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Multi-colored Case Lights

Multi-colored Case Lights

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Well, here’s the front of my recently-rennovated computer case. By ‘rennovated’, I mean “replaced old-and-boring blue LEDs with the multicolor color-changing LEDs of coolness.

How I managed this was to:

  1. Remove the front of my computer case. There were four screws holding it firmly in place. It then snapped out.
  2. Unplug the case wires that were plugged into the motherboard
  3. Remove lightbars, which were held in with faux-metallic brackets
  4. Replace LEDs with Color-Changing LEDs
  5. Test the LEDs, and seal it all up with electrical tape
  6. Reinstall lightbars and brakets, reinstall the front cover, and reconnect the wires.

:thumbsup:

See more about these fun little LEDs here. The case front has 4 LEDs in it, so each side has a top and a bottom LED, making some interesting colors in the middle. Even more interesting, the little airbubbles in the plastic lightbars glow two colors: one for the top, and one for the bottom.

Views: 5,163
SparkFun FT232RL Breakout Board

SparkFun FT232RL Breakout Board

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This little guy will be making his appearance in some future electronics projects 

:thumbsup:

From SparkFun Electronics, this little guy is a USB to UART converter, I’ll see what kind of fun I can have with it.

SparkFun Electronics says:

[This is a…] basic breakout board for FTDI’s popular USB to UART IC. Now with
internal oscillator and EEPROM, the FT232RL is an impressive IC!

VCCIO is now tied to 3.3V through a solder jumper. You have the
option of clearing this jumper and tying the VCCIO pin to 5V or any
other IO voltage you need.

Features:

  • Implements full v2.0 USB protocol
  • Needs no external crystal
  • Internal EEPROM for device ID and Product Description strings
  • Royalty-Free Driver support for Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX
Views: 9,215
RGB Leds

RGB Leds

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I recently got my packet of 50 RGB LEDs, and free 50 current-limiting resistors to go along with it, direct from China. :-D

It was called “50x 5mm RGB LED Slow Colour Change Free Resistors“, and the seller is “amigoofchina“. You can see his eBay Store here.

In the picture, I have a close-up of one of the LEDs, and a row of them in the process of changing colors. They don’t keep time very well, they just dance to their own drum.

Check out the video of a bunch of them in action, and a great explaination at Dan’s Data: The Embarassingly Easy Case Mod.

:thumbsup:

Views: 5,003
CueCat-Readable Barcodes

CueCat-Readable Barcodes

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Barcode symbologies that the CueCat reads:

Barcode symbologies that the CueCat does not read:

  • RSS
  • Code 93
  • PharmaCode
  • Codabar
  • Any 2D Barcodes
  • Barcodes with varying height (POSTNET, etc)

Unchecked:

  • EAN-2, EAN-5
  • Code 39
  • Any others?

For more information on barcodes, check out:

Views: 9,711
MSNTV2 Close-up

MSNTV2 Close-up

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MSNTV2 with IDE, Serial header and Power.

Here’s a better shot of the MSNTV2. Note: I added an old heatsink  to the Northbridge, as it tends to run warm.

:thumbsup:

Views: 18,864
CueCat Hacking

CueCat Hacking

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I bought 3 nice, new, and almost shiny CueCats in a package deal from eBay. :-D

As far as a tutorial for hacking CueCats, here goes.

Disclaimer: This hack is for the 2-screw, PS-2 CueCats. Don’t try this if your CueCat has 4 screws, or if it is USB. (Google is your friend). This tutorial is provided with no guarantee of accuracy or completeness, and I am not responsible for any damages this may cause.

  1. Open up the CueCat by removing the 2 screws on the bottom and gently removing the top. [CueCat Opened Up]
  2. Remove the cable gently [CueCat, Cable Removed]
  3. Remove the two pins as directed in this picture by applying heat from a soldering iron and bending the pins upwards.
  4. Check your work to make sure there is no left-over solder or any pins touching one-another.
  5. Reassemble the CueCat.

For more information, look on Google or read “Hardware Hacking: Having Fun While Voiding Your Warranty“. :thumbsup:

Views: 16,603