Month: January 2006

MAKE VIDEO PODCAST- Testing high speed flash photography kits…

Screenshot 01With our kits you can capture high-speed events, splashes, popping balloons and breaking glass. It’s an adjustable flash controller triggered by light or sound. Our kit includes a high-speed flash, disposable camera, flash controller and fully assembled flash trigger that synchronizes the high-speed event and the flash. Also included is a 6-ft cable connects your high-speed flash to the flash controller, and all the tools needed to precisely time your high-speed picture. Flash controller is adjustable, so the flash can be triggered by soft sounds, loud sounds, a laser pointer, or a flashlight. The kit also includes digital output that can trigger other external flashes, such as the SnapShot II strobe light. But, how do we test each unit before we ship them? Here’s great video with Tom Anderson from Quaketronics showing you what we do! Link (MP4). Click here to get the video with iTunes! This video should work on PC/Mac/Linux/iPod video and PSP (let us know if it does not).

Harry Porter’s Relay Computer…(photos)

1-1Check out this amazing relay computer “Features of the Arithmetic Logic Unit: Two 8-bit inputs (from B and C registers) 8-bit result (onto data bus) 3-bit function code input Functions: Add, Increment, And, Or, Xor, Not, Shift-left, Nop Carry output (from Add, Increment) Zero-detect output Features of the Register Unit: 8 Registers (8-bits each) Register Names: A, B, C, D, M1, M2, X, and Y Data Bus (8 LEDs and 8 Switches) Features of the Program Control Unit: Program Counter (16 bits) Instruction Register (8 bits) Jump Target Register (16 bits) Increment Unit (16 bits) Increment Register (16 bits) Address Bus (16 LEDs and 16 Switches)…” Link.

Interview with Ben Heck – Console Hacker Extraordinaire

Interview with Ben Heck – Console Hacker Extraordinaire

AtarilaptopGreat interview! “Benjamin Heckendorn (aka Ben Heck) is one of the greatest console hackers the gaming community has ever known. Not only does Ben have the amazing technical knowledge and great design sense, but he is also a riot to converse with. In case you are not familiar with his work, Ben basically takes full game systems (from basically all console generations) and turns them into a custom handheld device.” Thanks Brian! Link.

Do-it-yourself cheap, easy mobile Wi-Fi access point

Do-it-yourself cheap, easy mobile Wi-Fi access point

12-ArtsyNathan True’s excellent mobile hotspot – “Wouldn’t it be great if I could just plug my phone in… and have it automatically connect to the phone and serve its sweet, sweet Internet over a Wi-fi connection? Better still, have it transparently proxy all connections so that nearly all Internet programs will function properly? Maybe even prioritize certain types of traffic, or encrypt everything so my wireless carrier can’t spy on what Slashdot stories I like to read? All of those things would be just great. And all of those things are exactly those things which I set out to do (and/or enable you to do!) in this project. ” [via] Link.

Satellites on a Budget – High Altitude Balloons

Satellites on a Budget – High Altitude Balloons

2006-0119Hialt-LgUniversetoday.com on DIY high altitude photography – “Paul Verhage has some pictures that you’d swear were taken from space. And they were. Amateur Radio High Altitude Ballooning allows individuals to launch functioning satellites to “near space” at a fraction of the cost of traditional rocket launch vehicles. Paul’s balloons have been as high as 35 km, and the photographs he’s taken are out of this world.” Thanks Fraser! Link. In Makers we also profile folks who take high altitude ballooning to the extreme (DIY)…

Hackable Windows PC / Synth / Entertainment Center

Hackable Windows PC / Synth / Entertainment Center

MikomoviePeter writes “Korg has kept its OASYS Linux PC – synth hybrid closed, but not Open Labs. Their Windows-based synthesizer keyboard slash DJ/VJ workstation slash home entertainment center (with remote control) has an open hard drive bay, four PCI slots, and hinged access to the PC innards, all with a fully-customizable Windows install. Sure, it’s preconfigured for music production with a 15″ touchscreen and software bundle, but you could go inside the machine and reconfigure it into whatever you wanted. One idea: control games from the music keyboard.” Link.