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Fitness Racer: PC Control of an RC Car

An anonymous reader writes "This project gives step-by-step instructions + source for connecting a cheap RC car to your parallel port and driving it around with a Dance Dance Revolution pad (or joystick). A fun way to make an old toy fun for another few hours, and another way to pretend that reading Slashdot may eventually lead to body movement."

13 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. and yet more ways.. by joeldg · · Score: 3, Funny

    and yet more ways to waste time..

    somehow I remember time being at a premium..

    seems a long time ago now..

    time to get me an RC car..

  2. Fun for another few hours? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    driving it around with a Dance Dance Revolution pad (or joystick). A fun way to make an old toy fun for another few hours

    This is Slashdot! The first coronaries will start after about 20 minutes.

  3. or a joystick? by wankledot · · Score: 5, Funny

    OR a joystick?

    Am I the only person that thinks controlling an R/C car with a DDR pad is retarded?

    "You can drive this car with a wheel and pedals... OR you can control it using this jar of peanut butter and a hockey puck, wired to this monkey. "

    --
    My sig is blank, I typed this by hand.
  4. What ? by Jesrad · · Score: 2, Funny

    another way to pretend that reading Slashdot may eventually lead to body movement.

    All this scrolling and clicking and typing is a lot of movement for me already, you insensitive clod !

    --
    Maybe we deserve this world ?
  5. Fat parallel cable by 3Suns · · Score: 2, Funny
    connecting a cheap RC car to your parallel port


    Haha, I had a picture in my head of someone trying to drive round a little car with one of those awful, fat, stiff printer cables attached to the back. Silly me.
    --

    -3Suns

    ~~~~
    The Revolution will be Slashdotted
  6. Well it would, but by JemalCole · · Score: 5, Funny

    . . . and another way to pretend that reading Slashdot may eventually lead to body movement.

    Well, it would if the editors would accept more of my Natalie Portman stories, it would.

  7. That's Nothing! by speedfreak_5 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Try playing Gran Turismo 3 with Dance Dance Revolution pads. Against a drunk person, with said DDR pad.

    Fun times, fun times.

    --
    Why yes I am paranoid! Thanks for asking!
    1. Re:That's Nothing! by AndyChrist · · Score: 2, Funny

      I once played Street Fighter 2 on the SNES against myself, hands vs. feet. My feet actually did pretty well.

  8. Bug Notice- by wo1verin3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Version Number: V1.0
    Revision Date: 10-21-2003
    Patch(es) Replaced: None
    Caveats: None
    CVE Number(s): CAN-2003-4751

    Tested Software:
    Affected Software:
    * Microsoft Windows 2000, Service Pack 2
    * Microsoft Windows 2000, Service Pack 3, Service Pack 4
    * Microsoft Windows XP Gold, Service Pack 1
    * Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition
    * Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition Version 2003
    * Microsoft Windows Server 2003

    Software Not Affected:
    * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
    * Microsoft Windows Server 2003 64-bit Edition
    * Linux - All

    Untested Software:
    * SCO - No One Uses It So We Couldn't Test

    Technical Description:
    A security vulnerability exists in the Remote Control Service that could allow arbitrary code execution on an affected system. The vulnerability results because the Messenger Service does not properly validate the length of a message before passing it to the allocated buffer.

    An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could be easily drive remote controlled cars in to grandmothers or small children. This has been seen in the wild but has been limited to chasing cats.

  9. Re:Wifi + Webcam by DrEldarion · · Score: 2, Funny

    Next step: AI!

    It'll be like a Roomba, but without the useful vaccuum action.

    -- Dr. Eldarion --

  10. taking the idea further by fikx · · Score: 2, Funny

    I've always wanted to replace the normal RC signal with WiFi. I can picture the robot battle craze moving to a standardized battle field where the people battling sit down at a standardized terminal and control RC mechs to fight with. using WiFi, you could build your own mechs as long as they could be controlled via WiFi. the battle field just has a wireless cloud over it. 'course, there's always the cool factor of having to log into and secure your mech before battle :)

    --
    AB HOC POSSUM VIDERE DOMUM TUUM
  11. An even better idea! by Hershmire · · Score: 2, Funny

    Instead of a DDR pad, use a wireless joypad. Then you can follow the car around!

    Wait...

    --
    if(!toilet_paper) roll.replace(new roll); //Stupid roommates.
  12. It's a Visual C++ binary with no source code? by aphor · · Score: 2, Funny

    This software will probably scrape your hard drive for email addresses and then spam them with your return address, install a DDoS slave and invoke the return of Zuul, Queen of Gozer.

    Seriously, you have to download and install the program, then *two* drivers, and tell me (wise ones) you're not nervous about this?

    --
    --- Nothing clever here: move along now...