Watch two floppy drives play Star Wars’ Imperial March

From: http://www.digitaltrends.com/
By: Andrew Couts

Floppy drives have made a musical return from the pages of history with the help of a Polish hobbyist and some open-source gadgetry in this super-dork rendition of Darth Vader's Imperial March.

Polish gadget hobbyist “Silent” has created what is quite possibly the nerdiest thing we’ve every encountered: the “Imperial March” – a.k.a. Darth Vader’s theme song – played by two floppy drives. That’s right, this obsolete technology has now returned as a musical instrument.

Now, some of you are probably asking, “What the heck is a floppy drive?” A floppy drive is what us geezers used back in olden times before CDs, DVDs, flash drives and the Internet became the standard technology for storing data externally. (Granted, CDs and DVDs are quickly on their way to obsolescence as well.) They only store 1.44 MB – yes, megabytes – of data, which now isn’t even enough to hold a single high-resolution photograph, let alone anything else. And, as you can see from the video below, the were extremely noisy.

Well, with the help of an open-source ATMega microcontroller board, Silent has managed to program two floppy drives to clatter away at the exact pitches necessary to send fear into the hearts of a Jedi. But how, exactly, does it work? Silent explains on his blog:

The sound comes from a magnetic head moved by stepper motor. To make a specific sound, head must be moved with appropriate frequency…

To move the head you need to activate the drive by pulling the DRVSB0 or 1 (depends on the cable you have and the connector – notice the crossover on the FDD ribbon cable) pin low and then falling edge on STEP pin makes the head move one step in direction dependent on DIR pin state.

An ATMega microcontroller is generating those frequencies and it makes the drives play music.

In plain English, that means the microcontroller is sending electrical frequencies to the drives in a specific pattern to make them recreated the desired tone.

However it works, this is awesome. Watch and listen below:

Vader’s New Blu-Ray Voice Will Make You ROFL

From: http://furiousfanboys.com/

Still reeling with nerd rage over George Lucas adding “NO” to Vader’s murder of Palpatine? Well new footage from the Blu-Ray has leaked out that reveals the real dialog that has been dubbed over the scene, and it’s possibly one of the funniest Star Wars things you’ll see all week.
Check it out:

Darth Vader's personal Lego spaceship flies Sept. 1

by Daniel Terdiman
from http://news.cnet.com/

Lego will start selling a special Star Wars set featuring the personal spacecraft of Darth Vader. It will go on sale on September 1, and cost $400. It will be the longest Star Wars set in Lego history.

(Credit: Lego)

Lego said Friday that it will begin selling a new Star Wars model seat featuring Darth Vader's own personal ship, the Super Star Destroyer Executor. The set will go on sale on September 1 on Lego's Web site and in its branded retail stores.

This will be the longest Star Wars Lego model at 50 inches, and it takes 3,152 bricks and pieces to put together. All told, it will weigh eight pounds. One feature will be a command bridge underneath a removable section of the top of the model. Inside will fit mini-figures of several Star Wars characters--Vader himself, and a few others.

How Lego makes its bricks (photos)

The set will cost $400 when it goes on sale.

Another look at the new Darth Vader Lego model.

(Credit: Lego)

Volkswagen Commercial: The Force

The spot features a pint-sized Darth Vader who uses the Force when he discovers the all-new 2012 Passat in the driveway. It leverages humor and the unforgettable Star Wars™ score to create an emotional commercial.

17 Geeky Star Wars The Imperial March Theme Remakes

By Dan
From: http://www.walyou.com

Besides being one of the most popular and successful Sagas in movie History, Star Wars has also provided some of the most memorable music themes, an infamous one being the Imperial March. Here we gathered 17 various Imperial March remakes that include Tesla Coils, Musical Instruments, Hand Farts and many more. I am sure Star Wars geeks would appreciate every last one of the following, and it is highly recommended to check them all out…you will be amazed!

Tesla Coils

We already know how cool Tesla Coils are, so here are two separate examples of Imperial March Themes remakes with Tesla Coils that would makes Geeks cry.

Disk Drives

Here we have the Imperial March Theme on a Floppy Disk and also one that is using an actual Hard Drive.

Arduino

The Imperial March Arduino Style proves that Star Wars is an inner part of a Geek’s life.

Hand Farts

I was afraid at first when I noticed there is an Imperial March remake using Hand Farts, but this version ended up being of the funniest things I have ever seen. Why? because it is actually really good

8 Bit

Old school Star Wars geeks would appreciate the 8 Bit version like any other, for it is retro and plays Star Wars.

Scanner

A cool remake that shows what Geeks end up doing on their spare time.

The Imperial March using Musical Instruments

Steel Drums

The Steel Drums remake would be amazing to see in any outdoor event.

Orchestra

The original Imperial March theme was composed by John Williams, so it is actually not surprising to see it remade by a different orchestra just as good.

Metallica

The one and only Metallica has also provided tribute to the famous Star Wars theme with a heavy but awesome result.

Buckingham Palace

Here we see a shift change in Buckingham Palace with a great entertaining factor for Geeks.

Guitar

There were many variations of the Imperial March on guitars, but this one seemed to lead to the Dark Side.

Drums

In this remake, the drums are accompanying the theme, and the result is highly successful.

Trumpet

Another cool example that proves no matter what instrument you play, the Imperial March will always sound good.

Keyboard

Simple, elegant and definitely respectful of Star Wars.

iPhone Ocarina

In this example you can see the iPhone Ocarina being played using the fan’s nose, and it still ends up delivering the Imperial March well.

11 best commercials featuring Darth Vader

By Jon Cohen
From http://blastr.com

Although you may not agree with every decision George Lucas has made over the years, nobody can deny the guy has a pretty good idea how to run a successful marketing campaign. Hey, if selling toys hadn't been been part of the picture, we might have even seen a different ending to Return of the Jedi!

Lots of companies have tried to cash in on Lucas' money machine since the first Star Wars came out in 1977 by paying homage to the film and its characters in commercials, including a certain evil Sith lord who you wouldn't think would make the best pitchman. But it turns out he is!

Check out 11 of our favorite commercials featuring Darth Vader, and let us know which ones you think are the most memorable.

Spike

Darth uses the force to help improve his poor golf skills. Makes sense to us!

Energizer

If Vader only had a set of Energizer batteries, the whole Star Wars saga might have ended differently.

Orange

Turns out those Jedi mind tricks don't always work.

Target

Even Lord Vader is excited by the presence of Heidi Klum.

WWF

Darth takes a stand against global warming. (We guess he only want to conquer temperate planets.)

DirecTV (Spanish)

Vader and friends (if you can call them that) celebrate Christmas.

Pepsi

Darth doesn't like theater audiences making noise during the movie any more than the rest of us.

NES

This vintage ad for Nintendo's first Star Wars game shows the only way any of us will ever be able to defeat Lord Vader.

M&Ms

Starring Red, Yellow ... and Darth Vader

TomTom

I don't know about you, but I'd never tell Darth Vader to try breathing more quietly.

Hagoromo tuna

Strange ... somehow we always felt Darth would choose red meat over fish.

Darth Vader Calls About His iPhone 4

ruliarch | July 22, 2010

Yes, I've owned all four incarnations of the iPhone and loved them all - but we all know they've lacked in the actual "phone" department.

Created by Russell Arch
All Voices by Lisa Arch and Russell Arch

I am Your Banker: Darth Vader Robs Bank (Photos, Oh Yes, Photos)

By John Del Signore
From: http://gothamist.com/

It seems the Empire has fallen on hard times. Presumably to get finishing funds for his latest Death Star, Darth Vader—or a man pretending to be Darth Vader?—was reduced to robbing a bank on Long Island this morning. Impotent Rebel Alliance security forces tell Newsday (paywall) that Vader marched into a Chase bank in Setauket around 11:30 a.m. today. Brandishing a completely unnecessary handgun—as he had the power to choke the oxygen out every teller's throat—the fallen Jedi demanded cash.

It's unclear whether he also found their lack of faith disturbing, but one Rebel policeman says, "The teller complied with the robber's demands and gave him money from the drawer." Vader is described as 6 feet, 2 inches tall, also wearing camouflage pants, and was last seen boarding a starfighter headed in the direction of Long Island's sinister Sith stronghold, in Valley Stream. (Isn't this also where Improv Everywhere has their headquarters?) Below, a surveillance photo from the teller's point of view:

Birds Sing 'The Imperial March' From 'Star Wars' (Video Compilation)

Guys, it's May 4th, AKA Star Wars Day! (Get it? "May the 4th be with you." Do you get it? You get it. Let us know if you don't get it.) So, we decided to celebrate with a compilation of birds singing 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars... wait, WHAT?!

Yeah, I had thought that birds mostly just sat around cheeping and being cute and and eating seeds and what-not. But, the more I looked into it, the more I realized that birds LOVE to sing Darth Vader's 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars. I'm sure a lot of you already knew that, but not everyone can be so educated on the intricacies of bird life.

After the break, check out a sweet video compilation of birds singing their favorite tune.

Artist Photoshops superheroes into historical scenes

By Jeremy Taylor


If Agan Harahap's goal is to make history entertaining, he has succeeded. It's hard not to crack a smile when you check out his reimagination of the Yalta Conference, which includes a wayward Jedi knight.

That photo comes from the 29-year-old artist's "Superhero" series, which consists of superheroes (and supervillains) Photoshopped into historical settings. "Everybody is so serious when they learn and discuss history," Harahap told Asylum. "I just want to have some fun with it and make everybody smile." Harahap, who also works as the senior photographer for "Trax,"an Indonesian music magazine, used Photoshop 7 to create his Superhero series. And while his art isn't likely to make its way into any high school's curriculum, the fanciful scenes will ring a vague bell in the brain of anyone who's daydreamed their way through history class

Read on to check out more pictures from the set, including Harahap's favorite, a stern-faced Batman addressing a group of Allied paratroopers.


Roosevelt. Churchill. Stalin. Vader. Never has such a collection of powerful leaders been assembled in one place.


Batman's all business when he briefs a group of allied paratroopers at Greenham Common Airfield in England.


Spider-Man was the last thing this American soldier expected to run into on D-Day.


Superman poses with three American GIs, who have just plundered some pretty swanky Nazi-loot.



German soldiers surrender to the mysterious V, of vendetta fame.

Darth Vader Opens Wall Street

Darth Vader and a number of Storm Troopers from the Star Wars Saga rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. They, along with R2-D2, were there as representatives of Lucasfilm Ltd. (Dec. 22)

If you only knew the power of the dark stout!