Hardware Hacks and Non-PC Mods

[jdbnsn]

Building a home network into your vehicle? Adding touchscreen control panels to your home climate control/porch lights? Modding your Razer phone into a phone/electric shaver? Teaching your toaster to feel love?

We have been discussing widening the gamut of modded devices forums for a while but have yet to ask your thoughts about it. Personally, I love gadgets. Household mods with PC controlled lights, leds in the stairs, networked secuirty cams and sprinker systems, etc.. Some people are building PC systems into their cars, others are simply hacking gadgets to do something different. All of these things interest me, and I wouldn't mind seeing some of these projects around here but as I have been informed many of you think they are off-limits because they aren't PC mods. If you guys and gals have some of these ideas or projects and would like to share them, please do so. If we have enough of them I'll open some new forums for them. So...who's been modding?

Jon

[nevermind1534]

I'm going to be diong a simple LED mod for an xbox, although I may be doing more game console mods and some other stuff in the future.

[SgtM]

I'm with ya dude. I think all of those mods have a place here. Even though they're not PC mods, one never knows where inspiration might be found.

[Bopher]

Sounds like fun. I love things that do something else or hid something inside you normally wouldn't see. (Is it bad I was looking at a large Cool Whip container and told my wife, "I bet I could fit a computer in there"?)

[Durrthock]

I had a toaster that felt love, Damn annoying don't recommend it, the thing eventually go depressed and short circuited

[Drum Thumper]

I've been thumbing through a few issues of a certain magazine that sponsors a popularity contest at another site, and believe it or not, there's some interesting modding ideas and designs in there, one of which I'd be more than happy to make a worklog for, as their version looks hella cool. Of course, mine's gonna look even cooler.

And possibly greener.

So yes, I'm all for it.

[Lord Ned]

Why a house is just a really big computer case to any modder right?

[BigJohnson]

I think this place has a spot for all mods. I dont think that putting a new exhaust system on your car should count, but if you made your garage door work on finger print recognition it would be welcome here.

[Lord Ned]

Big putting a finger print reader on your garage probably wouldn't help after you've been working on the car and have grease all over your fingers. I don't think it would read right.


Just as long as you don't put an in-valid reconition to set off the sprinklers, laser systems, etc.


But yeah, I wanna see more non-computer mods.

[d_stilgar]

I build costumes, just for fun, nothing impressive. I may post them here. I also make stained glass.

[BigJohnson]

Lord Ned, some people actaully work on their cars in the garage...the others leave the door open while they work. Just like keypads, big secure garage doors are easy to break into if there is grease on the buttons.

[rendermandan]

I think this place has a spot for all mods. I dont think that putting a new exhaust system on your car should count, but if you made your garage door work on finger print recognition it would be welcome here.

"All Mods" -but not automobile mods? Kind of contradictory isn't that? Modding doesn't mean computer or electronic modding. It means to change something from OEM, or stock form to something else. It can be as elaborate installing a computer in a lawmower, or as simple as changing the color of a light bulb. it doesn't matter what you do, as long as something is different from stock, and you made it unique.


Now that I've said my piece, here is what I've been up to.


I've been working on modding my truck. I applied Dynamat sound deadening to the entire interior of the cab along with a new audio system.

Alpine IDA-X100 head unit.
Eclipse 5 channel amp
and Infinity speakers all around.
-I already had a kicker 10 Solobaric L5 sub.

Soooo much quieter. And the music is amazing.

Before:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h205/rendermandan/Truck/100_4097.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h205/rendermandan/Truck/100_4099.jpg

After:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h205/rendermandan/Truck/100_4139.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h205/rendermandan/Truck/100_4137.jpg

[Lord Ned]

Lord Ned, some people actaully work on their cars in the garage...the others leave the door open while they work. Just like keypads, big secure garage doors are easy to break into if there is grease on the buttons.

I know. My dad works on it both. I was making a joke. A bad one at that.

[Drum Thumper]

@rendermandan: That is very righteous, and exactly what I think the others are getting at. While installing a new exhaust system is rather bland, I would be interested in seeing it if it was all hand crafted.