Join Hackaday Editor-in-Chief Elliot Williams and Staff Writer Dan Maloney as they review the top hacks for the week. It was a real retro-fest this time, with a C64 built from (mostly) new parts, an Altoids Altair, and learning FPGAs via classic video games. We also looked at LCD sniffing to capture data from old devices, reimagined the resistor color code, revisited the magic of Polaroid instant cameras, and took a trip down television’s memory lane. But it wasn’t all old stuff — there’s flat-packing a sphere with math, spraying a fine finish on 3D printed parts, a DRM-free label printer, and a look at what’s inside that smartphone in your pocket — including some really weird optics.
Check out the links below if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments below!
Episode 167 Show Notes:
News This Week:
- We couldn’t come up with anything. But at times like these, no news is good news!
What’s that Sound?
- Have a listen to the secret sound in this week’s episode. If you can figure out what device it comes from, or even if you just want to take a wild guess, enter here!
Interesting Hacks of the Week:
- Will MiSTer Fool You Into Learning FPGAs?
- A (Nearly All) New Commodore 64
-
This Spherical Lamp’s Pieces Ship Flat, Thanks To Math
- Keenan Crane’s surface cutting paper. (And the rest of his research.)
- All The Sticky Labels You Could Ever Need: No DRM, Just Masking Tape
- Theory, Practice, And Ducted Fans
-
Retrotechtacular: How Television Worked In The 1950s
- Reddy Kilowatt, the unofficial “Retrotechtacular” mascot
Quick Hacks:
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- Elliot’s Picks:
- Dan’s Picks: