DIYProjects - Awesome Tech Guides

DMX RS485 Wrong Board Fix

Posted on April 2, 2014by Steven

This guide serves as an important update and fix to my previous tutorial titled “DIY USB DMX Interface for Under $10“. Since that tutorial was published, it has become clear that there are multiple versions of this USB-DMX interface board circulating in the market. Depending on where you purchased your board, you may have received one with a chip that doesn’t function properly or is incompatible with the standard DMX data output. This can be frustrating if you were expecting a plug-and-play solution but found yourself with a non-working device instead.

For those who find themselves stuck with such a non-functional chip, this guide offers a practical solution. Thanks to the discovery by GermAndy, it is now possible to modify your existing board to enable proper DMX data transmission. Rather than having to buy a new interface or give up on your project, you can follow these instructions to tweak your board and get it working as intended. This fix ensures that even if your board was sold with a defective or incompatible chip version, you can still achieve reliable DMX control without additional expense.

Hardware

Fix FTDI DMX interface & Arduino on OSX 10.9+ Mavericks

Posted on March 22, 2014by Steven

Apple recently made a significant change with the release of OSX 10.9 Mavericks by introducing their own custom FTDI driver. While this move was likely intended to improve system integration and performance, it inadvertently caused compatibility issues for many users relying on devices that use FTDI chips, such as Arduino boards and USB DMX interfaces. These devices suddenly stopped functioning correctly because the new Apple driver did not fully support the communication protocols these peripherals required. As a result, many developers and hobbyists found their workflows disrupted, with their essential tools no longer recognized or operating as expected.

Fortunately, there is a straightforward way to resolve this problem by disabling Apple’s new FTDI driver and reverting to the previous, more compatible version of the driver. By doing so, you can restore full functionality to your Arduino and USB DMX devices, ensuring that all your related applications work seamlessly again. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to safely disable the updated driver, reinstall the older FTDI driver, and get your hardware back to working condition — allowing you to continue your projects without interruption.

Hardware

DIY USB DMX Controller for under $10

Posted on March 15, 2014by Steven

The DMX protocol, widely used in lighting control systems, operates on the same communication standard as the RS485 protocol. This means that any RS485 USB converter can be repurposed to send DMX signals, allowing you to control DMX-compatible devices such as stage lights, dimmers, and other effects. By leveraging this compatibility, you gain a versatile and cost-effective way to interface your computer or lighting software with professional lighting equipment without the need for specialized, often expensive DMX hardware controllers.

Traditional DMX controllers tend to be costly, which can be a significant investment for hobbyists, small venues, or independent artists. This guide provides an alternative approach, showing you how to save money by using an affordable RS485 USB converter as your DMX interface. The money saved on expensive DMX controllers can instead be redirected towards enhancing your setup with additional hardware, such as a MIDI controller for your lighting software, offering more hands-on control and creative possibilities for your lighting projects.

Games

Install E3 NOR Flasher in PS3 Slim

Posted on February 16, 2014by Steven

The E3 NOR Flasher is a user-friendly tool designed to help downgrade most PlayStation 3 consoles, making it possible to install custom firmware or recover from system issues. While it simplifies the process significantly compared to traditional methods, it’s important to understand that downgrading still requires time, precision, and careful handling. Unlike the advanced method of soldering over 60 wires directly onto the NOR chip—which is risky and typically reserved for professionals—the E3 Flasher offers a much safer, cleaner approach.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to properly install the E3 NOR Flasher into your PS3. You’ll learn how to disassemble the console, connect the flasher, and prepare everything for a successful downgrade. With some patience and the right tools, you’ll be able to unlock new possibilities for your PS3 without the need for expert-level soldering skills.

IX4-300D

Sick Beard on IX4-300d

Posted on February 15, 2014by Steven

Sick Beard is a personal video recorder (PVR) designed primarily for newsgroup users, with some limited support for torrents. Its main function is to monitor your favorite TV shows and automatically download new episodes as soon as they become available. Once downloaded, Sick Beard takes care of organizing, sorting, and renaming the files, making it easier to maintain a clean and accessible media library without manual effort.

The application supports a wide range of NZB indexers such as NZBs.org, NZBMatrix, NZBs’R’Us, Newzbin, Womble’s Index, and NZB.su, as well as torrent sites like TVTorrents and EZRSS. To enhance the user experience, Sick Beard pulls show metadata and episode information from trusted sources like theTVDB.com and TVRage.com, ensuring your media collection is accurately labeled and up to date.

IX4-300D

Couchpotato on IX4-300d

Posted on February 13, 2014by Steven

In this guide, I will walk you through the installation of CouchPotato on your IX4-400d NAS. CouchPotato is a powerful server application designed to automate the process of downloading movies and TV series episodes. It continuously monitors popular torrent sites and Usenet servers, ensuring you get the latest releases in the best possible quality without manual intervention. By handling searches and downloads automatically, it saves you time and effort, making it easy to keep your media collection up to date.

Once properly configured, CouchPotato will actively scan for new episodes and movies as soon as they become available online, grabbing the best sources from trusted platforms. This means your favorite series and films will be downloaded directly to your NAS drive shortly after airing anywhere in the world. With CouchPotato running on your IX4-400d, your media library stays fresh and organized effortlessly, providing seamless access to your entertainment whenever you want.

Games

Downgrade any CFW PS3 to 3.55 or any other CFW

Posted on February 9, 2014by Steven

Switching to a different Custom Firmware (CFW) distribution on your PS3 can often be a challenging process, especially because not all CFW versions fully support the latest system updates or features. Compatibility issues can lead to unexpected errors, functionality loss, or even bricking your console if the transition is not handled carefully. Whether you’re looking to upgrade to a newer CFW with enhanced capabilities or want to explore alternative builds for specific benefits, it’s essential to follow a reliable procedure to ensure a smooth installation.

This guide is designed to help you navigate the complexities of installing any other CFW version on your PS3, including the option to revert back to the classic 3.55 firmware—often considered the gold standard for stability and homebrew compatibility. By following these steps, you’ll be able to switch firmware versions confidently, preserving your system’s integrity and unlocking the full potential of your console’s customization options.

Games

E3 NOR Flasher Multiple PS3 consoles Samsung Firmware

Posted on January 6, 2014by Steven

The E3 NOR Flasher is a very easy tool to downgrade or dual-boot your PS3. However, your E3 hardware is limited to downgrading only 1 PS3 and was made for one-time installation. However, there is a firmware file that breaks this limit and allows you to downgrade unlimited consoles with only one E3 NOR Flasher.

IX4-300D

Preserve custom Servers after IX4-300d Update

Posted on November 19, 2013by Steven

Lenovo recently released a firmware update for their IX4-300d NAS to address critical security vulnerabilities that left many devices exposed to potential hacker attacks. While it’s highly recommended to apply this update to keep your system secure, users who rely on custom configurations—particularly those using custom startup scripts to run servers or applications—should proceed with caution. Updating the firmware can overwrite or disable these scripts, potentially breaking your setup and preventing essential services from starting automatically.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of safely updating your NAS firmware while preserving your custom server functionality. We’ll back up key configuration files, reapply custom startup scripts post-update, and verify that everything runs smoothly. With the right steps, you can enjoy the latest security improvements without sacrificing the features and tweaks you’ve added to your system.

Games

Nazi_Zombie_SmallFarm Source Code

Posted on July 14, 2013by Steven

During the development of my custom Call of Duty: World at War zombie map nazi_zombie_eisden, I found myself inspired to start a second, smaller map that I hoped would offer a fast-paced and tightly packed survival experience. That project was codenamed “Smallfarm”—a compact, rural zombie map built with simplicity and replayability in mind.

Initially, the idea was to create a counterpoint to Eisden: where Eisden is detailed, complex, and lore-driven, Smallfarm was meant to be the kind of map you could quickly jump into for a short but intense game session with friends. A gritty, claustrophobic farm surrounded by undead—it seemed like the perfect challenge.

However, like many creative projects, reality caught up.

Arduino

Arduino Composite TV output Shield

Posted on June 25, 2013by Steven

Shields are add-on boards designed to plug directly onto the Arduino’s main PCB, expanding its capabilities without the need for complex wiring or additional hardware. These shields can add everything from network connectivity and motor control to audio output and displays, making the Arduino platform incredibly versatile for a wide range of projects.

In addition to its usual input/output functions, the Arduino is also capable of generating a composite video signal, allowing you to display basic graphics or text on a standard TV using a simple yellow RCA video cable. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how I built my own composite video-out setup for the Arduino in under 15 minutes, using just a few basic components and minimal code.

IX4-300D

Minecraft Server on IX4-300d

Posted on May 22, 2013by Steven

Installing a Minecraft server on your Iomega NAS is a great way to host a lightweight, always-on multiplayer world from your own hardware. While the NAS only has 512MB of RAM—half of Minecraft’s recommended 1GB minimum—the setup can still be surprisingly functional with a few optimizations. The performance may not be suitable for larger, mod-heavy worlds or many concurrent players, but it is more than adequate for a small group. In my testing, the server handled up to five online players with reasonable stability, making it a viable option for casual gaming sessions among friends or family.

To make the most of the limited hardware, this guide includes a curated selection of lightweight server plugins that help optimize memory usage and improve stability. These plugins were specifically chosen to reduce strain on system resources while maintaining essential features like teleportation, basic permissions, and performance monitoring. If you follow the setup and configuration steps closely, you’ll find that even with just 512MB of RAM, your Iomega NAS can reliably run a Minecraft server that delivers a smooth and enjoyable multiplayer experience for a small group of users.

Hardware

DIY USB DMX Interface for under 10$

Posted on May 11, 2013by Steven

The DMX protocol, widely used for controlling stage lighting and effects, is fundamentally based on the RS485 communication standard. This means that any standard RS485 USB converter can be repurposed to send DMX signals to compatible devices. By leveraging this compatibility, you can bypass the need for expensive dedicated DMX controllers and instead use more affordable, readily available hardware to manage your lighting setup.

Typically, DMX controllers come with a higher price tag, which can be a barrier for hobbyists or small venues. This guide shows you how to save money by using an RS485 USB converter as a cost-effective alternative. The funds saved can then be redirected towards enhancing your lighting control experience, for example by investing in a hardware MIDI controller to interface with your lighting software more intuitively and creatively.

IX4-300D

Transmission on IX4-300d

Posted on May 2, 2013by Steven

Transmission is a lightweight and efficient BitTorrent client known for its minimalistic interface and solid performance across multiple platforms. It offers a straightforward user experience while maintaining powerful features under the hood, making it a popular choice for users who want a no-fuss torrenting solution. With its clean WebGUI and support for remote access, Transmission is especially well-suited for NAS devices, allowing you to manage your downloads from any browser on your network.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of installing the Transmission torrent client, complete with its WebGUI, on an IOmega/Lenovo IX4-300d NAS. This setup allows you to harness the power of your NAS for continuous, low-power torrent downloading while managing everything remotely via a simple web interface. Whether you’re looking to automate downloads or just want a convenient way to manage torrents without keeping a PC running, this guide will help you get everything up and running step by step.

IX4-300D

SABnzbd on IX4-300d

Posted on April 29, 2013by Steven

SABnzbd is designed to make using Usenet as simple and efficient as possible by automating nearly every step of the process. Once you provide it with a .nzb file, SABnzbd handles the rest seamlessly—no further user action is required. The program takes care of downloading the content, verifying its integrity, repairing any errors, extracting the files, and neatly organizing everything for you. This level of automation removes the usual complexity associated with Usenet, making it a user-friendly solution for both beginners and seasoned users alike.

If you’re looking to harness the power of SABnzbd on your own server, you’re in the right place. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the full process of installing SABnzbd on your NAS. Whether you’re running a home media setup or simply want an efficient way to manage your downloads, this setup will help you get started with minimal effort while maximizing performance and convenience.