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General => Contests & Events => Topic started by: cwalex on December 11, 2012, 12:06:47 pm

Title: Contest idea
Post by: cwalex on December 11, 2012, 12:06:47 pm
Sorry if this is already been done but i just thought I an idea for a contest. (I'm not offering the contest)

What about a contest that is like a mcguyver style contest where the idea is that you have to make a project that is made using the parts salvaged from something else like a broken appliance (PC motherboard?) and the coolest entry wins. Could possibly include the option to use some gardern variety components say a maximum of 2 from a list of parts.

What do you think?
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: TorqueRanger on December 11, 2012, 12:40:57 pm
lol
Good idea but I think you would see some crazy stuff ... I use a couple AA batteries ,electrical tape ,and a cell phone jack in order to make a charger for my phone because we had no power for over a week...
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: cwalex on December 11, 2012, 01:03:43 pm
lol
Good idea but I think you would see some crazy stuff ... I use a couple AA batteries ,electrical tape ,and a cell phone jack in order to make a charger for my phone because we had no power for over a week...

haha, crazy stuff would be the most interesting entries I would think :)
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: CyberWalker on October 07, 2013, 10:55:25 am
Making sth useful out of an old broken device would be amazingly useful to all the community! I am in for sth like that! Who knows what we all can come up with if we put our minds and time onto it! :-D
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: Orpheus on October 07, 2013, 04:38:35 pm
This is SO in my bailiwick. I've been doing it so much since I was a kid that I don't even realize it's unusual unless someone comments on it.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: mjkuwp on October 07, 2013, 06:52:21 pm
edit - posted in the wrong forum originally.

I like the re-purpose contest idea.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: Greyersting on October 08, 2013, 12:19:30 am
This actually sounds really cool.  A budget limit should be set, though.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: silent on October 24, 2013, 04:32:45 pm
How about a category for the best misuse of things?
It's always more fun when you use some things for something that was not a destination of this item (like my old video - Floppy music DUO - Imperial march (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHJOz_y9rZE#) ). The most funny thing is when it actually works and it's useful (like this - Automatic PCB etching machine ;-) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlNAmjprVys#) ).
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: c4757p on October 24, 2013, 04:36:08 pm
I like the "etching machine", but I suspect that could end badly if it started oscillating at the resonant frequency of the sloshing motion... if I were to make something like that I think I'd have to come up with a way to sense that.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: TMM on October 25, 2013, 07:52:57 am
As much as i like a good hack, i think i prefer contests like the 555 one because the entries are generally more useful/replicable rather than just entertaining.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: Stonent on October 25, 2013, 10:58:11 am
5 words..
Tesla Coil Home Security System....

They would make a good proximity alarm  :-DD
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: EEVblog on October 25, 2013, 11:42:14 am
I've had an idea for a long time of turning a bit office equipment like a photocopier into a something useful or fun, just using the parts obtained from the device. The only thing extra allowed would be fresh solder...
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: ThunderSqueak on October 27, 2013, 04:30:12 am
I built a CO2 laser out of old plumbing parts, washers, some nuts and bolts and other things I found around the house.  First surface mirror reflectors with an icecream salt output lens.

(http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii565/ThunderSqueak/projects/CO2%20Laser/27df3935.jpg)

Or does it have to be even more Macguyver then this? :>

BTW, watching macguyver over the last few weeks, when I was a kid, it was amazing... now it is almost a comedy :P
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: MITTS on October 29, 2013, 11:13:14 am
Like the contest idea and it is made for TV like Iron Chef :)
Can see it now
HI...... Welcome to Iron _______ I'm your host Dave Jones ;)

Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: ivan747 on November 02, 2013, 03:03:54 am
Like the contest idea and it is made for TV like Iron Chef :)
Can see it now
HI...... Welcome to Iron _______ I'm your host Dave Jones ;)

And it would look like this:

Live audience
 :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 :blah: <-Dave

 :-BROKE :scared: :palm: <- Contestants


Sorry, I was a little bored and felt creative today.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: schwarz-brot on February 05, 2014, 03:04:19 pm
BTW, watching macguyver over the last few weeks, when I was a kid, it was amazing... now it is almost a comedy :P

Haha, same happened to me just a week ago. My lady and I got the original movies and we decided to watch them for some good fun. Seems like the movies were even crappier than the series. But well, we had our fun anyways. Pure gold.


For the contest idea: I am not so much for contests as I am a non-competitive guy. But this is one that would fit my mindset. So why not? Not for winning or being better then anyone else but for the cool stuff that might be done!  :-+
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: CaptnYellowShirt on February 15, 2014, 07:38:15 am
Like the contest idea and it is made for TV like Iron Chef :)
Can see it now
HI...... Welcome to Iron _______ I'm your host Dave Jones ;)

Iron Solder
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: Rerouter on February 15, 2014, 07:41:24 am
Solderer*  ;)
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: CaptnYellowShirt on February 15, 2014, 07:51:52 am
For the budget restriction: dumpster diving. The part sources must come from a dumpster or other serendipitous event.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: firehopper on February 15, 2014, 12:43:05 pm
the electronic version of junkyard wars... :)
I miss that show..
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: CaptnYellowShirt on February 15, 2014, 03:55:53 pm
Now you're thinking.

For an online version we could have people search for a week or two, collect what they're going to use, and take a picture to document their loot pile before the objective of the contest is announced.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: schwarz-brot on February 15, 2014, 04:30:53 pm
Please make it happen! :D
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: PointyOintment on March 29, 2014, 10:30:29 am
I would be interested in such a contest, though I wouldn't be able to participate until September probably.

I suggest the following rules:
I further suggest having a "low-end tools" category: for an entry to be eligible for the low-end tools category prize, all tools used must be documented, and the project that accomplishes the most with the least expensive/impressive tools wins. (I suppose a project could still compete in that category if the entrant used higher-end tools as long as they showed that it would be possible to accomplish the same with less.)
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: CaptnYellowShirt on March 29, 2014, 05:10:16 pm

I further suggest having a "low-end tools" category: for an entry to be eligible for the low-end tools category prize, all tools used must be documented, and the project that accomplishes the most with the least expensive/impressive tools wins. (I suppose a project could still compete in that category if the entrant used higher-end tools as long as they showed that it would be possible to accomplish the same with less.)


I'm not sure how one would judge such a thing (e.g. enumerate rules), but certainly the apex of the contest should be one of accomplishment divided by resources.

Maybe we can get Ben Krasnow to sit as a celerity judge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14B8LynojI4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14B8LynojI4)

('cause he's certainly not allowed to enter as a contestant)
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: han on April 02, 2014, 11:55:32 am
How about the World most ridiculous/absurd test equipment.


Bad example: Tongue-o meter. measure your tongue electrosensitivity...
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: ResR on April 06, 2014, 09:37:36 am
It's a good idea. I have a few dumpster dive salvaged boards, 20+ electronic "ballasts" from cfl's, old soviet pocket knife and a soldering iron to make 3 flickering lights and a water level "sensor" for my flowerpot, that had a corrosion problem (the wire corroded off the brass bolt too fast). Just for inspiration, this is my dumpster parts made transistor tester using two led's from old soviet color-tv, a dip-socket and resistors from another old crt tv, wires from old soviet industrial washing machine, connector from the empty battery and box from the broken yard lamp.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: mengfei on October 15, 2014, 10:20:11 am
...and for those not familiar with the guy & program

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver)
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: EEVblog on October 15, 2014, 10:39:29 am
As much as i like a good hack, i think i prefer contests like the 555 one because the entries are generally more useful/replicable rather than just entertaining.

Yes, a contest like this would likely be 100% pure non-reproducible entertainment, not that there is anything wrong with that  ;D
I've actually had this idea before for a video. I was going to be more strict though, you had to use strictly only parts salvaged. That includes wiring, solder (used!) etc.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: EEVblog on October 15, 2014, 11:15:49 am
...and for those not familiar with the guy & program
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver)

I did a Macgyver Geocache once:
http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver (http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver)
http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver-angus (http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver-angus)
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: bookaboo on October 15, 2014, 11:31:06 am
As much as i like a good hack, i think i prefer contests like the 555 one because the entries are generally more useful/replicable rather than just entertaining.

Yes, a contest like this would likely be 100% pure non-reproducible entertainment, not that there is anything wrong with that  ;D
I've actually had this idea before for a video. I was going to be more strict though, you had to use strictly only parts salvaged. That includes wiring, solder (used!) etc.

If entries used parts from common but obsolete items (old PCs, consoles, phones, tvs) or hacked such items in some way then it may be quite reproducible. Of course if something is based on some weird old testgear then it's less reproducible but still interesting.
Title: Re: Contest idea
Post by: deephaven on October 15, 2014, 11:35:20 am
...and for those not familiar with the guy & program
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver)

I did a Macgyver Geocache once:
http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver (http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver)
http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver-angus (http://alternatezone.com/ecoteam/macgyver-angus)

That looks like a great cache!