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Cyrix Hotplate Howto

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the because-you-can dept.

fimbulvetr writes "Looking to put those old processors to work? Tired of catching flack for having hardware, but no use for it? Worry no more! Doc from rabidhardware.com shows us how to employ 7 Cyrix processors to build a spectacular cooking device. Cooking instructions not included. Void where prohibited."

5 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. I call shenanigans! by YankeeInExile · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How can a single 7805 rated for a maximum Icc of 1A provide the couple dozen amperes to provide even the output equivalent to an Easy-bake oven?

    My inner child just got the shit kicked out of him by my inner skeptic who says, This should have waited a few weeks for 1 April

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    How does the Slashdot Effect happen given that no slashdotters ever RTFA?
    1. Re:I call shenanigans! by YankeeInExile · · Score: 5, Insightful

      ...indeed. In the time since my previous posting, I went and looked at the hotplate I have in my kitchen, and it dissipates 850W ... So, even if they could configure a handful of CPUs (with no clock feeding them) as heaters, it would take 42 of them to give the equivalent to a pretty pathetic cooking appliance.

      I re-assert: This article is 100% unadulterated bullshit

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      How does the Slashdot Effect happen given that no slashdotters ever RTFA?
    2. Re:I call shenanigans! by ch-chuck · · Score: 3, Insightful

      not only that, the processors are only getting power - won't they need a clock source (unless it's integrated) - you need transistors rapidly switching to generate the heat, unless he's just turned the entire die into a silicon resistor.

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  2. Re:There's some really big stories in the world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I respectfully disagree. This is a 'fun' topic.

    People like fun. Perhaps you don't know that.

  3. Re:Mirror by Technician · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Thanks for the mirror with good photos that shows off the hoax very nicely.

    Hoax??

    Yes.. Here are the facts some of which are taken from the photos.

    In a DC series circuit the current is equal in all parts.

    In a DC circuit Volts * Amps = Watts.

    The 7805 regulator is a linear regulator, not a switching regulator.

    The current for the chips goes from a 12 volt supply through the 5 volt regulator to the chips.

    The regulator drops 7 volts (from 12 to 5) while the chips get 5 volts.

    The current the chips draw goes through the regulator and at about the same current. (the regulator uses some current ot operate)

    From that the regulator has to dump more heat than the chips! To cook the eggs and bacon on the chips, the regulator (without a large heatsink in the photo) would have fried it's own crater in the table top as it would have put out more heat than the chips.

    Since a 7805 is current regulated and thermaly protected, I doubt the chips got more than 7 watts. Every try cooking bacon on a 7 watt night light? It's about the same heat as his hotplate but better concentrated to a small area. A night light would have cooked the bacon better. Even then, it would not be done enough to eat safely.

    Don't be fooled. The eggs and bacon was cooked on a regular stove, not the chips.

    The logo for the article should have been the foot. Then I would have laughed instead of picking the fraud apart. ;-)

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    The truth shall set you free!