Hackaday Podcast 168: Math Flattens Spheres, FPGAs Emulate Arcades, and We Can’t Shake Polaroid Pictures

Join Hackaday Editor-in-Chief Elliot Williams and Staff Writer Dan Maloney as they review the top hacks for the week. It was a real retro-fest this time, with a C64 built from (mostly) new parts, an Altoids Altair, and learning FPGAs via classic video games. We also looked at LCD sniffing to capture data from old devices, reimagined the resistor color code, revisited the magic of Polaroid instant cameras, and took a trip down television’s memory lane. But it wasn’t all old stuff — there’s flat-packing a sphere with math, spraying a fine finish on 3D printed parts, a DRM-free label printer, and a look at what’s inside that smartphone in your pocket — including some really weird optics.
Check out the links below if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments below!

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Episode 167 Show Notes:
News This Week:

We couldn’t come up with anything. But at times like these, no news is good news!

What’s that Sound?

Have a listen to the secret sound in this week’s episode. If you can figure out what device it comes from, or even if you just want to take a wild guess, enter here !

Interesting Hacks of the Week:

Will MiSTer Fool You Into Learning FPGAs?

A (Nearly All) New Commodore 64

Commodore C64: The Most Popular Home Computer Ever Turns 40



This Spherical Lamp’s Pieces Ship Flat, Thanks To Math

Keenan Crane’s surface cutting paper . (And the rest of his research .)



All The Sticky Labels You Could Ever Need: No DRM, Just Masking Tape

Hershey Fonts: Not Chocolate, The Origin Of Vector Lettering


Theory, Practice, And Ducted Fans

Retrotechtacular: How Television Worked In The 1950s


Reddy Kilowatt , the unofficial “Retrotechtacular” mascot



Quick Hacks:



Elliot’s Picks:

Exporting Data From Old Gear Through LCD Sniffing
Bee Motion Combines ESP32 With PIR Sensor And USB-C
Flexures Make This Six-DOF Positioner Accurate To The Micron Level


Dan’s Picks:

Re-imagining The Resistor Color Code Cheat Sheet

Altaid 8800 Puts A Front Panel In Your Pocket

Altair 8800 Again Project



3D Print Finishing By Spraying Glazing Putty

UV Resin Perfects 3D Print, But Not How You Think







Can’t-Miss Articles:


How A Smartphone Is Made, In Eight “Easy” Blocks

Watch A Complete Reflector Telescope Machined From A Single Block Of Glass



Will We Ever Shake The Polaroid Picture?

Polaroid Instant Film, Reborn.
Is The IPhone Camera Too Smart? Or Not Smart Enough?