A Nintendo Wii with a clear case shell, 7" screen, speakers, volume control dial, and a flash drive running all games. Soldered the screen and dual speakers to the Wii's board and removed the disc drive — games run off a modified flash drive of backed-up .iso files.
Converted an old OptiPlex PC to run TrueNAS — a free server OS. Installed Tailscale to create a WireGuard-based VPN so I can securely access my home server from anywhere in the world.
Purchased a used OptiPlex desktop from eBay, upgraded it, and factory reset it to run as a home lab. Allows me to safely test and experiment with technologies in an isolated environment separated from my personal desktop.
Two .bat scripts that turn any folder on a local network into a quick data server. The sender script starts a Python server on a chosen port. The receiver script asks for the last octet of your IP and pulls the files instantly — no USB drive needed.
Used Autopsy — a digital forensics program — to recover deleted files from a blank hard drive. The program detected hidden deleted data that had been wiped, demonstrating how forensic recovery tools work.
A Raspberry Pi Pico flashed with code that intercepts controller inputs from one platform and translates them to another. Example: an Xbox A button press is read, converted to a PS5 X button, and sent to the console. Useful for accessibility.
A single flash drive capable of booting and installing multiple operating systems — Windows 7, 8, 10, and various Linux distributions. Built using Ventoy, which allows multiple OS .iso files on one drive selectable at boot.
A service to unlock password-protected Windows 10/11 PCs found at thrift stores. Uses a pre-login command prompt method to change the passcode. When family photos were found on recovered machines, I tracked down the owners to return their data before wiping.
A version 2 Nintendo Switch modified to run custom firmware. Unlike v1 Switches which can be modded via SD card, this version required a custom PCB soldered over the CPU to run the firmware.
Set up VirtualBox to run a full Windows 10 virtual machine inside Windows. Allows testing programs and configurations in a risk-free isolated environment without affecting the host system.
Converted a wired Xbox 360 controller from USB-A to USB-C. Stripped a USB-A to USB-C adapter, removed the USB-C port, and soldered its pads directly to the power points on the controller's PCB.
Installed a Raspberry Pi Pico into a Nintendo GameCube flashed with the "Swiss" custom firmware. Enables running homebrew, fan-made games, and game mods directly from an SD card.
Built a custom PC running Batocera — a lightweight Linux-based arcade emulation OS. Replaced Windows 11 with Batocera via flash install. Organizes legally ripped ROMs by console into a full arcade-style front end.
Removed the VHS slot from a CRT + VHS combo unit and fitted a Nintendo Wii in its place. Rewired power buttons and connected the Wii's power supply to the TV's power cord for a seamless integrated unit.
Modified a Nintendo DS to accept wireless controller input via a flex board soldered to the DS's motherboard buttons. Changed the output from a 3.5mm port to RCA so games can be played on an original CRT TV.
Designed custom Pokémon vinyl records in Photoshop using custom artwork and assets. Sent finished designs and MP3 files to a vinyl pressing service to produce real physical records.
Rescued a broken arcade cabinet from the street and is restoring it with a new computer, modern buttons, and a new screen — keeping the original cabinet look intact. Will run a custom retro-games-only OS.
A Nintendo 64 controller made in the 90s for hotel rooms (LodgeNet) with a higher-quality joystick than the original — but only worked on telephone ports. This mod converts the board from a telephone line, which is no longer used, to a standard Nintendo 64 controller port by removing the original motherboard, placing an official controller board inside, and rewiring the hotel controller's joystick to the original board.
Mods that improve the controller's joystick consistency without giving an unfair advantage in competitive play — applicable to Super Smash Bros. tournaments. A custom board is soldered to the back of the joystick potentiometers. Every input is read through the board and output as corrected — poor inputs are converted to correct inputs.
A modified Game Boy Advance with a custom backlit IPS screen installed. The original GBA had no backlight, making it nearly impossible to see in low-light conditions. After opening the unit, I removed the original non-backlit screen and replaced it with a backlit screen. Also replaced the original shell with a blue shell.
Each region's GameCube is locked to only play games from that region — US consoles cannot play Japanese discs. The Xeno modchip is soldered to the bottom of the disc drive, instructing it to read region-exclusive games and custom-made discs. This bypasses the hardware restrictions built into the original GameCube and enables play of any regional disc on original hardware.
Installed a DS Lite AV output chip that projects both DS screens to a television. After the screen broke, this solution let gameplay continue on a TV. Added a capture card connection to record gameplay directly to PC. Used an R4 card to install the required firmware.