Video Games

I shall save the bandwidth of mail servers the world over…

45 Comments

…by announcing that I plan to build no more XBox 360 laptops. I have been working on a second one and I’ll show it on the site when it’s finished, but with the time required and considering other projects in the works the 360 laptop is just not something I’m interested in these days. To be honest I’m getting… hm… weary of laptops in general and when I finished the new ones I have coming it’ll be time to move onto something else.

Making multiple copies of something is better suited to something simple (and cheaper) like an Atari VCS, or perhaps a NES-on-a-chip based unit.

On this same token I also do not have, nor plan to do/make any of the following:

  • N64 portables or plans. That system breaks if you look at it wrong, very hacker-unfriendly. Just buy a DS.
  • PS2 portables or plans. Much like the Xbox 360, too difficult to make worth repeating.

Remember there’s plenty of instructions and plans in my book and I sell kits for them as well. This is doable since it’s all been standardized, if I had to create custom kits for every person who emailed they price would be substantially more.

If you’d like me to take a stab at a project you’ve suggested the rule of thumb is to think of something really far out there that might peak my interest. Slogging out more PS2 / 360 portables… not interesting.

45 thoughts on “I shall save the bandwidth of mail servers the world over…”

  1. how about a um……. tv game six portable XD you Know one of those pre Nintendo things made by nintendo but that doesnt have any cartridges so thats kinda lame. Also a 3DO would be cool but those are big. Just about the coolest most rare/expensive thing would be an Apple pippin. But why dont you make some portible famicons those things are cheap enough and kinda trendy.

  2. I think you should finally get to work on that pinball project you’re always talking about 😉

  5. How about a Nes that is built into its on controller with cords extending out the back to allow tv hook up. I don’t know if its possible, but also include some way to use a usb flash drive to load games.

  12. Dreamcast? Those have got a pretty good following (I don’t have one myself) and heaps of peripherals. Dunno how easy it would be to portablise, with all the add-ons etc it might be complicated.

    Another alternative, you could try a portable pc. Check out http://www.mini-itx.com/ for small motherboards, or http://homepage.mac.com/peter_green/MMP_MkIII_Tablet/ for a similar project. There’s also the ITX laptop, http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/itx-laptop/?p – I’m not suggesting another laptop but rather a proper portable, with the buttons and everything (D-pad etc)

    I’ve always thought it would be cool to put a small motherboard and everything into a hand-held case, and play something like Quake 4 or UT on the move!

    PS – Hi everyone! *waves* I’m new

  13. I’ve noticed on ebay when searching for nes or snes that there are some nock-off systems that look fairly small, and a few that claim to play both nes and snes carts. I wonder how a dual cart console could turn out as a portable?

  14. I do plan to build my pinball machine this year… however it is about 3rd in line after some expensive things I actually NEED to get.

    It took me over 2 years to get the first Atari 800 laptop together but I did it. And hell, FOUR YEARS for the original style Vagabond. And let’s not even get into Port Washington. Suffice to say, if I say I’m gonna do it, I’m doing it, when, that’s another matter 🙂

  15. Hmm… you made portables for all of Nintendo’s systems… except the Gamecube. It is a small system, and I know hat you do like the Gamecube… A Gamecube portable with a battery would be nice, I guess, with Composite, S, Component, and VGA. I would do it, if I had the tools…

    Or… a kinda farfetched idea, make a portable that you set on a table, and it has a built-in joystick. You know the NES Advantage, or even the SNES advantage? Think like that, but with a screen. It’ll be like a portable arcade thing.

  17. Ben, got my mail about that Pico C64? That’s a system I’d buy, and prolly really cheap building with used DTV-units off ebay. Cheers!

  18. What about a Sinclair Spectrum? That would drive us old British nerds totally ape-shit! Most of it would be easy as Sinclair was a master at size and cost cutting, but I wouldn’t know how you would get around the need for a data-tape. When Amstrad took over they made a version with a floppy disk drive, but that thing (the +3) was huge compared to the original because they used a Amstrad CPC case for it.

  19. Hey Ben,

    Have you thought of ever putting something into a BIGGER system? Like taking the Nokia N-Gage and putting it into something with a bigger, higher quality screen? I guess the screen is already kind of big. 🙁 I don’t own one, I’m just trying to think of an obscure system. 🙁 I need to take a look at their gamefaqs boards when I have time and see how that system is doing.
    -siege

  20. I used to have a Sinclair Spectrum, I think it actually worked but I just used it as a movie prop. Yes that would be a cool one to do for my overseas fans. Hm….

  21. Am I the only one who wants a Sega CD portable? Sonic CD and Earthworm Jim Special Edition would be great on the go.

  22. I’ve been showing some interest in the NOAC portable. Maybe a $50 one that would be cool, esp. with controller ports (yeah they are kind of big) and RCA out so it acts like a NES but it also has a screen so it is portable.

  24. Here’s another vote for a Sinclair Spectrum hack! I grew up with those and would definately appreciate something on the site about them!!

  25. Ben I emailed ou a while ago about a snes portable with the 3.5″ lcd you had… though because of no responce (I know you are busy with other projects, no offense taken or meant or anyting) now I am on a quest to build my own with your cnc case with I ordered on sunday….haha
    A new NOACp would be awesome mass produced,

  26. Here’s another vote for a Sinclair Spectrum handheld! That thing pretty much made me what I am nowadays (a big old geek, I guess).

    And I really enjoyed the one-handed controller hacks, since they combine the cool gadgetry with doing something for the greater good. Is there no way to get these mass produced? That would be cool to follow along on the site – the birth of Benheck Industries, Inc. 🙂

  28. i play xbox in my old egg style swivel chair. always wondered if you could make it spin with the on screen action? maybe with the screen stuck out in front. small lcd? basically an escape pod from kids the mrs, work, politics, war, famine etc cheers

  30. Did a quick bit of digging and I quickly turned up a ZX Micro Drive (nutty little tape drives the Spectrum used that no one bought because it was far cheaper to plug your Walkman into it and all the games came on compact cassettes anyway) to IDE or standard 3.5″ floppy adapters here: http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk/spectrum/spectrum_storage.html

    It amazes and delights me that people bother to makes this kind of stuff. You know what I’m half tempted to try building a Spectrum hand-held myself… (remembers that he has less then no money and can’t afford to mess around) maybe later after I see Ben make one :p

  36. hey, i have an idea, turn yourself into a portable gaming cyborg! have an nes built into one forearm, an snes on the others, a 360 on one thigh, a wii on the other, and an atari 2600 built into your penis(i think chicks would digg the 2600, though maybe something with a rumble pack would be more suitable)

  37. @mikoxlong
    thats actually a bad ass idea hydrolics would be loud and expensive, but maybe have it positioned on wheels with electric motors to spin them, it would be very tricky, and would probably require some type of lock to keep the chair from being thrown off during the testing stages, but i really think that may be possible, syncing the chair with already existing games would be really difficult though, and it may be easier to just make games specifically for the chair setup but i still love the idea, of course, just having an LCD on a hinge that you can flip down infront of you when you sit in the chair would be awesome itself, , oh man, i need to go find one of those egg chairs and get to work

  38. mine sits on base made from 4″square wood in an x pattern. the chair runs on two plates 6″round with ball bearings between. thought that using a motorycle rear sprocket an using chain to startermotor. mounted on base would work.

  39. What about, for people ready for a challenge like me, just post the instructions and parts to make the laptop. Im making one but need help with the radiatior and the case.

  44. hey ben i just descovered ur site and got realy interested in portable consoles i hav attempted ur atari 2600/ps2 combo only the atari is in the ps2 case anyway i was thinking about a portable DVD player with a PS1 built in ps1 was my favorite system i just think that would be an awesome idea and an awesome thing to hav since only ps2 can do dvds

    if u make it snd me directions on how to ill do it my self

    dave

  45. Текст лично мне ничего не дал. Хотя для многих может оказаться реально полезным… 🙂

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.