All posts by benheck

Video Games

Pelican Case Xbox 360

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Behold – a completely normal looking Pelican case!

My latest project is an Xbox 360 stuffed inside of a Pelican 1490 case. The intention here to create a “tough” portable Xbox 360 that can be transported with ease.

Enter missile launch codes here.
Xbox 360 inside a Pelican 1490 case

This unit includes:

  • 17″ widescreen LCD monitor.
  • Built-in speakers.
  • Power cable compartment.
  • Reworked top-loading DVD drive.
  • Removable hard drive.
  • Ethernet and USB ports.

This unit was built because I’ve had a lot of requests for game consoles that could be used overseas by our servicemen and women and I thought it’d be interesting to take a crack at the concept. It was not built on consignment, a rarity for me these days, so it is up for grabs. I’m also interested the larger-scale possibilities of this kind of project if anyone has any ideas/money.

For the fairly detailed “Making-Of” check the story after the break. You can also click here to view a video demonstrating the unit.

The idea for this unit was inspired by Clint Green’s cases that I saw last May in D.C., you can check out his site at www.greenbarron.com/armoredgaming.

Continue reading Pelican Case Xbox 360 →

Podcasts

Benheck Podcast Episode 54

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We’re back with the last podcast of 2008! In this thrilling episode we discuss our favorite games of the year, Playstation Home, Blu-Ray Live and then do Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions for about 10 minutes. Other rambling is included as well, free of charge.

The best news is we finally got around to doing the “It’s a Wonderful Half-Life” intro. So load this sucker up on your iPod and take it with you during your holiday travels – enjoy!

Listen to Benheck.com Podcast Episode 54

www.benheckpodcast.com

Video Games

Pelican case Xbox 360 is almost done…

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I’m hoping to show it on the site before Christmas. It’s actually up and running, just needs a few more tweaks.

In other news, if all the stars align we’ll have a podcast before Christmas as well, so you can load it onto you iPods and have something to listen to after you get bored of hanging out with your family/in-laws after 3 minutes and end up watching House reruns all day.

Also to keep you occupied after you hurry all week to sit around all day Thursday you can scope out my series of “Best PC Mods” now running on Make’s website.

Additionally, if anyone/company needs a Controller Monitor I’ve got the parts laying around to build one more Xbox 360 version – just built another last week and there’s “leftovers”. Let me know!

Video Games

Inside an Xbox 360 Jasper

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From what I have seen, this is the box to look for.

Slight update for you all… I found another Jasper, this time in a small town Wal-Mart. Same place I found my first Falcon. For those hunting the Jasper, small towns are a good bet because usually Wal-Mart is the only place to buy anything, thus the throughput is higher, thus they get newer units faster.

Seems the Sega Superstars Tennis pack-in labeling is the box to look for. This was a team FDOU, lot #0834X. However unlike the lot #0842X, this units power supply was marked 150W.


175W Falcon PSU on left, 150W Jasper on the right.  Though different they are fairly similar, there wasn’t as much change as between the 203W and 175W versions.

For more pics and details of how you can spot one in a store, check out my article on Engadget.

I still have not seen a 60 gig version of the Jasper. However you can get those 60 gig drive kits for $99, which can turn your Jasper Arcade into a 60 giger for the same cost, plus you’ll get 3 months of Xbox Live. Win-win.

Shouldn’t be rocket science but the Elites seem to be the slowest selling these days and will likely be the last to get Jasperized (new term).

Podcasts

Benheck.com Podcast Episode 53

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We’re back, and on time even, with our latest podcast!

In this white-knuckle episode we discuss the onslaught of movie remakes coming down the pike, specifically focusing on “Romaning the Stone”, which apparently wasn’t good enough the first time around. We also discuss movies that they should try remaking, and ones they better not even think about.

Should this be remade? Discuss!

Our second topic is “Games that were ahead of their time” in which we discuss games that were, well, ahead of their time, and/or contained features that didn’t become standard until much later. Download Movies Online.

Enjoy!

Listen to Benheck.com Podcast Episode 53

www.benheckpodcast.com

Video Games

Xbox 360 component video + HDMI

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Did some experimenting with the HDMI and component connections of the Xbox 360 while doing some more modding to the latest Xbox 360 laptop. Now I will bore you all with my findings.

Yes that's a Wii sitting there, what of it?
Xbox 360 portable outputting component video

Originally I didn’t think you could have the HDMI connected and still get a component signal (which is required to have any sort of “external output” on an HDMI-enabled 360 laptop) but I have found the way. For some boring discussion and the how-to, check the rest of the story. I figured I should post this stuff in case it’s of use to anybody.

Continue reading Xbox 360 component video + HDMI →

Video Games

Controller monitor built for Infinity Ward game testing

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Here’s something done several months ago but just now showing up on the site – a response time test controller built for use by Infinity Ward for a new game they are working on.


Includes world’s most colorful ribbon cable!

The idea behind this project was to build a system which shows the pressing of the buttons in a very obvious manner, in this case LED’s. The controller wiring is piggy-backed, and an extension port added to the bottom of it. This then connects to the main lightboard, indicating exactly when buttons are pushed.

The intent is that this is filmed for testing purposes to help identify the gap between when users are pressing buttons and when onscreen actions actually occur.

If you think something like this might be of use to your company, or have a similar idea, why not drop me a line?

For making-of info, sample videos and pics of the unit being tested, check out the rest of the story below. To read the original article that inspired the customer to have me create this, click here.

Continue reading Controller monitor built for Infinity Ward game testing →