Hacker News Reader

Comment by codewritinfool | Hacker News Reader

Based solely on this video, I feel sorry for this guy. First he doesn't bother to use a lab supply to current limit the input - nope, just plug it into a wall supply and let 'er rip.

Next, he doesn't have a microscope? Using a hand magnifier instead. Ok. Then he's clamping to the PCB for scope ground instead of soldering a fly lead for that purpose.

He doesn't want to use desoldering braid on this "one of a kind" board, so he's heating and levering the caps off. That's a recipe for a lifted trace for certain. Then there's the iron. That thing is way way too large for what he's trying to do.

I know, I know, he fixed it.

Before you yell at me, I've been doing this stuff for 30 years and I'm here to tell you I'm shocked that he doesn't have better equipment. The thing is, the guy is talented. If you coupled that with decent equipment, he'd be amazing.

View on HN

HN has an interesting difference between electronics quality and code quality.

When anything electronic is submitted people are interested and encouraging even if the quality of construction is terrible, like it was built by a drunk monkey.

But when some code / script / stylesheet is submitted you get a mix of the same interest and encouragement, and also some really fierce critique. "My god who wrote that css float, a drunk monkey?"

I prefer the first approach, btw. There are ways of delivering constructive criticism and HN isn't always great at it.

EDIT: FEC / Element 14 are sponsoring a bunch of DIY electronic stuff at the moment. So while he could use a $400 electronics microscope it's in their interest to show him using cheaper stuff that's more available to student tinkerers. Those hand loupes and magnifiers are very cheap and handy for students.

(EDIT: And I'm not saying Ben Heck's builds are bad.)

I think the reason may be twofold. One, for many of us - myself included - hardware stuff is almost magic. Not in the sense that we don't understand it, but in a sense we have close to zero professional experience and "hobby quality" is the best we know how to do.

The other thing is, in programming you can do pretty much anything for free. Whether you want to write scripts when drunk or employ highest industry standards of quality, the only limit is your knowledge (and how much you care). In case of electronics, doing anything professional-grade gets extremely expensive very fast, so all we - the subset of HN for which hardware is just a hobby - can do is hobby-level work.

HOW does he not have a bench supply? Looking around the rest of his shop at least gives the appearance of a functioning lab.

To any budding hardware hackers, a benchtop (or rackmount, because they can be had for very cheap if they're old) power supply is one of the FIRST thing you should buy, probably before you get an oscilloscope, and probably right after you get a soldering iron.

edit: Actually, at 3:00, isn't that a bench supply that is sitting in front of him?

edit2: And at about 7:34 you can actually see the terminals for it.

Because he's trying to make a point. And that point is the similarity between the machine he's got and other Sony products, demonstrating its heritage.

I've recently started to play around with hardware hacking, completely self taught. "Bench supply" isn't something I'm familiar with, are you able to explain a little more about what one is (I have looked online and still not entirely sure) and why I would need one?

The first result from googling "why do i need a bench supply?" seems informative.

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/does-a-hobbyist-need-a-ben...

A power supply that sits on top of your workbench - it has adjustable settings to drive different voltages etc.

Ben Heck(endorn) has been one of the bigger figures in the DIY portable console scene for years now, so it's kind of interesting to see a critique like this (even though you're 100% correct)! I wonder if he works this way because "this is just how I've always done it", in the same way programmers often will solve a problem in a much less efficient way, because they don't know what they don't know?

You know, after watching him pull off creating a portable Dreamcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCd40Ac87qE

I think "The thing is, the guy is talented. If you coupled that with decent equipment, he'd be amazing." sounds a little patronizing.

And yet they went to him to do it, and he got it done.

Ya know, I'm gonna go with the guy who is successfully doing this stuff vs the guy who says he's doing it wrong.

yeah, not everyone is RetroGameModz

4 hour video on theory of operation and fix of CD drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZK3Rmerg1I

You can see in the video that he does have desoldering braid, but has chosen not to use it. Sounds like our experience differs, but personally I find desoldering braid is seldom helpful for removing parts - it tends to leave behind just enough solder to keep it stuck down, but not enough that you have good thermal conductivity to reflow it with an iron. Without using a heat gun or skillet (which he mentions) I don't know of a better way. You have a lot of experience, so if you disagree I would very much like to learn something!

He said in the video he wants to use as close to "original" parts as possible, namely an original power supply.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com