Ben Heck's Xbox 360 automatic disc changer mod targets lazy gamers (video)
The latest creation from modder extraordinaire Benjamin J. Heckendorn? This mashup of an Xbox 360, Maker Faire-provided Arduino board and a Sony CD changer lets gamers play their entire collection without ever needing to leave the couch again. The latest episode of The Ben Heck Show takes viewers through the build process in a bit under 19 minutes, but leaves the device still needing a bit of polish in the end. Sponsor element14 is offering motivated viewers a chance to with this and finish it off properly as they see fit, removing the hassle of L.A. Noire disc swaps once and for all without buying a PS3. The video, and press release with details on how to win the as-yet unfinished project for yourself, can be found after the break.
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Modding Guru Pairs Xbox 360 and CD Disc Changer to Create the Ultimate "Lazy Man's" Gaming Tool in element14's "The Ben Heck Show"
Show commemorates element14's two-year birthday and gives viewers the opportunity to win and mod Ben's latest project
CHICAGO, July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- element14, the first collaborative community and electronics store for design engineers and electronics enthusiasts, and modding guru Benjamin J. Heckendorn, a.k.a. Ben Heck, create the ultimate "lazy man's" gaming tool on the latest episode of "The Ben Heck Show." The newest modding feat – an automatic video game disc changer – gives gaming junkies access to multiple discs at one time, resulting in uninterrupted game play.
"Let's face it – everyone calls us video gamers lazy. Not true, of course. I'm sure it's just a 'coincidence' that this particular build has been one of the more popular requests we've gotten for the show," said Ben. "Couch potatoes unite!"
The episode follows Ben's mechanically and electronically intricate build process, focusing on replacing the DVD drive in the Xbox 360™ with the changer's CD player and disc carousel and configuring the casing and components to ensure discs load properly into the player. Ben also spends a significant amount of time on programming, replacing the existing electronics to streamline the switches that control the CD cycle, as well as sensors that allow for the disc changer control.
"Modders and gaming enthusiasts alike will enjoy this episode, as it displays Ben's signature mix of ingenuity and practicality," said Kevin Yapp, chief marketing officer, Premier Farnell. "This episode also commemorates element14's second birthday, and I'd like to thank the viewers and fans of 'The Ben Heck Show' for helping to make the element14 community such a successful collaborative resource."
Another unique aspect of this episode is that Ben leaves the project unfinished, allowing viewers to enter for a chance to win the automatic video game changer to "mod Ben's mod" and finish the project to their own liking.
In honor of element14's two-year anniversary, 214 prizes will be awarded to new and existing community members during July. Show fans are invited to learn how they can win a Fluke Multimeter and other great giveaways.
About "The Ben Heck Show"
"The Ben Heck Show" is a bi-weekly online television series aired in English that's dedicated to the science and art of system and hardware modding with a global audience of design engineers, students and electronic enthusiasts. Sponsored exclusively by element14, each episode spotlights Ben's mods of popular electronic devices while educating viewers on the underlying technology powering each project.
About element14
Launched in June 2009, element14 is the first information portal, collaborative community and electronics store specifically built for electronic design engineers. The community recently unveiled its element14 knode, a unique automated platform that enables engineers to quickly research, design, develop and prototype in a single, intelligent environment. element14 is an innovative offering from Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl), FTSE 250, a leader in multi-channel electronics distribution trading throughout Europe (Farnell), the Americas (Newark) and Asia Pacific (element14). The company had group sales of 990.8m pounds Sterling and underlying profits of 93.3m pounds last year.
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