The computer is built on an Arduino shield, using TinyBASIC, the TVout library, and the PS/2 keyboard library.

The BASIC interpreter eats up around 600 bytes in the Arduino RAM, leaving about 1.4 kB for BASIC code. Not much, but more than the lowest-end BASIC Stamp.

Official Arduino Example Tutorials: The Arduino computer software is loaded with tons of examples for you to use in your own code or to run through as a learning experience.

Thankfully, Arduino forum member Romano d'Ezzelino has put together a series of reference cards that show the basics of a number of common connections.

Heck created the device for the latest episode of his web show, and if you're following along at home, you'll need the Chatpad from an Xbox 360 controller, an Arduino Uno and a LCD display -- a ...