MECTILE

Category: Projects

  • MAME cabinet update

    After over a decade and the MAME cabinet collecting dust, I decided to rejuvenate my MAME cabinet once again. First to go was the 26″ KORTEK color monitor, which was roughly 30 years old. I stripped out all the legacy IPAC and JPAC harness and went with a basic USB arcade decoder, the USB to…

  • Connect to CMS2000 solar inverter with LabVIEW and read power

    After a few weeks of ‘chasing the sun’, finally got something I am happy with, LabVIEW connects to the CMS2000 via serial interface and reads the parameters. Programmed as a state-machine, basic error checking and fail safes. Note, I am using a RS232 to TCP/IP adapter, I am guessing a lot of the peculiarities are due…

  • ComputerSphere – modding the original base to include a DVD burner

    I thought for a change in scenery, I would look at modding the original square base. The square base was an attachment that could be used to support the Videosphere, it wasn’t needed if the Videosphere was hanging. To keep with this idea, I decided to make the base a removable DVDRW drive, with a…

  • ComputerSphere – restoring the original knobs and dials

    The two large knobs were the reason the project stalled for so long, I initially planned to use the knobs to control the LCD TV, interfacing the knobs to the digital up/down buttons. The idea was, since the knobs are rotary, I needed some way to convert the clockwise and anticlockwise directional rotation to two…

  • ComputerSphere – testing the Via Epia M output on the LCD

    A quick update. Before I went through the process of installing the operating system on the computer, I thought I should quickly check the VGA output and make sure everything was normal. BIOS output of the Via Epia M on the LCD. Secondly, I decided to shorten the VGA cable to a more manageable length.…

  • ComputerSphere – mounting the VIA Epia M motherboard

    A quick post on the progress made to mount the VIA Epia M motherboard inside the Videosphere. Firstly, the VIA Epia M motherboard, chosen as I had it from a previous project and it was the perfect size, well, it was a little bit too big, but it still did fit nicely. Fitted with a…

  • ComputerSphere – converting the knobs to buttons

    Before I can mount the motherboard, I needed to return the three knobs back to their original location as I wouldn’t be able to do this with the motherboard in the way. Originally these knobs were used for volume control, and some form of picture fine tuning. As we are all in a digital age,…

  • ComputerSphere – Installing the LCD electronics and testing

    After a very long break, I’ve decided to complete this mod once and for all. This update is mainly to make sure the LCD is still working after sitting around for a number of years, and confirm I still have all the parts. Firstly, let’s make sure the LCD is still working. Now we need…

  • Instructables – Turkish Delight and Button Purse

    Been a while since I have created an Instructable, the Turkish Delight was unpublished since 2008. Check them out. Decorate a purse with colourful buttons Turkish Delight (Lokum) recipe

  • The Best of Instructables Volume I

    After 4 months from signing a license agreement with O’Reilly Media, reviewing a draft and a 1 month wait for the book to arrive, I finally received my copy of The Best of Instructables Volume I which features my Instructable A Dozen Red Origami Roses. View my original Instructable View the electronic draft (736KB)