Usb Doomsday Device (Program Launcher)

Hey There, Was looking around on thinkgeek.com a week or two ago and found the over priced"The Usb Doomsday Device" so i went ahead and had a look at some youtube vids and to my dismay all the Doomsday Device was, was a usb hub that generated a sound effect -.- And by looking at comments on the videos it was clear to see i wasnt alone on wanting this usb hub to also launch a program on your pc (or prehaps an explosion video?) of your choice.

So I went ahead and got the old noggin' workin' and I came up with the idea of creating my own version of the usb doomsday device on a very cheap budget. (actually only £9.88)

 **********************************USB CONTEST ENTRY*************************************
                                                               PLEASE VOTE! :)

Step 1: Components

An usb game pad; £2 (ebay)
a key switch; £2.50
a push button; £1.99
a toggle switch;£1.99
a rocker switch; - (scavenged)
1 led; (i bought a 100 leds - 20 of each colour for £1.40 on ebay)
a project box; (free sample)
some  wire; (scavenged)
1 led holder; (free sample)
                                                         bringing us to a total cost of 9.88

you will also need a drill with drill bits, solder and soldering iron

Comments

[jvpernis]

i like this doomsday device better than the one of thinkgeek. but there is one difference. i figured that it doesn't matter in which order you switch the switches, as long as the push button is pushed last (unless it is a locking push button). with tinkgeeks doomsday device you must switch the switches in a specific order (although this order is printet on the device) to activate it. but I'm definitely gonna make this!

[DrWilson]

Thanks, you could probably make this work is you knew arduino, which is something i Dont, post some pics and show us how you get on

[monkeys98]

you could make it a password reset thing or something instead of having a reset disk

[DrWilson]

Thats the idea, use whatever satisfies your needs

[Asian Invasion]

This is cool, I was thinking of making one by myself, but I found this first! Thanks!

[DrWilson]

Thank You!

[Zion_Sphere]

This is really cool and better looking than the ones available online and soooo much cheaper. Thanx for posting, instant fave! I think I'll build me one, a pirate fish one :) !!!!

[DrWilson]

Thanks!! Post some Photos of how it goes!

[gabry207]

amazing!

[DrWilson]

Thanks!

[PyroMonger]

Just finished my slightly varied version. :) Mine has 13 buttons but only 12 or in use atm and is very 'quick and dirty' version as i did it at 4am this morning and then finished touching it up after a couple hours sleep. Heres some pics, enjoy.

[DrWilson]

WOW neat idea, to use it for short-cuts to websites you like/use
Nice

[techboy411]

i use this (CENSORED) with my gamepad(logitech gamepad f310)

[duran1992]

i want to make one or buy one of urs and put the code to make it get rid of every file on a computer that would be amazing

[DrWilson]

that would be possible, some sort of script I guess?!

[gabry207]

damn, here in Syracuse (Sicily, Italy; not near NY) there's just one store that sells the components! Sometimes I think I live in Africa...

[unanonymous]

how much would this cost in America

[scienceguy]

Currently the pound to dollar exchange rate is about 2:1. Being that it takes about 2 dollars to equal one pound.

[DrWilson]

so $20 then !

[DrWilson]

Hmm good question but i dont know as im not from or familiar with the dollar

[jvpernis]

I don't know arduino either, sure I'll post pics as soon as the components arrive. Butteeerm... do you think they ship the free sample project box to holland? I don't have a casing to put it in yet

[DrWilson]

errmm Okw might?

[vampyredh]

if you really had secure material and thought you were about to be raided you could use this to launch something like kill disk and wipe your drive in seconds lol

[DrWilson]

lol slightly extreme but cool (hope terrorists arnet using this instructable for this purpose)

[octopuscabbage]

Oh don't worry. They use magnetic drive and just magnet them to wipe em.

[frodobot]

errmm, what does it do??

[DrWilson]

it basically launches a program on your computer like a document if the boss was coming or a explosion video so you can look like 007

[frodobot]

Ah cool, looks like a real good project thats easy enough for me! lol

[MediocreNinja]

Wait, can you edit this and tell us how you connected the USB part? Thanks

[tylerfrankling]

I assume the USB was already attached as it was a USB gamepad to start with.

[DrWilson]

correct

[MediocreNinja]

Then can you tell us where to solder all the switches to the gamepad?

[DrWilson]

you only need to do two wires to the game pad and then the switches in a parallel circuit

[MediocreNinja]

So technically, if we just had a usb cable, could we solder the switch/LED circuit to the data lines?

[DrWilson]

Hmm not sure to be honest but i don't think you could as it wouldn't be recognised by the software (xpadder) and i also think it needs a chip, but i suppose if you wired the data positive to the (+) wire ....

[octopuscabbage]

If your a coder you can code it. Or probably find some relatively easy driver writing software. And it goes to the green (date send) in a usb, not the power. Look for some usb 'ibles.

[SRT4ever]

Where did u get the free sample project box?

[DrWilson]

I will pm you a link as these guys will stop giving out samples if we all ask for one ;)

[Sharlston Cat]

There Is also This http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2355

[DrWilson]

had a look at both, and as a matter of a fact I did consider putting both these in but, didn't as I wanted to keep a low budget