XBox 360 Chatpad used in a Mini Computer Build

 

Ben Heck shows us how he used an XBox 360 Chatpad as the keyboard input to a small computer. The Chatpad has only a few pins to connect to the external circuit (which is normally the XBox controller). Microsoft has been nice enough to provide a programming header on the circuit board. Ben flashes the integrated PIC chip with some custom firmware to allow the device to simply output ASCII text. Look like a great little keyboard that could be integrated in lots of neat applications. Ben integrated an Arduino and a display into the project and builds a great looking laser cut enclosure for the unit and uses it for things like positioning servo motors using commands.