, 2008
47
7
pffft those are nothing :D

I present to you, The SNESBOY

snesboy001.jpg


Specs:
  • 7.2V 3200 MaH battery
  • 5" diagonal screen
  • SNES Rev 2 board
  • built in controller
  • 2nd player controller port

The SNES boy is a portable SNES (duh). I cracked open a SNES revision 2. and then wired up a sony PSOne 5" diagonal screen, after replacing the 30v light tube with power efficient white LEDs. Then, I made a SNES controller out of 3.5mm tact switches, and wired it up to a SNES controller chip (note, those contacts on the chip are soo tiny... took me an hour to wire 14 wires.)After hooking up the controller, I ripped of the Power supply connector, and replaced it with the 7.2V 3200Mah rechargeable RC battery. While all the wiring was done, i made a case out of 1/16 inch engraving plastic. the case probably has at least 50 hours work into it. The construction had me dremeling out holes for controller pieces, and after extensive hot glue, sealing it in with car bondo(best tool I ever used). The end result is a portable SNES! w00t!


A preview onto my net project, the Sweet64, a portable N64. I've slowly been working on this, but mostly because of me being lazy mapping, it's still not done :(. The case alone has probably 100-150 hours of work into it, and it looks AWESOME! for the wiring aspect, I've started to relocate the cart slot, so it doesn't stick out the back at a 90° angle. The current status is this:


The case:
IMG_1057.jpg



The Mobo and case:
IMG_0084.jpg



Now i need to finish it, now that its summer and all :p
Man, I wish I had your skills, You could prolly make alot of money with these kind of Inventions, Thou I would LOVE that portable N64...
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
aa
Dec 20, 2007
1,465
741
ya, be jealous of my sweet, hot mod.

qccc08zvzqlqzii26n.jpg


If some of you remember.. i had a problem with my case =)
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
aa
Dec 20, 2007
1,465
741
i know =( im left handed so i always drink with my left hand.. i used to always have my ice tea over there buuut have to have it by my mouse though =/
 

Bonafide

L6: Sharp Member
Mar 18, 2008
313
25
chrono why do you make it use N64 roms and an emulator instead of the carts? I have every N64 game on my PC. Like 150.
 

ryodoan

Resident Bum
Nov 2, 2007
409
117
chrono why do you make it use N64 roms and an emulator instead of the carts? I have every N64 game on my PC. Like 150.

Well, Chrono is using an actual N64 board for one, so it can only use the carts. Secondly, it would probably cost more to put a computer powerful enough to run the emulator in that small of a form factor.