In the latest episode of Ben Heckendorn’s eponymous web show, the Internet’s favorite console hacker repurposes a multi-disc changer designed for music CDs into an automatic game changing carousel for the Xbox 360.
The neat bit about Heck’s show is not the implicit promotion of sloth however. The nearly 19-minute clip actually features Heck walking through the steps he took to cobble the device together, from dismantling Microsoft’s console to installing the foreign hardware.
Most impressive to me is how Heckendorn explains the inner workings of the machines he’s dismantling. Prior to watching the clip I had no idea how a multi-disc changer functions, but now I realize that the technology is both relatively simple, and a rather elegant piece of engineering.
While I’m sure this mod voids warranties left and right, the end result is a testament both to Heck’s inventive engineering prowess, and the indelible hacker spirit the man is known for. Speaking as a person who avoids soldering irons for fear of burning down half of Portland, I wouldn’t even know where to begin a project like this, but in Heck’s capable hands, the entire thing seems almost pedestrian in its simplicity.
We here at the Escapist do not endorse the idea that people should attempt surgical dissection of their gaming consoles. Ben Heckendorn is some kind of wizard, and attempting to replicate his work may result in personal injury, broken consoles and a deeply rooted sense of inadequacy.
You have been warned.
Published: Jul 13, 2011 06:43 pm