All posts by benheck

Latest CNC-built SNES Portable UNLEASHED!

Yet another Nintendo portable!

This unit has a 3″ screen and the case measures 4.75″ x 6.75″ x 1.5″, which isn’t much bigger than the NOAC NESp I built last month. Only 1/2″ taller. I actually built this portable out of balsa wood because I thought it’d be an interesting thing to try. Well, that and engraving plastic of course.

Alas, I could not implement stereo sound into this one. It would have increased the difficulty too much. But I’ve added some other interesting features instead. For more details scope out the Project 42 page and scroll down to portable #4.

Hand-built Super Nintendo Portable!

If there’s one portable people ask me to build a lot, it’s the Sega Dreamcast. If there’s another system they ask about almost as much, it’s the Super Nintendo.

Well, here ya go! (Click photo for large version with lots of detail)

Some specs on this unit:

  • Runs off 6 AA’s – when using rechargeables the system can charge them itself by plugging in a wall adapter
  • Uses a 5″ PSOne screen
  • STEREO SOUND! Wow, why didn’t I ever make a stereo portable before? It sounds awesome!
  • Not that large – 8.25″ x 5.5″ x 1.25″. I believe this is my thinnest portable yet.
  • Built WITHOUT the aid of computerized cutting equipment, much like how a caveman would have built a portable game system…

For more info and specs on this latest creation of mine, visit the Project 42 page and scroll down to portable #3.

Guess what – another NES portable!

Person #1 at water cooler: “Did you see that Ben built yet another new NES portable?”
Person #2: “Again? Geez, maybe it was better when he hardly updated his site at all…”
Person #1: “Well, I guess a slew of NESp’s is better than nothing…”

Here’s my latest portable – the Nintendo Entertainment System Portable, built with CNC machinery. I used a laser engraver again, much like the NOAC NESp below. For a bit more info on this machine, check out the Project 42 page and scroll down to portable #2.

Don’t worry – I promise my next portable won’t be a regular Nintendo!

My original NESp is finally completed!

Ta-da!

Ben Heckendorn's NOAC NESp

Measuring a mere 4.75″ x 6.25 x 1.5″, it is the smallest portable game system I have ever built. It’s barely larger than the cartridge, which slides down the back…

There is NO mystery as to which cartridge you've inserted with this thing!

It runs off 4 regular AA batteries and the screen has been modified to use white LED’s. This saves power – the entire unit only consumes around 400mA. I’ve working on this project off and on since June of 2003. For the entire story and more pics & specs, check out the NESp page! Enjoy!

New style NES Portable Built! No, really!

Person #1 at water cooler: “Is Ben EVER gonna build another portable? What does he DO all day?”
Person #2: “Have faith, o non-believer! He’ll make something soon!”
Person #3, wasting work time surfing on web: “Fellows! Look over yonder… a NEW PORTABLE!”

Yes, it's large, but so are the cartridges and the screen

Yes, finally after all this time I have built something! One that I’ve wanted to make for quite a while… There’s a catch to this unit, however – I built it WITHOUT A CNC MACHINE!

*gasp*   *gurgle*   HUH? Yes, it’s true. Exactly how I built it will be under wraps for now, but the information will be available in the future so you can make one just like this of your very own!

For a bit more info and pics regarding this unit, check out my Project 42 page. As a parting note for today, I will be making a new portable about every 2-3 weeks for the next few months, so stay tuned!

And for up-to-the-minute portable gaming news and talk, check out our Forums!

This site now filled with 80% more gooey goodness!

Welcome to the even more filled up benheck.com! I’ve completed the Videogames section, you can now browse through all the portable systems just like the old days! The Downloads section is also fairly functional, but if you come across something that goes clunk, let me know!

Also be sure to check out the Forums (located under the Videogames menu) for all sorts of fun, including being able to vote on if Ramen noodles could take Macaroni & Cheese in a fight!

More portables to come!

benheck.com Site Semi-Redesign and Content Filling!

I’ve been slowly working at getting this site up and going and I was trying for a fresh, new & different look from my old site. That’s all well and good, but along the way I changed my navigation system. It wasn’t really working the way I had hoped and dreamed…

I then thought to myself, “What was  wrong with the frame-menu navigation of the Atari 2600 Portables Site…?” Having reflected on that, I set forth to fix up this site so it would have the same easy-to-navigate structure!

This site is still under construction, but you can scroll around using the Navigator thingy to the left and check some stuff out. Here’s what works as of 5-17-04:

Videogame Forums, Downloads (all the videos at least) and Chat. For Movies you can check out the Port Washington & Lizard of Death pages.

So see what you can see, and if you end up in 404 land, just click BACK and bear with me…

If you need a (working) fix of portable videogaming action, check out my fully functional site at www.classicgaming.com/vcsp

Thanks for your continued patience!