If you missed it, I put up a new podcast yesterday. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or just use the RSS podcast feed. You guys asked for interviews, so here we go. Ben Heckendorn is going to be our first one. He and I are going to put it together later this week, so submit your question in the comments if you want me to ask him. [I'll pick and choose, so make it good]
Ben built the Xbox 360 laptop, the colecovision portable, the PSP analog joystick, and plenty of others.
Ask Ben Heck
Recent Posts
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Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. Any interest in mass production?
Posted at 3:04PM on Oct 29th 2006 by Gary Z
3. when you cut off unecessary components on circuit boards, do you just cut them off while the circuit board is on and see if it stops working or do you jump the leads? What process do you use to determine what to cut and what exactly do you do?
Posted at 3:05PM on Oct 29th 2006 by anon
4. Does he find anything lacking in the portable game market? And if so, what would he change?
Also, what does he think of the GP2X?
Posted at 3:06PM on Oct 29th 2006 by mastershake916
7. I was going to say "interviews with the hacking big names, like ben heck, would be shiny" in the podcast feedback... 8|
My question would be, what would you like to see in the new generation of handhelds/consoles, either for the unadulterated system or for hackability? and what potential do you see for novel interface gizmos like those in the revol.. sorry, the Wii?
8. What are your plans for the wii? With the novel new input device, portability doesn't seem entirely plausible... So do you plan to do anything with it at all? I'm dying to know.
Posted at 7:21PM on Oct 29th 2006 by Matt R.
9. First, what's your favorite console and why?
Second, i'll ask the same thing as David Perry, What would you do to bring the sony psp back to life, what design errors you see software and hardware wise? (i mean, such an poweful system ruined by drm and overpriced hardware)
10. @8:
i was thinking of finding (or using a DS (or) Lite's) LI-Ion battery and making a Wiimote charger, if only Ben Heck is reading this
Posted at 9:25PM on Oct 29th 2006 by some person
11. can i have your children?
seriously though, is there a reason you chose not to do a gamecube portable? i have heard that they are difficult but you surely can do it. their small size just begs for a conversion
Posted at 11:38PM on Oct 29th 2006 by monster
12. With your successes with making portable versions of home systems, have you considered making some home systems out of portables?
Posted at 2:50AM on Oct 30th 2006 by croz
13. The battery you used for the PS2p: Your build story stated that the battery you used had an output of 9V. I looked it up at Wal-Mart.com, and there it says 7.2V.
Link: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=2350787
I don't think a PS2 can run off of 7.2V, so did you have a different battery, or what?
Posted at 9:35AM on Oct 30th 2006 by sgt_easton
14. What is your favourite mod so far?
Which creation of yours do you personally use the most?
Posted at 9:40PM on Oct 30th 2006 by Ben Hou
15. What is your favourite mod so far?
Which creation of yours do you personally use the most?
Posted at 9:40PM on Oct 30th 2006 by Ben Hou
17. Can you share with us how to make a battery life indicator like the one on your PS2?
Posted at 7:56AM on Oct 31st 2006 by sgt_easton
18. I would really like to knwo his reasoning for even using a resivor on the x360 laptop...most of the time thye are just to look cool
Posted at 10:19PM on Oct 31st 2006 by weirdguy0101
19. What were you for Halloween?
and
Have you done any interesting modifications to things other than game systems??
Posted at 5:22PM on Nov 1st 2006 by Pekar
20. Hey ben :) I'd love to see some wonderful mods to the nintendo DS. frankly there are not any out there. And if anyone can do it, its you. so when are ya going to do some :P. Good job on the 360laptop, i'd love to have one of those. It came out so clean it looked as if it was ment to be that way. Keep up all your amazing work, i can't wait to see your next project!
Posted at 1:54AM on Apr 16th 2007 by DSdude2007
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1. What were some of the difficulties that were encountered during the production of the N64 portable unit.
Judging by Ben's unwillingness to make another, I am curious.
Posted at 2:39PM on Oct 29th 2006 by jim