Ryan from New-Zealand is at it again, slowly turning his home into Bill Gate’s mansion with video screens everywhere.
This time, he hacked a picture frame into a video monitor displaying the live image from a webcam.
Archive for the ‘Computers’ category
Wireless Digital Picture Frame Webcam Mod
January 29th, 2010iPhone-Inspired Kitchen Computer
January 27th, 2010
Ryan from New-Zealand send us a nice writeup about his custom-made kitchen computer that apparently made his wife real happy.
Usual disclaimer: Please remember that as with any project involving mains power, make sure you know what you’re doing and do it safely, or don’t. Also respect your local laws and building code.
Macbook Mod
December 8th, 2009
DIY Arcade-Style Racing Console
November 10th, 2009
A few weeks ago, I swapped out the driver’s seat in my trusty Volvo 850 because it had an electrical problem. I definitely don’t want to throw out the old seat because it’s a super comfortable leather seat. It’s in my basement, waiting for me to make something with it.
Here’s something that I could do with it if I was a gamer and had some room: an arcade-style racing console.
Since I don’t nearly have enough room for something like that, I’ll probably just convert mine into an office chair.
[ link ]
USB page turner pedal for musicians
March 15th, 2008
This is a project that will surely please guitarists, singers, or any other musicians that play on stage. Basically, you gut out a USB keyboard, keeping only the electronics and you build a pedal that you map to specific keys. This allows you to either scroll down a document (partitions, tablatures, lyrics, etc.) or even control a slide show or audio software.
How to cool down your Mac by speeding up its fans
March 13th, 2008
My white Intel iMac has been working great ever since I bought it. Then along came Leopard. After getting the upgrade and installing it, my iMac became instable. All of a suddain, it would hang. Or at least, the video card would freeze. I could still connect to my computer with ssh from my laptop, but all the unsaved work I had going was lost. That’s until I realized that Leopard changed something to the machine’s firmware to slow down the fans – either that or Leopard runs hotter.
Anyways, if you’re stuck in a similar situation, go ahead and download the excellent SMCFanControl application. It lets you speed up your fans individually (my computer has 3 different ones). Apple, in its constant quest for the thinnest and most silent device on the market, tend to design dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. The computer’s ventilation system’s efficiency drops below the acceptable threshold once it gets a bit dusty.
Go ahead and install this little gem of a program.
How to cool down your Mac by speeding up its fans [link]
Leatherman Punch Down Tool
March 12th, 2008
I’ve never been a sys admin or a network technician, but I bet that when you need your punch down tool (a.k.a. Krone tool) the most is when it’s most likely gone missing. This clever hack is a useful one for anybody that does a lot of wire patching.
Don’t let the title fool you, I’m quite certain you can also do this with your Victorinox Cybertool or your trusty Wenger camping knife. Just make sure you measure carefully before cutting your tool.
Leatherman Punchdown Tool [link]
Long live the Polaroid Webcam
February 29th, 2008
What to do when the global stock of instant film has been depleted? Turn your old Polaroid camera into a web cam! Re-purposing this cultural icon (is it the theme of the week?) is a great idea, bringing this classic design into the 21st century. A great gift idea too.
Long live the Polaroid Webcam [link]
I altered the time stamp so this post shows up yesterday, because I was out having a nice dinner with friends instead of writing this entry. Hope you won’t mind.
NES Controller USB Flash Drive
February 27th, 2008
Turn a Nintendo NES controller into a retro USB flash drive that’s also a cultural icon. Now, why didn’t I think of this?
NES Controller USB Flash Drive [link]
Super Mario Mosaic Table
February 17th, 2008
A confusing title indeed. Is it Mario that is super, or is it the table? Either way, this is a pretty cool piece of DIY furniture. And one could inspire himself from that table to create other things.
No instructions are provided, but non are really needed. Just ask the person at your favorite tiling store. They will explain how to lay out the glue and the grout, and everything else you need to know.
