external bat pack
Hack-A-Day is a great new site from the people over at Weblogs Inc. (Engadget, Autoblog, Joystiq…) They basically post at least one hardware hack each day. Of course, they link to other people’s good work, but it is a really nice compilation of old and new hardware hacks they I have lost track of over the past couple years.
I am no experience hardware hacker, though remnants of failed or abandoned projects are strewn around my house. I saw a great less-than-intermediate project listed on hack-a-day, and I decided to try. It worked out very well, and I am now basking in my own nerd-ness. So I thought I’d share.
Basically, a UK guy named Drew Perry made a very clever external battery pack for his iPod allowing for an extra 10 hours of emergency play. He crammed all the parts inside a playing cards box, with nice fit and finish, low cost, and a relative ease. I don’t know shit about electricity, which is seriously a hardware hacking problem, but I do know that an Altoids can makes a great wallet, pill box, Pentax Optio S camera case, and can fit all of Drew’s parts inside. So I did it.
Below of pictures of my first prototype based on Drew’s fine design. I used a shitty old altoids can and a mis-shaped firewire port that I de-soldered from an old PCI firewire card, along with some wire and battery connectors from Radio Shack. I made the hole for the firewire plug with a wire-cutter which explains it’s shitty fit and finish. Version 2 will be much tighter, with real firewire parts, Dremmel tooled port, and nicer soldering. I’ll fully document that experience when I do it.
For now, I have a pretty sweet external battery pack for my iPod, that WORKS, and looks kind of good.
[thanks for the hackery drew.]
Wow! Now that’s brisk baby!!
Now..can you make one for Palm’s T|3?
what kind of firewire cord do u need
yo that is one of the best idea’s for an ipod. i actully want to make one of your re-chargers because i am always on the move. if you reall could send me a more detail e-mail of how u created this, i would really love you. lol. thanks
Hey just wondering if you could use a usb connecter instead of a FireWire one.
You have any better shots of how the wires connect together?
hey do you think you could send me a more in depth plans for the i pod external battery and what kink of firewire connector is the best that’d be great
hey do you think you could send me a more in depth plans for the i pod external battery and what kink of firewire connector is the best that’d be great
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Just wanted to ask if you could use something other than the Firewire… Such as, predesigned or built usb link.. Maybe splice the wires.. and connect to batteriies… may take up more space… but may it work?
Also, any other ideas besides Altoid Tin or Deck of Cards…
My sister suggested using the case to Glasses.. i dont think it will be as good.
I was think maybe using an electronic device… removing insides.. leaving battery free of harm, installing firewire.. and do that.. lol..
The ultimate charger = Cell Phone (gutted, rebuilt to work)
im jus wonderin… will this work for an ipod mini? n also, im not getting how u jam a usb hub into a firewire connector. i tried jamming my ipod mini usb connector into my firewire port in the back of my pc but it just wont fit :/
can anyone e-mail me more detailed instructions and parts list please i dont know anything about electricity thanks
can u e-mail it to knapper2b8@hotmail.com thanks
can you mail me all the instructions to do this???, and will it work with the ipod video?
can u plzz send me all the things that r required 4 this proj and also in-depth detail on how to set it up? plzzz thank you
i desperately need this thing, since i use my cell phone a lot and i can’t charge is every 7 hours. thanks you once again. i would really apppriciate u sending me the info. i want.
- chad
Can you email me the instuctions, parts list, what ipods it will work for, and if you can use a usb port because firewire ports and usb ports do not mix. Thanks.