Since we first mentioned the Leapfrog DIDJ, a lot has happened. A number of avid readers of Hack a Day teamed up with a couple hackers experienced with the DIDJ, and have managed to make some huge progress into making a linux based game console on the cheap. For all the readers who missed out on the last sale on Woot, its about time for a second chance.
The team working over at the HackerFoundry forum have managed to gain serial console access, map the file system, create a fake update server, and are almost at a point where replacing the stock OS and firmware can be done with software alone. They have also designed and tested a homebrew cartridge with a slot for a microSD card and breakouts for expansion and debugging.
Right now they are looking for someone with experience snooping USB protocols to figure out how the device communicates to the computer, as well as anyone who is interesting in just testing or playing around with what they have done so far. There are a number of tutorials and walk-throughs on the eLinux wiki. Its amazing how far this group has come in just two months.
Wow. This article went up the same time Woot posted their product for today – a Leapfrog DIDJ. Quite the coincidence!
@AndrewNeo
really, now
Yeah, quite the coincidence… >_>
Woot linked to this page in their item “description”.
If anyone’s looking to hack this thing, they have a pretty good deal on it. New for 15 bucks plus 5 for shipping, where it retails for like 70 in stores.
if only i had $15…but really, anyone want to donate one?
Hahah with that price i couldnt help myself!Just ordered mine now, cant wait to begin the hacking, and best of all this is going to be my first real project!!!
@AndrewNeo: They all communicate privately, this is also a business.
Reversing data from USB would be easier from software. It’s crazy easy from Linux or NT, it’s been done a lot before.
No shipping to germany. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :(
Awesome, thanks for the update on this! I was quite disappointed when I barely missed the first didj sale you guys pointed out, but this time I’m in for sure and excited to see what comes from it.
Speaking of ultra-bargain components with potential just begging to be explored, I suggest people check out http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com and http://www.dealextreme.com
The Electronic Goldmine in particular has some very tantalizing offers. Does anyone know of other good sources for cheap parts like these?
Awww..I want one, to bad they dont ship to europe.
Yeah woot doesn’t ship internationally, which sucks a lot
So, no international shipping, that was the issue last time!
Bummer… they don’t ship to Europe. That would have been a 2x or 3x order from me, I hope they change that policy in the future.
no shipping to europe is just plain MEAN!! :( i know everyone said it already but maybe if we all team up something will change (granted we’re bitching on the wrong site)
Does anyone fancy buying me one and sending it over to the Englands. I have the cash but it seems I’m in the wrong country.
Woot STILL doesn’t ship to Europe…
I can’t find this item on sale anywhere to the UK except Amazon for 150GBP! Sounds like someone could make a killing buying a few of these off Woot and selling them on ebay to buyers in europe…
You guys did not miss out on the last one. the Rovio is a piece of crap. I had always felt bad for the guys that bought that turdpile for $300.00 retail. It’s worth $50.00 and an annoying purchase at $99.00
They don’t work worth a damn, the company has abandoned the product, Oh and they are not windows 7 compatible. Oh and they work for about 8 minutes off the charging base, enough to drive around the room for a little bit before you need to charge it again. Weee!
Get one of http://www.trossenrobotics.com/roboard-rb-100.aspx those and some metal+wifi card + servos and make one that is 800X better and can run all day long AND not have a super crappy XGA 20lux only video camera.
Many times hacking a piece of crap to save $20.00US is not worth the effort. I am betting that this leapfrog heap of junk will lack the power to even run a gameboy emulator. Remember, every 5-10 dirt cheap items you buy to hack, you could have bought some real hackable gear and actually made progress and or something really cool.
@fartface
How do you even find yourself a reader of this site this is what we do (to make nice things out of cheap things).
as an american wooter, i’m seriously wondering if maybe we should get together and send these to our international friends. I would absolutely buy 3 and ship them over to EU (or wherever) for cost+shipping….
@afex
That would be really helpful. You can get in touch with me using thom at thom dot mobi. I wanted to get involved with these things the last time round but was unable to find one at a reasonable cost.
Looks like a hoot for a cheapie hacking project.
I’m tempted to get one just to hack on a little myself!
however
If you seriously want to hack a gaming console to do more serious and better gaming I suggest looking into the Dingoo A320 and it’s awesome Dingux Linux variant.
There is a great community with lots of support from crazy-but-helpful enthusiasts.
http://dingoonity.org/
http://dingoo-scene.blogspot.com/
and on IRC: freenode #dingoo-scene
Wrote a mail. All of you who are outside of the US should, too.
@FreXxX: good idea! done! :)
I bought one but now what? It looks like the only advance (so far) that is pretty solid is the making of the CART’s. Not sure if i should beg to buy a CART from someone, or maybe wait for a software hack.
I ordered 3. I may send one or two to our brethren in the old world. Will reply to posts here if so, and others should as well.
There is a reason that they do not ship outside the US. You might find yourselves on a list that you don’t want to be on if these are shipped overseas. Not hatin’, just sayin’.
@cubfan300
What are you blathering about?
I’d also be interested in getting one. Too bad they don’t ship to South Africa either :(
@cubfan300 — I somewhat doubt these things are on the export ban list. There are better microcontrollers in a PS3 or XBox that could be more easily militarized by the Libyans, and they’d be far easier to get.
@cubfan300
Amazing enough, there are some non-threatening 1st world countries outside the US, spastic.
Interesting typo – should be interested.
due to heavy demand here is more info about ordering the cart I designed for the Didj
http://wtfmoogle.com/?p=844
Just bought one. Excited to take this apart.
@glenneroo: they no ship to Cuba either.
(I’m not Cuban)
It is really amazing how much those hackers got done in one month!
I got mine in the last round. Since I didn’t have access to custom pcb making stuff, I improvised by soldering an old floppy ribbon cable to the board. The cable lined up perfectly, aside from a few extra leads, which I just cut off. I left the plug on the other side of the ribbon, so now I have all the cart pins external with something to stick jumpers into. Now I can connect my FTDI to the Didj in a non-permanant way, since I use it for other purposes as well. I also can connect my SD breakout from sparkfun with just a few jumpers. I got serial working, but I haven’t done anything else as I’ve been trying to finish my other project first. I would have added my ribbon cable trick to the wiki, but there are already several more elegant solutions, but if anybody’s looking for a quick, cheap way to get those cart pins out then this will do the trick.
@NatureTM
That sounds awesome, i like the way you did it.. i have plenty of old floppy ribbon cables.
@everyone
So with a blank SD, what happens? I’m guessing you have to put stuff on it, or does it then kick into Linux? (or is it not that simple yet?)
@sparr,afex: would definitely get one if you can ship to EU. fanoush at gmail
It might be worth noting that it is almost impossible to completely brick a Didj.
No matter what, you can always set it to boot from the Uart.
The only true way to brick a Didj is to physically damage it in some way.
@jabbyjim, there is currently work being done to create an SD driver, which will make it possible to boot off of, and of course access files from. But as far as plug and play with the Didj as is, its not there.
You may also note that The Moogle’s board requires you to have your own FTDI cable (3.3V). If you dont already have one or want an extra. Instead of paying $15 to $20 go to amazon.com and type in “CA-52 Nokia” (I bought one for $3.50 with shipping and it works). To figure out how to hack this cable go to
http://hackaday.com/2010/02/25/nokia-usb-cable-is-usb-to-serial-in-disguise/
@author:
This link http://www.hackerfoundry.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7 is not at home. I get a blank page.
@j9
Those would be microprocessors.
Do you mean by removing the processors and using them in the WMD’s? Because I think that would be pretty difficult.. and I’m not sure why they would bother trying to get their code to run on a PS3 or Xbox360 when they could get some fast x86 hardware without all that code signing bollocks..
You have to get this thing running a linux distro with a gui. It would seriously be the cheapest computing platform in the world. Think of it a 25$ computer.
This will be a landmark project. I am looking forward to this. Smallest linux=lunix for c64.
Just to say it’s been done.
I know it’s been a few months but
@rahul mohan kadmon
Linux != UNIX
lunix is unix despite the similar names
Two years later…
I ported a game to the Didj, minus sound:
http://rastersoft.net/?p=120
Source code, for the game, has also been released:
http://rastersoft.net/?p=165
Four years later, I wonder what they have accomplished so far?
Any way to factory reset a Didj in 2021? I’d love to know! 😊🤞