Hack your Hardware: Difference between revisions

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"No user-serviceable parts inside" -- we call bullshit on that!
"No user-serviceable parts inside" -- we call bullshit on that!


Favorite gadget busted? Don't throw it away; fix it! (Or at least autopsy it for the good of science!) Bring in your hardware yearning to reach its maximum potential (or give its life for spare parts). 90% of electronics failures are caused by bad connections or simple mechanical problems: we'll show you what to look for and how to fix them. We give you permission to take things apart, see what's inside, and improve them.
Bring in your hardware yearning to reach its maximum potential (or give its life for spare parts). We give you permission to take things apart, see what's inside, and improve them. Most electronics failures are caused by bad connections or simple mechanical problems: we'll show you what to look for and how to fix them. Favorite gadget busted? Don't throw it away; fix it! (Or at least autopsy it for the good of science!)


Possible projects:
Possible projects:
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* Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...)
* Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...)
* Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners
* Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners
* Extract the stepper motors and other good stuff from a printer found on the sidewalk
* Extract DC motors and other good stuff from that CD player found on the sidewalk
* Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom
* Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom
* Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop
* Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop

Revision as of 17:56, 10 November 2008

Workshop proposal: Hack your Hardware Jtfoote 14:11, 7 November 2008 (PST)

"No user-serviceable parts inside" -- we call bullshit on that!

Bring in your hardware yearning to reach its maximum potential (or give its life for spare parts). We give you permission to take things apart, see what's inside, and improve them. Most electronics failures are caused by bad connections or simple mechanical problems: we'll show you what to look for and how to fix them. Favorite gadget busted? Don't throw it away; fix it! (Or at least autopsy it for the good of science!)

Possible projects:

  • Add an extra iPod input jack to your clock radio or computer speakers
  • Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...)
  • Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners
  • Extract DC motors and other good stuff from that CD player found on the sidewalk
  • Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom
  • Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop
  • Add a LED backlight or tasklight to a keyboard or a handheld game
  • Add a secondary switch or a dimmer to a power strip
  • A one-wire hack turns a discarded ATX PSU into a benchtop power supply
  • Replace the tired nicads in your electric toothbrush (or favorite power screwdriver, or other rechargeable toy)
  • Hotrod your power screwdriver with Li+ batteries

You will have more and better ideas. Bring them and share! I personally will be adding a pilot light to my desoldering gun so I can tell when I have the f*cker plugged in.

Yes this could be dangerous, and we may break things. That's how we learn.


Proposed schedule:

Week 1: Take things apart, determine problems, solutions, necessary parts to obtain.
Week 2: Having obtained parts, put things back together and smoke-test (if it doesn't smoke, it passes!)

Your comments and suggestions are a crucial part of this: thanks in advance