Hacking Video Game Consoles: Turn your old video game systems into awesome new portables (ExtremeTech)

Hacking Video Game Consoles: Turn your old video game systems into awesome new portables (ExtremeTech)

Space Invaders and Asteroids are back! Loved that Atari(r) when you were a kid? So did Ben Heckendorn - so much, in fact, that he successfully resurrected it as a slim, go-anywhere portable. When Playstation(r) and Nintendo(r) aficionados got jealous, he created miniaturized, fully functioning, battery-powered versions of those too. Now it's your turn. Every secret is here - complete instructions, materials lists, tool tips, even advice on finding parts. Just wait 'til they see this at the high school reunion. Ready? Let's get started Plans and instructions for building eight handheld, classic video games * Choosing a game system - Atari(r), Nintendo(r), Super Nintendo(r), or Playstation(r)1 * What you'll spend * Electronics and soldering 101 * Hacking portable TVs for their screens * Building the case - CNC or freehand? * Yank the cord, install the batteries Space Invaders and Asteroids are back! Loved that Atari® when you were a kid? So did Ben Heckendorn — so much, in fact, that he successfully resurrected it as a slim, go-anywhere portable. When Playstation® and Nintendo® aficionados got jealous, he created miniaturized, fully functioning, battery-powered versions of those too. Now it's your turn. Every secret is here — complete instructions, materials lists, tool tips, even advice on finding parts. Just wait 'til they see this at the high school reunion. Ready? Let's get started Plans and instructions for building eight handheld, classic video games Choosing a game system — Atari®, Nintendo®, Super Nintendo®, or Playstation®1 - What you'll spend - Electronics and soldering 101 - Hacking portable TVs for their screens - Building the case — CNC or freehand? - Yank the cord, install the batteries Benjamin Heckendorn is a graphic artist and independent filmmaker who fell in love with Atari at age five. While waiting for New Year's Eve festivities to begin in 1999, Ben decided that if Y2K did not cause the end of life as we know it, he'd find a way to bring back those beloved games of his childhood — and here it is.