Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2014/07/29/bitcoin_on_atm_pff_we_play_doom_on_ours/

Bitcoin on ATM? Pfft! We play Doom on ours

Never underestimate Reg readers

By Richard Chirgwin

Posted in Software, 29th July 2014 03:15 GMT

Back in January, a Register reader recalled a magazine cover of days of yore, depicting Doom as if it were running on an ATM: now an Aussie tinkerer has brought the vision to life.

As shown in the YouTube video below, the hardware hackers obtained a presumably-retired NCR Personas ATM – one that runs Windows XP – and got id Software's venerable first-person shooter up and fragging.

As HackADay describes, the I-PAC2 USB keyboard emulator for arcade games has been pressed into service to connect the ATM's buttons to the PC, rather than the machine's original button controller circuit.

Youtube Video

The reason El Reg finds this of interest goes back to January, when Reg reader “Astarte” responded to this ATM security story with the following remark:

“Wouldn't it be nice … if some philanthropic hacker left something really useful on ATMs. I'm thinking something like an entry code to make the terminal play Pong, Space Invaders or Rocket Raid to pass away a few minutes now and then while waiting for a bus/train/taxi etc. For a bonus win it could credit the score in the currency of your choice to an account of your choice.”

To which “Solmyr ibn Wali Barad” responded: “Years ago, there was a hilarious magazine cover shot - Doom running on the ATM.”

The Register: where readers are inventing the future, one comment at a time! ®