I admit it: I'm a total geek. I love electronics, programming, 3D printing, 3D art, and vintage Apple hardware. I'm always juggling half a dozen projects. I also enjoy documenting it all: my successes, my failures, my experiences... and everything geeky along the way.

Hacking | Kevin Rye.net - Main

Kevin Rye

Geek Extraordinaire. Yeh, I said it.

DIY Reflow Oven - Part II

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DIY Reflow Oven - Part I


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This is going to be cool. I’ve always wanted my own reflow oven. Read More...

CRT Clock, Part IV

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I love it when everything just comes together at the end and it just works. No hacks, no head scratching, no second spins. It just works. This project involved some serious engineering, and I'm really happy with the way that it's coming out.
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CRT Clock, Part III


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Now that I know I can display my own custom time and date on this camcorder CRT, it's time to get serious about a PCB and a 3D-printed case. Read More...

CRT Clock, Part II

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Not only have I successfully figured out how to use the TVout library to display a custom "gui" showing the date and time, but I also figured out how to hack it into a vintage camcorder viewfinder CRT.
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CRT Clock, Part I

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I've always wanted to make an oscilloscope clock or something similar using a really small CRT. Perhaps input some video with the use of something like the Uzebox ATmega game console. I found a cool little 5" black and white TV in the garbage the other day. Although it seems like it's toast and maybe a lost cause, it got me thinking about cool TV and CRT hacks. Read More...

Digitizing Medium Format Negatives

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I’ve decided to scan our entire family photo library. I got my parents to mail me all the negatives for all our family photos. The 35mm negatives aren’t a problem, it’s the large “medium format” negatives that need a good solid hack. Time to build a lightbox! Read More...

Recharging a Disposable E-Cigarette Battery

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My wife buys these cheap disposable e-cigarettes. You're supposed to toss them when they're dead, but I know for a fact these use lithium rechargeable batteries, or else they wouldn't be able to supply the right voltage and current to last "800 puffs". The only question is….can you recharge the battery?
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Vintage Calculators

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My Dad, forever bestowing upon me vintage goodies of days gone by, happened across a small stash of vintage calculators he’d been holding on to for a good 40 years. Read More...

Free Junker Laptop

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My sister-in-law recently picked up a new MacBook Pro. She gave her old laptop to our niece to kick around. She ended up getting it back when it started falling apart. When I found out she was ready to throw it in the trash, I opted to take it off her hands. It’s got “photo frame” written all over it. Read More...

DIY Breadboard Upgrades

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I added an LED and a USB breakout board to my breadboard. Now I can just plug the board in using any 5V USB adapter. The LED will flicker (or go out) if I’m shorting something out. It’s good to have some visual feedback that the board is powered up. Read More...

Dad, can you fix my penguin?

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My 6 year old has a penguin that lights up and projects stars on his ceiling when he goes to bed. He stepped on it and broke the button. He asked me, “Dad, can you fix my penguin?” Read More...

Staples Easy Button

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Hum? I wonder if I can hack one of these Staples “that was easy” buttons? What makes it tick? Read More...

iPhone Radio Hack

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I picked up this portable CD player years ago from the clearance rack at Staples. I think it was something ridiculous like $4 bucks. I hack it so I can connect my iPhone up to it. Read More...

Pimp My Tivo: Take 2

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I bought my Mom a new Series 2 Tivo for Christmas 2007. I’ve been paying $10 a month for the past year to find out that she’s never actually used it. That’s too bad. It’s a better Tivo than my one and it’s a shame to see it go to waste. Hers records two shows at once.

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I'm so over blue LEDs

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I remember a few years ago when blue LEDs became all the rage. Back in my day it was amber and green; red was just old school. Listen to me, I sound like my old man.

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Pimp My Tivo

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This is a sweet Tivo upgrade kit from weaknees.com that lets you pimp out your Tivo with a second hard drive.

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