In fact, I also do this with my current iPad, but using the old one as a dedicated extra monitor is also a great idea. Some computers are programmed to control lathes and milling machines in industrial plants; others generate pictures for animated film cartoons. Plex (above) has most of the same features. I took my advice and looked it up--the internet is wonderful that way. cool things to do with an old computer cool things to do with an old computer. You can use the old PC case as an aquarium. Once set up, you access your camera(s) via a web interface in the browser, and it requires no fiddling with router settings. Reconfigure your old computer to act as shared storage for the electronic devices you have in your home or as a repository for automatic PC backups. Share it with us! It is also possible withWindows to turn the PC into a hotspot that shares your home internet without extra software. Very useful!============Nice ideas! Before buying components or your new laptop, do check your current one. A nice benefit is that media center software is lightweight and doesn't require a lot of system resources, so you can use it even on very old hardware. 400 volts will simply knock you across the room. Build your own home media center Enlarge. Got that media center running, but still need an affordable way to turn it into a home theater? Here are several DIY projects to repurpose and reuse an old PC, laptop, screens, and other accessories. Even the Oldest PCs have impressive computing power that gets unused during idle moments. architecturendesign.net 10. Inputs and power often go to the connector that goes to the main board. You need the voltage to get the amps! A Room With a View. To help, here's a list of 10 cool things you can do with an old iPhone. This way, uTorrent always runs in the background without you having to manually start it. I needed to make a headphone amplifier for a TV that had only LINE OUT audio output in the rear. Here are some methods to get rid of old but functional PCs and put them to good use. If you've got an old-school desktop tower/mini-tower PC, this is a good opportunity for you to learn what it takes tobuild a PC. 6) Set up a physical firewall! One big, and one small, near the front face. This allows you to install games on one machine and then stream these games to other devices on your network. Also, destroy the old hard drive, so no one gets its data. Digital Wallet Source Code: How to Find the Best Software for Your Business. Don't be affraid to void some warranty :). An old device gives kids their own computers for schoolwork, provided they have no hardware issues. How this usually works is that you download a client app for your Mac or PC and then another app for . MP3 format is encoded, and you need some digital processing done in order to play it. Install the server software on any device running Linux, Windows, macOS, jailbroken iOS devices, rooted Android devices, or even aRaspberry Pi; there are "remote control" apps for iOS or Android users not willing to go for broke(n). 1. Then press the play/fast forward on the front of it. Gadgets are thrown out every year, sometimes with little consideration for whether they are still useful or not. 4 years ago. The motherboard makes a good mousepad if you fully desolder, make it rectangular and put vinyl wrap on one side. 2 Organize your computer. It would be best if you cleaned it properly. Though, I got a healthy shock when I accidentally bridged a 12V truck battery to GND, but only from the plasma from the arc. Set it up on that old PC and let it run in the background to be a "citizen scientist.". There are many impressive and superb ways by which you can make brilliant use of that old computer or its parts. Here's how you can responsibly dispose of your electronic waste: Related: Find Recycling Plant Locations in the US. See HERE3.Airsoft Landmine Nothing will seem newer than a freshly installed operating system on your old PCeven a downright elderly computer will feel brand new. TV Box with Kodi Another obvious use is to install Kodi on your machine (covered in this previous article) which turns your old Mac into something like an Apple TV or XBMC box for your TV. Dont waste your old PC if you intend to move to a new one. Most alternative operating systems (translation: not Windows or macOS) are based on Linux, which comes in a variety of options called "distros." 13. To get the best performance, put the server software on your old PC with a clean OS install and dedicate the system to playing media, and nothing else. Visit BOINC(Opens in a new window), which is the backbone for several projects you can choose from. This is because they have harmful metals, and they can be quite dangerous if left in the trash. 2. Hook it up to a 9v battery or wire it up to USB power The eject motor in apple floppy disk drives are very strong and efficiently would make a fine motor for use in a robot or another project. If you are interested tackle the people in the comments, OK, believe it or not you can do alot with a old hard drive. Although this step is not necessary an could be risky. File and Print Server: Your old computer might not be up to par with the demands of daily. 6 years ago. Select 'Preferences' from the Tools menu and click on the Video section. So if you want to extract the full power out, you need to draw an amp or two from +5V, so just put a few power resistors (10 ohm or so) or some 12V car headlight bulbs on the +5V line and you are good to go. Part I is the fun and visual part, Part II is the "Wow, can you do that so easily in the terminal?"-part Part I The [code ]fortune | cowsay[/code] is quite known. Now all you have to do is hook speakers or your hifi into the headphone socket on the front of the drive. I reuse the wide flat cables in the much older machines, the IDE cables. There is a different option in each window for resetting it to factory settings. Even if you can't find a useful way to put the PC to use, considercannibalizing it for something else. 3 years ago. Before recycling, makes sure you have removed all the data from your PC as it can result in identity theft too. Then you set it up as a server so . Now all you have to do is hook speakers or your hifi into the headphone socket on the front of the drive. HTPC. When you're upgrading to a new PC, you might wonder what to do with your old hardware. Thanks to MrJentis for some more ideas. The playback software is available for about every device you can imagine. If you live in a area where it sometimes gets hot, these are very useful. Output is of course on the headphone connector. meandmydiy.com 2. I used to do all kinds of reuse of refuse, til the town implemented a 'mandatory' E-waste recycling, and pretty much layed claim to ALL of the refuse disposed of for metals reclaiming. I'm not talking about limping along, but of ways to bring an old PC back to useful life. Still working good enough for what I need. Either way, it's a fun way to turn your PC into an art piece. See more ideas about repurposed, old computers, computer recycling. People also use computers to talk online with their loved ones using telecommunication apps like Skype, Google Hangouts, Viber, and more. You can mount the flat monitors quite easily by a small drywall hole. Plex even offers some live TV options. We've also thrown in some ways to trade in your old hardware or turn it into cash. This computer will store the recorded data too. A PC isn't just a functional object: it can be art as well. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. Worse, they ask for your help. Then you open the thing, you will often see 2 separate circuit boards. 7. Trade It In. This is a brilliant idea. If you have a simple webcam, you can connect it to your old PC to make your own home security system. 8 things to do with an old iPhone: Save it as a backup. Take a gander at the options. Mail it back to the manufacturer with a note reading. If you're messing with electricity you should be smart enough to look up the correct information! If you live with housemates or family, it's great to be able to share your music, videos, and photos with them. Seeking novelty is the key to improve cognitive ability. Reply If you are going to attempt this and are smart enough and can keep the motor mechanism (ie open and close with the open/close switch) I would suggest cutting the two black ground wires off the power connector and putting them through a basic on/off keyswitch. If you run into problems, read How to Run Old Games on Your Modern PC. Organize your files or download new software for your computer. It could also be used a a normal handheld launcher. Reply Learn how your comment data is processed. This means you can host your games on your old PC and play them from a media center or other device in your living room. Controlled obsolescence ensures that your new device - can be a smartphone, tablet, video game console, or iPad - becomes near useless a few years, sometimes a year after buying. for spoilers on what I am currently working on, behind the scenes and other extras! We think you'll be impressed with how well this idea actually works. Wipe out the hard drive. Graphics card and monitor capable of 800x600 resolutionPuppy Linux- Apple has a trade-in initiative, meaning if you trade in Apple devices such as an old MacBook or iMac (or something newer), you can apply to credit to a future Apple purchase! But if you have the time and the patience, your own custom desk PC is an incredible and unique project. While completing a PhD, Tina started writing about consumer technology in 2006 and never stopped. You can also set up the web server for FTP use if you want to share files over the internet but not create a specific website. Graphics card and monitor capable of 1024 by 768 You're essentially using that old chassis rather than buying a new case to save all of $100, but the learning experience is worth it. Using software that detects motion and triggers an alert, you can get a notification or set off an alarm if there is unexpected movement in your home. Right-click your desktop and choose Personalize, then go to Colors. Follow the traces on the PCB to see where are they connected. That's pretty limiting but better than answering tech support questions! But it will give you many new ideas on how to use these old components you will find inside. This way you can get some great benefits from your old PC. Use sandpaper to rub sharp pins off the mobo (motherboard) and make it into a clipboard. Slickr turns your Flickr photos into screensavers, or you can use it for setting up your DIY digital photo frame, as they did over at Popular Science. Reply This old pc/ laptop can be used as a digital photogram to display family photos. Guide rails, motors, gears.. you name it. You'll find interfaces similar to Windows, and they come with software packages, like LibreOffice (a free, open-source equivalent to Microsoft Office). 9 years ago 120VAC is more dangerous than 400VAC because 120 will cause you muscles to contract and keep them that way, if it's your hand (palm or inside part of fingers) it will lock your hand onto the wire or whatever (if it is small enough to grip). 5. 561.737.5568. info@dporges.com See HEREPower Switch And LED'S Here are some leading research systems that utilize donated computing power. But if its still working, you can make good use of it by making some fruitful efforts. Reply Saving important data is essential. If you're feeling really ambitious, you can build your old PC components into a custom desk. the danger, is going in one hand, and through to the other. It can easily do everyday tasks like Surfing and sending email's. Scroll down until you see . Free, usually open-source software for doing just that is easily available. There are hundreds of uses for floppy disks, all you have to do is search Instructables for "floppy disk" but there aren't so many for the drive itself. iheartplanners. Set up a feature on the account calledAssigned Access(Opens in a new window), which puts Windows in Kiosk Modeyou know, like when you encounter a PC at a public place that can only access one thing. Go intoSettings > Accounts > Family & other users, and clickAdd someone else to this PC. 1: Run portable applications In addition to storing your data, you can run portable applications from a USB flash drive. Troubleshooting over the phone is for the birds, so what do you do? Use it as a fakeNow you can impress your mates with your USB hard drive thats actually made out of memory sticks.See HERE3.Turn it into a rotary input device-Thats basically a wheel that you turn that controls your computerSee HERE4. Grab an emulator for old systems like the Nintendo 64 to get up and running with really old games on PC or Mac. See HERE Or you can pick up a small and fairly cheap device called a Steam Link which plugs into your TV or monitor and streams the content from your server. You will also need a working overhead projector and that media center mentioned above to run the movies or whatever else you want to watch. Contribute to CPU Cycles 8. Have a Look at 10 Best Motherboards for i7-9700K. Step 3: Convert Old CD-ROM Into Music CD Player If you have one of that older CD-ROM drives that have headphone jack, then you have some cool old junk :) These players can play regular audio CDs all by themselves! Print servers run you about $100 USD last I looked. You fit components into a compartment below the desk level and then put glass or clear plastic on top. UnderFamily & Other users, clickAdd a family member, and you get the option toAdd a child. Put it back together. Organize Your Computer Desktop. Got an old PC knocking about and don't want to throw it away? This action, in turn, provides computing power to numerous researchers when needed. This will let you troubleshoot new components easily. This way, you will learn a lot. 7. Find an old TFT screen, even one with a broken backlight, and use it to build your own geeky projector. All the computers on your network can access the printer through the low power, weak, or old if you wish, computer which you canleave on 24/7 with cost towards your electric bill. How to Fix a Hacked Android Phone for Free? They are all pretty simillar. Depending on the size of your old computer, be it a laptop or desktop, it might be just right to sit out of sight for occasional use only. Computers are programmed to generate music or to condition dogs by ringing bells and delivering meat powder while the modern day Pavlov is happily asleep. If you have your own website, you can host your site yourself from home instead of paying for hosting or using free hosts, which can be bad for your site. Build a RAM Drive. Even if you live on your own, you can benefit from having a place to store all your media. TrueNAS Core(Opens in a new window), Rockstor(Opens in a new window), FileCloud(Opens in a new window), XigmaNAS(Opens in a new window), and more can put your old PC into the center of its own version of the cloud. Invite artists to use your old parts and even have a company computer art day. You could sell it or keep it as an emergency backup machine, but you could also put it to more creative uses. If you connect the LED on it, it will turn on if the power supply is plugged into mains. Or something you could wear that would absorb some or most of the electricity from a zap, provided you don't touch electric poles and such. Or you could make someone happy by donating it: Before you donate your computer, be sure to completely wipe the hard drive to protect your personal data. Answer (1 of 20): This answer contains two parts. So it's better as a show PC rather than being your everyday workhorse. No, I would never pay for anything on Twitter, No, because I don't care about Twitter verification, free hosts, which can be bad for your site, How to Build a Linux Web Server With an Old Computer, Things to Consider When You Install a SATA Hard Drive, Your Android Phone Won't Charge? If you have a MacIntosh floppy drive, your in luck as there is some uses for them.1-The eject motor Allen is a blogger from New York. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. If you've already got a router with Wi-Fi, run Ethernet to the laptop, and with Connectify, create a secondary network using the same internet backhaul connection. The cool thing about those old printers and scanners is that they will not break down. some of them are "mainstream", others are not so much :). Here's a list of five cool things people have done with their old computer monitors besides just donate or recycle them. There isn't a guide for this but some people in the comments have mentioned make a mine of of it ie. See HERE I needs: on Step 5. Add an air mouse or $3 USB PC remote, and you have a fine home entertainment centre. To do this, you must have a webcam, a good Internet connection, and install one of the many free programs that you can find online. To be honest, this is probably a job better left to arouter. 7) Did anyone say 'download station'? USE with caution You'll be glad you kept that old PC around. Turn it Into a Security Webcam Just like the screen, your old laptop probably has a webcam. Your email address will not be published. A term that is often thrown around when . on Introduction, "Scott Adams"? You can upcycle material left over from previous projects, maybe a sheet of plywood or particle board, or you might figure out a design that works with old picture frames. Setting out a PC as your camera is not as subtle as buying one of our tophome security cameras, but it's a lot cheaper, since this is free for personal, local use. Turn It Into A Web Server Many of us here probably own a website. So the 1st component is the cd drive.1.Make it into CD player. Bokin DIY guides you step by step through the process of making certain adjustments in your old phone in order to transform it into a night vision camera. "Theater software" likeKodi will take care of that. Which is an obvious choice for your old PCs. Cannibalize 11. Click 'Save' and open a file to watch the. If you can never decided who is going to get the coffee or are just indecisive this is the gadget for you! This makes a great hiding place. on Step 3, Will the CD player play MP3s? It is good to leave one or two 4 pin HDD power connectors hanging out. Before you purchase a new, high-quality refurbished laptop, give your old one a new life so that you save it from wasting away in a landfill. Make it into a clock-Yes the disc out of a hard drive actually makes a pretty good clock and it looks cool.See HEREOr if you think your really good, try this one!See HERE (If you dare)2. One of the most useful things you can do with an old PC is to move it into your living room and repurpose it as a media center. Oct 20, 2022 - Ideas of recycled and upcycled electronics waste! Prices vary from a pittance to the hundreds. See HERE3.Make it into a safe If the Wi-Fi is still working, you could even make it display your Twitter feed or your Instagram photos. Before you send that PC off to live with your loved one, install a remote-control program likeTeamVieweror set up the PC to use Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection,so you can occasionally take over the system to perform updates. Use Old Computer for Other Things 1. You can test different hardware devices and software on this PC. The older the HDD, the better it is, because it usually has stronger motor inside. Just chop off the connector and identify the wires: - blue is -12V (comes handy in rare cases). The smarts of the system typically still reside with the keyboard, which you'll have to tether to the screen in some way. RAM : 64MB HTPC, or Home Theater PC, is another very popular use for extra computers. For example, OpenOffice, which is a complete office suite that includes a. Then you can break those traces and solder your wires to them. 42V, is where you begin to feel it.. CDROM : 20x and upDamn Small Linux 9 years ago ), Answer Thus you get the solution to the computer slowness in an impressive way by doing so. You can make some great fun stuff and do cool things online if you know what to do with old computers and laptops that still work. More than 200ma causes the heart to contract (lock up), no fibrillation, 300-500ma DC. Business, Economics, and Finance. Build a Digital Photo Frame If you replaced a mostly functional laptop with a nice screen, you could turn it into a digital photo frame. 7. I've seen mailboxes and coffee machines made out of old computer towers. This is for some of the better spec computers out there. A Second Display For Web professional, having a second (or more) external display is definitely useful. Whats the Difference Between Integrated Graphics and Discrete Graphics? Terminal block are still better than direct wiring to each component. We made kits for around 100 of these machines a few years back. See HERE Make a trippy lamp. I re-used my case by installing my CNC router electronics inside the case. One of the most common uses for old computersnot just the Mac Miniis to turn them into a home media server. OR Reply - grey wire is +5V POWER-OK. Connect a LED here if you want to see when the power is OK. Have some mad DIY skillz you want to put to the test? Only way you have any concern is when you have a inductive load on 12 volts is turned off passing current through you when the magnetic poles collapse. 7. His goal is to make people aware of the great computer world and he does it through writing blogs. Applications can automatically check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Old computers can still be useful even if they're too sluggish for the latest games, software development, or rendering. You will need to do some modifications to your components and to your frame to allow for issues like air flow, so this is a project suited to the handy and experienced system builder. 2) WORD PROCESSING, SPREADSHEETS, SLIDES Oh, boring work and school stuff. Presto: Quick and easy remote access to the laptop hard drive. But don't use x3 9v battery's only use Maybe I will cover some of the projects later in following instructables. See HERE In this instructable I will briefly give you some ideas on how to reuse some parts of old computers that everyone is throwing away. You need volts to carry the amps across. Better yet, use it to show your family on their own screen how to perform basic functions they can't fathom. Create network-attached storage Setting up network-attached storage (NAS) turns your old computer into storage for backups, music, photo, and video files. You'll see some interesting ideas on Pinterest under a search for "computer repurposed(Opens in a new window).". I also had the option to shorten the PCB since I figured out that it has the part of PCB where none of my connections go. Turn it up too far and all the warnings can get annoying. 3. Recycle Old Computers A laptop or desktop can be dedicated to one function, such asvideo conferencing. There are loads more distrabutions try http://www.linux.org/ and from there they are spread to the electronics. I have 2-3 old PCs broke down and was looking for projects for them. Clear the browsing history and also the search history from all browsers. 120 volts will zap you and jerk you around, while 24 volts will zap you and hold you. For example, you've probably heard of[emailprotected](the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), a distributed computing project that went back to the 1990s. Its is the most like proper a OS and it is the most user friendly. OK if none of the above options have worked for you, you must really have a scrappy computer. Taking some out and about with you and your preschoolers is a great game to involve others and even watch your kid make friends with others effortlessly! Then lock it down so the person you're giving it to can't install any software without your permission. But to spice things up, use [code ]lolcat[/code] Other things quite famous are . Just because it only zapped you and you survived does not mean it's not deadly. When using the computer remotely,create restore pointsfor future restoration of the PC when it inevitably gets screwed up. If you have one of that older CD-ROM drives that have headphone jack, then you have some cool old junk :). 3 years ago You basically need to supply the power(often 5V) and left and right channel signal wires and signal ground.
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