Ep109: Cars that Suck, a Synth Packed with 555s, X-ray Letter Reading, and Pecking at a PS/2 Keyboard

Hackaday Podcast · 12 Mar 2021 · 46m · Episode 109

What this episode covers

Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss a range of hardware hacks, including Ben Eater’s reverse-engineering of the PS/2 keyboard protocol using discrete logic, and Tommy (Oscitone)’s polyphonic synthesizer built with 20 individual 555 timers. They also cover Renee K. Miller’s non-planar 3D printing technique for overhangs, X-ray tomography used to read sealed 17th-century letters, and the history of the Chaparral 2J fan car in Formula One.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 10m

    317: What Do You Mean by Disintegrated?

    Lenore Edman and Windell Oskay of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories discuss their business model of creating high-quality hobby electronics kits, such as the disintegrated 555 Timer and 741 Op-Amp, which are faithful transistor-scale replicas of classic chips. They explain how they design products like the AxiDraw pen plotter to ensure a successful user experience, often choosing to sell complex items as assembled units rather than kits. The conversation also covers the evolution of PCB aesthetics, the shift from gEDA to KiCad for open-source hardware design, and their personal hobby of studying seaweed through the Jepson Herbarium.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 2h 06m

    052 - Twitter Is My Lab Notebook

    Eric (TubeTimeUS) details his reverse engineering of the original Sound Blaster sound card, leveraging online photos and community help to clone the PCB, and discusses sourcing obsolete components from Chinese brokers. He then explains the design and validation of the MOnSter 6502, a massive discrete 6502 processor built from scratch using NMOS logic and the Visual 6502 netlist. Finally, he describes his reverse engineering of the Snappy Video Snapshot, uncovering its use of an Xilinx FPGA configured via the parallel port, and reflects on engineering ethics, regulatory capture, and the importance of using one's brain for troubleshooting.

  • Making It · 1h 21m

    474: The Doublemint Gum Remote Control

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their current projects and media consumption habits. David Picciuto is converting a Casio toy keyboard into a Moog-style synthesizer with integrated effects pedals, while Bob Clagett iterates on 3D-printed hinge designs for a magnetic phone charger. The hosts also debate the value of consuming maker content versus creating, with Jimmy Diresta sharing his experience building a light-based Theremin for his college band.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 14m

    An Interview with Ken Shirriff

    Ken Shirriff, who runs the blog Righto.com and formerly worked at Google, discusses his reverse engineering of vintage silicon and restoration of historical computing hardware. He details his process for creating die shots of 1970s chips using metallurgical microscopes and chemical etching, and explains the technical challenges of restoring a Xerox Alto computer, including replacing decaying foam and fixing incompatible TTL logic boards. Shirriff also analyzes the internal architecture of Apple power supplies, noting the presence of microcontrollers for safety handshakes, and compares the varied internal designs of standard components like the 555 timer and 741 op-amp across different manufacturers.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 17m

    276: Playing a Song on a Potato

    Jesse Rutherford, founder of Bentronics.com and author of The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to the 555 Timer, explains the internal architecture of the 555 timer IC, detailing its comparators, flip-flop, and discharge transistor. He discusses how the chip's hysteresis and control voltage pin allow for creative applications like the Atari Punk Console and playing music on a potato, while offering advice to hobbyists to ignore credential barriers and start building. The conversation covers the transition from his early component store to writing a color-printed book with Fritzing breadboard layouts to help beginners bridge the gap between schematic and physical assembly.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Hackaday Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.