All posts by benheck

Video Games

I Hope They Make Mods in Hell

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Click here for a close-up of the wand

It has come to my attention that the Tucker Max movie “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” has come out. Last year I was approached by that movie’s prop department to come up with a “highly customized Xbox 360 controller for a game-obsessed character.”

Above you can see the result. It didn’t have to actually function but I insisted it did. I actually built 2 of them since movies always have backup props (well, mine don’t). The idea was the controller had a lot of “business” potential – that is to say the character could move around it with and act out functions in an overstated manner.

Having not seen the movie, my question is “Did it make it into the final cut?” Please let me know, I am curious!

The “pitch drawing” I sent them to get the gig.

Fun fact: the cost of these props exceed that of Possumus Woman’s entire budget.

Video Games

PS3 Slim Laptop

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Click here for larger version.

Last month I ran out and bought one of the new PS3 Slim consoles. You can check out my “tear down” of the unit here.

I had some other projects to finish first at the time, but now I’ve gotten around to building a laptop out of this thing. It might still be my fastest project of a new console, I think the Wii was 2 months after launch, this is about 35 days.

Anyway, specs:

  • PS3 Slim Hardware, with cool-running 45nm architecture. Very VERY quiet.
  • 17″ widescreen LCD with HDMI-DVI digital connection.
  • Built-in power supplies / compartment for the AC cord.
  • Push button volume control with stereo speakers.
  • Sleek white monochromatic styling with pin stripes.

Click here for larger version.

For the “Making Of” story, pics and video see below.

Continue reading PS3 Slim Laptop →

Video Games

Benheck Atari Disk Archive

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When I was young I used to do a lot of BASIC programming on my Atari 800 computer. Many years later I got an SIO2PC cable from eBay, which allows you to use your PC as a virtual disk drive with an old Atari. This allows a person to make disk images of their old stuff. Knowing how fragile the old FM disks were, I was excited to make backups.

Sadly, about 3 minutes after getting the transfer cable my 810 drive conked out. However recently a customer found me a working 1050 drive at a thrift store (how come thrift stores in Wisconsin aren’t that cool?) so once again I can share these old games with the world!

If you ever wondered what the “amazing” Ben Heck was doing at age 11, now you can find out! Though a programmed a lot of stuff, I’m only including what is complete or fairly playable.

Should run on most modern emulators, or a real Atari if you have an SIO2PC cable. Enjoy!

Ben’s Atari 800 Games

Video Games

A blast from the past!

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Thanks to Michael Bonkowski – the person who commissioned the Atari 800 laptop – I now have an Atari 1050 disk drive!

As some of you may know the Atari 800 was my first computer at age 11 (myself, not the computer). Sure even then it was fairly old, but still awesome. Over the years I programmed (or tried to program) many a game for it in BASIC. While the hobby never really accomplished much at the time, I give the experience a lot of credit for the computer knowledge I have today.

Several years ago I bought an SIO2PC cable, which allows you to hook up your Atari to a PC and use the PC as a virtual disk drive. You can play disk images off your PC, or make images of your original floppies. That was all well and good, but my Atari 810 disk drive failed shortly after getting this cable. So I didn’t manage to copy much.

But now thanks to Michael I can finally back up those old disks and realize just many games I never finished! However what was somewhat complete or playable has been made into ATR disk images and you can check them out here.

Should be good for a laugh, enjoy!

Video Games

Regarding Controller Monitors

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There’s been a lot of interest lately in my Controller Monitor. So I thought I’d reiterate some things about it for interested parties:

  1. Currently Xbox 360 only. I’ve been thinking about a PS3 version, it would require a different approach, but more importantly, would companies want it? Please let me know.
  2. Size of display is 8″ x 8″ x 1.5″. It connects via a 6′ cable to a wireless Xbox 360 controller. (Granted, it’s no longer “free of wires” but you know what I mean) There are screw holes in the four corners for mounting as you choose.
  3. The connector for the cable replaces the headphone / keyboard jack on the bottom of the controller. Charge & Play kits still fit.
  4. Display indicates the following: D-pad, A B X Y, left and right bumpers, left and right triggers, both analog sticks. Currently L3 / R3 (depressing the thumbsticks) is not represented.
  5. For the analog indicators there are 3 LED’s per direction. These indicate “any motion at all”, “halfway there” and “all the way over”.
  6. Cost is $650 US, includes controller. Shipping is extra.

If this sounds like something that would be useful for your company please drop me a line to discuss. I’m setting up a batch within the next few weeks.