DIY videotape pinball

Some time last year, there was a bunch of news about how VCR tapes would no longer be manufactured. Around the same time I noticed that none of the VCRs showing up at the dump had digital tuners. Wouldn’t it have been nice if those manufacturers could have dropped in a little extra circuit board to extend the life of their hardware? Even the ones with tape and DVD don’t have digital tuners. Go figure. So it serves them right that now all this hardware ends up being excellent project fodder!

This looks like it would be a great school project to examine the design process. Anybody up for trying it in their classroom?

In a very short time, this video lays out the concept, shows how to get started, explains that you should save certain things, details a little of the construction, and leaves the specific details to the creative minds of the people doing the project. There are a lot of ways that we could go at this project, lights, sound, counters, programming. Do your stuff and show it off in the MAKE Flickr pool!

[Thanks, Norm!]

6 Responses to DIY videotape pinball

Tom on May 22nd, 2009 at 5:57 pm said:

Where are the flippers?

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Michel on May 22nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm said:

This video is too creepy. Sounds like he’s a kidnapper of some sort. I mean, what’s with the gloves?!

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selfSilent on May 23rd, 2009 at 4:33 pm said:

The guy sounded like Arnie at first.

Anyway, this isn’t pinball, this is bagatelle… and a poor one at that.

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Stunmonkey on May 23rd, 2009 at 11:24 pm said:

I usually try to comment only on the concept behind the project and not its implementation as I know not everyone has great building skills.

This, however, has to be the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. I feel stupider having witnessed it.

Now I remember why the last two issues of Make I received still sit unopened. It just isn’t worth the time to even bother looking.

You need to get some standards here, fast, or Make is going to be as deservedly over as steampunk.

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- Anonymous on May 24th, 2009 at 12:15 am said:
  
  That was a pretty cheap shot at steampunk there, Stunmonkey.
  
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Stephen on May 27th, 2009 at 8:32 am said:

This would be a pretty easy project to do with your kids, and let them get a hand at taking something apart and making it into something new.

I remember playing with similar silly flick toys when I was younger. Overall a neat children’s project.

Stunmonkey, why don’t you send those issues of make my way, it is hard to get over here and I’ll surely make use of them.

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