element14 Presents

Karen is really wired, and this time we don't just mean hyper-active! In an effort to become wireless, Ben, Karen and Felix get together to talk about the essentials of wireless technology. There are many different ways for electronics to communicate information, from WiFi, xBee, Bluetooth, mobile networks to RFID and NFC. In this episode the team discuss them all! Each is put through an appraisal where the pro's and cons of each are compared, combined with an insight into their radio frequencies and bandwidth that they use in regulation by the FCC in America. What projects or hardware do you wish to be free from wired technology? Or do you have an interest in Software Defined Radio or Amateur HAM ? Let The Ben Heck Show team know on the element14 Community.

Like the Six Million Dollar Man, Ben can rebuild it, the team have the technology! Now that the Nintendo Virtual Boy has been tore down and we know how it operates, Ben and Karen set to work on redesigning the console as a wearable virtual reality gaming headset. To do so, Ben has to redesign the enclosure, so it is time to bust out the vector graphics software and show us the tips and tricks necessary to get accurate measurements to laser cut a new design. It's not all about 3D printing mounts and laser cutting though, Karen steps in with her wearable know-how to help attach the Virtual Boy to the frame to be able to mount it on your face! All designs encounter some flaws and problems though, and this is no different, find out how Karen and Ben overcome them in today's episode and help the Virtual Boy, become a Virtual Man! What did you think of the build? Or what should the team make wearable? Let us know on the element14 Community!

Join Ben as he leaves the workshop behind and goes on a journey to Portland's Retro Gaming Expo! There's little Ben loves more, and this time he's on the hunt for a copy of Road Rash for the Sega Genesis / Megadrive! Though with some happy distractions, Ben gets another chance at the Nintendo Playstation console and discusses the Commodore 64, Nintendo 64 disk drive and the collecting of retro hardware and games with fellow Youtubers. Will Ben manage to repair the Nintendo Playstation and play Super Boss Gaiden? Does he manage to find a copy of Road Rash? You'll have to watch and find out! What's your favorite retro gaming console, or game? Let Ben and the team know on the element14 Community!

Ben's seeing double this week with a retro virtual reality console that was ahead of its time, the Virtual Boy (codename VUE) by Nintendo. The technology behind the Virtual Boy was ahead of its time, and didn't prevent some of the dizzying problems that still affect VR today, as Ben quips "It's like a trip to the eye doctor!". Of course, this means Ben has to take it apart in a traditional teardown to find out what makes the Virtual Boy tick, inside we find a 32bit processor and graphics chip combined along with some very clever mechanical decisions. Unfortunately, as clever as the mechanics are, this hasn't prevented failure and Ben has to design and print a part using Autodesk Fusion 360 to help repair it. Though, now that it's repaired, it's time to improve it! Make sure you catch the next episode, meanwhile let us know what you think of VR technology on the element14 Community!

A Game Boy printer is used to teach reverse engineering and how data transmission works. The printer is taken apart and hooked up to a Tektronix oscilloscope. Signals are captured, reverse engineered, and replaced with new signals.

In this episode Ben and Felix set out to make an Atari Punk Console which is a popular circuit that utilizes two 555 timer ICs or a single 556 dual timer IC. When they're done they will be able to make beautiful music using the classic sounds of the Atari 2600.

The team begins working on an Atari Junk Keyboard, a version of the Atari Punk Console that combines 555 timers to make a simple circuit that makes Atari-like music and sound effects. Instead of using sequences to repeat Atari-like sounds they decide to make a whole keyboard of the sounds.

The team builds the ultimate retro gaming controller using an ESP8266 WiFi Module, a transmitter controller, and a receiver on the game console. Universal support includes Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega, and Atari.

Ben tears apart a Playstation 4 Slim and compares it to the teardown of the recently released Xbox One S. Once he’s torn the PS4 apart it can be put together as a tablet or laptop.

The team completes Karen’s SuperHero Costume to give it speakers, EL(electroluminescent) Wires, IC2 connected accelerometer sensors, a Parallax Propeller, and an Arduino Mini Microcontroller. Karen transforms into Captain Tangent!