Building a FieldStation42 Cable Box
A build log for a Raspberry Pi cable box that runs FieldStation42 on a CRT, with a keypad, an LED channel display, a guide channel and a WeatherStar weather channel.
The retro workbench · Note 1 ↗From the workbench
Retro Tech.
Old computers, software archives, restorations, and repairs.
30published notes
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RGB and Retro Consoles: Which Ones Need a Mod and Which Just Need a Cable
What RGB video is, why it makes old consoles look so much better than composite, and a console-by-console rundown of which ones output it already and which need a mod, plus the displays, cables and sync problems to know about.
The emulation bench · Note 5 ↗
Nintendo's Handhelds, From Game & Watch to 3DS
Every Nintendo handheld family from Game & Watch to the 3DS, with sales, screens, the model revisions that matter, and the mods that make the old ones pleasant to use today.
Console field guide · Note 6 ↗
Organizing Vintage Mac Software: How I Name and File a Classic Mac Archive
The folder layout and naming rules I use for a pile of old Mac software, and the small PowerShell script that does the renaming without losing the original names.
The retro workbench · Note 4 ↗
Making a Mac OS Extended (HFS+) USB Drive on Windows with TransMac
How I format and load HFS+ USB drives for old Macs from a Windows PC, plus the retro-specific catches that trip you up on the Mac side.
The retro workbench · Note 5 ↗
Sega Genesis Model 1, 2 or 3: Which One to Buy
The three Sega Genesis models compared on sound, add-on support, size and picture, with the board revisions collectors look for and a straight answer on which to buy for what.
Console field guide · Note 5 ↗
The Steam Deck and EmuDeck Hotkeys I Actually Need
One page of the Steam Deck's built-in shortcuts and the hotkeys EmuDeck sets up for RetroArch, Dolphin, PCSX2, DuckStation and the rest, in tables you can glance at mid-game.
The emulation bench · Note 4 ↗
Original SNES or the Little 1997 One? The Two Models Compared
The differences between the original Super Nintendo and the small SNS-101 redesign from 1997, from video outputs and picture quality to the expansion port, yellowing and which one I'd buy for what.
Console field guide · Note 4 ↗
CRT Shaders on the Steam Deck: Setting Up Mega Bezel in RetroArch
The RetroArch settings, install steps and preset picks for the Mega Bezel Reflection Shader on a Steam Deck, so old games get their scanlines and a glowing TV frame without tanking performance.
The emulation bench · Note 3 ↗
Dell Precision T7500: A 96GB, 24TB Upgrade Plan for an Old Workstation
My upgrade plan for a dual-Xeon Dell Precision T7500, with 96GB of ECC RAM, an LSI SAS/SATA controller and two 12TB drives, plus the one cabling detail I'd double-check.
The retro workbench · Note 10 ↗
Installing MS-DOS 6.22 and Windows 3.1 on a Gateway 2000 486, From Floppies
How I got MS-DOS 6.22 and Windows 3.1 onto an old Gateway 2000 486 from a stack of floppies, including the two problems that ate most of the afternoon and the config files I ended up with.
The retro workbench · Note 12 ↗
Nintendo's Home Consoles, NES to Wii U: The Models Worth Knowing
A field guide to Nintendo's home consoles from the Famicom to the Wii U, with the hardware revisions worth knowing for each, the mods people do, and which model to buy.
Console field guide · Note 3 ↗