Hot Hacks, Mods & Circuitry How-Tos
How To: Customize Your USB Keyboard with a DIY Illuminated Base with Built-In Phone Stand
I've never really liked to type on a flat or low keyboard. Even the small flip-up stands underneath most keyboards were not good enough for me, as those little legs aren't usually more than 2 or 3 centimeters high. I'd like a minimum of 5 cm, so I decided to make this keyboard base for myself. Aside from giving me the right height and angle, this DIY keyboard base also features LEDs that light up my monitor, the table, and gives a nice background to my desktop. It's even got a built-in stand ...
How To: Place Your Electrical Socket Safely in the Wall If It Was Pulled Out
Hello! This post is about the electrical socket. Imagine that somebody pulled the cable out of the possible protection outlet too fast? The result can be seen on the following photo. What to do next? Step 1: Preparation
How To: Make LEDs Dance to Techno Music
You must have seen some expensive mp3 players and CD players which have LEDs fixed on them and they dance to the tune looking really pretty.
How To: Revive a Dead Hard Drive
We depend on our hard drives for our data storage and if they stop working, our important data can be lost, this could cause many problems like losing school projects making us to do them again, losing jobs and other problems . So here is a tutorial, on how to make a dead hard drive work again.
How To: Start a Fire with Your Water Bottle
If you're ever lost in a survival situation, here's a little trick you're going to be so glad to know. Normally, we'd think of using water to put OUT a fire, but in this video I show you how I use water to START THEM.
How To: Hide Secret Messages in Audio
If you want to send someone secret messages you have come to the right place. This is a way in which you can send secret messages to anyone without even making them get a clue that you have sent a secret message.
How To: Turn an Old Scanner into a Keyboard Light
Do-it-yourselfer Kipkay salvaged parts from an old parallel port scanner and made a flexible, super-bright light in this how-to video. The modification is done by extracting the lamp and running it through clear tubing. He mounted the new lamp above his keyboard for night typing. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to turn an old scanner into a keyboard light.
How To: Increase the range of a remote control
Kipkay shows you how to increase the range of your remote control for your television. You use electrical tape to make sure that the leads do not come into contact with the reflector.
How To: Hack a toy radar gun into a real one
Turn a 'toy' radar gun into the real thing! Cops don't even have one like this! While this is a completely new and different design, the inspiration for this video is from an article by Ken Delahoussaye in MAKE Magazine. Just watch this video tutorial on how to hack a toy radar gun into a real one.
How To: Hack a megaphone into a bionic hearing spy device
Make a bionic hearing spy device by hacking a megaphone! Kipkay brings you this hack video on how to use a megaphone to spy on people. You can pull in conversations up to 100 feet away! Check out Kipkay hiding in a tree, spying on people. It also works through walls. That's how to make a bionic hearing spy device!
How To: Secretly record people with your own spy sunglasses
Hack a pair of sunglasses to secretly record audio and video and spend less than $40 in the process with this how-to video. To replicate this hack for yourself, you will need a spy camera and black solar shield sunglasses. For detailed, step-by-step instructions on building your own spy recorder sunglasses, watch this hacking how-to from Kip Kay of Make Magazine.
How To: Make a Blu-Ray Laser Phaser
Build your very own Trek-style Blu-Ray laser phaser with this hacker's how-to video from Kip Kay of Make Magazine. To replicate this hack at home, you'll need the following materials: (1) a PS3 Blu-Ray laser assembly (which can be had on eBay for roughly $45), (2) an original series-style Star Trek phaser gun (a good quality replica of which can be found for roughly $30), (3) a 9-volt battery, (4) a 9-volt battery snap, (5) a 150 Ohm resistor, and (5) a new switch to replace the phaser trigge...
How To: Make an exploding confetti cannon with Kipkay
Make a cool confetti cannon that's great for concerts, parties and special events! Kipkay demonstrates how to hack together this high powered cannon. Confetti bombs are super fun, pay attention to learn how to make your own confetti cannon.
How To: Make an infrared home alarm system
Kip "Kipkay" Kedersha is known for his intriguing and clever how-to and prank videos, even when he teams up with MAKE Magazine. He will show you how to tweak, hack, mod, and bend any technology to your hacking needs. No electronic device, gadget, or household item can stand the test of Kipkay's hacks and mods.
How To: Measure current, voltage, resistance, and continuity using a multimeter
If you own or have access to an auto-ranging or manual-ranging multimeter you can measure several different aspects of circuits, resistors, and the like. For example, you can determine the resistance, voltage, continuity, and current with the multimeter to help you determine the precision of a resistor. This guide will help you learn how to use a multimeter to perform these tasks.
How To: Hack any Android device to run Netflix
Want to watch Netflix Watch Instantly on your Android device? Watch this video and follow these instructions to learn how to hack any rooted Android device with an APK to work with Netflix. Watch thousands of streaming movies and TV shows with your hacked Android tablet or smartphone.
How To: Calibrate your mobile device for better battery life
Learn how to recalibrate the battery reading of your mobile device, so that you don't get stuck with a dead battery. This video explains how and why to calibrate your phone, music player, tablet, or laptop. Watch and learn how to improve your battery life.
How To: Cheat benchmarks in Quadrant using the HTC Hero
This video will show you how you can manipulate the benchmarks captured by Quadrant on an HTC Hero. Watch this video to learn how to cheat benchmarks on your Android smartphone. Any software can be modified, which is why Quadrant doesn't always accurately rate hardware performance.
How To: Jailbreak an Apple TV 2G for Mac or Windows
Check out this video to learn how to use Seas0nPass to jailbreak your Apple TV 2G. This mod works on either Mac or Windows. This jailbreak is for Apple TV with firmware 4.2.2. Once you've jailbroken your Apple TV2 you'll have administrator access to all files on it.
How To: Turn a Chromebook into Google TV
The Google Chromebook may be simple, but it is not limited. Watch this video to see how the Chromebook works as a kind of rudimentary Google TV when hooked up to a large monitor. This easy mod will let you enjoy your Cr-48 Chromebook in a whole new way.
How To: Recycle an Old Vinyl Record into a Warped 'Salvador Dali' Analog Clock
This recycling project would surely make Salvador Dali proud. Kipkay outlines the process, from old vinyl record to cool analog clock. Just pick out an appropriate record, place on cookie sheet and soften inside the oven. Then take the clock mechanism from an old cheap clock and attach to the record. This may not fit with all of your décor, but who cares?
How To: Find out if you can jailbreak your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
This video will introduce you to a couple of websites that will let you know whether or not your Apple I device- iPhone, iPod, or iPad can be jailbroken. Check out this site or this site if you are interested in jailbreaking an iPhone 4, iPod touch, or iPad 2.
How To: Give Your Camera Phone a Powerful Macro Lens by Hacking a DVD Drive
If you've got an extra DVD drive laying around not being used, watch this video and learn how to give the lens new life—as a powerful macro lens for your camera phone! You'll be able to take incredible pictures on your camera phone using this clever mod.
How To: Put your magnets to use around the house
Magnetism is one of the most incredible forces in the world. Did you know you can use magnets to get more out of a number of household appliances- from screwdrivers to electric toothbrushes? They're also great fun, so check out this video to learn how to make magnets work for you!
How To: Hack Frequent Flyer Programs
Screw the airplane man. Ticket prices are too high. Competitive consumer choices are pretty much nonexistent. And need I go into the pain of being crammed into those tiny seats, elbow-to-elbow, thigh-to-thigh with a perfect stranger? Even your average Richie Rich winces at the astronomically high prices for a First Class seat.
How To: Understand capacitors and replace broken ones on circuit boards
The capacitor is one of the most recognizable and important electronic components, and a part of nearly every electronic device. This video will teach you the basics of capacitor theory and then teach you how to replace a faulty or broken on on a circuit board. This skill will help you fix all sorts of devices you thought were dead forever; try it out!
How To: Use a transistor or N channel MOSFET to turn any device on or off
The transistor is the most basic and important part of electronics, allowing small changes in voltage to turn things on and off. On, off. 0, 1. There's electronics. The grandaddy of them all is the N channel MOSFET, the most important transistor. This video will teach you how the MOSFET works and how to build some example circuits. This video is an absolute must-watch if you are interested in electronics at all.
How To: Use a function generator to make waveforms for electronics projects
A function or signal generator is an electronic device that can create different types of waves and send them through a circuit without building oscillators. This video will teach you how they work and how to build a basic LED dimmer that uses one as an example.
How To: Use an operational amplifier to amplify voltage and build a microphone circuit
An amplifier is something that amplified the voltage on a circuit. The most basic kind is an operational amplifier, and this video will show you how these work and how to use them in your electronics. As an example you'll learn how to make a microphone circuit for spying on people or listening to your heartbeat.
How To: Build a PWN circuit to control power that can dim an LED, control a motor etc.
Many types of circuits are useless and less useful if you cannot control the amount of power going through them. For that, you need a PWN (pulse with modulation) switch. This electronic component will let your control the power going through the circuit, enabling you to dim LED lights, control the speed of a motor, and other useful tasks. This video will teach you all PWN switches and how tom make your own.
How To: Craft a Homemade Digital Music Box with a Cheap MP3 Player
Musical boxes are best known for their kitschy designs and somewhat trivial renditions of musical masterpieces. They tend to frequent the dresser of young girls or elderly woman hanging on to their youth, and for the most part, they remain cutesy and harmless, but when featured in movies like The Silence of the Lambs and Black Swan, they become downright creepy.
How To: Build and use a voltage divider
A voltage divider is one of the easier-to-understand pieces of circuity in use in modern electronics. They divide voltage, and are crucial to most modern electronics. This video will show you how they work and how to build one yourself for your circuits.
How To: Use oscillators in circuits and electronics projects
Oscillators are basically just machines that make waves, but they are used everywhere in modern life and if you want to know electronics you should understand them as well. This video will teach you how oscillators work, what they're for, and how to make some simple circuits with sine and square wave models.
How To: Find and wire linear voltage regulators and make a 5V power supply
This handy electronics tutorial will teach you all about one of the most important electronic components: the linear voltage regulator. You'll learn how they work, how to wire them, where to find them, and how to make an awesome 5V USB charger to use your newfound skills.
How To: Test an electrolytic capacitor with a digital multimeter
If you're working with a capacitor and wondering whether it's working or not, this video will help you find out. You're going to need a multimeter, available at any good electronics store. This device is capable of testing many different electric devices, and capacitors are one you can test. Set the dial, hook it up and see if things are working! These multimeter devices are essential in the world of home electronics, so put one in your tool kit today!
How To: Hack a local wifi internet connection with your PSP
Play remotely with all your friends, stream videos and music from the Internet or even check your Facebook and email - all with your PSP. The PSP has Internet capability, but not every network will be available to you at all times. Here is how you can hack any wifi connection with your PSP.
How To: Get your PSP hooked up to the Internet without needing wifi
If you can't get access to a wifi hotspot or an Internet connection with your PSP, you can use this method to get online. You will need access to a computer that is online, and a USB cord that can connect the computer to your PSP. Then, open up the command prompt on your computer, configure your IP and then add your PSP as a device on the network. This method uses the DNS method of getting to the Internet rather than having to hack a wifi connection.
How To: Make a small robot gripper out of household items
A perfect project for the budding roboticist in you! This video shows you how to make a small robot gripper using basic household items. Press the button and make the robot's come together! You will need: a small blow torch or butane lighter, a glue gun, a dremel or rotary tool (along with several different bits), the free cutting pattern, a permanent marker, a micro servo, some small nails or pins, a small piece of Plexiglass and a paperclip. If you don't have access to a dremel, you can fak...
How To: Make a robot out of household items
This do it yourself robot can be made out of many materials you can find around your house. You'll need a few special non household items, such as an arduino and a class 3 laser. However, once you assemble everything correctly, you can make a sentry robot inspired by the robots in the game PORTAL. Even if you've never built a robot before, as long as you have a basic knowledge of electronics, you can start with this simple and fun project.
How To: Use the rattlesnake knot, square braid and other paracord braiding techniques
Paracord braiding is a popular technique used to make lanyards and ties for survival gear. There are many different techniques a braider can use - the most common are the rattlesnake knot and the square braid. This video shows you the nuances of both techniques, a few variations, and how you can decide when to use one or the other. You can also alter the appearance and tensile strength of your paracord braid by changing how tight you make your knots.