Retro builds, geek culture, and projects nobody asked for — but everyone loves.
Take a reflective walk down nostalgic lane. Here you'll find build guides, random fact finds, reviews, and info dumps — basically anything that catches my retro-obsessed brain.
Follow along if you like. I'm not pushy.
Calling it a "MAME arcade machine" feels like an understatement for months of tinkering. Sixteen years ago, a friend and I built cocktail-style arcades running a blistering 1 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM, and 60 GB of storage. (Cutting-edge, right?)
Now, years later and with more tools, budget, and a pandemic's worth of spare time, I've finally built v2 — a full-size stand-up machine.
Soon I'll post the full cabinet guide, components list, frontend setup, and custom artwork/code that make it shine.
Coming soon…
– Stands up and places hand on chest.
Hi, I'm Ash, a self-confessed entry-level geek.
Most of my free time goes into solving non-existent problems or deep-diving Wikipedia to remember that guy who was once in that thing.
I've got a healthy obsession with retro tech and pop culture. This site is where I collect the oddities that float my proverbial boat — from pointless builds (that are secretly brilliant) to old films, games, and other nostalgic wonders.
Think of it as a casual blog of half-useful discoveries. Stick around; there's more coming. Probably.
Not quite as vintage as a Corby trouser press.
After finishing the NES Video Frame, the only logical next step was the Super NES — smaller, sleeker, and this time with sound!
The goal: fit everything inside the cartridge, running on battery power. Mission accomplished.
Yes, it can run RetroPie, but that wasn't the point. I wanted something that sits proudly on my "shelf of interesting retro memorabilia."
My aim with every post is to combine existing info into a neat, beginner-friendly package — so even if you're not a code wizard, you can give it a go.
Check out the September 2020 edition of The MagPi Magazine (Issue 97)!
My NES Cartridge Project scored a couple of pages — a surreal moment since I've been a long-time reader.
Even if I weren't featured, I'd have bought it anyway: the issue dives into some amazing 3D-printed projects. (Yes, I'm now considering a printer purchase.)
It was awesome to share the project and see it among so many talented makers. If you like creative Pi builds, grab a copy — every issue's packed with inspiration.
Hey you — yes, you. Come check this out.
As a proud entry-level geek, most of my projects start with a Google search and a bit of curiosity.
So here's the deal: my builds will always be relatively easy to do, and technically "wrong" according to real nerds.
But if it works and nobody gets hurt, that's a win.
This NES cartridge build uses a Raspberry Pi Zero and a 3.5″ display — compact, functional, and undeniably fun.
Watch the project video on Facebook or see the full how-to guide.
In another attempt to build something awesomely cool yet questionably practical, I'm repurposing a VHS cassette.
That label window? Perfect size for a 3.5″ LCD screen.
Think of it as the NES project's spiritual sibling — this time freestanding, showing '80s movie trailers or Plex server info.
I'll post updates as it comes together. Coming soon!