Aui wrote on 2025-12-23, 22:07:

I think the "usability angle" is a poor measure for retro enthusiasts. Of course there may be some fun in trying to build a system that covers as much as possible from an XT to an i9, but a genuine working i386 is a completely different thing (think of a modern 5$ digital watch vs. an old mechanical clock). If we can forget Doom for a moment, the 386 may be the quintessential early to mid era DOS computer. The game library playable on a 386 is also facinating, because it comes from a time were individual people or small companies really "invented" entire generes. It lacks a lot of the conveniences of late 486 builds (on board IIDE, limited HDD size etc.). But is also has largely solved the at times severe shortcomminngs of the 286 (e.g. only 1MB memory mainboards etc. ) The simplicity of these earlier machines forces you to take a deeper dive into the possibilities and limitations of an era. (you can probably tell fully working 386 machines are my favourite DOS computers 😉 )

its a fully valid measure. At the end of the day you want to use what you buildt, right?

for me is much more interesting pushing the limit, do with a computer what is wasnt supposed to do in its day

a 386 its too limited, even for that.

igna78 wrote on 2025-09-15, 21:14:

Your retro room is simply fantastic; it's essentially a world that developed between the '80s and the early 2000s 🤩 […]
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mjnman wrote on 2025-09-15, 14:03:

My retro room.

Your retro room is simply fantastic; it's essentially a world that developed between the '80s and the early 2000s 🤩

Are the arcade cabinets original (perhaps with modern hardware inside, with Mame running the software) or are they reproductions? (they're still exceptional, though)
“Comunque la monetina da 500 lire (o almeno così mi sembra) per giocare a Super Street Fighter II è un must!” 😁

For other users, sorry for the Italian text; I was talking about inserting old, out-of-circulation Italian coins to play Super Street Fighter II (watch in video).

It's all beautiful; I hope to do something similar one day. For now, I'll have to make do with a little space on my desk and keep the rest in the box 😅

Thanks a lot. The arcade cabinets are original but inside run a Linux OS with a 15 kHz Linux kernel, Attract-Mode, and GroovyMAME. I used an NVMe disk, and the OS/GUI boots in 8 seconds.

Aui wrote on 2025-12-23, 22:07:

Of course there may be some fun in trying to build a system that covers as much as possible from an XT to an i9 [...]

I am actually trying to do exactly this, but not as a single system, but as a whole setup, see RetroRacks Project.

Once it is in a presentable state, I will post pictures of my "computing area" here.

Updated computers setups in my room!

TheChexWarrior wrote on 2026-01-22, 11:58:

Updated computers setups in my room!

i like the light/dark contrast 😀

TheChexWarrior wrote on 2026-01-22, 11:58:

Updated computers setups in my room!

That's a lot of keyboards and mice. Have you considered a KVM?

Workshop\Office\Armory....

sunkindly wrote on 2025-12-08, 22:13:

Okay, I think this is the final configuration of the retro computing desk. I don't think I can squeeze in any other machines here haha.

From left to right: the Pentium MMX, the 386, the Indigo2, and the PIII over there lurking.

The attachment IMG_8251.jpg is no longer available

These look so bright, I would be affraid to put them close to a window . Great stuff !

dries_86 wrote on 2026-02-21, 11:11:

sunkindly wrote on 2025-12-08, 22:13:

Okay, I think this is the final configuration of the retro computing desk. I don't think I can squeeze in any other machines here haha.

From left to right: the Pentium MMX, the 386, the Indigo2, and the PIII over there lurking.

The attachment IMG_8251.jpg is no longer available

These look so bright, I would be affraid to put them close to a window . Great stuff !

Thanks! And yeah, even though they're in a corner away from the windows I'm still worried about the amount of indirect light they get hahah. Like, this photo was taken with the blinds closed even so this is how it is for most of the day. I'm thinking about getting UV blocking film at some point because I don't like curtains.

Nothing fancy, just a Pentium 4 with nt 4.0 an XP in dual boot, laptop is yo download programs and for support to the retro PC

DLL hell wrote on 2026-03-28, 06:28:

Nothing fancy, just a Pentium 4 with nt 4.0 an XP in dual boot, laptop is yo download programs and for support to the retro PC

out of interest what do you do in nt4 ? And actually, how's the spec? XP and some games makes good sense for most P4s

gerry wrote on 2026-03-30, 11:59:

DLL hell wrote on 2026-03-28, 06:28:

Nothing fancy, just a Pentium 4 with nt 4.0 an XP in dual boot, laptop is yo download programs and for support to the retro PC

out of interest what do you do in nt4 ? And actually, how's the spec? XP and some games makes good sense for most P4s

I keep Windows nt 4.0 because i can work concurrently with múltiple programs, on XP i can't do that, with a heavy CAD/CAM program on nt, i just need a Fresh 128 Mb of ram + machine simulator + Office + CAD program, i just need 256 ram on average.

My setup

-Windows XP+ nt 4.0 workstation sp6
-gigabyte 8i1000k motherboard 478 socket
-pentium 4 3 GHz
-80gb ide harddrive
-512 Mb ram

I was able to run Mastercam 9 on a Win7 machine without an emulator no problem, after Win7 I had probs mostly to do with graphics. I think the OS I had best luck with was Win2k.

DLL hell wrote on 2026-03-30, 19:44:

I keep Windows nt 4.0 because i can work concurrently with múltiple programs, on XP i can't do that, with a heavy CAD/CAM progra […]
Show full quote

I keep Windows nt 4.0 because i can work concurrently with múltiple programs, on XP i can't do that, with a heavy CAD/CAM program on nt, i just need a Fresh 128 Mb of ram + machine simulator + Office + CAD program, i just need 256 ram on average.

My setup

-Windows XP+ nt 4.0 workstation sp6
-gigabyte 8i1000k motherboard 478 socket
-pentium 4 3 GHz
-80gb ide harddrive
-512 Mb ram

great to see that usage on NT!

I did some rennovations at the end of last year and repurposed my double garage into a half home office, half garage. Here's my corner of the home office, running DOOM four ways of course. A lot of work went into this.

From left to right

Console set up consisting off:

• Sony pvm14m2a
• The legendary Logitech z-2300 speakers
• Sega MegaDrive 2
• Nintendo 64
• Playstation 2
• Nintendo Wii

2000s+ computer set up consisting of:

• Dell 2423 montior
• Fiio K7 DAC/Headphone amp
• Creative T60 speakers
• Cherry keyboard (blue switches)
• Cherry Ps/2 oopitical mouse (sucks)

This is connected to my Pentium 4 Build running Windows 98 (+ other HDDs with Windows ME, 2003) (bottom left) , and an i7-3770k build running Windows XP and Windows 10 (in Silverstone case in the corner in the middle of the picture). The GPUs are connected to the monitor via VGA and DP respectively, and to the keyboard/mouse via a KVM. The sound cards are connected to DAC via optical, coaxial, and analog (I have three sound cards across the two systems).

1990s computer set up consisting of:

• Philips 107e5 Monitor
• Boston Acoustics speakers
• Leopold keyboard (speed silver switches)
• Another Cherry Ps/2 opitical mouse (sucks)

This is plugged into a rextron KVM, which is then connected to my Pentium iii computer (now in a Silverstone FLP01 with a picoGUS), and my Pentium 166 MMX computer (in the white unit below the desk).

In the corner is (from top to bottom):

• Roland MT-32 Old
• Aforementioned win XP/10 machine
• A 2U rack containing:
  • Behringer Euro Rack 1602 mixer
  • Roland SC-88ST
  • Aforementioned rextron KVM
• Sever in a fractal design meshy 2 case, running UNRAID (i7-12700, 32gb RAM, Radeon rx6600 xt

This houses my sound set up for the 1990s PCs. The server runs a Debian VM running retroNAS. All the retro PCs are hooked up to a switch (not pictured, tucked into the corner) that is then hooked into my server via a separate network interface, so they're essentially on their own isolated network. The server then serves up all my games/drivers/retro files etc via SMB1, which makes life soooo much easier. The server does a bunch of other stuff, emby streaming, Bazzite VM for (limited) modern gaming

Then the set up to the right is my main desk with a CalDigit Thunderbolt doc (for my main computer - a MacBook Air), Topping E2x2 interface, Razer cobra mouse, Leopold mechanical keyboard with silent red switches, AOC q27G4 monitor, Alesis m2 monitors (from about 2009). The box under this desk is my back up server, also running UNRAID. I have a few other keyboards to swap out from time to time - Unicomp model M Mini and a keychron TKL with Gateron blacks. I use this for work, a bit of gaming, a bit of music production.

The rack at the top just has my main networking stuff in it, ubiquiti gear with a couple of security cameras.

Other miscellaneous items pictured:

• 8Bitdo Ultimate 2 controller
• Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones
• Random Microphone my friend built for me
• Augustus Caesar bust (no set up is complete without it)
• The only Ferrari f40 I could afford
• Ibanez Ts-9 tubescreamer (on top of the speaker)

Martli wrote on 2026-04-02, 08:46:

I did some rennovations at the end of last year and repurposed my double garage into a half home office, half garage. Here's my […]
Show full quote

I did some rennovations at the end of last year and repurposed my double garage into a half home office, half garage. Here's my corner of the home office, running DOOM four ways of course. A lot of work went into this.

From left to right

Console set up consisting off:

• Sony pvm14m2a
• The legendary Logitech z-2300 speakers
• Sega MegaDrive 2
• Nintendo 64
• Playstation 2
• Nintendo Wii

2000s+ computer set up consisting of:

• Dell 2423 montior
• Fiio K7 DAC/Headphone amp
• Creative T60 speakers
• Cherry keyboard (blue switches)
• Cherry Ps/2 oopitical mouse (sucks)

This is connected to my Pentium 4 Build running Windows 98 (+ other HDDs with Windows ME, 2003) (bottom left) , and an i7-3770k build running Windows XP and Windows 10 (in Silverstone case in the corner in the middle of the picture). The GPUs are connected to the monitor via VGA and DP respectively, and to the keyboard/mouse via a KVM. The sound cards are connected to DAC via optical, coaxial, and analog (I have three sound cards across the two systems).

1990s computer set up consisting of:

• Philips 107e5 Monitor
• Boston Acoustics speakers
• Leopold keyboard (speed silver switches)
• Another Cherry Ps/2 opitical mouse (sucks)

This is plugged into a rextron KVM, which is then connected to my Pentium iii computer (now in a Silverstone FLP01 with a picoGUS), and my Pentium 166 MMX computer (in the white unit below the desk).

In the corner is (from top to bottom):

• Roland MT-32 Old
• Aforementioned win XP/10 machine
• A 2U rack containing:
  • Behringer Euro Rack 1602 mixer
  • Roland SC-88ST
  • Aforementioned rextron KVM
• Sever in a fractal design meshy 2 case, running UNRAID (i7-12700, 32gb RAM, Radeon rx6600 xt

This houses my sound set up for the 1990s PCs. The server runs a Debian VM running retroNAS. All the retro PCs are hooked up to a switch (not pictured, tucked into the corner) that is then hooked into my server via a separate network interface, so they're essentially on their own isolated network. The server then serves up all my games/drivers/retro files etc via SMB1, which makes life soooo much easier. The server does a bunch of other stuff, emby streaming, Bazzite VM for (limited) modern gaming

Then the set up to the right is my main desk with a CalDigit Thunderbolt doc (for my main computer - a MacBook Air), Topping E2x2 interface, Razer cobra mouse, Leopold mechanical keyboard with silent red switches, AOC q27G4 monitor, Alesis m2 monitors (from about 2009). The box under this desk is my back up server, also running UNRAID. I have a few other keyboards to swap out from time to time - Unicomp model M Mini and a keychron TKL with Gateron blacks. I use this for work, a bit of gaming, a bit of music production.

The rack at the top just has my main networking stuff in it, ubiquiti gear with a couple of security cameras.

Other miscellaneous items pictured:

• 8Bitdo Ultimate 2 controller
• Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones
• Random Microphone my friend built for me
• Augustus Caesar bust (no set up is complete without it)
• The only Ferrari f40 I could afford
• Ibanez Ts-9 tubescreamer (on top of the speaker)

i like the Roland SC-88

Got a lot of respect for those who get an entire retro aesthetic going for their spaces. That said, I've personally completely eschewed trying to do that. Instead I like to build retro machines in slick, modern cases - something I imagine I would have found awesome back in the day, if I could have even dreamed it.

Here's what I got going on:

From left to right,

• PIII-750, TNT2 + Voodoo 2, Aureal 2 + PicoGUS (Win98/DOS)
• 19" SyncMaster with more than a few miles on it that I was lucky to score locally (just a little dim, and I was able to crack it open and refocus it)
• Dual Slot 1 PIII-1100, Voodoo 3, SBLive (Win2k)
• AthlonXP 2600, Radeon 9700 Pro, Audigy 2 (WinXP)
• (In the corner, my proxmox server which I can push a Windows 10 VM with a 2080 Super hw passthru to my SyncMaster's KVM 👌)

And:

From left to right,

• My only beige box, 486DX2 66, ATI Mach 32 VLB, ESS AudioDrive + Dreamblaster X2GS and an actual GUS classic (DOS 6.22 + Win3.11)
• (under the monitor) P166 with a PicoGUS and (increasingly unnecessary) SB16 + Dreamblaster X2GS
• And finally, P233MMX, S3 ViRGE + Voodoo 1, Orpheus II + Dreamblaster 16XGS and a AWE64 Value + 16MB addon

Always a work in progress and obviously more computers than I need (this isn't all of them) but hey, it's all just fun right? 😊

Martli wrote on 2026-04-02, 08:46:

I did some rennovations at the end of last year and repurposed my double garage into a half home office, half garage. Here's my […]
Show full quote

I did some rennovations at the end of last year and repurposed my double garage into a half home office, half garage. Here's my corner of the home office, running DOOM four ways of course. A lot of work went into this.

From left to right

Console set up consisting off:

• Sony pvm14m2a
• The legendary Logitech z-2300 speakers
• Sega MegaDrive 2
• Nintendo 64
• Playstation 2
• Nintendo Wii

Absolutely love this set up.