Obsolete Nerd
@obsolete.bsky.social
Making, hacking, breaking, and (sometimes) fixing. Replaced by newer, better, faster nerds.
Pinned
This sticker is the bomb.
December 3, 2025 at 4:31 AM
This sticker is the bomb.
Finally finished my micropython-powered pedestrian crossing lights. Currently has "timer mode" for kids to use as a trampoline timer and "manual mode" for me to toggle red/green as a workshop safety indicator when I'm welding/grinding and it's not safe to come in.
obsoletenerd.com/making-old-p...
obsoletenerd.com/making-old-p...
November 13, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Finally finished my micropython-powered pedestrian crossing lights. Currently has "timer mode" for kids to use as a trampoline timer and "manual mode" for me to toggle red/green as a workshop safety indicator when I'm welding/grinding and it's not safe to come in.
obsoletenerd.com/making-old-p...
obsoletenerd.com/making-old-p...
People keep competing for smaller and smaller mechanical keyboards. Here is my contribution... a Raspberry Pi Pico powered binary-chording 8-key keyboard where you play piano-style chords of binary values representing the ASCII table. This message may have taken an hour to type, but it works!
November 2, 2025 at 7:15 AM
People keep competing for smaller and smaller mechanical keyboards. Here is my contribution... a Raspberry Pi Pico powered binary-chording 8-key keyboard where you play piano-style chords of binary values representing the ASCII table. This message may have taken an hour to type, but it works!
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
Teaser for a big LED project in the works for Ballarat Springfest, where we have a stall this year showing off some of our creations. This one is 2.2m high and almost 3m wide and will certainly grab some attention.
October 24, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Teaser for a big LED project in the works for Ballarat Springfest, where we have a stall this year showing off some of our creations. This one is 2.2m high and almost 3m wide and will certainly grab some attention.
Hydroponic strawberries are flowering and have their first berries forming. Still manually controlling nutrient percentages but next step is to add automation there.
October 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Hydroponic strawberries are flowering and have their first berries forming. Still manually controlling nutrient percentages but next step is to add automation there.
I've now had 3 of these Mirabella Genio "smart plugs" fail in a very dangerous and scary way, over the last year or 2. Both have been in use in our home for a few years now, neither have been "abused" just used to schedule fish tank timers/lamps/etc.
Details in thread.
Details in thread.
September 22, 2025 at 2:26 AM
I've now had 3 of these Mirabella Genio "smart plugs" fail in a very dangerous and scary way, over the last year or 2. Both have been in use in our home for a few years now, neither have been "abused" just used to schedule fish tank timers/lamps/etc.
Details in thread.
Details in thread.
Spent the last few weekends fabricating this steel bracket that connects to the factory CRT points in the Sega OutRun cabinet to mount modern monitors. The 3D printed VESA adapter lets you put any modern monitor in, and keeping the area behind empty of stands leaves plenty of space for the PC.
August 11, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Spent the last few weekends fabricating this steel bracket that connects to the factory CRT points in the Sega OutRun cabinet to mount modern monitors. The 3D printed VESA adapter lets you put any modern monitor in, and keeping the area behind empty of stands leaves plenty of space for the PC.
Tiny (<35mm to each side!) binary clock desk toy, using an ESP32-S3 and a GlowBit 4x4 RGB matrix. It checks the time using NTP then displays it in HH:MM columns, with the rows being binary values of 1/2/4/8 top to bottom.
July 19, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Tiny (<35mm to each side!) binary clock desk toy, using an ESP32-S3 and a GlowBit 4x4 RGB matrix. It checks the time using NTP then displays it in HH:MM columns, with the rows being binary values of 1/2/4/8 top to bottom.
Made a little grip-training thing that clips onto my home gym and lets me do climbing/grip training. Scrap metal plate with a welded loop on top, then designed mirrored holds in Blender and 3d printed them. It can be used in a few different ways to focus different muscles and grip types.
July 3, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Made a little grip-training thing that clips onto my home gym and lets me do climbing/grip training. Scrap metal plate with a welded loop on top, then designed mirrored holds in Blender and 3d printed them. It can be used in a few different ways to focus different muscles and grip types.
I found this old 8088-based PC at an e-waste place and can't find *any* information of its existence online.
The only branding anywhere on the whole thing is on the keyboard, saying "Nan Tan Computer Co" and "NTC CO" but no reference of them building PCs, just keyboards.
#retropc #retrocomputing
The only branding anywhere on the whole thing is on the keyboard, saying "Nan Tan Computer Co" and "NTC CO" but no reference of them building PCs, just keyboards.
#retropc #retrocomputing
May 27, 2025 at 4:47 AM
I found this old 8088-based PC at an e-waste place and can't find *any* information of its existence online.
The only branding anywhere on the whole thing is on the keyboard, saying "Nan Tan Computer Co" and "NTC CO" but no reference of them building PCs, just keyboards.
#retropc #retrocomputing
The only branding anywhere on the whole thing is on the keyboard, saying "Nan Tan Computer Co" and "NTC CO" but no reference of them building PCs, just keyboards.
#retropc #retrocomputing
The world's smallest Canon DSLR remote shutter?
Was mostly just curious how the pins work on the proprietary connector, with the ultimate plan of making an ESP32 remote-shutter for input-based triggering.
Was mostly just curious how the pins work on the proprietary connector, with the ultimate plan of making an ESP32 remote-shutter for input-based triggering.
May 7, 2025 at 4:29 AM
The world's smallest Canon DSLR remote shutter?
Was mostly just curious how the pins work on the proprietary connector, with the ultimate plan of making an ESP32 remote-shutter for input-based triggering.
Was mostly just curious how the pins work on the proprietary connector, with the ultimate plan of making an ESP32 remote-shutter for input-based triggering.
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
Over the last few days we converted the original high/low single-switch toggle shifter to a 2-switch sequential shifter so it works in modern racing games. Getting the mechanism working was a much bigger job than expected, but we finally got the right springs and switch-angles and everything sorted.
March 28, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Over the last few days we converted the original high/low single-switch toggle shifter to a 2-switch sequential shifter so it works in modern racing games. Getting the mechanism working was a much bigger job than expected, but we finally got the right springs and switch-angles and everything sorted.
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
Still a lot to do, but it "works" and we drove our first laps today. Assetto Corsa running in a 1986 Sega Outrun arcade cabinet. Original steering and pedals are now working and calibrated in Steam via an Arduino Pro Micro. Next we'll modify the shifter to work as a sequential gearbox.
March 14, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Still a lot to do, but it "works" and we drove our first laps today. Assetto Corsa running in a 1986 Sega Outrun arcade cabinet. Original steering and pedals are now working and calibrated in Steam via an Arduino Pro Micro. Next we'll modify the shifter to work as a sequential gearbox.
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
JUST IN - Our Twitter (X) account has been locked.
They claim we published "people's private information without their express authorization and permission."
We published names and email addresses of people working for the government. We will not be intimidated.
They claim we published "people's private information without their express authorization and permission."
We published names and email addresses of people working for the government. We will not be intimidated.
March 9, 2025 at 2:29 AM
JUST IN - Our Twitter (X) account has been locked.
They claim we published "people's private information without their express authorization and permission."
We published names and email addresses of people working for the government. We will not be intimidated.
They claim we published "people's private information without their express authorization and permission."
We published names and email addresses of people working for the government. We will not be intimidated.
Latest project I’ve been working on at @ballarathackerspace.org.au
Arduino Pro Micro + a bunch of custom wiring looms convert the old wiring to JST. Goal is to use all the original hardware as inputs for modern sim racing games and use mods in Assetto Corsa to make a new version of Outrun.
Arduino Pro Micro + a bunch of custom wiring looms convert the old wiring to JST. Goal is to use all the original hardware as inputs for modern sim racing games and use mods in Assetto Corsa to make a new version of Outrun.
Steam and Assetto Corsa on an original Outrun arcade cabinet, using the original cabinet inputs? Don’t mind if I do…
Still lots to fix and tidy up but we officially have the gaming PC installed inside the cabinet and all the original pedals/steering inputs working in Steam.
Still lots to fix and tidy up but we officially have the gaming PC installed inside the cabinet and all the original pedals/steering inputs working in Steam.
February 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Latest project I’ve been working on at @ballarathackerspace.org.au
Arduino Pro Micro + a bunch of custom wiring looms convert the old wiring to JST. Goal is to use all the original hardware as inputs for modern sim racing games and use mods in Assetto Corsa to make a new version of Outrun.
Arduino Pro Micro + a bunch of custom wiring looms convert the old wiring to JST. Goal is to use all the original hardware as inputs for modern sim racing games and use mods in Assetto Corsa to make a new version of Outrun.
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
Fucking wild that a $699 device that is not even a year old (released April 2024) will "stop functioning before the end of the month, at 12 PM PST on February 28, 2025".
Absolutely criminal.
Absolutely criminal.
February 18, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Fucking wild that a $699 device that is not even a year old (released April 2024) will "stop functioning before the end of the month, at 12 PM PST on February 28, 2025".
Absolutely criminal.
Absolutely criminal.
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
** It's happening!! **
We managed to convince Google to open source PebbleOS. Took a while, but they just did it today! github.com/google/pebble
With that, we're bringing Pebble back! I blogged about it - ericmigi.com/blog/why-wer...
We managed to convince Google to open source PebbleOS. Took a while, but they just did it today! github.com/google/pebble
With that, we're bringing Pebble back! I blogged about it - ericmigi.com/blog/why-wer...
Why We’re Bringing Pebble Back
Eight years later, you still can’t beat a Pebble
ericmigi.com
January 28, 2025 at 12:03 AM
** It's happening!! **
We managed to convince Google to open source PebbleOS. Took a while, but they just did it today! github.com/google/pebble
With that, we're bringing Pebble back! I blogged about it - ericmigi.com/blog/why-wer...
We managed to convince Google to open source PebbleOS. Took a while, but they just did it today! github.com/google/pebble
With that, we're bringing Pebble back! I blogged about it - ericmigi.com/blog/why-wer...
Why buy stickers when you can make stickers. Threw this together today at @ballarathackerspace.org.au using Inkscape and a vinyl plotter.
January 24, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Why buy stickers when you can make stickers. Threw this together today at @ballarathackerspace.org.au using Inkscape and a vinyl plotter.
Nothing but the highest quality equipment in my workshop. Paint booth made from a camping gazebo, a spotlight zip-tied to the ceiling of it, and a heat gun hanging from some scrap wire. Worked great though!
December 29, 2024 at 10:38 AM
Nothing but the highest quality equipment in my workshop. Paint booth made from a camping gazebo, a spotlight zip-tied to the ceiling of it, and a heat gun hanging from some scrap wire. Worked great though!
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
A bucket list project of mine was to make a mask completely out of circuit boards and LEDs. I finally made one.
youtu.be/dZ4IUd8FqbU
youtu.be/dZ4IUd8FqbU
Become Anyone 2.0
YouTube video by SeanHodgins
youtu.be
December 1, 2024 at 12:49 AM
A bucket list project of mine was to make a mask completely out of circuit boards and LEDs. I finally made one.
youtu.be/dZ4IUd8FqbU
youtu.be/dZ4IUd8FqbU
Went out to support our school at the Energy Breakthrough race where kids race pedal-powered tadpole/reverse trikes. It's such a cool event and I loved seeing all the home-made trikes built by the kids. (The forged-carbon factory-built private school ones were a bit cringe though).
November 28, 2024 at 3:45 AM
Went out to support our school at the Energy Breakthrough race where kids race pedal-powered tadpole/reverse trikes. It's such a cool event and I loved seeing all the home-made trikes built by the kids. (The forged-carbon factory-built private school ones were a bit cringe though).
Reposted by Obsolete Nerd
Our group project #Picocade is still moving ahead. We now have an info overlay working and the ability to do a clean shutdown by holding the menu button. We can also adjust the brightness #picocade #pico8 #retrogaming
November 22, 2024 at 1:21 AM
Our group project #Picocade is still moving ahead. We now have an info overlay working and the ability to do a clean shutdown by holding the menu button. We can also adjust the brightness #picocade #pico8 #retrogaming
Progress on the Pico-8 arcade cabinet. Everything “works” and now it’s just about tidying up the documentation and the software installation process to make it more user friendly, and adding all the vinyl decals.
#pico8 #ballarat #hackerspace #ballarathackerspace
#pico8 #ballarat #hackerspace #ballarathackerspace
October 25, 2024 at 3:14 AM
Progress on the Pico-8 arcade cabinet. Everything “works” and now it’s just about tidying up the documentation and the software installation process to make it more user friendly, and adding all the vinyl decals.
#pico8 #ballarat #hackerspace #ballarathackerspace
#pico8 #ballarat #hackerspace #ballarathackerspace
Crimposaurus goes chomp.
October 9, 2024 at 9:14 PM
Crimposaurus goes chomp.
PICO-8 arcade cabinet we've been working on at Ballarat Hackerspace. Far from a "Raspberry pi emulator and computer monitor" setup, this has a 1:1 native LED display suited to the PICO-8 resolution, custom graphics daemon to run PICO-8 natively and feed the LEDs, and a very slick laser cut cabinet.
September 22, 2024 at 1:38 PM
PICO-8 arcade cabinet we've been working on at Ballarat Hackerspace. Far from a "Raspberry pi emulator and computer monitor" setup, this has a 1:1 native LED display suited to the PICO-8 resolution, custom graphics daemon to run PICO-8 natively and feed the LEDs, and a very slick laser cut cabinet.