Hardware hacking projects for geeks: [learn how to: build your own arcade machine, install a cubicle instrusion detection system, make an aquarium out of an old Mac, create a remote object tracker, build a web-enabled coffee machine, hack a wearable compu

Put a hacker in a room with a Furby for a weekend and you'll hear a conversation that's fairly one-sided in its originality. Toss in an 802.11b network card, a soldering iron, wire cutters, a logic probe, and a few other carefully selected tools and materials and you'll have potential. Add a copy of Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks and by the end of the weekend that Furby will be saying things you never imagined.From building an Internet toaster to creating a cubicle intrusion detection system, Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks offers an array of inventive, customized electronics projects for the geek who can't help looking at a gadget and wondering how it might be 'upgraded.' Beginning with basic hacks, tools, and techniques for those who may not have a background in electronics, the book covers the tools of the hardware hacking trade and basic soldering techniques, then moves into more advanced hacking projects. Clear step-by-step instructions allow even those with no formal electronics- or hardware-engineering skills to hack real hardware in very clever ways.Hacks in the book are rated on a scale of difficulty, cost, and duration. Projects range from those that are truly useful to some things you may have never thought to do, but which are really cool, such as:Building your own arcade gameMaking radio-controlled cars play laser tagBuilding an automobile periscopeHacking an 802.11b antennaBuilding a building size displayPerhaps you're an electronics hobbyist who likes to learn by doing. Maybe you hack software and want to see how the other half lives. Or, maybe you've never hacked at all, but you'd like to get started quickly with some projects that do something interesting from the start. If you're any of these, then Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks will indulge your inner mad scientist. Using the projects in this book as a jumping point for other new and clever hacks, it won't be long before you're looking around, asking, 'I wonder what I can improve next?' Preface Part I: Basic Hacks, Tools, and Techniques A Tour of My Toolbox The Basics 1 How to Build a Portable Laptop Power Supply Project Overview Hardware Assembly Instructions Project Demo Extensions Exhibit A: Bill of Materials Exhibit B: Power Pack Schematic 2 How to Build an Aquarium Inside a Macintosh Project Overview Hardware Assembly Instructions Project Demo Extensions Exhibit A: Bill of Materials 3 How to Hack 802.11b Antennas Project Overview Hardware Assembly Instructions for Recycled Can 802.11b Antenna Hardware Assembly Instructions for Primestar Dish 802.11b Antenna Exhibit A: Bill of Materials for Recycled Can Exhibit B: Bill of Materials for Primestar Dish 4 How to Build a PC Water-Cooling System Project Overview Before You Start Hardware Assembly Instructions Project Demo Extensions Resources Exhibit A: Bill of Materials 5 How to Hack a Furby (and Other Talking Toys) Project Overview Hardware Assembly Instructions Software Setup Instructions A Quick Overview of Assembly Language and C for the Hacked Furby Project Demo Extensions How to Hack a Generic Talking Toy Project Overview Hardware Assembly Instructions Project Demo Extensions Exhibit A: Furby Bill of Materials Exhibit B: Talking Toy Bill of Materials Exhibit C: Schematic for Building Your Own Board 6 How to Hack a Video Periscope for Your Car Project Overview Hardware Assembly Instructions Extensions Exhibit A: Bill of Materials Exhibit B: Schematic Diagram for Power Supply Exhibit C: Schematic Diagram for RC Servo Driver Part II: Advanced Hacks, Tools, and Techniques How to Identify Resistor Values How to Identify Capacitor Values How to Identify Transistors How to Identify Integrated Circuit and Component Packages How to Identify Connectors How to Read a Manufacturer's Data Sheet How to Use a Plug Board to Create a Simple Circuit Summary 7 How To Build a Digital Video Recorder Project Overview Hardware Assembly Instructions Software Setup Instructions Project Demo Extensions Exhibit A: Bill of Materials Exhibit B: Dedicated IR Remote Control Support Files 8 How to Hack a Building-Size Display Project Overview Small-Scale Hardware Assembly Instructions Large-Scale Hardware Assembly Instructions Software Setup Instructions Project Demo Wireless Extensions Exhibit A: Small-Scale Bill of Materials Exhibit B: Large-Scale Bill of Materials Exhibit C: Large-Scale Eight-Port Relay Driver Exhibit D: Large-Scale Digital Interface to Relay Driver Exhibit E: Small-Scale LED Driver Schematic, Page 1 Exhibit F: Small-Scale LED Driver Schematic, Page 2 Exhibit G: Small-Scale LED Driver Schematic, Page 3 Exhibit H: Small-Scale LED Driver Schematic, Page 4 Exhibit I: Small-Scale LED Driver Schematic, Page 5 Exhibit J: Small-Scale LED Driver Schematic, Page 6 Exhibit K: Small-Scale Shift Register Schematic Exhibit L: Small-Scale Connectors Exhibit M: Small-Scale LED Wiring 9 How to Build a Cubicle Intr Put a hacker in a room with a Furby for a weekend and you'll hear a conversation that's fairly one-sided in its originality. Toss in an 802.11b network card, a soldering iron, wire cutters, a logic probe, and a few other carefully selected tools and materials and you'll have potential. Add a copy of Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks and by the end of the weekend that Furby will be saying things you never imagined. From building an Internet toaster to creating a cubicle intrusion detection system, Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks offers an array of inventive, customized electronics projects for the geek who can't help looking at a gadget and wondering how it might be "upgraded." Beginning with basic hacks, tools, and techniques for those who may not have a background in electronics, the book covers the tools of the hardware hacking trade and basic soldering techniques, then moves into more advanced hacking projects. Clear step-by-step instructions allow even those with no formal electronics- or hardware-engineering skills to hack real hardware in very clever ways. Hacks in the book are rated on a scale of difficulty, cost, and duration. Projects range from those that are truly useful to some things you may have never thought to do, but which are really cool, such Perhaps you're an electronics hobbyist who likes to learn by doing. Maybe you hack software and want to see how the other half lives. Or, maybe you've never hacked at all, but you'd like to get started quickly with some projects that do something interesting from the start. If you're any of these, then Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks will indulge your inner mad scientist. Using the projects in this book as a jumping point for other new and clever hacks, it won't be long before you're looking around, asking, "I wonder what I can improve next?" A collection of unusual projects for computer hardware geeks of all ages explains how to create such projects as a personal Lojack system, Web-enabled coffee machine, cubicle intrusion detection systems, and a laptop battery extender.