The Bonzi Chip: The Pitfalls of Success
- swarley & kronicd
- Comfy con au 2024 winter
- January 1, 1
Recently the hardware modification scene for a current generation console was blown wide open. The functionality of the $150+ modification chip was replicated using a commonly (and cheaply) available SOC with an open source design. More importantly, firmware was eventually leaked and open sourced.
swarley and kronicd took this opportunity to design, build and install their own custom mod chip based on this new and cheaper option.
They sought to:
- reduce the footprint of the device
- reduce the cost
- have a personally branded chip inside their own consoles
They then bought a bunch of gear from AliExpress and performed the modification.
This talk will detail their journey from noobs, to hardware developers and explore the pitfalls of hardware exploration, design, fabrication, installation, failure, and success.
This is the story of The Bonzi Chip