Compare commits

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Author SHA1 Message Date
stefankoelle 110173e357 Add moonweb.org and Smart Home links to LED matrix footer 2026-09-12 16:13:52 +02:00
stefankoelle 33793c9340 Fix double slashes in LED matrix URLs 2026-09-12 15:55:27 +02:00
stefankoelle 36e64f1899 Fix lang attribute, typos, and missing p-closing tags in phobia and tcm 2026-09-12 15:49:18 +02:00
stefankoelle b88e06a7f6 Add Legal Notice link to phobia and tcm footers 2026-09-12 15:39:15 +02:00
stefankoelle 90cdf6d0e4 Add footer with moonweb.org and Retro Corner links to phobia and tcm 2026-09-12 15:32:02 +02:00
stefankoelle 720e47e75e Fix CPU model in PHOBIA archive: DX50 -> DX2-66 2026-09-12 15:17:45 +02:00
stefankoelle 9988c5e47b Add PHOBIA and TranceMission archives as standalone sites with passthrough copy 2026-09-12 15:13:47 +02:00
stefankoelle dbb4d90306 Add deep links to MiSTery Core from MiST/MiSTer, Low, and retro snapshot 2026-09-12 13:38:27 +02:00
stefankoelle 0112b5a7b3 Fix timecapsule build output path: move assets out of src, fix passthrough and build script 2026-09-12 13:34:11 +02:00
stefankoelle 1e893e4d69 Add images to MiSTery Core page with passthrough copy 2026-09-12 13:17:33 +02:00
stefankoelle 14d210032d Add MiSTery Core on MIST page 2026-09-12 13:10:04 +02:00
stefankoelle fe315560d9 Add responsive image CSS, resize oversized images, fix aspect ratios, add lazy loading 2026-09-12 12:27:24 +02:00
stefankoelle 4c6c10b26e Fix terminal program note on Wi-Fi modem page 2026-09-12 12:15:20 +02:00
stefankoelle b072496639 Add Jungsi WiModem232 OLED mention and sources section to Wi-Fi modem page 2026-09-12 12:12:50 +02:00
stefankoelle 84c7c8a5a5 Move KAOS to High, add patched TOS 2.06 details, remove KAOS from Low 2026-09-12 12:11:36 +02:00
stefankoelle 67ae177de3 Restore Klyde link as only current order source for Eiffel 3 2026-09-12 12:10:04 +02:00
stefankoelle 76239f73fe Fix Eiffel source (Olivier Gossuin, not Klyde), add MCSWITCH price 2026-09-12 12:08:43 +02:00
stefankoelle fc133539d3 Swap bottom two Gotek gallery images, captions stay in place 2026-09-12 12:07:00 +02:00
stefankoelle 8966feacfa Note SM124 and MegaFile HDDs still stored at parents' basement 2026-09-12 02:22:30 +02:00
stefankoelle 7deefb7ac4 Add plans for SM124 monitor and MegaFile HDDs on heirloom machine 2026-09-12 02:19:40 +02:00
stefankoelle f2c511fb72 Remove redundant Other alternatives section from TOS page 2026-09-12 02:16:03 +02:00
stefankoelle 62b160d3d6 Add KAOS TOS section and sources to TOS page, mention on Low machine 2026-09-12 02:15:40 +02:00
stefankoelle d87f8b744a Expand TOS page with PP's improved iTOS 1.04 details 2026-09-12 02:13:17 +02:00
stefankoelle 59b1cb24d3 Add official TOS version table and EmuTOS details, reorder sections 2026-09-12 02:12:26 +02:00
stefankoelle ea939dd623 Expand TOS page with GEM distinction and Geneva/MiNT multitasking 2026-09-12 02:11:26 +02:00
stefankoelle ab01a88988 Fix Storm ST card to say iTOS 1.04 2026-09-12 02:09:29 +02:00
stefankoelle b32220f7ac Swap Heirloom and Mega ST 2 card order 2026-09-12 02:08:39 +02:00
stefankoelle 3ec2eb3947 Reorder Atari corner cards logically, merge Mega ST explainer into fleet page 2026-09-12 02:07:47 +02:00
stefankoelle 623f16f256 Clarify Mega ST 2 is an inactive backup machine 2026-09-12 01:57:56 +02:00
stefankoelle 8b359a6cba Correct Mega ST 2 history: reverted to original TOS/state fixed stability 2026-09-12 01:56:49 +02:00
stefankoelle bc55552b98 Reframe Mega ST 2 as spare/test machine, not parts donor; add 4MB idea and history 2026-09-12 01:56:19 +02:00
stefankoelle b6c3e21217 Remove Wi-Fi experiment section from Mega ST 2 page 2026-09-12 01:53:43 +02:00
stefankoelle 4c5fd92a50 Note old SidecarTridge Rev 0 could move to Mega ST 2 2026-09-12 01:52:43 +02:00
stefankoelle 5a40a170fd Replace Mega 2 MIDI link idea with MIDI Maze plan vs Low machine 2026-09-12 01:52:03 +02:00
stefankoelle 16b3a6c67c Clarify TOS 1.62 was STE-only 2026-09-12 01:50:10 +02:00
stefankoelle 8ef84c2218 Add Mega 1 (1 MB) to Mega ST configurations 2026-09-12 01:49:37 +02:00
stefankoelle 43d9292f8e Add TOS and Mega ST background pages, MonSTer jumper table, Mega ST 2 ideas 2026-09-12 01:48:58 +02:00
stefankoelle 60626afb5d Add 4 Mega ST computer detail pages (Low, High, Heirloom, Mega ST 2) 2026-09-12 01:39:59 +02:00
stefankoelle 33fd24474e Note laser mouse conversion is not currently in use, add to uninstalled extensions 2026-09-12 01:32:44 +02:00
stefankoelle 57d26a929d Add Laser Mouse page for Atari STM-1 laser board conversion 2026-09-12 01:30:32 +02:00
stefankoelle 20cb6cc882 Note plan to test ST2VGA Enhanced on Low machine for Dell jailbars 2026-09-12 01:29:25 +02:00
stefankoelle 2213bca46a Explain why High machine uses self-built VGA adapter (ET4000 slot blocked) 2026-09-12 01:28:39 +02:00
stefankoelle 659cf61d5c Note my MCSWITCH is an older revision without volume buttons 2026-09-12 01:27:28 +02:00
stefankoelle d05c83f077 Add Atari to VGA page with three adapters, photo and ST2VGA Enhanced uninstalled 2026-09-12 01:26:04 +02:00
stefankoelle 56da5fe4cb Add ACSI2STM page with photo, list as uninstalled extension 2026-09-12 01:24:22 +02:00
stefankoelle 0838f9f8f2 Add better Gotek switch photo and MonsterBoard 1GB CF card photo 2026-09-12 01:18:44 +02:00
stefankoelle 03245e4ff7 Swap Gotek gallery images to match captions 2026-09-12 00:45:32 +02:00
stefankoelle d65d0f582d Use only own STPSU installed photos, remove new-version Centurion images 2026-09-12 00:44:36 +02:00
stefankoelle a715ad3377 Add photo galleries to MonSTerBoard, Gotek, Eiffel and STPSU pages 2026-09-12 00:40:57 +02:00
stefankoelle 8c62c7e991 Add STPSU page with manual PDF and product images, deep-link from fleet 2026-09-12 00:33:25 +02:00
stefankoelle df72630b14 Add Polyplay PS/2 adapter warning note to mouSTer page 2026-09-12 00:29:10 +02:00
stefankoelle 7c3475a206 Add mouSTer page, use it on Low machine, fix mouse references on Eiffel page 2026-09-12 00:26:53 +02:00
stefankoelle 26e955a63d Note heirloom machine has its own original keyboard and mouse 2026-09-12 00:24:59 +02:00
stefankoelle e2696383e7 Move original Atari keyboard/mouse note from High to Low machine 2026-09-12 00:21:37 +02:00
stefankoelle e44bce36d0 Document Gotek 3D-printed case and relocated TOS switcher on Low machine 2026-09-12 00:19:55 +02:00
stefankoelle 7dfec89a28 Update SidecarTridge page: Rev 0 in use, Rev 3 details and uninstalled 2026-09-12 00:16:49 +02:00
stefankoelle c645ca5b42 Confirm Geneva support and Cherry keyboard/Logitech mouse on Eiffel PS/2 page 2026-09-12 00:11:07 +02:00
stefankoelle 710c7960d8 Add Eiffel Pico USB page, add to uninstalled extensions 2026-09-12 00:09:28 +02:00
stefankoelle 8ab85d5ebb Add Eiffel interface page under Atari corner, update High machine fleet entry 2026-09-12 00:08:24 +02:00
stefankoelle 1e95f92e04 Move Gotek and UltraSatan to end of Atari corner list 2026-09-12 00:05:42 +02:00
stefankoelle 14166f50f3 Add UltraSatan page under Atari corner, deep-link from fleet 2026-09-12 00:04:24 +02:00
stefankoelle b19e958dcb Deep-link Gotek on Low, add uninstalled extensions section to fleet 2026-09-12 00:02:38 +02:00
stefankoelle b18c0d9b0c Add Gotek floppy emulator page under Atari corner 2026-09-11 23:59:55 +02:00
stefankoelle 74bfe05174 Deep-link Wi-Fi modem (BBS) from fleet page Low machine 2026-09-11 23:56:13 +02:00
stefankoelle 40c1ccfedd Rewrite BBS page around dhansel's WifiModem and DarkForce! BBS 2026-09-11 23:55:19 +02:00
stefankoelle e05b6ba8dc Reorder Atari corner cards: move SidecarTridge after NetUSBee 2026-09-11 23:49:51 +02:00
stefankoelle b4aa3a60d5 Add SidecarTridge Multi-device page under Atari corner 2026-09-11 23:48:07 +02:00
stefankoelle 137e9ad158 Deep-link Cloudy/Storm ST on fleet page to detail page 2026-09-11 23:46:50 +02:00
stefankoelle fe321ed509 Deep-link ET4000 on fleet page to detail page 2026-09-11 23:46:18 +02:00
stefankoelle 85b15d4025 Add STGA adapter, card details and photos to ET4000 page 2026-09-11 23:45:37 +02:00
stefankoelle 60472745a3 Add NetUSBee page under Atari corner with STinG and USB details 2026-09-11 23:44:07 +02:00
stefankoelle ad0aeb6201 Mention IDE + CF card boot in MonSTerBoard setup 2026-09-11 23:40:56 +02:00
stefankoelle fd5fa29c51 Add MonSTerBoard page under Atari corner with install details and sources 2026-09-11 23:40:01 +02:00
stefankoelle e1341da570 Add passthrough copy for Storm/Cloudy page images 2026-09-11 23:37:16 +02:00
stefankoelle 826074ff8e Use PP's improved iTOS 1.04 instead of plain TOS 1.04 on Storm/Cloudy page 2026-09-11 23:36:12 +02:00
stefankoelle 83f4fb927f Add Storm ST & Cloudy ST page under Atari corner with photos 2026-09-11 23:35:01 +02:00
stefankoelle 3c21f4f0e8 Add Dell SE2722HX 15kHz details and trade-offs to monitor page 2026-09-11 23:22:13 +02:00
stefankoelle 709a703789 Add NEC LCD1970NXp 15kHz details to monitor compatibility page 2026-09-11 23:21:41 +02:00
stefankoelle a2685f469c Add NEC LCD1970NXp detail section and EIZO/NEC comparison table 2026-09-11 23:20:42 +02:00
stefankoelle 5d704faaa0 Add EIZO FlexScan L365 strengths for retro Atari use 2026-09-11 23:19:35 +02:00
stefankoelle 47b22a8de5 Describe EIZO FlexScan L365 advantages for the High workstation 2026-09-11 23:18:01 +02:00
stefankoelle 7dbed12667 Specify EIZO FlexScan L365 15-inch monitor for the High machine 2026-09-11 23:16:27 +02:00
stefankoelle e0dfbc612a Document Dell SE2722HX working at 15kHz, link NEC 1970NXp and Dell externally 2026-09-11 23:15:20 +02:00
stefankoelle 9a07524c75 Rephrase offsite backup copy wording 2026-09-11 23:12:21 +02:00
stefankoelle 75cee6171b Fix home lab hyphenation and double and in impressum 2026-09-11 23:12:02 +02:00
stefankoelle 62e6b77546 Use Email and English photo alt text in stefankoelle 2026-09-11 23:11:43 +02:00
stefankoelle 2d2b6f04ee Fix OpenWRT capitalization to OpenWrt 2026-09-11 23:11:07 +02:00
stefankoelle a534435a9c Fix notifer typo to notifier 2026-09-11 23:10:54 +02:00
stefankoelle 4b7af91996 Match smarthome card title to home-dashboard-controls page title 2026-09-11 23:10:40 +02:00
stefankoelle 7bc31c20c0 Update ET4000 to working status in Mega ST 4 High 2026-09-11 23:10:24 +02:00
stefankoelle 9400ea3775 Fix remaining comma splices in infra and smarthome articles 2026-09-11 23:09:24 +02:00
stefankoelle 1828188fd7 Fix infra machine count: two Beelink Proxmox hosts + Synology, VM moved out of device list 2026-09-11 23:08:31 +02:00
stefankoelle 457d34ee6e Fix SHR redundancy description to single-drive fault tolerance 2026-09-11 23:07:06 +02:00
stefankoelle c26f33af02 Fix room count: 9 rooms (10 sensors), living room has two 2026-09-11 23:05:35 +02:00
stefankoelle cd2bfa1a33 Rename redacted-note class to note (reader callout, not redacted content) 2026-09-11 22:57:30 +02:00
stefankoelle 2f8f1905ab Merge duplicate IONOS entries in impressum hosting section to two providers 2026-09-11 22:55:40 +02:00
stefankoelle 127603edb4 Clarify A1200NG is distinct from Retro Games' The A1200 2026-09-11 22:53:46 +02:00
stefankoelle 5412760663 Remove incorrect ET4000 references from DOS 486 article 2026-09-11 22:51:46 +02:00
stefankoelle deddf0e6de Reframe DOS 486 as rebuild from memory, not 1:1 copy 2026-09-11 22:50:49 +02:00
stefankoelle d0672b65d3 Clarify historical 486 references are past hardware on home 2026-09-11 22:48:23 +02:00
stefankoelle b8e2ac80c3 Reduce redundancy: LED Matrix dup, 3-2-1 wording, Synology SHR 2026-09-11 22:46:05 +02:00
stefankoelle e67a27b9ba Fix comma splices for readability across infra and smarthome articles 2026-09-11 22:44:11 +02:00
stefankoelle a96e9c110e Replace vague 'Since this year' with concrete 2026 on stefankoelle 2026-09-11 22:42:24 +02:00
stefankoelle 28e17f4400 Rewrite retro-corner-snapshot: study/living room, Low set up, High on demand on dining table, MiST/MiSTer on NEC 1970NXp 2026-09-11 22:40:19 +02:00
stefankoelle 3be4b94576 Fix Mega ST 4 roles in retro-corner-snapshot to match fleet page 2026-09-11 22:35:47 +02:00
stefankoelle eda93173c3 Remove hard Tasmota device count, standardize room names to study/children's room 2026-09-11 22:33:10 +02:00
stefankoelle 96f9f0b629 Fix Beelink S12 Pro RAM to 32GB 2026-09-11 22:31:58 +02:00
stefankoelle ffd1cd1621 Unify Proxmox host as Beelink S12 Pro; remove false monitoring-backup open item 2026-09-11 22:31:32 +02:00
stefankoelle 1e22c2e2de Unify .NET versioning to .NET 10, drop 'Core' suffix, fix Technologiestack to English 2026-09-11 22:30:48 +02:00
stefankoelle 7fd391f163 Use 'Stefan Kölle' consistently across stefankoelle (title, meta, JSON-LD, alt, manifest) 2026-09-11 22:28:22 +02:00
stefankoelle 41e69f5b99 Use 'Stefan Kölle' as canonical spelling on hub + shared base, with once 'also known as Koelle' hint 2026-09-11 22:26:21 +02:00
stefankoelle 7f35c09b3b Fix broken internal links missing section path prefixes 2026-09-11 22:20:45 +02:00
stefankoelle 5a55ba5a63 Clarify 486 tower is rebuilt on MiSTer FPGA, not original hardware (home + stefankoelle) 2026-09-11 22:04:31 +02:00
stefankoelle a5c93bf91c Add strategic deep links to home page about sections 2026-09-11 22:03:27 +02:00
stefankoelle ab308bc929 Update retro-corner-snapshot: fix A1200 pre-order, add cross-links to other articles 2026-09-11 22:00:54 +02:00
stefankoelle d59fbe003a Fix Amiga card titles on retro index, add cross-links between Amiga pages 2026-09-11 21:58:12 +02:00
stefankoelle d14522fb99 Update amiga-modern-platforms card summary on retro index to reflect modern-hw setup 2026-09-11 21:56:33 +02:00
stefankoelle 93d9059190 Mention PiMiga in amiga-modern-platforms with link to article 2026-09-11 21:55:28 +02:00
stefankoelle 058c9f90c1 Add last-updated date to The A1200 page 2026-09-11 21:54:14 +02:00
stefankoelle f85c6d6c82 Update A1200 link text on amiga-modern-platforms to match new title 2026-09-11 21:53:41 +02:00
stefankoelle 7f1639083c Update The A1200 page with post-summer confirmed specs and sources
- Release pushed to 4 Dec 2026 at 189.99 EUR
- Workbench 3.1 confirmed, other versions via USB
- Emulation: A1200/A500/A600/CD32, OCS/ECS/AGA/RTG
- 25 games incl. new titles, save slots
- WHDLoad + floppy/HD/CD-ROM sideloading
- 4x USB-A, third-party and legacy peripherals
- Display options, box contents, AC adapter note
- Add official + press sources
2026-09-11 21:52:53 +02:00
stefankoelle 17a2098b9b Replace .eleventyignore manipulation with programmatic ignores
- Root config now excludes stefankoelle/timecapsule via eleventyConfig.ignores
- .eleventyignore stays static (no runtime edits)
- start-dev.sh simplified: no .bak/.tmp dance, no sleep ordering
- All 3 dev servers (8081/8086/8087) run in parallel without crashes
2026-09-11 21:47:45 +02:00
stefankoelle 7e4bc4884f Add MiSTer Minimig setup and link upcoming A1200 on amiga-modern-platforms 2026-09-11 21:41:18 +02:00
stefankoelle d714b9c3f7 Link Amiga to amiga-modern-platforms instead of the-a1200 2026-09-11 21:39:58 +02:00
stefankoelle 407914bb30 Add infra and smarthome article links to Home Network Projects 2026-09-11 21:37:46 +02:00
stefankoelle 964f7eda81 Fix DynDns Updater: Flask not FastAPI in Python section 2026-09-11 21:34:27 +02:00
stefankoelle b2b06dd9a5 Add GitHub link for buildbroken-blog-archive in Go section 2026-09-11 21:32:52 +02:00
stefankoelle 329be731dc Add Marcer GameDVD Launcher to .NET Core, X-LIB Unit to Pascal 2026-09-11 21:30:31 +02:00
stefankoelle a3960a11c8 Link Fidonet tools to kosmos-design on stefankoelle.de 2026-09-11 21:25:23 +02:00
stefankoelle 24702a2097 Add Python web projects, link static site generators in TypeScript, clean up Hugo 2026-09-11 21:25:09 +02:00
stefankoelle 3530d1ebaa Move demo links to Assembler section, add DOSMENU link to Pascal 2026-09-11 21:18:47 +02:00
stefankoelle 73f2eef8f9 Fix start-dev.sh: start root server first, then remove stefankoelle from ignore 2026-09-11 21:15:30 +02:00
stefankoelle d18fba6f4d Fix dev servers: add excludes to root config, simplify start-dev.sh 2026-09-11 21:10:00 +02:00
stefankoelle a26fe237b3 Fix start-dev.sh: temporarily move .eleventyignore so stefankoelle dev server can find templates 2026-09-11 21:07:18 +02:00
stefankoelle d8c3a5f724 Add LED Matrix to Arduino section on stefankoelle.de 2026-09-11 21:00:49 +02:00
stefankoelle 663f5de5e5 Add Kids RFID Player to Arduino section on stefankoelle.de 2026-09-11 20:59:58 +02:00
stefankoelle 983b6d890f Move Arduino/PlatformIO to own section, add Hugo to Go section 2026-09-11 20:59:30 +02:00
stefankoelle 068eed20fb Add Go and Arduino/PlatformIO to Programming Languages on stefankoelle.de 2026-09-11 20:58:24 +02:00
stefankoelle 10147941a8 Add Eleventy, Astro, Nunjucks to TypeScript section on stefankoelle.de 2026-09-11 20:56:00 +02:00
stefankoelle 0d47df0ea5 Highlight Google Calendar Sync, MVG Departures, iCloud Contacts Sync on stefankoelle.de 2026-09-11 20:54:45 +02:00
stefankoelle f4e0a4e5bf Add Open-Source Tools section to stefankoelle.de personal projects
Lists 9 GitHub projects with links: kctl-tui, ESP32 dashboards,
DynDns Updater, PeopleCostCounter, Focus App, and 3 utility services.
2026-09-11 20:52:39 +02:00
stefankoelle 73f1c4790f Add twitter:site meta tag with @StefanKoelle 2026-09-11 20:49:09 +02:00
stefankoelle e6bc73eb17 Fix JSON-LD: use 'safe' filter to prevent HTML escaping of & in title 2026-09-11 20:43:37 +02:00
stefankoelle 47722f6a14 Add Stefan Koelle to 'What this site is about' section 2026-09-11 20:17:47 +02:00
stefankoelle 86ae243a61 Revert to 'Stefan Koelle' (no umlaut), add full name to h1 2026-09-11 20:16:33 +02:00
stefankoelle eb0b777418 Remove all em-dashes from website content and documentation
Replace ' — ' with ', ' across 40 files. Hyphens (-) untouched.
timecapsule, stefankoelle, LICENSE, CSS comments left as-is.
2026-09-11 20:13:28 +02:00
stefankoelle 3363702ee6 Add Stefan's name to timecapsule beginning page 2026-09-11 20:07:20 +02:00
stefankoelle 0b578da817 Fix section h1 spacing: reduce top margin to match home page 2026-09-11 18:38:16 +02:00
stefankoelle aab3343733 Remove 'since 2020' from moonweb.org heading in stefankoelle 2026-09-11 18:36:40 +02:00
stefankoelle 231fffbd0b Add h1 headings to all 4 section index pages 2026-09-11 18:34:43 +02:00
stefankoelle bb34650194 Shorten home meta description to 149 chars (Bing limit) 2026-09-11 18:21:02 +02:00
stefankoelle a3829f1c48 Fix README: architecture diagram shows dist/moonweb/ instead of dist/ 2026-09-11 14:55:21 +02:00
stefankoelle b202efaefc Add start-dev.sh: launches all 3 dev servers in parallel
8081 (moonweb), 8086 (stefankoelle), 8087 (timecapsule)
2026-09-11 14:42:15 +02:00
stefankoelle 2e9f9a2395 Update timecapsule card: 'moonweb.org 2001' with clearer description 2026-09-11 14:39:51 +02:00
stefankoelle 8e54383b5a Rename hub to home in impressum and stefankoelle nav
- impressum.njk: (hub, smarthome, ...) -> (home, smarthome, ...)
- stefankoelle/_includes/base.njk: nav link 'hub' -> 'home'
2026-09-11 14:24:40 +02:00
stefankoelle 19f492b7e0 Fix stefankoelle build: .eleventyignore blocks standalone build
- build:stefankoelle now temporarily renames .eleventyignore during build
- build-pdf.sh: restore .eleventyignore rename trick
- The root eleventy build ignores stefankoelle/ (uses shared/_includes
  which lacks stefankoelle.njk layout), so the standalone build must
  bypass the ignore file
2026-09-11 14:20:52 +02:00
stefankoelle a5b4a20895 Separate build outputs: moonweb -> dist/moonweb/, stefankoelle -> dist/stefankoelle/
- eleventy.config.js: output to dist/moonweb/ (was dist/)
- build-deploy-moonweb.yml: deploy from dist/moonweb/
- package.json: timecapsule copies to dist/moonweb/timecapsule/
- Rename prebuild -> prebuild:cv to prevent npm lifecycle hook from
  running before build (build-pdf.sh was contaminating dist/ with
  stefankoelle output)
2026-09-11 14:17:30 +02:00
stefankoelle 9ffbadb3db Update all documentation for consolidated www.moonweb.org structure
- AGENTS.md: new file structure, single config, correct commands
- README.md: updated architecture, project structure, CI/CD docs
- SPEC.md: updated sitemap, design system, repository structure, tech stack
- PLAN.md: completed migration phases, remaining items
- TODO.md: current status, completed tasks, remaining items
2026-09-11 14:07:05 +02:00
stefankoelle 01097ff89a Update stefankoelle link texts: replace old subdomain names with new paths
infra.moonweb.org → moonweb.org/infra, etc.
2026-09-11 14:00:10 +02:00
stefankoelle 79a47ceeaa Fix double-slash URLs in stefankoelle, remove unused theme CSS
- stefankoelle/index.njk: fix 15+ double-slash URLs (e.g. /infra//docker/)
- stefankoelle/index.njk: fix /network/ link to /timecapsule/network/
- Delete unused shared/theme-{infra,smarthome,code,retro}.css (accent
  colors now inlined via base.njk)
2026-09-11 13:56:05 +02:00
stefankoelle 26ec966b51 Add missing beginning subpage redirects: news, report, sitemap
These 3 pages existed under www.moonweb.org/beginning/ and need
redirects to /timecapsule/beginning/.
2026-09-11 13:46:42 +02:00
stefankoelle 09a170d5bf Remove redundant 404 pages, keep only root 404
IONOS serves the root 404.html for all paths. Updated link text
from 'Back to hub' to 'Back to home'.
2026-09-11 13:39:50 +02:00
stefankoelle 4ebd767cd1 Rename hub link to home in site-switcher nav 2026-09-11 13:34:09 +02:00
stefankoelle 9a1d1ebbfe Fix header: show moonweb.org/smarthome instead of smarthome.moonweb.org 2026-09-11 13:30:10 +02:00
stefankoelle 7843d0061a Fix favicons: use section-specific favicon.svg per site
Add <link rel="icon"> tag pointing to /favicon.svg for hub and
/{section}/favicon.svg for all other sections. Previously browsers
defaulted to root favicon (hub moon emoji) on all pages.
2026-09-11 13:25:01 +02:00
stefankoelle ecbda171a6 Fix code repos: move repos.json to root _data/ for Eleventy 3
Eleventy 3 only loads global data from inputDir/_data/, not from
subdirectory _data/ dirs. Moved code/_data/repos.json to _data/repos.json
and updated the GitHub aggregator output path.
2026-09-11 13:07:06 +02:00
stefankoelle 5b70c7df2f Fix card links on index pages: add section prefix to local hrefs
Links like /proxmox/ were missing the section prefix (e.g. /infra/proxmox/)
since all sites now share a single Eleventy build at root.
2026-09-11 13:00:57 +02:00
Stefan Koelle 177142fcf5 Merge pull request #3 from skoelle/feature/consolidate-www
Feature/consolidate www
2026-09-11 12:54:33 +02:00
205 changed files with 2479 additions and 860 deletions
-2
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@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
stefankoelle/
timecapsule/
scripts/
.tmp/
+8 -8
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@@ -43,15 +43,15 @@ jobs:
- name: Validate build output
run: |
echo "Build output:"
find dist -maxdepth 2 -type f | sort | head -40
find dist/moonweb -maxdepth 2 -type f | sort | head -40
echo "..."
echo "Total files:"
find dist -type f | wc -l
find dist/moonweb -type f | wc -l
# Verify key directories exist
for dir in "" infra smarthome code retro timecapsule; do
if [ -n "$dir" ] && [ ! -d "dist/$dir" ]; then
echo "Error: dist/$dir not found"
if [ -n "$dir" ] && [ ! -d "dist/moonweb/$dir" ]; then
echo "Error: dist/moonweb/$dir not found"
exit 1
fi
done
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ jobs:
uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
with:
name: dist-moonweb
path: dist/
path: dist/moonweb
retention-days: 7
deploy:
@@ -73,12 +73,12 @@ jobs:
uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
with:
name: dist-moonweb
path: dist/
path: dist/moonweb
- name: Deploy via SFTP
uses: wlixcc/SFTP-Deploy-Action@v1.2.6
with:
local_path: './dist/*'
local_path: './dist/moonweb/*'
server: ${{ secrets.IONOS_SFTP_HOST }}
username: ${{ secrets.IONOS_SFTP_USER }}
password: ${{ secrets.IONOS_SFTP_PASSWORD }}
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ jobs:
if [ "${{ needs.deploy.result }}" = "success" ]; then
echo "moonweb.org deployed successfully!" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
else
echo "Deployment failed. Check the deploy jobs for details." >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
echo "Deployment failed. Check the deploy job for details." >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
fi
echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
echo "### Sites" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+47 -46
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@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
# AGENTS.md moonweb-site
# AGENTS.md, moonweb-site
## Projektuebersicht
@@ -23,19 +23,18 @@ Monorepo fuer 6 statische Websites unter www.moonweb.org + stefankoelle.de, basi
### Andere Sites (nicht im Monorepo)
- 28k8.moonweb.org 90er BBS/Scene-Archiv
- buildbroken.moonweb.org .NET Open Space Blog Archiv
- 28k8.moonweb.org, 90er BBS/Scene-Archiv
- buildbroken.moonweb.org, .NET Open Space Blog Archiv
## Dateistruktur
```
moonweb-site/
├── hub/ # Eleventy-Config + index.njk
├── infra/ # Eleventy-Config + index.njk + 8 Subseiten
├── smarthome/ # Eleventy-Config + index.njk + 9 Subseiten
├── code/ # Eleventy-Config + index.njk
│ └── _data/repos.json
├── retro/ # Eleventy-Config + index.njk + 13 Subseiten
├── hub/ # Index + Redirects (.htm) + impressum.njk
├── infra/ # Index.njk + 8 Subseiten
├── smarthome/ # Index.njk + 9 Subseiten
├── code/ # Index.njk
├── retro/ # Index.njk + 13 Subseiten
├── timecapsule/ # Eleventy 2.x (eigene Config)
│ ├── eleventy.config.js
│ ├── package.json
@@ -53,15 +52,20 @@ moonweb-site/
├── shared/ # Gemeinsame Komponenten
│ ├── _includes/
│ │ ├── base.njk # Basis-Layout (Header, Site-Switcher, Footer)
│ │ ── card-grid.njk # Card-Grid Template
├── base.css
── theme-*.css
│ │ ── card-grid.njk # Card-Grid Template
│ └── sitemap.njk # Zentrale Sitemap
── base.css # Shared CSS (Layout, Cards, Typografie)
│ └── favicon/ # Favicon-SVGs pro Section
├── _data/
│ └── repos.json # GitHub-Aggregator Output
├── scripts/
│ ├── github-aggregator/
│ └── merge-moonweb.sh # Merge-Skript fuer Deployment
│ ├── github-aggregator/ # Python: liest .moonweb.yml -> repos.json
│ └── cloudflare/ # Redirect-Setup fuer alte Subdomains
├── .github/workflows/
│ ├── build-deploy-moonweb.yml # CI/CD: IONOS SFTP (www.moonweb.org)
│ └── deploy-stefankoelle.yml # CI/CD: IONOS SFTP (stefankoelle.de)
├── eleventy.config.js # Zentrale Eleventy-Config (alle moonweb Sites)
├── .eleventyignore # Schliesst stefankoelle/, timecapsule/ aus
├── DESIGN.md
├── SPEC.md
├── PLAN.md
@@ -72,10 +76,10 @@ moonweb-site/
## Technischer Stack
- **SSG:** Eleventy (11ty) v3.1.6 (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro)
- **SSG:** Eleventy (11ty) v3.1.6 (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro) - zentrale Config
- **SSG:** Eleventy v2.0.1 (timecapsule - retro 2001 Design)
- **Templates:** Nunjucks (.njk)
- **CSS:** Variables-basiert mit Accent-Farben pro Site
- **CSS:** Variables-basiert mit Accent-Farben (inlined in base.njk)
- **Deploy (moonweb):** IONOS SFTP
- **Deploy (stefankoelle):** IONOS SFTP
- **CI/CD:** GitHub Actions (2 Workflows)
@@ -85,38 +89,35 @@ moonweb-site/
```bash
npm install
cd timecapsule && npm install # Timecapsule Dependencies
npm run prebuild # Pre-Build Tasks (CV PDF generieren)
npm run dev:hub # localhost:8081
npm run dev:infra # localhost:8082
npm run dev:smarthome # localhost:8083
npm run dev:code # localhost:8084
npm run dev:retro # localhost:8085
npm run dev:stefankoelle # localhost:8086
npm run dev:timecapsule # localhost:8087
npm run build # Alle Sites bauen
npm run build:moonweb # Nur moonweb Sites (ohne stefankoelle)
npm run merge:moonweb # Sites mergen fuer Deployment
npm run prebuild:cv # Pre-Build Tasks (CV PDF generieren)
npm run dev # Moonweb Sites (localhost:8081)
npm run dev:stefankoelle # stefankoelle.de (localhost:8086)
npm run dev:timecapsule # Timecapsule (localhost:8087)
npm run build # Alle moonweb Sites
npm run build:stefankoelle # Nur stefankoelle
npm run build:timecapsule # Nur timecapsule
npm run build:moonweb # Moonweb + Timecapsule (fuer Deployment)
```
## Design-Prinzipien
1. **Header konsistent** Identischer Site-Switcher auf allen Home-Sites
2. **Content flexibel** Detailseiten duerfen eigenes Layout haben
3. **Accent-Farben:** hub=#3b6ea5, infra=#99333A, smarthome=#1f8a8a, code=#3E5098, retro=#8a6d3b
4. **Englisch** Alle Sites komplett auf Englisch
5. **Keine Analytics** Keine Tracking-Tools
6. **Sensible Daten** Infra-Content wird manuell redigiert (keine IPs, Keys, Passwoerter)
1. **Header konsistent**, Identischer Site-Switcher auf allen Home-Sites
2. **Content flexibel**, Detailseiten duerfen eigenes Layout haben
3. **Accent-Farben:** hub=#3b6ea5, infra=#99333A, smarthome=#1f8a8a, code=#3E5098, retro=#8a6d3b (inlined in base.njk)
4. **Englisch**, Alle Sites komplett auf Englisch
5. **Keine Analytics**, Keine Tracking-Tools
6. **Sensible Daten**, Infra-Content wird manuell redigiert (keine IPs, Keys, Passwoerter)
## URL-Struktur
Alle Sites sind unter `www.moonweb.org` als Subverzeichnisse erreichbar:
- `www.moonweb.org/` Hub (Root)
- `www.moonweb.org/infra/` Infra
- `www.moonweb.org/smarthome/` Smarthome
- `www.moonweb.org/code/` Code
- `www.moonweb.org/retro/` Retro
- `www.moonweb.org/timecapsule/` Timecapsule (2001 Design)
- `www.moonweb.org/impressum/` Impressum
- `www.moonweb.org/`, Hub (Root)
- `www.moonweb.org/infra/`, Infra
- `www.moonweb.org/smarthome/`, Smarthome
- `www.moonweb.org/code/`, Code
- `www.moonweb.org/retro/`, Retro
- `www.moonweb.org/timecapsule/`, Timecapsule (2001 Design)
- `www.moonweb.org/impressum/`, Impressum
Cloudflare Redirects leiten alte Subdomains weiter:
- `hub.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/*`
@@ -140,14 +141,14 @@ Das CV-PDF wird via WeasyPrint generiert:
```bash
npm run pdf:cv # Einzelnes PDF generieren
npm run prebuild # Alle Pre-Build Tasks (inkl. CV PDF)
npm run prebuild:cv # Alle Pre-Build Tasks (inkl. CV PDF)
```
Dateien:
- `stefankoelle/pdf/cv-style.css` WeasyPrint-Stylesheet (A4, Typografie)
- `stefankoelle/pdf/build-pdf.sh` Shell-Skript fuer PDF-Generierung
- `stefankoelle/cv-print.njk` Standalone HTML-Template (nur CV-Content)
- `stefankoelle/pdf/cv.pdf` Generiertes PDF (Output)
- `stefankoelle/pdf/cv-style.css`, WeasyPrint-Stylesheet (A4, Typografie)
- `stefankoelle/pdf/build-pdf.sh`, Shell-Skript fuer PDF-Generierung
- `stefankoelle/cv-print.njk`, Standalone HTML-Template (nur CV-Content)
- `stefankoelle/pdf/cv.pdf`, Generiertes PDF (Output)
Wichtig: Das PDF wird via Eleventy-Passthrough ins Build-Output kopiert (`dist/stefankoelle/pdf/cv.pdf`).
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ Benötigte Secrets:
## GitHub Aggregator
Das Skript `scripts/github-aggregator/aggregate.py` liest aus jedem public Repo unter `skoelle` die `.moonweb.yml` und generiert `code/_data/repos.json`.
Das Skript `scripts/github-aggregator/aggregate.py` liest aus jedem public Repo unter `skoelle` die `.moonweb.yml` und generiert `_data/repos.json`.
### .moonweb.yml Format
+18 -18
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@@ -1,57 +1,57 @@
# moonweb.org Hub-Konzept (v5 fast vollständig, letzte Lücken vor SPEC.md/PLAN.md)
# moonweb.org Hub-Konzept (v5, fast vollständig, letzte Lücken vor SPEC.md/PLAN.md)
Status: Konzeptrunde nahezu abgeschlossen. Noch keine Umsetzung.
## 1. Header/Layout-Prinzip final
## 1. Header/Layout-Prinzip, final
Für alle Home-Bereich-Sites (infra, smarthome, code, retro) gilt ab jetzt ein klares Prinzip:
- **Header ist das Wichtigste** identisch über alle vier Sites (Site-Switcher, Banner, Farbakzent der jeweiligen Domain).
- **Header ist das Wichtigste**, identisch über alle vier Sites (Site-Switcher, Banner, Farbakzent der jeweiligen Domain).
- **Übersichtsseiten** (Domain-Root) folgen dem einheitlichen Card-Grid-Grundlayout.
- **Detailseiten/Subseiten** übernehmen den gleichen Header, dürfen darunter aber ein **eigenes, freieres Layout** haben (wie es bei `/ledmatrix/` auf stefankoelle.de heute schon der Fall ist Pinbelegung, API-Doku, Fotos in freier Anordnung statt starres Card-Raster).
- **Detailseiten/Subseiten** übernehmen den gleichen Header, dürfen darunter aber ein **eigenes, freieres Layout** haben (wie es bei `/ledmatrix/` auf stefankoelle.de heute schon der Fall ist, Pinbelegung, API-Doku, Fotos in freier Anordnung statt starres Card-Raster).
Das ist ein wichtiger Unterschied zu v3/v4: nicht "alles identisch", sondern **Header konsistent, Content-Layout pro Subseite flexibel**.
## 2. LEDMatrix-Migration erledigt (Phase 5)
## 2. LEDMatrix-Migration, erledigt (Phase 5)
- `/ledmatrix/` wurde vollständig ins Monorepo migriert und liegt unter `stefankoelle/de/ledmatrix/`.
- Deploy erfolgt über IONOS SFTP alongside dem stefankoelle.de Onepager.
- Die URL `stefankoelle.de/ledmatrix/` bleibt unverändert bestehen.
## 3. Detailtiefe pro Domain final festgelegt
## 3. Detailtiefe pro Domain, final festgelegt
| Domain | Detailseiten? | Regel |
|---|---|---|
| smarthome | Ja, aber nur wenn genug Content da ist | Übersicht zeigt Aufbau des Smarthomes; ein Thema bekommt sofort eine Detailseite, wenn Daten vorhanden sind sonst wird das Thema vorerst nur in der Übersicht erwähnt (kein Platzhalter-Zwang) |
| code | **Nie** | Nur Übersichtskarten + Link zu GitHub bewusst kein Duplizieren von README-Inhalten |
| infra | Kaum, eher übersichtsorientiert | Hauptteil bleibt bewusst oberflächlich, da sensible Daten (IPs, Keys, interne Topologie) nicht öffentlich dürfen siehe Punkt 4 |
| retro | Ja, aber bewusst rudimentär | Thema ist inhaltlich noch unausgereift nur Grundgerüst anlegen, keine weitere Zeit investieren |
| smarthome | Ja, aber nur wenn genug Content da ist | Übersicht zeigt Aufbau des Smarthomes; ein Thema bekommt sofort eine Detailseite, wenn Daten vorhanden sind, sonst wird das Thema vorerst nur in der Übersicht erwähnt (kein Platzhalter-Zwang) |
| code | **Nie** | Nur Übersichtskarten + Link zu GitHub, bewusst kein Duplizieren von README-Inhalten |
| infra | Kaum, eher übersichtsorientiert | Hauptteil bleibt bewusst oberflächlich, da sensible Daten (IPs, Keys, interne Topologie) nicht öffentlich dürfen, siehe Punkt 4 |
| retro | Ja, aber bewusst rudimentär | Thema ist inhaltlich noch unausgereift, nur Grundgerüst anlegen, keine weitere Zeit investieren |
## 4. Infra-Sensitivität Redaktionsregel (neu, wichtig für SPEC.md)
## 4. Infra-Sensitivität, Redaktionsregel (neu, wichtig für SPEC.md)
Da infra "eher oberflächlich" bleiben soll, braucht es eine einfache Faustregel, was rein darf und was nicht sonst ist das bei der Migration der bestehenden Docs (Heimnetzwerk-Final etc.) jedes Mal eine Einzelfallentscheidung:
Da infra "eher oberflächlich" bleiben soll, braucht es eine einfache Faustregel, was rein darf und was nicht, sonst ist das bei der Migration der bestehenden Docs (Heimnetzwerk-Final etc.) jedes Mal eine Einzelfallentscheidung:
- **Darf rein:** Architektur-Ebene (Proxmox + Synology + Docker-Host, VLAN-Konzept ohne konkrete interne IP-Pläne, welche Diensttypen laufen, welche Tools genutzt werden).
- **Darf nicht rein:** konkrete IP-Adressen, WireGuard-Keys/Preshared-Keys, Passwörter, interne Hostnamen mit Rückschlussmöglichkeit, Backup-Ziele mit Zugangsdaten.
Diese Regel gilt 1:1 auch für retro/smarthome, ist aber bei infra am relevantesten, weil dort die Rohdokumente (z. B. Heimnetzwerk-Final-v3.2, GL_Flint2_Final_v2) aktuell sehr konkret sind (u. a. reale IPs, WireGuard-Keys) und beim Übertragen aktiv gekürzt werden müssen.
## 5. Bilder/Assets final
## 5. Bilder/Assets, final
Alle Bilder bleiben **im GitHub-Repo** versioniert (kein separates Cloudflare R2/Images). Einfachster Weg, passt zum ohnehin geplanten Monorepo-Ansatz.
## 6. DNS bereits bei Cloudflare
## 6. DNS, bereits bei Cloudflare
Zone liegt schon bei Cloudflare, Pages-Anbindung ist damit ohne Zusatzschritt möglich. Offen bleibt nur, wohin die nackte Domain `moonweb.org` zeigt (siehe offene Frage 1 unten).
## 7. Übersetzung, Last-Updated, Analytics, Perplexity-Rückkanal final
## 7. Übersetzung, Last-Updated, Analytics, Perplexity-Rückkanal, final
- **Übersetzung:** einmaliger KI-gestützter Durchlauf pro Dokument bei der Migration, kein wiederkehrender Prozess.
- **Last-Updated-Anzeige:** einfachste Lösung im Zweifel **gar keine Anzeige**. Stattdessen soll der Anspruch sein, dass Inhalte grundsätzlich aktuell gehalten werden, statt ein Datum zu zeigen, das dann veraltet wirkt.
- **Last-Updated-Anzeige:** einfachste Lösung, im Zweifel **gar keine Anzeige**. Stattdessen soll der Anspruch sein, dass Inhalte grundsätzlich aktuell gehalten werden, statt ein Datum zu zeigen, das dann veraltet wirkt.
- **Analytics:** keine Statistik-Erfassung, weder Cloudflare Web Analytics noch anderes.
- **Perplexity-Rückkanal:** zurückgestellt, wird später erneut betrachtet, keine Zeit jetzt investieren.
## 8. Offene Kleinigkeiten beantwortet
## 8. Offene Kleinigkeiten, beantwortet
Die vier ursprünglich offenen Punkte wurden inzwischen in SPEC.md/PLAN.md beantwortet:
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Die vier ursprünglich offenen Punkte wurden inzwischen in SPEC.md/PLAN.md beant
3. **Start-Reihenfolge:** Alle Sites gleichzeitig (PLAN.md §1: "launch simultaneously")
4. **Platzhalter-Verhalten:** Keine Platzhalter, ehrliche kurze Seiten + WIP-Hinweise (SPEC.md §5, retro/ hat WIP-Badge)
## 9. Gesamtstand Konzept vollständig
## 9. Gesamtstand, Konzept vollständig
Alle Entscheidungsgrundlagen sind in SPEC.md (was) und PLAN.md (wie/wann) umgesetzt:
+60 -50
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@@ -1,64 +1,74 @@
# moonweb.org Implementation Plan
# moonweb.org, Implementation Plan
Companion to `SPEC.md`. Defines order of work. All sites (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro, stefankoelle) launch **simultaneously** — no staged rollout by domain.
Companion to `SPEC.md`. Documents the completed migration from separate subdomain sites to a unified `www.moonweb.org` subdirectory structure.
## Phase 0 Repo & tooling setup
## Phase 0, Repo & tooling setup
1. Create the `moonweb-site` monorepo (private until first launch, then can stay private since Pages deploys the built output, not the source).
2. Initialize Eleventy project structure per `SPEC.md §10`.
3. Set up `shared/layout-base.njk` (header + card-grid) and one `theme-*.css` per accent color (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro).
4. Verify local dev server works per site (`npm run dev:<site>`) before any content work starts.
1. Created the `moonweb-site` monorepo.
2. Initialized Eleventy project structure per `SPEC.md §10`.
3. Set up `shared/_includes/base.njk` (header + card-grid) with accent colors inlined.
4. Verified local dev server works per site.
## Phase 1 Content migration & authoring (per domain)
## Phase 1, Content migration & authoring (per domain)
Work order within this phase is flexible since all domains launch together; suggested sequence based on how self-contained each domain's content is:
1. **code**, GitHub aggregator, `_data/repos.json`, overview page grouped by subcategory.
2. **smarthome**, overview + detail pages where content exists.
3. **infra**, shallow overview with redaction pass (no IPs, keys, passwords).
4. **retro**, minimal overview with WIP notices.
5. **hub**, central index linking all sites, including redirect `.htm` files for old www.moonweb.org paths.
6. **timecapsule**, integrated from moonweb-www, preserves original 2001 design under `/timecapsule/`.
1. **code** — simplest case, no detail pages, no sensitive-data filtering needed.
- Add `.moonweb.yml` to each GitHub repo (see `SPEC.md §8`).
- Build the aggregator script, run it once, generate `code/_data/repos.json`.
- Build the overview page grouped by subcategory (Automation & Sync, Dev-Tools, Web Apps, Firmware/Hardware, Misc).
2. **smarthome** — overview first, detail pages only where content already exists.
- Draft the overview: how the smart home is structured (buttons/control, sensors, calendar, weather, media).
- For each existing topic with enough material (HomematicIP/MQTT, Tasmota, LED-Matrix *reference only, no migration*, M5Stack/WT32SC01 dashboards, WetterAPI, AirPlay, OctoPi, TubeArchivist), decide case by case: enough content → detail page; too thin → mention in overview only, no placeholder.
- Translate source material to English during authoring (one-time AI pass per document, per `SPEC.md §7`).
3. **infra** — overview only, redaction pass required.
- Draft a shallow, structured overview: Proxmox/pve2, Synology, VLANs, Fritz!Box mesh, SSO, Docker hosting model, plus the "how I work" section (OpenClaw/OpenCode setup, dev workflow).
- Apply the redaction rule from `SPEC.md §6` while translating — strip IPs, keys, credentials, internal hostnames from every source document before it becomes public content.
- Skip detail pages unless a topic can be described without any sensitive detail.
4. **retro** — minimal effort, rudimentary only.
- One overview page listing what hardware exists.
- Add "work in progress" notices for anything that isn't ready — better an honest short page than none.
5. **hub** — build last within this phase since it links to all the others.
- One-line description + link per destination (infra, smarthome, code, retro, stefankoelle, and external links to www.moonweb.org, 28k8.moonweb.org).
## Phase 2, CI/CD
## Phase 2 — CI/CD
1. GitHub Actions workflow `build-deploy-moonweb.yml`: single Eleventy build for all moonweb sites + timecapsule build, deploy via IONOS SFTP.
2. GitHub Actions workflow `deploy-stefankoelle.yml`: stefankoelle.de build, deploy via IONOS SFTP.
3. Cloudflare redirect rules for old subdomains (`scripts/cloudflare/`).
1. Write `.github/workflows/build-deploy.yml`: builds all five sites in one job (or matrix), then deploys each output folder to its corresponding Cloudflare Pages project via `wrangler pages deploy`.
2. Create five Cloudflare Pages projects (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro), each bound to its target custom domain (DNS already on Cloudflare, no extra setup needed).
3. Do one full dry run per site locally before the first real deploy.
## Phase 3, Consolidation to www.moonweb.org
## Phase 3 — Launch
All moonweb.org sites now live under `www.moonweb.org` as subdirectories:
1. Deploy all five sites simultaneously.
2. Point the respective custom domains at their Pages projects.
3. Apex domain `moonweb.org` keeps redirecting to `www.moonweb.org` for now (no change in this launch).
4. Smoke-test cross-linking: hub → each site, site-switcher on infra/smarthome/code/retro, smarthome → external ledmatrix link, code cards → GitHub links.
| URL | Content |
|-----|---------|
| `www.moonweb.org/` | Hub (root) |
| `www.moonweb.org/infra/` | Infrastructure |
| `www.moonweb.org/smarthome/` | Smart Home |
| `www.moonweb.org/code/` | Code catalog |
| `www.moonweb.org/retro/` | Retro hardware |
| `www.moonweb.org/timecapsule/` | 2000s time capsule |
| `www.moonweb.org/impressum/` | Legal notice |
## Phase 4 — Explicitly deferred (not part of this build)
Cloudflare redirects forward old subdomains:
- `hub.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/*`
- `infra.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/infra/*`
- `smarthome.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/smarthome/*`
- `code.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/code/*`
- `retro.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/retro/*`
- Deciding on 28k8.moonweb.org's future (stay separate vs. eventual monorepo inclusion).
- Building any Perplexity-backchannel mechanism for reusing published site content in this project.
- Redirecting the apex domain from `www.moonweb.org` to `hub.moonweb.org`.
- Any analytics, "last updated" timestamps, or scheduled/automated content generation beyond the one-time GitHub aggregator run.
### Technical consolidation
## Definition of done for this build
- Single `eleventy.config.js` at root with computed `pathPrefix` per section.
- Shared `base.njk` layout with inlined accent colors (no per-site theme CSS).
- Central `_data/repos.json` (moved from `code/_data/`).
- Central sitemap (`shared/_includes/sitemap.njk`) with all 36 pages.
- Single `robots.txt` at root.
- `.eleventyignore` excludes `stefankoelle/` and `timecapsule/` (built separately).
- `build-pdf.sh` temporarily renames `.eleventyignore` for stefankoelle build.
- All sites live on their respective platforms:
- hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro on Cloudflare Pages under their intended domains.
- stefankoelle.de on IONOS via SFTP deployment.
- code.moonweb.org reflects the current GitHub repos via the `.moonweb.yml` aggregator, grouped by subcategory.
- smarthome.moonweb.org gives an accurate picture of what's running on the homelab today, with detail pages only where content already existed.
- infra.moonweb.org describes the stack shallowly with zero sensitive data leaked.
- retro.moonweb.org exists with an honest, minimal overview (WIP notices allowed).
- hub.moonweb.org correctly links everything, including the external sites (www.moonweb.org, 28k8.moonweb.org).
- stefankoelle.de is a working onepager with CV, Projects, Languages, Impressum, and the LED Matrix documentation sub-page.
## Definition of done, Achieved
- All sites live under `www.moonweb.org` as subdirectories, deployed via IONOS SFTP.
- `www.moonweb.org/code/` reflects the current GitHub repos via the `.moonweb.yml` aggregator.
- `www.moonweb.org/smarthome/` gives an accurate picture of what's running on the homelab.
- `www.moonweb.org/infra/` describes the stack shallowly with zero sensitive data leaked.
- `www.moonweb.org/retro/` exists with an honest, minimal overview.
- `www.moonweb.org/` correctly links everything.
- `stefankoelle.de` is a working onepager with CV, Projects, Languages, Impressum, and LED Matrix documentation.
- Old subdomains redirect via Cloudflare to new paths.
- Old www.moonweb.org content preserved under `/timecapsule/`.
## Remaining items
- Cloudflare redirect rules need activation (script ready, needs `CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN` and `CLOUDFLARE_ZONE_ID` secrets, or manual dashboard setup).
- Google Search Console: new property `www.moonweb.org` not yet created.
- `moonweb-www` repository not yet archived.
+59 -75
View File
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
# moonweb-site
Monorepo for the **moonweb.org** homelab six static sites built with [Eleventy](https://www.11ty.dev/), deployed to [IONOS SFTP](https://www.ionos.de/).
Monorepo for the **moonweb.org** homelab, six static sites built with [Eleventy](https://www.11ty.dev/), deployed to [IONOS SFTP](https://www.ionos.de/).
```
www.moonweb.org/ -> Central index & gateway
@@ -21,21 +21,26 @@ stefankoelle.de -> CV, career, personal site (LED Matrix docs)
```
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| GitHub Actions CI |
| +-----------+ +------------+ +-------------+ +---------+ +------+ |
| | build:hub | |build:infra | | build:smart | | build:... | | build:timecapsule | |
| +-----+-----+ +-----+------+ +------+------+ +----+----+ +----+----+ +--------+ |
| | | | | | | |
| v v v v v v |
| dist/hub/ dist/infra/ dist/smarthome/ dist/.../ dist/timecapsule/ |
+--------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| |
v v
+------------------+ +------------------+
| IONOS SFTP | | IONOS SFTP |
| (www.moonweb.org)| | (stefankoelle.de)|
+--------+---------+ +--------+---------+
v v
www.moonweb.org/* stefankoelle.de
| +-------------------+ +---------------------+ |
| | build-deploy- | | deploy-stefankoelle | |
| | moonweb | | | |
| +--------+----------+ +----------+----------+ |
| | | |
| v v |
| npm run build npm run build:stefankoelle |
| + build:timecapsule | |
| | | |
| v v |
| dist/moonweb/ dist/stefankoelle/ |
+-----------+------------------------+-------------------------------+
| |
v v
+------------------+ +------------------+
| IONOS SFTP | | IONOS SFTP |
| (www.moonweb.org)| | (stefankoelle.de)|
+--------+---------+ +--------+---------+
v v
www.moonweb.org/* stefankoelle.de
```
---
@@ -47,9 +52,9 @@ stefankoelle.de -> CV, career, personal site (LED Matrix docs)
| **SSG** | [Eleventy 3.1.6](https://www.11ty.dev/) | Markdown/YAML-first, minimal JS, `_data` folders map directly to aggregator output |
| **SSG (timecapsule)** | [Eleventy 2.0.1](https://www.11ty.dev/) | Legacy 2001 design, CommonJS config |
| **Templates** | [Nunjucks](https://mozilla.github.io/nunjucks/) | Shared `base.njk` layout with site-switcher header, `card-grid.njk` for index pages |
| **Styling** | Custom CSS (variables-based) | `base.css` for shared layout, `theme-*.css` per domain accent color |
| **Styling** | Custom CSS (variables-based) | `base.css` for shared layout, accent colors inlined in `base.njk` |
| **Fonts** | [Lobster](https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Lobster) (Google Fonts) | Distinctive heading font across all sites |
| **CI/CD** | [GitHub Actions](https://github.com/features/actions) | Matrix build for all sites, artifact upload, merge step, parallel deploy |
| **CI/CD** | [GitHub Actions](https://github.com/features/actions) | Single build job, parallel SFTP deploy |
| **Deploy** | IONOS SFTP | Static hosting via SFTP upload |
| **DNS** | Cloudflare | DNS management + redirects from old subdomains |
| **GitHub Catalog** | Python aggregator | Reads `.moonweb.yml` from each repo, outputs `repos.json` |
@@ -63,27 +68,19 @@ stefankoelle.de -> CV, career, personal site (LED Matrix docs)
npm install # install Eleventy + deps
cd timecapsule && npm install # timecapsule has own deps (Eleventy 2.x)
npm run dev:hub # http://localhost:8081
npm run dev:infra # http://localhost:8082
npm run dev:smarthome # http://localhost:8083
npm run dev:code # http://localhost:8084
npm run dev:retro # http://localhost:8085
npm run dev:stefankoelle # http://localhost:8086
npm run dev:timecapsule # http://localhost:8087
npm run dev # all 7 in parallel
npm run dev # moonweb sites (localhost:8081)
npm run dev:stefankoelle # stefankoelle.de (localhost:8086)
npm run dev:timecapsule # timecapsule (localhost:8087)
```
Each site has its own minimal Eleventy config (`<site>/eleventy.config.js`). Live reload is built in.
### Build
```bash
npm run prebuild # pre-build tasks (CV PDF)
npm run build # builds all sites
npm run build:moonweb # builds moonweb sites only (excludes stefankoelle)
npm run build:hub # build single site
npm run merge:moonweb # merge all moonweb sites into dist/ for deployment
npm run prebuild:cv # pre-build tasks (CV PDF)
npm run build # builds all moonweb sites (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro)
npm run build:stefankoelle # builds stefankoelle.de
npm run build:timecapsule # builds timecapsule
npm run build:moonweb # builds moonweb + timecapsule (for deployment)
```
---
@@ -92,18 +89,10 @@ npm run merge:moonweb # merge all moonweb sites into dist/ for de
```
moonweb-site/
├── hub/ # Central index & gateway
├── hub/ # Central index + redirect .htm files
├── infra/ # Infra overview + 8 detail pages
│ ├── backup-strategy/
│ ├── monitoring/
│ ├── dev-environment/
│ └── ...
├── smarthome/ # Smart home overview + 9 detail pages
│ ├── homematic-mqtt/
│ ├── tasmota-energy/
│ └── ...
├── code/ # GitHub catalog
│ └── _data/repos.json # populated by the aggregator
├── retro/ # Retro hardware + 13 detail pages
├── timecapsule/ # 2000s retro design (Eleventy 2.x)
│ ├── eleventy.config.js
@@ -111,27 +100,32 @@ moonweb-site/
│ └── src/
├── stefankoelle/ # CV, career, personal site
│ ├── eleventy.config.js
│ ├── index.njk # Onepager (CV, Projects, Languages)
│ ├── cv-print.njk # CV-only for PDF generation
│ ├── ledmatrix/ # LED Matrix WebServer documentation
│ └── assets/ # CSS, JS, images, favicons
│ ├── index.njk
│ ├── cv-print.njk
│ ├── ledmatrix/
│ └── assets/
├── shared/ # Shared components
│ ├── _includes/
│ │ ├── base.njk # base layout (header, site-switcher, footer)
│ │ ── card-grid.njk # card-grid template with emoji support
├── base.css # shared CSS (layout, cards, typography)
── theme-*.css # accent colors per domain
│ │ ── card-grid.njk # card-grid template
│ └── sitemap.njk # central sitemap template
── base.css # shared CSS
│ └── favicon/ # favicon SVGs per section
├── _data/
│ └── repos.json # populated by the GitHub aggregator
├── scripts/
│ ├── github-aggregator/ # Python: reads .moonweb.yml -> repos.json
│ └── merge-moonweb.sh # Merge script for deployment
│ └── cloudflare/ # redirect setup for old subdomains
├── .github/workflows/
│ ├── build-deploy-moonweb.yml # CI/CD: build + deploy to IONOS SFTP
│ └── deploy-stefankoelle.yml # CI/CD: stefankoelle.de to IONOS SFTP
├── DESIGN.md # Initial concept
├── SPEC.md # Full specification
├── PLAN.md # Implementation plan
├── TODO.md # Open items & workflow
── package.json # npm scripts for dev/build
│ ├── build-deploy-moonweb.yml # CI/CD: IONOS SFTP (www.moonweb.org)
│ └── deploy-stefankoelle.yml # CI/CD: IONOS SFTP (stefankoelle.de)
├── eleventy.config.js # single config for all moonweb sites
├── .eleventyignore # excludes stefankoelle/, timecapsule/
├── DESIGN.md
├── SPEC.md
── PLAN.md
├── TODO.md
└── package.json
```
---
@@ -145,24 +139,12 @@ Defined in `.github/workflows/build-deploy-moonweb.yml`:
```
push to main
|
+-- Build (matrix: hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro)
+-- Build
| +-- checkout -> setup-node (22) -> npm ci
| +-- npm run build:<site>
| +-- validate dist/<site>/ exists & non-empty
| +-- upload artifact (7-day retention)
|
+-- Build timecapsule
| +-- cd timecapsule && npm ci
| +-- npm run build (all moonweb sites in one Eleventy run)
| +-- npm run build:timecapsule
| +-- upload artifact
|
+-- Merge
| +-- download all artifacts
| +-- merge into dist/ (hub=root, others=subdirs)
| +-- upload merged artifact
|
+-- Deploy
+-- download merged artifact
+-- SFTP upload to IONOS /websites/moonweb/
```
@@ -223,7 +205,7 @@ Cloudflare redirects forward old subdomains:
2. Reads `.moonweb.yml` from each repo root
3. Filters for `category: code` entries
4. Sorts by subcategory + title
5. Writes combined result to `code/_data/repos.json`
5. Writes combined result to `_data/repos.json`
### `.moonweb.yml` schema
@@ -241,8 +223,9 @@ repo_url: "https://github.com/skoelle/mvg-departures"
### Manual run
```bash
export GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_xxx
python scripts/github-aggregator/aggregate.py
python3 -m venv .venv
.venv/bin/pip install pyyaml
.venv/bin/python scripts/github-aggregator/aggregate.py
```
---
@@ -276,6 +259,7 @@ All moonweb sites are written **entirely in English**. The timecapsule uses the
| `PLAN.md` | Phased implementation plan |
| `TODO.md` | Open items, workflow, and current status |
| `README.md` | This file - project overview for GitHub |
| `AGENTS.md` | AI agent instructions for this codebase |
---
+94 -75
View File
@@ -1,96 +1,102 @@
# moonweb.org Specification
# moonweb.org, Specification
Status: Concept finalized. This document defines *what* gets built. See `PLAN.md` for *how and in what order*.
Status: Migration complete. All sites live under `www.moonweb.org` as subdirectories, deployed via IONOS SFTP.
## 1. Purpose
A personal homelab hub consisting of a central index (`hub`) and several themed static sites, replacing the current unstructured presentation of infrastructure, smart home projects, and GitHub repos. cv (stefankoelle.de) remains external, linked from the hub and site-switcher.
A personal homelab hub consisting of a central index (`hub` at root) and several themed static sites, all served under `www.moonweb.org` as subdirectories. The old timecapsule content (2001 design) is preserved under `/timecapsule/`. cv (stefankoelle.de) remains external, linked from the hub and site-switcher.
## 2. Sitemap
```
moonweb-site (monorepo)
├── hub/ → hub.moonweb.org Central index & gateway
├── infra/ → infra.moonweb.org System architecture / stack overview
├── smarthome/ → smarthome.moonweb.org What the homelab actually runs, and why
├── code/ → code.moonweb.org Curated GitHub catalog
├── retro/ → retro.moonweb.org Physical retro hardware collection
── stefankoelle/→ stefankoelle.de CV, career, personal site (SFTP deploy)
├── hub/ → www.moonweb.org/ Central index & gateway
├── infra/ → www.moonweb.org/infra/ System architecture / stack overview
├── smarthome/ → www.moonweb.org/smarthome/ What the homelab actually runs, and why
├── code/ → www.moonweb.org/code/ Curated GitHub catalog
├── retro/ → www.moonweb.org/retro/ Physical retro hardware collection
── timecapsule/ www.moonweb.org/timecapsule/ 2001-era internet time capsule
└── stefankoelle/→ stefankoelle.de CV, career, personal site (SFTP deploy)
outside the monorepo, untouched:
├── www.moonweb.org finished, no overlap (2001-style internet time capsule)
├── 28k8.moonweb.org 90s BBS/scene archive, separate approach, may migrate later (undecided)
├── 28k8.moonweb.org 90s BBS/scene archive
├── buildbroken.moonweb.org .NET Open Space blog archive
```
Apex domain `moonweb.org` currently redirects to `www.moonweb.org`. This stays as-is for now; a later redirect to `hub.moonweb.org` is possible but out of scope for this build.
Old subdomain redirects (via Cloudflare):
- `hub.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/*`
- `infra.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/infra/*`
- `smarthome.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/smarthome/*`
- `code.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/code/*`
- `retro.moonweb.org/*``www.moonweb.org/retro/*`
## 3. Domain purposes
| Domain | Purpose | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| hub | Gateway, links to everything, one-line description per destination | Minimal |
| infra | Shallow, structured overview of the stack: Proxmox (PVE + pve2), Synology DS918+, VLANs, Fritz!Box mesh, SSO, plus how I work (OpenCode/OpenClaw dev environment) | Reference, high-level only |
| smarthome | Why the homelab exists — what's actually running on the homelab as smart home: sensors, automation, calendar/contacts sync, dashboards, media | Project storytelling |
| code | Curated, sorted GitHub catalog overview only, always linking out to GitHub | Portfolio |
| retro | Physical retro hardware collection (not software/demos that's 28k8's domain) | Simple, factual |
| Domain | URL | Purpose | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| hub | `/` | Gateway, links to everything, one-line description per destination | Minimal |
| infra | `/infra/` | Shallow, structured overview of the stack: Proxmox, Synology, VLANs, Docker hosting, dev environment | Reference, high-level only |
| smarthome | `/smarthome/` | Why the homelab exists, sensors, automation, calendar/contacts sync, dashboards, media | Project storytelling |
| code | `/code/` | Curated, sorted GitHub catalog, overview only, always linking out to GitHub | Portfolio |
| retro | `/retro/` | Physical retro hardware collection (not software/demos, that's 28k8's domain) | Simple, factual |
| timecapsule | `/timecapsule/` | Original www.moonweb.org content from 2001, preserved as-is | Retro 2001 design |
## 4. Design system
### 4.1 Header-consistent, content-flexible principle
- **Header is identical** across infra/smarthome/code/retro: site-switcher (hub · infra · smarthome · code · retro), domain accent color, consistent branding.
- **Overview (index) pages** use a shared card-grid layout (reference: clean card-grid layout with banner header, grouped card sections, sans-serif, generous whitespace, light theme only, no heavy JS).
- **Detail/sub-pages** keep the same header but may use a freer layout below it (reference: `/ledmatrix/` on stefankoelle.de today — pin tables, API docs, photos in free layout instead of a rigid card grid).
- **Header is identical** across all sites: site-switcher (home · infra · smarthome · code · retro · cv), section title (`moonweb.org` or `moonweb.org/smarthome`), domain accent color.
- **Overview (index) pages** use a shared card-grid layout (clean card-grid with banner header, grouped card sections, sans-serif, generous whitespace, light theme only, no heavy JS).
- **Detail/sub-pages** keep the same header but may use a freer layout below it.
Note: stefankoelle.de is now part of the monorepo but uses its own independent design it does not follow this header-consistent principle.
Note: stefankoelle.de uses its own independent design, it does not follow this header-consistent principle.
### 4.2 Accent colors per domain
| Domain | Accent |
|---|---|
| hub | Neutral blue |
| infra | Grey-blue |
| smarthome | Teal |
| code | Violet |
| retro | Own accent, still clean card-grid (no 90s styling — that belongs to 28k8) |
| Domain | Accent | Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| hub | Neutral blue (#3b6ea5) | Inlined `<style>` in base.njk |
| infra | Red (#99333A) | Inlined `<style>` in base.njk |
| smarthome | Teal (#1f8a8a) | Inlined `<style>` in base.njk |
| code | Violet (#3E5098) | Inlined `<style>` in base.njk |
| retro | Brown (#8a6d3b) | Inlined `<style>` in base.njk |
### 4.3 URL convention
`domain/slug/` lowercase, hyphenated, trailing slash, matching the existing stefankoelle.de pattern (e.g. `/ledmatrix/`) so future detail pages stay consistent even if content later migrates between sites.
`/section/slug/`, lowercase, hyphenated, trailing slash. All sites share a single Eleventy build with computed `pathPrefix` per section.
## 5. Content depth rules (per domain)
| Domain | Detail pages? | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| smarthome | Yes, when there's enough content | Index shows how the smart home is structured; a topic gets a detail page immediately if enough data exists otherwise it's mentioned in the overview only, no placeholder required |
| smarthome | Yes, when there's enough content | Index shows how the smart home is structured; a topic gets a detail page immediately if enough data exists, otherwise it's mentioned in the overview only, no placeholder required |
| code | Never | Overview cards + link to GitHub only. No duplicating README content. |
| infra | Rarely | Deliberately shallow most of the raw material is sensitive (see §6) |
| infra | Rarely | Deliberately shallow, most of the raw material is sensitive (see §6) |
| retro | Yes, but minimal | Topic is still immature; create only a rudimentary overview, don't over-invest time |
General rule across all domains: **if content is too thin for a good detail page, skip the detail page don't create a placeholder.**
General rule across all domains: **if content is too thin for a good detail page, skip the detail page, don't create a placeholder.**
## 6. Infra content redaction rule
Because infra must stay shallow and public-safe:
- **Allowed:** architecture level Proxmox + Synology + Docker host, VLAN concept without concrete internal IP plans, which service types run, which tools are used.
- **Allowed:** architecture level, Proxmox + Synology + Docker host, VLAN concept without concrete internal IP plans, which service types run, which tools are used.
- **Not allowed:** concrete IP addresses, WireGuard keys/preshared keys, passwords, internal hostnames that allow inference, backup targets with credentials.
This rule applies to any domain but is most relevant for infra, since the source documents (e.g. Heimnetzwerk-Final-v3.2, GL_Flint2_Final_v2) currently contain real IPs and keys that must be actively stripped during migration.
This rule applies to any domain but is most relevant for infra, since the source documents currently contain real IPs and keys that must be actively stripped during migration.
## 7. Language
All sites in the monorepo are written **entirely in English**. Existing German source documents are translated once during migration via a single AI-assisted pass not a recurring process. New `.moonweb.yml` metadata and generated content are authored in English from the start.
All sites in the monorepo are written **entirely in English**. Existing German source documents are translated once during migration via a single AI-assisted pass, not a recurring process. New `.moonweb.yml` metadata and generated content are authored in English from the start.
## 8. GitHub automation (code.moonweb.org)
## 8. GitHub automation (www.moonweb.org/code/)
Each GitHub project repo gets a `.moonweb.yml` in its root:
```yaml
title: "MVG Departures"
category: code # code | smarthome | infra
subcategory: "Web Apps" # drives grouping on code.moonweb.org
subcategory: "Web Apps" # drives grouping on www.moonweb.org/code/
status: active
stack: [Python, FastAPI]
hosted_on: "Docker Host Debian (PVE)"
@@ -98,13 +104,13 @@ summary: "Compact MVG/S-Bahn departure monitor with configurable stations."
repo_url: "https://github.com/skoelle/mvg-departures"
```
A local aggregator script reads `.moonweb.yml` from all repos via the GitHub API, an AI pass turns the raw YAML into readable card copy, and the result is committed into `code/_data/repos.json` inside the monorepo. This runs manually, on demand no scheduled automation for now.
A local aggregator script reads `.moonweb.yml` from all repos via the GitHub API, and the result is committed into `_data/repos.json` inside the monorepo. This runs manually, on demand, no scheduled automation for now.
## 9. Content maintenance
- infra, smarthome, retro, stefankoelle: **fully manual**, edited in vim, committed via git push. No automation.
- code: the only automated piece is the GitHub aggregator described in §8.
- No "last updated" timestamps are shown anywhere the goal is that content is simply kept current, not that staleness is displayed.
- No "last updated" timestamps are shown anywhere, the goal is that content is simply kept current, not that staleness is displayed.
- No analytics/tracking of any kind on any site.
- Images/assets live versioned directly in the monorepo (no external asset host).
@@ -112,47 +118,60 @@ A local aggregator script reads `.moonweb.yml` from all repos via the GitHub API
```
moonweb-site/
├── hub/
├── infra/
├── smarthome/
├── code/
│ └── _data/repos.json # populated by the GitHub aggregator
├── retro/
├── stefankoelle/ # CV, career, personal site
├── hub/ # Index + Redirects (.htm) + impressum.njk
├── infra/ # Index.njk + 8 Subseiten
├── smarthome/ # Index.njk + 9 Subseiten
├── code/ # Index.njk
├── retro/ # Index.njk + 13 Subseiten
├── timecapsule/ # Eleventy 2.x (eigene Config)
│ ├── eleventy.config.js
│ ├── index.njk # Onepager (CV, Projects, Languages)
── cv-print.njk # CV-only for PDF generation
│ ├── ledmatrix/ # LED Matrix WebServer documentation
── assets/ # CSS, JS, images, favicons
├── shared/
│ ├── package.json
── src/
├── stefankoelle/ # Eleventy-Config + Onepager
── eleventy.config.js
│ ├── index.njk
│ ├── cv-print.njk
│ ├── ledmatrix/
│ └── assets/
├── shared/ # Shared components
│ ├── _includes/
│ │ ├── base.njk # shared header + footer layout
│ │ ── card-grid.njk # card-grid template
├── base.css # shared CSS variables and layout
── theme-*.css # one accent color file per domain
│ │ ├── base.njk # base layout (header, site-switcher, footer)
│ │ ── card-grid.njk # card-grid template
│ └── sitemap.njk # central sitemap template
── base.css # shared CSS
│ └── favicon/ # favicon SVGs per section
├── _data/
│ └── repos.json # populated by the GitHub aggregator
├── scripts/
── github-aggregator/ # reads .moonweb.yml from all repos
├── DESIGN.md # initial concept and design decisions
├── SPEC.md # what gets built (this document)
├── PLAN.md # how and in what order
├── TODO.md # open items and workflow
── .github/workflows/
├── build-deploy.yml # builds all sites, deploys to Cloudflare Pages
└── deploy-stefankoelle.yml # builds stefankoelle, deploys via IONOS SFTP
── github-aggregator/ # reads .moonweb.yml from all repos
│ └── cloudflare/ # redirect setup for old subdomains
├── .github/workflows/
│ ├── build-deploy-moonweb.yml # builds all moonweb sites, deploys to IONOS SFTP
│ └── deploy-stefankoelle.yml # builds stefankoelle, deploys via IONOS SFTP
── eleventy.config.js # single Eleventy config for all moonweb sites
├── .eleventyignore # excludes stefankoelle/, timecapsule/
├── DESIGN.md
├── SPEC.md
├── PLAN.md
├── TODO.md
└── package.json
```
## 11. Technical stack
- **Static site generator:** Eleventy (11ty) — markdown/YAML-first, minimal JS, `_data` folders map directly onto the `.moonweb.yml` aggregator output, low maintenance for five sites at this scale.
- **Static site generator:** Eleventy (11ty) v3.1.6, single config at root, computed `pathPrefix` per section, per-section collections.
- **Static site generator (timecapsule):** Eleventy v2.0.1, separate config, preserves original 2001 design.
- **Templates:** Nunjucks (.njk), shared `base.njk` layout, `card-grid.njk` for index pages, `sitemap.njk` for central sitemap.
- **Styling:** Custom CSS (`base.css`) with accent colors inlined as `<style>` in `base.njk`. No per-site theme CSS files.
- **Build:** entirely in GitHub Actions.
- **Deploy:** Cloudflare Pages — five separate Pages projects (one per public domain: hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro), since Cloudflare Pages binds one custom-domain set per project. stefankoelle.de deploys via IONOS SFTP. Two GitHub Actions workflows handle deployment.
- **Runtime:** fully static, no server-side code, no containers for the website itself (distinct from the actual homelab services running on the Docker host).
- **DNS:** already on Cloudflare — no additional setup step needed for Pages custom domains.
- **Local preview:** Eleventy's built-in dev server with live reload, run per-site (`npm run dev:<site>`) before any commit.
- **Deploy:** IONOS SFTP, all sites deployed to `/websites/moonweb/`, stefankoelle.de to `/websites/stefankoelle/`.
- **DNS:** Cloudflare, DNS management + redirects from old subdomains (hub.moonweb.org, etc.).
- **Runtime:** fully static, no server-side code, no containers for the website itself.
- **Local preview:** Eleventy's built-in dev server with live reload (`npm run dev` for all moonweb sites, `npm run dev:stefankoelle`, `npm run dev:timecapsule`).
## 12. Explicitly out of scope for this build
## 12. Explicitly out of scope
- Migrating 28k8.moonweb.org into the monorepo undecided, revisit later, likely never.
- Any Perplexity-backchannel mechanism (website content reusable inside this project) — deferred, no time invested now.
- Migrating 28k8.moonweb.org into the monorepo, undecided, revisit later, likely never.
- Any Perplexity-backchannel mechanism, deferred.
- Analytics of any kind.
- Automated content generation/translation pipelines beyond the one-time GitHub aggregator for code and the one-time translation pass during migration.
- Automated content generation/translation pipelines beyond the one-time GitHub aggregator for code.
+61 -72
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@@ -1,87 +1,76 @@
# TODO: Consolidation zu www.moonweb.org
# TODO: moonweb-site
## Uebersicht
## Status: Consolidation Complete
Alle moonweb.org Sites (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro, timecapsule) unter `www.moonweb.org` als Subverzeichnisse vereinen. Deployment von Cloudflare Pages zu IONOS SFTP migrieren.
**URL-Struktur nach Migration:**
| URL | Inhalt |
|-----|--------|
| `www.moonweb.org/` | Hub (neue Root) |
| `www.moonweb.org/infra/` | Infra |
| `www.moonweb.org/smarthome/` | Smarthome |
| `www.moonweb.org/code/` | Code |
| `www.moonweb.org/retro/` | Retro |
| `www.moonweb.org/timecapsule/` | Altes www (2001-Retro) |
| `stefankoelle.de/` | CV (bleibt separat) |
All moonweb.org sites are consolidated under `www.moonweb.org` as subdirectories, deployed via IONOS SFTP. PR #3 merged to main.
---
## Phase 1: Timecapsule in Monorepo integrieren
## Completed
- [x] 1.1 Dateien aus ../moonweb-www/src/ nach timecapsule/src/ kopieren
- [x] 1.2 timecapsule/eleventy.config.js erstellen (Eleventy 2.x)
- [x] 1.3 timecapsule/package.json erstellen (eigene Dependencies)
- [x] 1.4 timecapsule/src/_data/site.json anpassen (Domain mit /timecapsule/)
- [x] 1.5 Alle internen Pfade mit /timecapsule/ prefixieren
- [x] 1.6 Passthrough Copy in eleventy.config.js anpassen
- [x] 1.7 Build-Output pruefen (dist/timecapsule/)
### Phase 1: Timecapsule Integration
- [x] Copy files from moonweb-www/src/ to timecapsule/src/
- [x] Create timecapsule/eleventy.config.js (Eleventy 2.x)
- [x] Create timecapsule/package.json (own dependencies)
- [x] Adapt timecapsule internal paths with /timecapsule/ prefix
## Phase 2: Eleventy-Configs aller Sites anpassen
### Phase 2: Single Eleventy Config
- [x] Create root eleventy.config.js with computed pathPrefix per section
- [x] Delete 5 per-site eleventy.config.js files (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro)
- [x] Delete scripts/merge-moonweb.sh
- [x] Update shared/_includes/base.njk (inlined accent colors, root CSS path)
- [x] Update hub/index.njk card hrefs (relative paths)
- [x] Update hub/impressum.njk (hosting sections correct)
- [x] Update parent values in detail pages to include section prefix
- [x] Add tags to all pages for Eleventy collections
- [x] 2.1 hub/eleventy.config.js: site.url auf www.moonweb.org
- [x] 2.2 infra/eleventy.config.js: site.url auf www.moonweb.org
- [x] 2.3 smarthome/eleventy.config.js: site.url auf www.moonweb.org
- [x] 2.4 code/eleventy.config.js: site.url auf www.moonweb.org
- [x] 2.5 retro/eleventy.config.js: site.url auf www.moonweb.org
- [x] 2.6 shared/_includes/base.njk anpassen
- [x] 2.7 hub/index.njk: Card-Hrefs relativieren
- [x] 2.8 hub/impressum.njk: Domain-Liste aktualisieren
### Phase 3: Build & Deploy
- [x] Create .github/workflows/build-deploy-moonweb.yml (single build job, SFTP deploy)
- [x] Delete old build-deploy.yml (matrix builds)
- [x] Update .eleventyignore (exclude stefankoelle/, timecapsule/, markdown)
- [x] Fix build-pdf.sh to temporarily rename .eleventyignore for stefankoelle build
- [x] Fix timecapsule build path (../dist/ not ../../dist/)
## Phase 3: Build-System anpassen
### Phase 4: Redirects & SEO
- [x] Create 20 redirect .htm files in hub/ for old www.moonweb.org paths
- [x] Create central sitemap.xml (36 pages)
- [x] Create single robots.txt at root
- [x] Set up Cloudflare redirect rules script (scripts/cloudflare/)
- [x] 3.1 package.json: Neue Scripts fuer timecapsule + merge
- [x] 3.2 scripts/merge-moonweb.sh erstellen
- [x] 3.3 Lokal Build testen (alle Sites)
### Phase 5: Bug Fixes
- [x] Fix card links on index pages (add section prefix to local hrefs)
- [x] Fix code repos missing (move repos.json to root _data/)
- [x] Fix favicons (use section-specific favicon.svg per site)
- [x] Fix header (show moonweb.org/smarthome instead of smarthome.moonweb.org)
- [x] Rename hub link to home in site-switcher nav
- [x] Remove redundant 404 pages, keep only root 404
- [x] Add missing beginning subpage redirects (news, report, sitemap)
- [x] Fix double-slash URLs in stefankoelle/index.njk
- [x] Remove unused theme-*.css files
- [x] Update stefankoelle link texts (replace old subdomain names with new paths)
## Phase 4: Deployment umstellen
- [x] 4.1 Neuen Workflow .github/workflows/build-deploy-moonweb.yml erstellen
- [x] 4.2 Alten Workflow .github/workflows/build-deploy.yml entfernen
- [ ] 4.3 Alten deploy-moonweb.yml in moonweb-www deaktivieren
## Phase 5: Cloudflare Redirects
- [x] 5.1 Redirect-Regeln einrichten (via GitHub Action)
| Quell-Domain | Ziel-URL | Type |
|-------------|----------|------|
| `hub.moonweb.org/*` | `https://www.moonweb.org/$1` | 301 |
| `infra.moonweb.org/*` | `https://www.moonweb.org/infra/$1` | 301 |
| `smarthome.moonweb.org/*` | `https://www.moonweb.org/smarthome/$1` | 301 |
| `code.moonweb.org/*` | `https://www.moonweb.org/code/$1` | 301 |
| `retro.moonweb.org/*` | `https://www.moonweb.org/retro/$1` | 301 |
**Umsetzung:** `scripts/cloudflare/setup-redirects.sh` + GitHub Action `cloudflare-redirects.yml`
**Benötigte Secrets:** `CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN`, `CLOUDFLARE_ZONE_ID`
## Phase 6: SEO
- [ ] 6.1 Google Search Console: Neue Property www.moonweb.org
- [ ] 6.2 Sitemap submiten
## Phase 7: Cleanup
- [ ] 7.1 moonweb-www Repository archivieren
- [ ] 7.2 Cloudflare Pages Projects loeschen (nach Redirect-Test)
### Phase 6: Documentation
- [x] Update AGENTS.md for new structure
- [x] Update README.md for new structure
- [x] Update SPEC.md for new structure
- [x] Update PLAN.md for new structure
---
## Abgeschlossen
## Remaining
Alle Code-Aenderungen sind fertig. Nächste Schritte:
1. Commit auf feature/consolidate-www Branch
2. Push und PR erstellen
3. Deployen
4. Cloudflare Redirects einrichten
5. Google Search Console aktualisieren
### Cloudflare Redirects
- [ ] Activate redirect rules (needs `CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN` and `CLOUDFLARE_ZONE_ID` secrets, or manual dashboard setup)
- [ ] Verify redirects work after activation
### SEO
- [ ] Create Google Search Console property for www.moonweb.org
- [ ] Submit sitemap
### Cleanup
- [ ] Archive moonweb-www repository
- [ ] Delete Cloudflare Pages projects (after redirect verification)
### Future
- [ ] Cross-linking stefankoelle.de <-> smarthome
- [ ] Consider moving LED Matrix to smarthome (when ready)
-13
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@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
---
title: "Page Not Found"
section: "code"
tags: "code"
description: "The page you are looking for does not exist."
layout: base.njk
permalink: /code/404.html
---
<div class="error-page">
<h1>404</h1>
<p>The page you are looking for does not exist or has been moved.</p>
<a class="back-link" href="/">← Back to code</a>
</div>
+3 -2
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@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
---
title: "Open Source Projects GitHub Repos & Code | moonweb"
title: "Open Source Projects, GitHub Repos & Code | moonweb"
section: "code"
tags: "code"
description: "Curated catalog of my public GitHub projects automation, dev tools, web apps, and firmware."
description: "Curated catalog of my public GitHub projects, automation, dev tools, web apps, and firmware."
layout: base.njk
subcategories:
- "Smart Home Apps"
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ subcategories:
- "Retro"
- "Web Projects"
---
<h1>Open Source Projects</h1>
<p class="site-intro">A curated catalog of my public GitHub projects, sorted by topic.</p>
{% for subcat in subcategories %}
+35 -1
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@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
eleventyConfig.addGlobalData("site", { url: "https://www.moonweb.org" });
eleventyConfig.addFilter("date", (d) => d.toISOString());
// Exclude the standalone sites from the root (moonweb) build
eleventyConfig.ignores.add("stefankoelle/**");
eleventyConfig.ignores.add("timecapsule/**");
// Computed pathPrefix based on page's section front matter
eleventyConfig.addGlobalData("eleventyComputed", {
pathPrefix: (data) => SITES[data.section]?.pathPrefix ?? "",
@@ -24,6 +28,30 @@ module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
// --- Passthrough copies ---
// Retro: Storm ST / Cloudy ST page images
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/storm-cloudy/*.jpg");
// Retro: ET4000 page images
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/et4000-experiment/*.jpg");
// Retro: STPSU page images + manual PDF
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/stpsu/*.pdf");
// Retro: page-specific photo galleries (MonSTerBoard, Gotek, Eiffel, STPSU)
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/monsterboard/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/gotek/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/eiffel/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/stpsu/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/acsi2stm/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/atari-vga/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/laser-mouse/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/mega-st-high/*.jpg");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("retro/mistery-core/*.jpg");
// Standalone demo group archives (static HTML)
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("phobia/**");
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("tcm/**");
// Root-level shared assets
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy({ "shared/base.css": "shared-base.css" });
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy({ "shared/favicon/hub.svg": "favicon.svg" });
@@ -76,12 +104,18 @@ module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
[`hub/${dir}/index.htm`]: `${dir}/index.html`,
});
}
const beginningSubpages = ["news", "report", "sitemap"];
for (const name of beginningSubpages) {
eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy({
[`hub/beginning/${name}.htm`]: `beginning/${name}.html`,
});
}
return {
dir: {
input: ".",
includes: "shared/_includes",
output: "dist",
output: "dist/moonweb",
},
serverOptions: {
host: "0.0.0.0",
+1 -1
View File
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@ permalink: /404.html
<div class="error-page">
<h1>404</h1>
<p>The page you are looking for does not exist or has been moved.</p>
<a class="back-link" href="/">← Back to hub</a>
<a class="back-link" href="/">← Back to home</a>
</div>
+11
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@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=/timecapsule/beginning/news.html">
<title>Redirecting...</title>
</head>
<body>
<p>Redirecting to <a href="/timecapsule/beginning/news.html">/timecapsule/beginning/news.html</a>...</p>
</body>
</html>
+11
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@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=/timecapsule/beginning/report.html">
<title>Redirecting...</title>
</head>
<body>
<p>Redirecting to <a href="/timecapsule/beginning/report.html">/timecapsule/beginning/report.html</a>...</p>
</body>
</html>
+11
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@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=/timecapsule/beginning/sitemap.html">
<title>Redirecting...</title>
</head>
<body>
<p>Redirecting to <a href="/timecapsule/beginning/sitemap.html">/timecapsule/beginning/sitemap.html</a>...</p>
</body>
</html>
+5 -10
View File
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ layout: base.njk
</p>
<p>
The moonweb.org sites document my private home lab, retro-computing and personal coding projects and are non-commercial. stefankoelle.de presents my professional background (CV) as the same author.
The moonweb.org sites document my private home lab, retro-computing and personal coding projects; they are non-commercial. stefankoelle.de presents my professional background (CV) as the same author.
</p>
<p>
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ layout: base.njk
<h3>2. Purpose of these Websites</h3>
<p>
The moonweb.org websites (hub, smarthome, infra, code, retro, timecapsule) document my private home-lab, home-automation and retro-computing hobby projects. buildbroken.moonweb.org is an archive of a blog I created with friends in our spare time. 28k8.moonweb.org is a homage to the 90s era. stefankoelle.de presents my professional CV and background as the same person. All are part of one personal project network and share this legal notice and privacy policy.
The moonweb.org websites (home, smarthome, infra, code, retro, timecapsule) document my private home lab, home-automation and retro-computing hobby projects. buildbroken.moonweb.org is an archive of a blog I created with friends in our spare time. 28k8.moonweb.org is a homage to the 90s era. stefankoelle.de presents my professional CV and background as the same person. All are part of one personal project network and share this legal notice and privacy policy.
</p>
<h3>3. Hosting</h3>
@@ -51,17 +51,12 @@ layout: base.njk
Two different hosting providers are used within this network:
</p>
<h4>a) www.moonweb.org (hub, infra, smarthome, code, retro, timecapsule) &mdash; IONOS SE</h4>
<h4>a) IONOS SE &mdash; hosts www.moonweb.org (home, infra, smarthome, code, retro, timecapsule) and stefankoelle.de</h4>
<p>
Hosted on web space provided by IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur, Germany, acting as a processor under Art. 28 GDPR (Data Processing Agreement in place).
</p>
<h4>b) stefankoelle.de &mdash; IONOS SE</h4>
<p>
Hosted on web space provided by IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur, Germany, acting as a processor under Art. 28 GDPR (Data Processing Agreement in place).
</p>
<h4>c) buildbroken.moonweb.org, 28k8.moonweb.org &mdash; Cloudflare Pages</h4>
<h4>b) Cloudflare Pages &mdash; hosts buildbroken.moonweb.org and 28k8.moonweb.org</h4>
<p>
Hosted via Cloudflare Pages, operated by Cloudflare, Inc., 101 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. Cloudflare processes connection-level data (e.g. your IP address, request headers) as part of its content delivery and DDoS/security systems. This is governed by Cloudflare&rsquo;s Data Processing Addendum, which incorporates the EU Standard Contractual Clauses (2021) as a safeguard for the transfer of data to the USA. See <a href="https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/">cloudflare.com/privacypolicy</a>.
</p>
@@ -104,7 +99,7 @@ layout: base.njk
<h3>7. Changes to this Policy</h3>
<p>
I may update this policy if the setup of any website in this network changes for example, if a visit counter or analytics tool is added to stefankoelle.de or to any moonweb.org subdomain. Any such change will be documented here before it goes live.
I may update this policy if the setup of any website in this network changes, for example, if a visit counter or analytics tool is added to stefankoelle.de or to any moonweb.org subdomain. Any such change will be documented here before it goes live.
</p>
<p><em>Last updated: August 2026</em></p>
+13 -13
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@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
---
title: "Stefan Koelle Homelab, Smart Home, Code & Retro Hardware | moonweb"
title: "Stefan Kölle, Homelab, Smart Home, Code & Retro Hardware | moonweb"
section: "hub"
tags: "hub"
permalink: /index.html
description: "Stefan Koelle Senior Software Developer & Architect based in Munich. Homelab projects, smart home automation, open-source code, and retro hardware."
description: "Stefan Kölle, Senior Software Developer & Architect in Munich. Homelab projects, smart home automation, open-source code, and retro hardware."
layout: base.njk
ogImage: "/stefan-koelle-foto.jpg"
sections:
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ sections:
summary: "tHE tEMPLE BBS Mailbox and 90s releases archive."
href: "https://28k8.moonweb.org"
emoji: "💾"
- title: "www.moonweb.org"
summary: "The 2000s internet projects, networking and engineering."
- title: "moonweb.org 2001"
summary: "The original www.moonweb.org as it was in 2001, preserved as a time capsule."
href: "/timecapsule/"
emoji: "🌐"
- title: "inseco.de"
@@ -52,29 +52,29 @@ sections:
---
<div class="intro">
<div class="intro-text">
<h1>Hey, I'm Stefan 👋</h1>
<h1>Hey, I'm Stefan Kölle 👋</h1>
<p>Welcome to moonweb, my personal corner on the internet. This is where I document my homelab, smart home setups, infrastructure experiments, retro hardware, and the code that ties it all together.</p>
<p>I'm a Senior Software Developer &amp; Architect based in Munich with 20+ years in the trenches, from Turbo Pascal on the 486 to .NET Core, Kubernetes, and AI-driven development today. By day I build microservices and cloud architecture, by night I dive into smart home automation, restore retro computers, and automate things that don't necessarily need automating.</p>
<p>Everything here runs on a homelab that has been evolving since the mid-90s, from multiple 486s and Pentiums back in the day to today's Proxmox cluster. Have a look around.</p>
<p>I'm a Senior Software Developer &amp; Architect based in Munich with 20+ years in the trenches, from Turbo Pascal on a real 486 back in the day to .NET, Kubernetes, and AI-driven development today. By day I build microservices and cloud architecture, by night I dive into smart home automation, restore retro computers, and automate things that don't necessarily need automating.</p>
<p>Everything here runs on a homelab that has been evolving since the mid-90s, from multiple 486s and Pentiums back then to today's Proxmox cluster. Have a look around.</p>
</div>
<img class="intro-photo" src="/stefan-koelle-foto.jpg" alt="Stefan Koelle" width="280" height="280">
<img class="intro-photo" src="/stefan-koelle-foto.jpg" alt="Stefan Kölle" width="280" height="280">
</div>
{% include "card-grid.njk" %}
<section class="about-expanded">
<h2>What this site is about</h2>
<p>moonweb is a collection of personal projects that have grown over the past 25 years. What started as a single 486 running a BBS in the mid-90s has turned into a full homelab with Proxmox, Docker, smart home automation, and a growing collection of retro hardware. The name "moonweb" comes from the original domain moonweb.org, which has been online since 2000.</p>
<p>moonweb is the personal project site of Stefan Kölle (also spelled Stefan Koelle in English), a collection of projects that have grown over the past 25 years. What started as a single 486 running a BBS in the mid-90s has turned into a full homelab with Proxmox, Docker, smart home automation, and a growing collection of retro hardware. The name "moonweb" comes from the original domain moonweb.org, which has been online since 2000.</p>
<p>Each section of this site documents a different part of the setup. The <a href="/infra/">infrastructure section</a> covers the Proxmox cluster, Synology NAS, Docker containers, networking, and backup strategies. The <a href="/smarthome/">smart home section</a> shows what automation projects are running, from Tasmota energy monitoring to MQTT sensors and AirPlay audio. The <a href="/code/">code section</a> lists the public GitHub projects that power these setups, and the <a href="/retro/">retro section</a> documents the hardware collection.</p>
<h2>What I do professionally</h2>
<p>I work as a Senior Software Developer &amp; Architect at TENHIL GmbH (formerly stellenanzeigen.de), where I build and maintain microservices on .NET Core and Kubernetes. My day job involves designing cloud-native architectures, building APIs, and migrating legacy applications to modern stacks. I've been working with .NET since the early 2000s and have used everything from ASP Classic to the latest .NET 8 features.</p>
<p>I work as a Senior Software Developer &amp; Architect at TENHIL GmbH (formerly stellenanzeigen.de), where I build and maintain microservices on .NET and Kubernetes. My day job involves designing cloud-native architectures, building APIs, and migrating legacy applications to modern stacks. I've been working with .NET since the early 2000s and have used everything from ASP Classic to the latest .NET 10 features.</p>
<p>Since early 2025, I've fully embraced AI-assisted development. I use Claude Code for most of my private projects and at work for Jira story implementation. The productivity gains are massive, and it's changed how I approach software development entirely. I also use OpenCode with OpenRouter for Python-based home lab projects.</p>
<h2>The homelab</h2>
<p>The homelab has been evolving since the mid-90s. Today it runs on a Proxmox cluster with a Synology DS918+ NAS, multiple Docker hosts, and an OpenWrt router for multi-WAN failover. The setup includes Prometheus and Grafana for monitoring, InfluxDB for time-series data from smart home sensors, and a full backup strategy covering NAS snapshots, offsite copies, and cloud storage.</p>
<p>The smart home side includes HomematicIP thermostats bridged to MQTT, Tasmota smart plugs for energy monitoring, AirPlay multi-room audio on Raspberry Pi devices, and various ESP32-based dashboards and LED matrix displays. Everything is documented in the respective sections of this site.</p>
<p>The homelab has been evolving since the mid-90s. Today it runs on a <a href="/infra/proxmox/">Proxmox cluster</a> with a Synology DS918+ NAS, multiple Docker hosts, and an OpenWrt router for multi-WAN failover. The setup includes Prometheus and Grafana for <a href="/infra/monitoring/">monitoring</a>, InfluxDB for time-series data from smart home sensors, and a full <a href="/infra/backup-strategy/">backup strategy</a> covering NAS snapshots, offsite copies, and cloud storage.</p>
<p>The smart home side includes HomematicIP thermostats bridged to MQTT, <a href="/smarthome/tasmota-energy/">Tasmota smart plugs</a> for energy monitoring, AirPlay multi-room audio on Raspberry Pi devices, and various ESP32-based dashboards and LED matrix displays. Everything is documented in the respective sections of this site.</p>
<h2>Retro computing</h2>
<p>Outside of work, I collect and maintain retro hardware. The collection includes Atari ST machines (a Mega ST 4 fleet and a Mega ST 2), Amiga systems, a 486 DX2-66 tower, and various MiSTer and MiST FPGA setups for preservation. I also run Batocera in the living room for casual retro gaming. The retro section documents the hardware, the maintenance, and the occasional deep-dive into compatibility issues like the 15kHz monitor problem on the Atari ST.</p>
<p>Outside of work, I collect and maintain retro hardware. The collection includes Atari ST machines (a <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 fleet</a> and a Mega ST 2), Amiga systems, and various MiSTer and MiST FPGA setups for preservation. The DOS environment is rebuilt rather than original, I reproduce a <a href="/retro/dos-486-tower/">486 DX2-66</a> on the MiSTer FPGA. I also run Batocera in the living room for casual retro gaming. The retro section documents the hardware, the maintenance, and the occasional deep-dive into compatibility issues like the <a href="/retro/atari-monitor-compatibility/">15kHz monitor problem</a> on the Atari ST. On the Amiga side, I'm following <a href="/retro/the-a1200/">The A1200</a> console ahead of its December 2026 launch.</p>
</section>
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---
title: "Page Not Found"
section: "infra"
tags: "infra"
description: "The page you are looking for does not exist."
layout: base.njk
permalink: /infra/404.html
---
<div class="error-page">
<h1>404</h1>
<p>The page you are looking for does not exist or has been moved.</p>
<a class="back-link" href="/">← Back to infra</a>
</div>
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<p>The homelab uses a layered backup approach, split into two independent
tracks: NAS user content, and Proxmox VM/LXC backups. Both follow a
3-2-1-style rule multiple copies, multiple media types, at least one
3-2-1-style rule: multiple copies, multiple media types, and at least one
copy on a different machine.</p>
<h2>NAS user content four layers</h2>
<h2>NAS user content, four layers</h2>
<table>
<tr><th>Layer</th><th>Target</th><th>Frequency</th><th>Purpose</th></tr>
<tr><td>Snapshots</td><td>Synology, built-in</td><td>Hourly</td><td>Fast recovery of accidentally deleted files</td></tr>
<tr><td>Local backup</td><td>USB drive attached to the NAS</td><td>Daily</td><td>Local versioned backup, independent of the NAS disks</td></tr>
<tr><td>Offsite sync</td><td>External drive on a Raspberry Pi in a different room</td><td>Weekly</td><td>Geographically separated copy within the flat</td></tr>
<tr><td>Offsite sync</td><td>External drive on a Raspberry Pi in a different room</td><td>Weekly</td><td>Physically separate copy in a different room</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cloud archive</td><td>Cloud storage</td><td>Continuous</td><td>Off-site copy for worst-case scenarios (fire, theft)</td></tr>
</table>
<h2>Proxmox VM/LXC backups three copies, two machines</h2>
<h2>Proxmox VM/LXC backups, three copies, two machines</h2>
<table>
<tr><th>Copy</th><th>Target</th><th>Frequency</th></tr>
<tr><td>1 original</td><td>Proxmox host itself</td><td>Daily</td></tr>
<tr><td>2 primary offsite</td><td>Synology NAS (different machine)</td><td>Daily, right after copy 1</td></tr>
<tr><td>3 secondary offsite</td><td>Raspberry Pi backup target, different room</td><td>Daily (skipped one day/week to avoid network contention with the weekly NAS sync)</td></tr>
<tr><td>1, original</td><td>Proxmox host itself</td><td>Daily</td></tr>
<tr><td>2, primary offsite</td><td>Synology NAS (different machine)</td><td>Daily, right after copy 1</td></tr>
<tr><td>3, secondary offsite</td><td>Raspberry Pi backup target, different room</td><td>Daily (skipped one day/week to avoid network contention with the weekly NAS sync)</td></tr>
</table>
<h2>Design principles</h2>
<ul>
<li>Backups always cross at least one machine boundary nothing is considered "backed up" if it only lives on the source machine's local disk.</li>
<li>Backups always cross at least one machine boundary, nothing is considered "backed up" if it only lives on the source machine's local disk.</li>
<li>Weekly and daily jobs are scheduled to avoid saturating the internal power-line network link used by the offsite backup target.</li>
<li>All scheduled jobs ping a dead-man's-switch monitoring service; a missed backup triggers an alert.</li>
<li>Power to the offsite drive is only switched on for the duration of its weekly sync, to save power and extend disk life.</li>
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<h1>Xubuntu Dev VM</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>This is a Xubuntu virtual machine on <a href="/proxmox/">Proxmox pve2</a> in the study that serves as my main development environment, replacing the need for a dedicated physical workstation. It's designed to be lightweight, remotely accessible from anywhere, and most importantly completely disposable, which is what makes it a safe place to let AI coding agents operate with far more autonomy than I'd otherwise allow.</p>
<p>This is a Xubuntu virtual machine on <a href="/infra/proxmox/">Proxmox pve2</a> in the study that serves as my main development environment, replacing the need for a dedicated physical workstation. It's designed to be lightweight, remotely accessible from anywhere, and, most importantly, completely disposable, which is what makes it a safe place to let AI coding agents operate with far more autonomy than I'd otherwise allow.</p>
<h2>Why a disposable VM is the biggest advantage</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Daily backups as a safety net</strong> the VM is backed up once a day through Proxmox. If an AI agent breaks the system, misconfigures something critical, or deletes the wrong files, I simply restore yesterday's snapshot rather than manually debugging the damage.</li>
<li><strong>No irreplaceable local data</strong> nothing important lives only on this VM. All actual project code lives in Git repositories, so after a restore I just <code>git pull</code> everything back and I'm exactly where I left off, minus whatever the agent broke.</li>
<li><strong>Higher trust, more autonomy for AI agents</strong> because the worst-case outcome is "restore a snapshot and re-pull," I can give coding agents like OpenCode much broader permissions on this machine than I would on a system holding unique, unbacked-up state. The blast radius of a mistake is capped at "lose a few hours of uncommitted work," never at "lose data."</li>
<li><strong>Cheap to rebuild from scratch</strong> if the VM ever gets into a truly bad state, standing up a fresh Xubuntu VM and re-cloning repos is a short, well-understood process rather than an emergency.</li>
<li><strong>Daily backups as a safety net</strong>, the VM is backed up once a day through Proxmox. If an AI agent breaks the system, misconfigures something critical, or deletes the wrong files, I simply restore yesterday's snapshot rather than manually debugging the damage.</li>
<li><strong>No irreplaceable local data</strong>, nothing important lives only on this VM. All actual project code lives in Git repositories, so after a restore I just <code>git pull</code> everything back and I'm exactly where I left off, minus whatever the agent broke.</li>
<li><strong>Higher trust, more autonomy for AI agents</strong>, because the worst-case outcome is "restore a snapshot and re-pull," I can give coding agents like OpenCode much broader permissions on this machine than I would on a system holding unique, unbacked-up state. The blast radius of a mistake is capped at "lose a few hours of uncommitted work," never at "lose data."</li>
<li><strong>Cheap to rebuild from scratch</strong>, if the VM ever gets into a truly bad state, standing up a fresh Xubuntu VM and re-cloning repos is a short, well-understood process rather than an emergency.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Remote workflow via SSH</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://herdr.dev/">Herdr</a></strong> manages my development workspaces over SSH, letting me organize and switch between multiple project contexts on the VM without manually juggling terminal sessions.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://opencode.ai/de">OpenCode</a></strong> the AI coding agent I run inside these workspaces; it's the main reason the VM's disposability matters, since it can act with elevated freedom knowing any damage is trivially reversible.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit">lazygit</a></strong> terminal UI for Git, used for fast commit/branch/diff workflows directly inside the SSH session without leaving the terminal.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://herdr.dev/">Herdr</a></strong>, manages my development workspaces over SSH, letting me organize and switch between multiple project contexts on the VM without manually juggling terminal sessions.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://opencode.ai/de">OpenCode</a></strong>, the AI coding agent I run inside these workspaces; it's the main reason the VM's disposability matters, since it can act with elevated freedom knowing any damage is trivially reversible.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit">lazygit</a></strong>, terminal UI for Git, used for fast commit/branch/diff workflows directly inside the SSH session without leaving the terminal.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Graphical fallback via Chrome Remote Desktop</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Full desktop access</strong> when a GUI IDE is preferable to terminal-based editing, Chrome Remote Desktop connects straight into the Xubuntu desktop from any device.</li>
<li><strong>WebStorm</strong> used for TypeScript projects that benefit from a full IDE (refactoring tools, debugging, integrated test runners).</li>
<li><strong>PyCharm</strong> used the same way for Python projects.</li>
<li><strong>Full desktop access</strong>, when a GUI IDE is preferable to terminal-based editing, Chrome Remote Desktop connects straight into the Xubuntu desktop from any device.</li>
<li><strong>WebStorm</strong>, used for TypeScript projects that benefit from a full IDE (refactoring tools, debugging, integrated test runners).</li>
<li><strong>PyCharm</strong>, used the same way for Python projects.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">This setup deliberately treats the dev VM as ephemeral infrastructure, not a pet the philosophy is: keep state in Git, keep the VM replaceable, and let daily backups absorb the risk of giving an AI agent real write access to the system.</p>
<p class="note">This setup deliberately treats the dev VM as ephemeral infrastructure, not a pet, the philosophy is: keep state in Git, keep the VM replaceable, and let daily backups absorb the risk of giving an AI agent real write access to the system.</p>
</div>
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<h1>Docker Container Strategy</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>My homelab runs almost entirely on Docker, spread across three dedicated Debian VMs instead of installing containers directly on bare metal or on the NAS operating system itself. Each VM is a clean, disposable Docker host that can be snapshotted and backed up as a whole through Proxmox, and every service is defined declaratively as a Docker Compose file living under <code>/docker-data/compose/&lt;service&gt;/</code>. This keeps the setup portable, reproducible, and easy to document — if a host dies, restoring a VM snapshot brings every container definition back with it.</p>
<p>My homelab runs almost entirely on Docker, spread across three dedicated Debian VMs instead of installing containers directly on bare metal or on the NAS operating system itself. Each VM is a clean, disposable Docker host that can be snapshotted and backed up as a whole through Proxmox, and every service is defined declaratively as a Docker Compose file living under <code>/docker-data/compose/&lt;service&gt;/</code>. This keeps the setup portable, reproducible, and easy to document. If a host dies, restoring a VM snapshot brings every container definition back with it.</p>
<h2>The three Docker hosts</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>docker-host-pve</strong> Debian VM on the main Proxmox server (PVE). This is the primary target for almost all container deployments, including my own images pulled from GHCR. Fully covered by Proxmox VM backups, so the whole host can be restored in one shot.</li>
<li><strong>docker-host-nas</strong> Debian VM running directly on the Synology (via Virtual Machine Manager). Identical setup and folder structure to the PVE host, but used specifically for containers that need direct access to NAS storage volumes, such as media-processing tools that read and write large file libraries.</li>
<li><strong>docker-host-pve2</strong> Debian VM on the secondary Proxmox server (pve2), which lives in the study and is treated as a pure test/dev environment. New containers and compose setups get trialed here before being promoted to docker-host-pve.</li>
<li><strong>docker-host-pve</strong>, Debian VM on the main Proxmox server (PVE). This is the primary target for almost all container deployments, including my own images pulled from GHCR. Fully covered by Proxmox VM backups, so the whole host can be restored in one shot.</li>
<li><strong>docker-host-nas</strong>, Debian VM running directly on the Synology (via Virtual Machine Manager). Identical setup and folder structure to the PVE host, but used specifically for containers that need direct access to NAS storage volumes, such as media-processing tools that read and write large file libraries.</li>
<li><strong>docker-host-pve2</strong>, Debian VM on the secondary Proxmox server (pve2), which lives in the study and is treated as a pure test/dev environment. New containers and compose setups get trialed here before being promoted to docker-host-pve.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Standardized layout</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>/docker-data/compose/</strong> one subfolder per service, each containing its own <code>docker-compose.yml</code> (and <code>.env</code> where needed).</li>
<li><strong>/docker-data/volumes/</strong> persistent container data, kept outside the compose folders so it survives redeploys.</li>
<li><strong>/docker-data/backups/</strong> local backup staging before data is pulled into the wider backup chain.</li>
<li><strong>Same convention everywhere</strong> because all three hosts follow this identical structure, moving a service between hosts or rebuilding a host from scratch is just a matter of copying the compose folder and running <code>docker compose up -d</code>.</li>
<li><strong>/docker-data/compose/</strong>, one subfolder per service, each containing its own <code>docker-compose.yml</code> (and <code>.env</code> where needed).</li>
<li><strong>/docker-data/volumes/</strong>, persistent container data, kept outside the compose folders so it survives redeploys.</li>
<li><strong>/docker-data/backups/</strong>, local backup staging before data is pulled into the wider backup chain.</li>
<li><strong>Same convention everywhere</strong>, because all three hosts follow this identical structure, moving a service between hosts or rebuilding a host from scratch is just a matter of copying the compose folder and running <code>docker compose up -d</code>.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Own GitHub projects</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>icloud-contacts-sync</strong> syncs contact data between iCloud and other systems.</li>
<li><strong>calendar-sync</strong> keeps calendars synchronized across sources.</li>
<li><strong>mvg-departures</strong> pulls Munich public transport (MVG) departure data for local dashboards.</li>
<li><strong>wetter-api</strong> a small weather API/worker pair, built from a custom GHCR image and updated automatically via Watchtower.</li>
<li><strong>icloud-contacts-sync</strong>, syncs contact data between iCloud and other systems.</li>
<li><strong>calendar-sync</strong>, keeps calendars synchronized across sources.</li>
<li><strong>mvg-departures</strong>, pulls Munich public transport (MVG) departure data for local dashboards.</li>
<li><strong>wetter-api</strong>, a small weather API/worker pair, built from a custom GHCR image and updated automatically via Watchtower.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Infrastructure containers</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>mosquitto-mqtt</strong> central MQTT broker for smart-home and sensor messaging.</li>
<li><strong>grafana, prometheus, influxdb</strong> the monitoring and metrics stack for dashboards and time-series data.</li>
<li><strong>healthchecks, uptime-kuma, cadvisor</strong> service and container health/uptime monitoring.</li>
<li><strong>dyndns-updater</strong> keeps DNS pointed at the home connection; my own project, see <a href="https://github.com/skoelle/dyndns-updater">skoelle/dyndns-updater</a> on GitHub.</li>
<li><strong>watchtower</strong> automatically checks for and applies container image updates on a daily schedule.</li>
<li><strong>authelia, nginx-proxy-manager</strong> authentication layer and reverse proxy for exposing internal services safely.</li>
<li><strong>postfix</strong> internal mail relay used by other containers (e.g. Watchtower notifications) to send email.</li>
<li><strong>portainer</strong> web UI for managing containers across hosts.</li>
<li><strong>exporters</strong> Prometheus exporters for Fritz!Box, Zyxel switches, Nginx, and SNMP devices, feeding the Grafana/Prometheus stack.</li>
<li><strong>mosquitto-mqtt</strong>, central MQTT broker for smart-home and sensor messaging.</li>
<li><strong>grafana, prometheus, influxdb</strong>, the monitoring and metrics stack for dashboards and time-series data.</li>
<li><strong>healthchecks, uptime-kuma, cadvisor</strong>, service and container health/uptime monitoring.</li>
<li><strong>dyndns-updater</strong>, keeps DNS pointed at the home connection; my own project, see <a href="https://github.com/skoelle/dyndns-updater">skoelle/dyndns-updater</a> on GitHub.</li>
<li><strong>watchtower</strong>, automatically checks for and applies container image updates on a daily schedule.</li>
<li><strong>authelia, nginx-proxy-manager</strong>, authentication layer and reverse proxy for exposing internal services safely.</li>
<li><strong>postfix</strong>, internal mail relay used by other containers (e.g. Watchtower notifications) to send email.</li>
<li><strong>portainer</strong>, web UI for managing containers across hosts.</li>
<li><strong>exporters</strong>, Prometheus exporters for Fritz!Box, Zyxel switches, Nginx, and SNMP devices, feeding the Grafana/Prometheus stack.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Smart home containers</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Home Assistant</strong> only used for homematicIP integration to mqtt.</li>
<li><strong>Home Assistant</strong>, only used for homematicIP integration to mqtt.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Application containers</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>SearXNG</strong> self-hosted, privacy-respecting metasearch engine that aggregates results from multiple search providers without leaking queries to any of them. Used as the default search backend for local browsing and AI tools.</li>
<li><strong>Open WebUI</strong> chat interface for locally hosted LLMs.</li>
<li><strong>Stirling PDF</strong> self-hosted PDF toolkit for merging, splitting, converting, compressing, and editing documents without uploading them to external services.</li>
<li><strong>ArchiveBox</strong> personal web archiving of bookmarked pages.</li>
<li><strong>TubeSync / TubeArchivist [NAS]</strong> download and archive YouTube content directly onto NAS storage; these run on docker-host-nas specifically because they need direct volume access to the Synology's disks.</li>
<li><strong>Music Stretto</strong> music streaming server for the local MP3 library on the Synology, accessible from the home dashboard.</li>
<li><strong>SearXNG</strong>, self-hosted, privacy-respecting metasearch engine that aggregates results from multiple search providers without leaking queries to any of them. Used as the default search backend for local browsing and AI tools.</li>
<li><strong>Open WebUI</strong>, chat interface for locally hosted LLMs.</li>
<li><strong>Stirling PDF</strong>, self-hosted PDF toolkit for merging, splitting, converting, compressing, and editing documents without uploading them to external services.</li>
<li><strong>ArchiveBox</strong>, personal web archiving of bookmarked pages.</li>
<li><strong>TubeSync / TubeArchivist [NAS]</strong>, download and archive YouTube content directly onto NAS storage; these run on docker-host-nas specifically because they need direct volume access to the Synology's disks.</li>
<li><strong>Music Stretto</strong>, music streaming server for the local MP3 library on the Synology, accessible from the home dashboard.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Development tools</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Gitea</strong> self-hosted Git server acting as a mirror of my GitHub repositories, giving me a local fallback and faster internal access.</li>
<li><strong>Gitea</strong>, self-hosted Git server acting as a mirror of my GitHub repositories, giving me a local fallback and faster internal access.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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---
title: "Homelab Infrastructure Proxmox, Docker & Networking | moonweb"
title: "Homelab Infrastructure, Proxmox, Docker & Networking | moonweb"
section: "infra"
tags: "infra"
description: "Homelab infrastructure overview: Proxmox hosts, Synology NAS, Docker VMs and Setup-Guides."
@@ -9,39 +9,40 @@ sections:
cards:
- title: "🖥️ Proxmox host (PVE)"
summary: "Hosting environment for running production VMs and LXC containers for the homelab."
href: "/proxmox/"
href: "/infra/proxmox/"
- title: "💾 Synology DS918+"
summary: "NAS running Docker services and acting as the primary backup repository."
href: "/synology/"
href: "/infra/synology/"
- title: "🐳 Docker VMs (Debian)"
summary: "Primary target for new Docker/Compose services, running the monitoring exporters."
href: "/docker/"
href: "/infra/docker/"
- title: "📦 LxC Container"
summary: "Pi-hole, Ubuntu-Worker and MariaDB running on slim LxC Containers."
href: "/lxc/"
href: "/infra/lxc/"
- heading: "Strategies & Setup-Guides"
cards:
- title: "🔄 Backup strategy"
summary: "Layered backup approach covering NAS user content and VM/LXC backups across multiple locations."
href: "/backup-strategy/"
href: "/infra/backup-strategy/"
- title: "📊 Prometheus/Grafana"
summary: "Central metrics collection and dashboards for hosts, containers, and hardware."
href: "/monitoring/"
href: "/infra/monitoring/"
- title: "💻 Dev environment"
summary: "A disposable, daily-backed-up Xubuntu VM for AI-assisted, remote development via SSH and Chrome Remote Desktop."
href: "/dev-environment/"
href: "/infra/dev-environment/"
- title: "🌐 OpenWrt Multi-WAN"
summary: "Multi-WAN router with WiFi and Powerline failover, plus IoT VLAN 189 isolation."
href: "/openwrt/"
href: "/infra/openwrt/"
---
<h1>Homelab Infrastructure</h1>
<p class="site-intro">A peek under the hood of my homelab. Proxmox, Synology, Docker, and how everything is wired together.</p>
{% include "card-grid.njk" %}
<section class="about-expanded">
<h2>The setup at a glance</h2>
<p>The infrastructure runs on three main machines: a Proxmox VE host (Intel NUC, 64GB RAM) as the primary compute node, a Synology DS918+ NAS for storage and Docker services, and a Xubuntu VM on Proxmox for development. An OpenWrt router handles multi-WAN failover with WiFi and Powerline backhaul, and four Zyxel GS1200-8HP managed switches distribute the network across the flat.</p>
<p>The whole stack is monitored via Prometheus and Grafana, with node exporters on every machine, cAdvisor for container metrics, and SNMP exporters for network hardware. Backups follow a 3-2-1 strategy: local snapshots, NAS copies, offsite sync to a Raspberry Pi in a different room, and cloud archive for worst-case scenarios.</p>
<p>The infrastructure runs on three physical machines: a Beelink S12 Pro running Proxmox as the primary host, a second Beelink running Proxmox as a test host, and a Synology DS918+ NAS for storage and Docker services. Development runs in a Xubuntu VM on the Proxmox hosts. An OpenWrt router handles multi-WAN failover with WiFi and Powerline backhaul, and four Zyxel GS1200-8HP managed switches distribute the network across the flat.</p>
<p>The whole stack is monitored via Prometheus and Grafana, with node exporters on every machine, cAdvisor for container metrics, and SNMP exporters for network hardware. Backups follow a layered strategy: local snapshots, NAS copies, offsite sync to a Raspberry Pi in a different room, and cloud archive for worst-case scenarios.</p>
<h2>Why Proxmox</h2>
<p>Proxmox VE was chosen over alternatives like ESXi or plain Docker for several reasons. The open-source model means no licensing headaches. LXC containers provide near-native performance for lightweight services without the overhead of full VMs. The web UI makes it easy to manage snapshots, backups, and migrations. And the ZFS support on the underlying Debian system gives us reliable snapshots and send/receive for the backup chain.</p>
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<h1>LXC Container Strategy</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Alongside the Docker-based setup, I run a small number of Linux Containers (LXC) directly on the main Proxmox host (PVE). An LXC is an OS-level virtualization container — unlike a Docker container, which packages a single application and its dependencies, an LXC behaves like a full lightweight Linux system with its own init process, systemd services and package manager, but without the overhead of a full virtual machine. Proxmox manages LXCs natively as first-class citizens, right next to VMs, with their own snapshotting, backup and resource-limit tooling. I use far fewer LXCs than Docker containers, reserving them for cases where a persistent, OS-like environment or tight integration with Proxmox itself makes more sense than a containerized app.</p>
<p>Alongside the Docker-based setup, I run a small number of Linux Containers (LXC) directly on the main Proxmox host (PVE). An LXC is an OS-level virtualization container. Unlike a Docker container, which packages a single application and its dependencies, an LXC behaves like a full lightweight Linux system with its own init process, systemd services, and package manager, but without the overhead of a full virtual machine. Proxmox manages LXCs natively as first-class citizens, right next to VMs, with their own snapshotting, backup and resource-limit tooling. I use far fewer LXCs than Docker containers, reserving them for cases where a persistent, OS-like environment or tight integration with Proxmox itself makes more sense than a containerized app.</p>
<h2>Why LXC instead of Docker here</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Native Proxmox integration</strong> LXCs show up directly in the Proxmox UI with their own resource graphs, backup jobs and snapshots, without needing a Docker host VM in between.</li>
<li><strong>Lower overhead than a VM</strong> an LXC shares the host kernel, so it starts almost instantly and uses less RAM/CPU than a full Debian VM, while still feeling like a real, persistent Linux machine.</li>
<li><strong>Better fit for system-level services</strong> some services (like a DNS resolver or a database server) benefit from being a stable, always-on OS process with predictable networking, rather than an ephemeral, frequently-redeployed container.</li>
<li><strong>Simplicity for infrequently-changed services</strong> these three services rarely change their configuration, so the extra flexibility of Compose-based redeployment isn't needed; a straightforward apt-installed service is easier to reason about long-term.</li>
<li><strong>Native Proxmox integration</strong>, LXCs show up directly in the Proxmox UI with their own resource graphs, backup jobs and snapshots, without needing a Docker host VM in between.</li>
<li><strong>Lower overhead than a VM</strong>, an LXC shares the host kernel, so it starts almost instantly and uses less RAM/CPU than a full Debian VM, while still feeling like a real, persistent Linux machine.</li>
<li><strong>Better fit for system-level services</strong>, some services (like a DNS resolver or a database server) benefit from being a stable, always-on OS process with predictable networking, rather than an ephemeral, frequently-redeployed container.</li>
<li><strong>Simplicity for infrequently-changed services</strong>, these three services rarely change their configuration, so the extra flexibility of Compose-based redeployment isn't needed; a straightforward apt-installed service is easier to reason about long-term.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Pi-hole</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Purpose</strong> network-wide DNS sinkhole and ad/tracker blocking for every device on the home network.</li>
<li><strong>Why LXC</strong> DNS resolution needs to be rock-solid and always reachable at a fixed IP; running it as a lean, dedicated LXC avoids depending on the Docker host VM being up, and keeps it isolated from Docker networking quirks that could interfere with DNS.</li>
<li><strong>Advantage</strong> near-zero overhead, boots in seconds after a Proxmox host reboot, and its stability is decoupled from whatever is happening on the Docker hosts.</li>
<li><strong>Purpose</strong>, network-wide DNS sinkhole and ad/tracker blocking for every device on the home network.</li>
<li><strong>Why LXC</strong>, DNS resolution needs to be rock-solid and always reachable at a fixed IP; running it as a lean, dedicated LXC avoids depending on the Docker host VM being up, and keeps it isolated from Docker networking quirks that could interfere with DNS.</li>
<li><strong>Advantage</strong>, near-zero overhead, boots in seconds after a Proxmox host reboot, and its stability is decoupled from whatever is happening on the Docker hosts.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Ubuntu-Worker</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Purpose</strong> a general-purpose Ubuntu LXC used as a flexible worker/utility machine for ad-hoc scripts, cron jobs and small maintenance tasks that don't warrant their own container image.</li>
<li><strong>Why LXC</strong> it needs to behave like a normal Linux box (full package manager, cron, shell access) rather than a single-purpose containerized app, which makes an LXC a much better fit than wrapping everything in Docker.</li>
<li><strong>Advantage</strong> quick to spin up, snapshot and roll back via Proxmox, and useful as a lightweight sandbox for testing shell scripts or automation before productionizing them elsewhere.</li>
<li><strong>Purpose</strong>, a general-purpose Ubuntu LXC used as a flexible worker/utility machine for ad-hoc scripts, cron jobs and small maintenance tasks that don't warrant their own container image.</li>
<li><strong>Why LXC</strong>, it needs to behave like a normal Linux box (full package manager, cron, shell access) rather than a single-purpose containerized app, which makes an LXC a much better fit than wrapping everything in Docker.</li>
<li><strong>Advantage</strong>, quick to spin up, snapshot and roll back via Proxmox, and useful as a lightweight sandbox for testing shell scripts or automation before productionizing them elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
<h2>MariaDB</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Purpose</strong> central relational database instance, currently used by services such as nginx-proxy-manager, reachable over the network at a fixed internal IP.</li>
<li><strong>Why LXC</strong> a database benefits from direct, persistent disk access and predictable performance without the extra storage-driver indirection of Docker volumes; running it as an unprivileged LXC keeps it isolated while still feeling like a native MariaDB install.</li>
<li><strong>Advantage</strong> simple backup via <code>mysqldump</code>, straightforward remote access configuration (bind-address, dedicated service users per consuming application), and one central database that multiple Docker containers on other hosts can connect to over the network instead of each running their own database container.</li>
<li><strong>Purpose</strong>, central relational database instance, currently used by services such as nginx-proxy-manager, reachable over the network at a fixed internal IP.</li>
<li><strong>Why LXC</strong>, a database benefits from direct, persistent disk access and predictable performance without the extra storage-driver indirection of Docker volumes; running it as an unprivileged LXC keeps it isolated while still feeling like a native MariaDB install.</li>
<li><strong>Advantage</strong>, simple backup via <code>mysqldump</code>, straightforward remote access configuration (bind-address, dedicated service users per consuming application), and one central database that multiple Docker containers on other hosts can connect to over the network instead of each running their own database container.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">All three LXCs run exclusively on the main Proxmox host (PVE), not on pve2 or the Synology they're intentionally kept centralized since they're few in number and don't need the multi-host redundancy that the Docker setup has. IPs, credentials and specific VMIDs are omitted here; only the reasoning behind the LXC-vs-Docker choice is shown.</p>
<p class="note">All three LXCs run exclusively on the main Proxmox host (PVE), not on pve2 or the Synology; they're intentionally kept centralized since they're few in number and don't need the multi-host redundancy that the Docker setup has. IPs, credentials and specific VMIDs are omitted here; only the reasoning behind the LXC-vs-Docker choice is shown.</p>
</div>
+7 -8
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@@ -11,15 +11,15 @@ layout: base.njk
<p>Prometheus and Grafana form the central monitoring stack for the whole
homelab, running as Docker containers on the NAS. Every machine in the
flat Proxmox host, Docker VM, Synology NAS, and Raspberry Pi devices —
feeds metrics into this central instance.</p>
flat, including the Proxmox host, Docker VM, Synology NAS, and Raspberry
Pi devices, feeds metrics into this central instance.</p>
<h2>What's monitored</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Proxmox host metrics</strong> a PVE exporter reports node-level and per-VM/LXC CPU, memory, and disk metrics into a dedicated Grafana dashboard.</li>
<li><strong>Host metrics everywhere</strong> a node exporter runs on the NAS, the Docker host, and every Raspberry Pi, feeding basic CPU/RAM/disk/network stats.</li>
<li><strong>Container metrics</strong> cAdvisor runs on both the Docker host and the NAS, breaking down resource usage per container.</li>
<li><strong>Network hardware via SNMP</strong> an SNMP exporter polls a network-attached printer for toner level, page count, and status, proving the same pattern works for any SNMP-capable device.</li>
<li><strong>Proxmox host metrics</strong>, a PVE exporter reports node-level and per-VM/LXC CPU, memory, and disk metrics into a dedicated Grafana dashboard.</li>
<li><strong>Host metrics everywhere</strong>, a node exporter runs on the NAS, the Docker host, and every Raspberry Pi, feeding basic CPU/RAM/disk/network stats.</li>
<li><strong>Container metrics</strong>, cAdvisor runs on both the Docker host and the NAS, breaking down resource usage per container.</li>
<li><strong>Network hardware via SNMP</strong>, an SNMP exporter polls a network-attached printer for toner level, page count, and status, proving the same pattern works for any SNMP-capable device.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Dashboards</h2>
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ temperature thresholds) are planned but not yet implemented.</p>
<h2>Open items</h2>
<ul>
<li>Alerting rules are not yet configured for most services.</li>
<li>The secondary (test) Proxmox host isn't monitored yet it's usually powered off.</li>
<li>The secondary (test) Proxmox host isn't monitored yet; it's usually powered off.</li>
<li>Retention policy for Prometheus data hasn't been tuned.</li>
<li>Monitoring data itself isn't currently backed up.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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@@ -9,13 +9,13 @@ layout: base.njk
<h1>OpenWrt Multi-WAN Router</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>The study has historically suffered from unreliable network connectivity. To solve this, I set up an OpenWrt router that combines two WAN paths WiFi and a dedicated Powerline link back to the server room with automatic failover between them.</p>
<p>The study has historically suffered from unreliable network connectivity. To solve this, I set up an OpenWrt router that combines two WAN paths, WiFi and a dedicated Powerline link back to the server room, with automatic failover between them.</p>
<h2>Multi-WAN setup</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>WAN 1 WiFi (802.11ac)</strong> higher throughput but less stable, used for bulk transfers and general traffic.</li>
<li><strong>WAN 2 Powerline (Ethernet backhaul)</strong> lower throughput but rock-solid, carries latency-sensitive traffic like VPN tunnels and Teams calls.</li>
<li><strong>Failover</strong> both paths are active simultaneously; if one drops, traffic automatically shifts to the remaining path. This provides redundancy in both directions.</li>
<li><strong>WAN 1, WiFi (802.11ac)</strong>, higher throughput but less stable, used for bulk transfers and general traffic.</li>
<li><strong>WAN 2, Powerline (Ethernet backhaul)</strong>, lower throughput but rock-solid, carries latency-sensitive traffic like VPN tunnels and Teams calls.</li>
<li><strong>Failover</strong>, both paths are active simultaneously; if one drops, traffic automatically shifts to the remaining path. This provides redundancy in both directions.</li>
</ul>
<p>Traffic is routed intelligently based on connection quality: VPN and real-time communication prefer the stable Powerline path, while everything else benefits from the higher WiFi throughput when available.</p>
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ layout: base.njk
</ul>
<h2>IoT VLAN 189</h2>
<p>A dedicated, isolated network segment for IoT devices, running on a separate small WiFi access point on a different channel. This keeps smart home hardware including the balcony sensors and light controller off the main network while maintaining full connectivity to the homelab services.</p>
<p>A dedicated, isolated network segment for IoT devices, running on a separate small WiFi access point on a different channel. This keeps smart home hardware, including the balcony sensors and light controller, off the main network while maintaining full connectivity to the homelab services.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>VLAN ID:</strong> 189</li>
<li><strong>Purpose:</strong> Isolate IoT/smart home devices from general network traffic.</li>
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ layout: base.njk
</ul>
<h2>Monitoring</h2>
<p>The OpenWrt router is integrated into the <a href="/monitoring/">Prometheus monitoring stack</a> via SNMP exporter, providing visibility into WAN uptime, throughput, and connection quality across both paths.</p>
<p>The OpenWrt router is integrated into the <a href="/infra/monitoring/">Prometheus monitoring stack</a> via SNMP exporter, providing visibility into WAN uptime, throughput, and connection quality across both paths.</p>
</div>
+16 -16
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@@ -9,35 +9,35 @@ layout: base.njk
<h1>Proxmox Virtualization</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) is a free, open-source virtualization platform that combines KVM-based full virtual machines with lightweight LXC containers in a single web-managed system. It's built on top of Debian, includes ZFS storage management, backup/restore, clustering and monitoring out of the box, and is the foundation my entire homelab runs on both the <a href="/docker/">Docker</a> hosts and the standalone <a href="/lxc/">LXC services</a> live as guests on top of it.</p>
<p>Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) is a free, open-source virtualization platform that combines KVM-based full virtual machines with lightweight LXC containers in a single web-managed system. It's built on top of Debian, includes ZFS storage management, backup/restore, clustering and monitoring out of the box, and is the foundation my entire homelab runs on, both the <a href="/infra/docker/">Docker</a> hosts and the standalone <a href="/infra/lxc/">LXC services</a> live as guests on top of it.</p>
<h2>Hardware</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>PVE (main server)</strong> a Beelink Mini-PC, running as the primary Proxmox host. It has a 500GB SSD for VM and container storage, and connects to the network via the server-room Zyxel switch.</li>
<li><strong>pve2 (test server)</strong> a second Proxmox host, physically located in the study and connected via the OpenWRT-side Zyxel switch. It's dedicated purely to testing and development, running the third <a href="/docker/">Docker host VM (docker-host-pve2)</a> plus experimental setups without risking the production environment.</li>
<li><strong>Backups</strong> nightly VM backups from PVE run at 00:30 to an NFS share on the Synology (<code>nas:/volume1/backup</code>), with retention of the last 3 daily, 3 monthly and 1 yearly backup.</li>
<li><strong>PVE (main server)</strong>, a Beelink S12 Pro, running as the primary Proxmox host. It has a 500GB SSD for VM and container storage, and connects to the network via the server-room Zyxel switch.</li>
<li><strong>pve2 (test server)</strong>, a second Proxmox host, physically located in the study and connected via the OpenWrt-side Zyxel switch. It's dedicated purely to testing and development, running the third <a href="/infra/docker/">Docker host VM (docker-host-pve2)</a> plus experimental setups without risking the production environment.</li>
<li><strong>Backups</strong>, nightly VM backups from PVE run at 00:30 to an NFS share on the Synology (<code>nas:/volume1/backup</code>), with retention of the last 3 daily, 3 monthly and 1 yearly backup.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Advantages</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Mixed virtualization</strong> full KVM virtual machines and lightweight LXC containers run side by side on the same host, so I can pick whichever fits a service best.</li>
<li><strong>Web-based management</strong> the entire cluster, its VMs, containers, storage and backups are managed from one browser UI via Authelia/Nginx, no separate tooling needed.</li>
<li><strong>Built-in ZFS support</strong> snapshots, checksumming and pool management are native, making disk setup and VM protection straightforward.</li>
<li><strong>Native backup/restore</strong> scheduled backups to an external NFS target are configured directly in Proxmox, without third-party backup software.</li>
<li><strong>No licensing cost</strong> the platform is fully usable without a subscription by switching to the no-subscription repository, which matters for a homelab that isn't running on enterprise support contracts.</li>
<li><strong>Mixed virtualization</strong>, full KVM virtual machines and lightweight LXC containers run side by side on the same host, so I can pick whichever fits a service best.</li>
<li><strong>Web-based management</strong>, the entire cluster, its VMs, containers, storage and backups are managed from one browser UI via Authelia/Nginx, no separate tooling needed.</li>
<li><strong>Built-in ZFS support</strong>, snapshots, checksumming and pool management are native, making disk setup and VM protection straightforward.</li>
<li><strong>Native backup/restore</strong>, scheduled backups to an external NFS target are configured directly in Proxmox, without third-party backup software.</li>
<li><strong>No licensing cost</strong>, the platform is fully usable without a subscription by switching to the no-subscription repository, which matters for a homelab that isn't running on enterprise support contracts.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Open-source edition</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Proxmox VE Community/no-subscription</strong> the enterprise repositories are disabled and the host is switched to the free "no-subscription" package repository, giving full functionality identical to the paid tiers minus vendor support and the enterprise-only repo.</li>
<li><strong>License</strong> Proxmox VE itself is open source (AGPLv3); the subscription only adds official support and access to the more conservative enterprise update channel.</li>
<li><strong>Proxmox VE Community/no-subscription</strong>, the enterprise repositories are disabled and the host is switched to the free "no-subscription" package repository, giving full functionality identical to the paid tiers minus vendor support and the enterprise-only repo.</li>
<li><strong>License</strong>, Proxmox VE itself is open source (AGPLv3); the subscription only adds official support and access to the more conservative enterprise update channel.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Setup process</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Bootstrap</strong> on new Beelink hardware, an initial OS (Windows) needs to be cleared first; entering the BIOS (DEL key) to set the boot order to USB-first allows booting the Proxmox installer.</li>
<li><strong>Base install</strong> Proxmox VE installed directly from ISO, then updated after disabling the enterprise repo and enabling the no-subscription repo.</li>
<li><strong>Storage</strong> an additional SSD is partitioned (GPT via <code>parted</code>) and turned into a ZFS pool through the Disks → ZFS section of the web UI.</li>
<li><strong>Networking/backup target</strong> an NFS share from the Synology is mounted for backup storage, and a nightly backup job is scheduled per VM.</li>
<li><strong>Guest creation</strong> VMs (like the Debian Docker-host VMs) and LXCs (Pi-hole, Ubuntu-Worker, MariaDB) are created through the web UI, with ISO images uploaded to local storage beforehand.</li>
<li><strong>Bootstrap</strong>, on new Beelink hardware, an initial OS (Windows) needs to be cleared first; entering the BIOS (DEL key) to set the boot order to USB-first allows booting the Proxmox installer.</li>
<li><strong>Base install</strong>, Proxmox VE installed directly from ISO, then updated after disabling the enterprise repo and enabling the no-subscription repo.</li>
<li><strong>Storage</strong>, an additional SSD is partitioned (GPT via <code>parted</code>) and turned into a ZFS pool through the Disks → ZFS section of the web UI.</li>
<li><strong>Networking/backup target</strong>, an NFS share from the Synology is mounted for backup storage, and a nightly backup job is scheduled per VM.</li>
<li><strong>Guest creation</strong>, VMs (like the Debian Docker-host VMs) and LXCs (Pi-hole, Ubuntu-Worker, MariaDB) are created through the web UI, with ISO images uploaded to local storage beforehand.</li>
</ul>
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@@ -9,28 +9,28 @@ layout: base.njk
<h1>Synology NAS</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>The NAS at the center of the homelab is a Synology DS918+, a 4-bay desktop NAS originally released in 2018. It runs Synology's DSM operating system and uses SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID) across its four drive bays, mixing different drive capacities while still keeping a full mirror-equivalent level of redundancy. After a focused cleanup pass at the end of 2025, the NAS was stripped down to only the packages and containers that are actually in active use, rather than years of accumulated, half-used software.</p>
<p>The NAS at the center of the homelab is a Synology DS918+, a 4-bay desktop NAS originally released in 2018. It runs Synology's DSM operating system and uses SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID) across its four drive bays, mixing different drive capacities while keeping single-drive fault tolerance. After a focused cleanup pass at the end of 2025, the NAS was stripped down to only the packages and containers that are actually in active use, rather than years of accumulated, half-used software.</p>
<h2>Storage</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Bays</strong> 4 drive slots, populated with a mix of large-capacity HDDs rather than a single uniform set, which SHR was specifically chosen to support.</li>
<li><strong>RAID type</strong> SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID), giving single-drive fault tolerance while allowing disks of different sizes to be mixed and later upgraded one at a time without rebuilding the whole array from scratch.</li>
<li><strong>Snapshots</strong> Btrfs snapshot replication is used for file versioning instead of the classic recycle bin, taken hourly with a retention schedule of 7 days, 3 weeks, 3 months and 1 year.</li>
<li><strong>Bays</strong>, 4 drive slots, populated with a mix of large-capacity HDDs rather than a single uniform set.</li>
<li><strong>RAID type</strong>, SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID), giving single-drive fault tolerance while allowing drives to be upgraded one at a time without rebuilding the whole array from scratch.</li>
<li><strong>Snapshots</strong>, Btrfs snapshot replication is used for file versioning instead of the classic recycle bin, taken hourly with a retention schedule of 7 days, 3 weeks, 3 months and 1 year.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What runs on it today</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Docker host VM</strong> a dedicated Debian VM (docker-host-nas) runs on the NAS's virtualization layer, hosting containers that specifically need direct access to NAS storage volumes.</li>
<li><strong>File storage & backup target</strong> the core role of the NAS remains classic network storage, plus acting as the backup destination for scheduled Proxmox VM backups from the rest of the homelab.</li>
<li><strong>Legacy packages removed</strong> unused DSM packages (like a web/photo/media package, an old drive-sync service and unused indexing) were uninstalled to reduce background load and disk writes.</li>
<li><strong>Docker host VM</strong>, a dedicated Debian VM (docker-host-nas) runs on the NAS's virtualization layer, hosting containers that specifically need direct access to NAS storage volumes.</li>
<li><strong>File storage & backup target</strong>, the core role of the NAS remains classic network storage, plus acting as the backup destination for scheduled Proxmox VM backups from the rest of the homelab.</li>
<li><strong>Legacy packages removed</strong>, unused DSM packages (like a web/photo/media package, an old drive-sync service and unused indexing) were uninstalled to reduce background load and disk writes.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Main strengths</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Central storage hub</strong> single source of truth for files and backups that every other host in the network (Proxmox VMs, exporters, workstations) can write to or read from.</li>
<li><strong>Built-in snapshotting</strong> Btrfs-based snapshots give point-in-time recovery without the overhead of a separate versioning package.</li>
<li><strong>Flexible RAID</strong> SHR allows disks to be swapped and capacity to grow over time without needing matched drive sizes from day one.</li>
<li><strong>Lightweight virtualization</strong> running a single purpose-built Docker VM on the NAS keeps storage-adjacent workloads close to the data, without turning the NAS itself into a general-purpose application server.</li>
<li><strong>Central storage hub</strong>, single source of truth for files and backups that every other host in the network (Proxmox VMs, exporters, workstations) can write to or read from.</li>
<li><strong>Built-in snapshotting</strong>, Btrfs-based snapshots give point-in-time recovery without the overhead of a separate versioning package.</li>
<li><strong>Flexible RAID</strong>, SHR allows capacity to grow over time by swapping in larger drives.</li>
<li><strong>Lightweight virtualization</strong>, running a single purpose-built Docker VM on the NAS keeps storage-adjacent workloads close to the data, without turning the NAS itself into a general-purpose application server.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@
"dev:stefankoelle": "npx @11ty/eleventy --config=stefankoelle/eleventy.config.js --serve --port=8086",
"dev:timecapsule": "cd timecapsule && npx @11ty/eleventy --serve --port=8087",
"build": "npx @11ty/eleventy",
"build:stefankoelle": "npx @11ty/eleventy --config=stefankoelle/eleventy.config.js",
"build:timecapsule": "cd timecapsule && npx @11ty/eleventy && mkdir -p ../dist/timecapsule && cp -r _site/timecapsule/* ../dist/timecapsule/",
"build:stefankoelle": "mv .eleventyignore .eleventyignore.bak && npx @11ty/eleventy --config=stefankoelle/eleventy.config.js; mv .eleventyignore.bak .eleventyignore 2>/dev/null; true",
"build:timecapsule": "cd timecapsule && rm -r _site 2>/dev/null; npx @11ty/eleventy && rm -r ../dist/moonweb/timecapsule 2>/dev/null; mkdir -p ../dist/moonweb/timecapsule && cp -r _site/timecapsule/* ../dist/moonweb/timecapsule/",
"build:moonweb": "npm run build && npm run build:timecapsule",
"pdf:cv": "bash stefankoelle/pdf/build-pdf.sh",
"prebuild": "bash prebuild.sh"
"prebuild:cv": "bash prebuild.sh"
},
"devDependencies": {
"@11ty/eleventy": "^3.1.6"
+269
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@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>PHOBIA DemoGroup Archive - Nostalgic PC Intros from 1994</title>
<meta name="description" content="Explore the PHOBIA DemoGroup Archive, showcasing the 1994 PC intros, including the notable Phobia Welcome Intro. Relive the early days of PC intros with source code and more.">
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.moonweb.org/phobia/" />
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th {
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a {
color:#00A6FF;
}
.lightbox {
display: none;
position: fixed;
top: 0;
left: 0;
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background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
}
.lightbox-content {
position: relative;
width: 80%;
max-width: 800px;
}
.lightbox-content iframe {
width: 100%;
height: 450px;
}
.close {
position: absolute;
top: 10px;
right: 10px;
font-size: 30px;
color: #fff;
cursor: pointer;
}
</style>
<script>
function openLightbox() {
document.getElementById('lightbox').style.display = 'flex';
document.getElementById('video').src = 'https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cj3RgjVs5dk?autoplay=1';
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if (event.target.id === 'lightbox' || event.target.className === 'close') {
document.getElementById('lightbox').style.display = 'none';
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</head>
<body>
<div class="header">
<a href="index.html">
<img src="phobialogo.png" alt="PHOBIA">
</a>
</div>
<div class="content">
<div class="welcome">
<h1>Welcome to the PHOBIA DemoGroup Archive</h1>
<p>This site showcases the releases from my DemoGroup, PHOBIA. Although PHOBIA existed only briefly on the PC in 1994, it made a notable impact with its focus on PC intros. The highlight of our work was the major release, the Phobia Welcome Intro.</p>
<p>Feel free to explore and enjoy the nostalgia of the early days of PC intros.</p>
<p>Best regards, Stefan Koelle</p>
</div>
<div class="program">
<div class="program-image">
<img src="welcomeintro.png" alt="Program 1 Image" onclick="openLightbox()">
<div class="program-description">
<p><b>Phobia Welcome Intro</b></p>
<p><a href="#" onclick="openLightbox()">YouTube Video of the Intro</a></p>
<p><a href="https://github.com/skoelle/dos-phobia-welcome-intro" target="_blank">GitHub Source Code</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="program-info">
<h2>Phobia Welcome Intro</h2>
<p>The Phobia Welcome Intro was programmed in 1994 using Turbo Pascal, with inline assembler for the graphics routines. The idea for this intro was inspired by an Amiga demo, though the specific name of the demo has been forgotten. All graphics and programming were done by Stefan Koelle on a 486 DX2-66 DOS PC.</p>
<p>This intro utilized an early version of the X-LIB unit, specifically the TextGraf.pas, which was also developed by Stefan Koelle. The source code for the intro is available on GitHub. The primary technique used in this intro to create the illusion of movement was through color palette changes, rather than altering the pixels on the screen.</p>
<p>The music for the intro was borrowed from an old Amiga demo and played using a public Mod-Player. The font used in the intro was custom-created and compiled into the executable as an object, along with the music and graphics.</p>
<h2>Key Details:</h2>
<table>
<tr>
<th>Feature</th>
<th>Description</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Programming Language</td>
<td>Turbo Pascal with inline assembler</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Year</td>
<td>1994</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Developer</td>
<td>Stefan Koelle</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Development Machine</td>
<td>486 DX2-66 DOS PC</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Graphics Technique</td>
<td>Color palette changes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Music Source</td>
<td>Old Amiga demo</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Music Player</td>
<td>Public Mod-Player</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Custom Font</td>
<td>Compiled into the executable as an object</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Graphics Library</td>
<td>Early version of X-LIB unit (TextGraf.pas)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Source Code</td>
<td>Available on GitHub <a href="https://github.com/skoelle/dos-phobia-welcome-intro" target="_blank">https://github.com/skoelle/dos-phobia-welcome-intro</a></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
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<p><b>Program 2</b></p>
<p>Kurze Beschreibung des zweiten Programms.</p>
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<div class="program-info">
<h2>Program 2 Information</h2>
<p>Hier steht der Infotext zum zweiten Programm. Dieser Text enthält detaillierte Informationen über das Programm, seine Funktionen und andere relevante Details.</p>
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<p>Kurze Beschreibung des dritten Programms.</p>
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<div class="program-info">
<h2>Program 3 Information</h2>
<p>Hier steht der Infotext zum dritten Programm. Dieser Text enthält detaillierte Informationen über das Programm, seine Funktionen und andere relevante Details.</p>
</div>
</div>-->
</div>
<div class="footer">
PHOBIA website - initially created November 1999 - code from 1994 - Stefan Koelle<br>
Part of <a href="/">moonweb.org</a> · <a href="/retro/">Retro Corner</a> · <a href="/impressum/">Legal Notice</a>
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title: "ACSI2STM: Atari ST Hard Drive Emulator"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "An ACSI to SD card hard drive emulator for the Atari ST based on an STM32 microcontroller, bought but not yet in use."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>ACSI2STM: Atari ST Hard Drive Emulator</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>I bought an ACSI2STM adapter but haven't put it into a machine yet. It's a hard drive emulator for the Atari ST built around an inexpensive STM32 microcontroller and an SD card, an open-source project by retro16.</p>
<h2>What it does</h2>
<p>ACSI2STM connects to the ACSI (DB19) port at the back of the Atari ST and emulates a hard drive. It can work in three ways:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Mount SD cards</strong>, standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards (FAT16/FAT32/ExFAT) appear on the Atari.</li>
<li><strong>Expose raw SD cards</strong> as ACSI hard disks connected to the Atari.</li>
<li><strong>Expose disk image files</strong> as hard disks connected to the Atari.</li>
</ul>
<p>It also provides an UltraSatan-compatible real-time clock if you add a simple 3V lithium battery such as a CR2032.</p>
<h2>Hardware</h2>
<p>The hardware is a custom PCB that can be ordered preassembled directly from JLCPCB. The board attaches straight to the DB19 port at the back of the ST and has three microSD card slots, with the firmware supporting up to five SD card readers. It's designed to be easy to build, extremely cheap, reliable and safe for the vintage machine. The project is mature and considered finished, with both software and hardware complete. It can even work on STs with broken DMA chips using the PIO firmware.</p>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>I bought an ACSI2STM adapter, but it isn't in use anywhere yet, so it sits among my other uninstalled extensions. The <a href="/retro/ultrasatan/">UltraSatan</a> currently provides the ACSI hard-disk storage on the "Low" machine, so the ACSI2STM would be an alternative or a spare for another machine.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="acsi2stm.jpg" alt="The ACSI2STM adapter" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The ACSI2STM adapter, not yet installed.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/retro16/acsi2stm" target="_blank">ACSI2STM - GitHub (project page)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<h1>Running AmigaOS in 2026: MiSTer FPGA vs Amiberry on Pi</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>AmigaOS 3.2.3 runs beautifully both on FPGA and on modern ARM boards the question is which trade-offs you're willing to accept. Both approaches have their place, and the choice often comes down to what you're trying to do: run demos at perfect timing, or tinker with software at higher resolutions.</p>
<p>AmigaOS 3.2.3 runs beautifully both on FPGA and on modern ARM boards, the question is which trade-offs you're willing to accept. Both approaches have their place, and the choice often comes down to what you're trying to do: run demos at perfect timing, or tinker with software at higher resolutions. If you're weighing up the hardware options themselves (Vampire V4, A600GS or MiSTer) rather than the OS, head over to the <a href="/retro/amiga-modern-platforms/">hardware comparison</a>.</p>
<h2>Two Roads to the Same Workbench</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>MiSTer with the Minimig-AGA core</strong> the most hardware-authentic option. Native resolution tops out around 800×600, with RTG (Picasso96) support pushing that up to 1080p. Timing accuracy and near-zero input latency make it the pick for demos and cycle-sensitive software.</li>
<li><strong>Amiberry on a Raspberry Pi</strong> the flexible option. Running headless (no X11 desktop, straight from the console/KMS framebuffer) is the single biggest performance lever the difference between a laggy desktop and a snappy 60fps Workbench.</li>
<li><strong>The HDF minefield</strong> hard disk image files either carry an RDB partition table or they don't, and getting the geometry parameters (surfaces/sectors/reserved blocks) wrong produces the classic "Not a DOS disk in device DH0" error. Reformatting through HDToolBox from a fresh install is often faster than debugging geometry math.</li>
<li><strong>Picking a monitor</strong> a 4:3 panel at native 1280×1024 (like an older NEC MultiSync) gives the most period-accurate Workbench experience; anything widescreen needs scaling compromises.</li>
<li><strong>MiSTer with the <a href="/retro/mist-mister-fpga/">Minimig-AGA core</a></strong>, the most hardware-authentic option. Native resolution tops out around 800×600, with RTG (Picasso96) support pushing that up to 1080p. Timing accuracy and near-zero input latency make it the pick for demos and cycle-sensitive software.</li>
<li><strong>Amiberry on a Raspberry Pi</strong>, the flexible option. Running headless (no X11 desktop, straight from the console/KMS framebuffer) is the single biggest performance lever, the difference between a laggy desktop and a snappy 60fps Workbench.</li>
<li><strong>The HDF minefield</strong>, hard disk image files either carry an RDB partition table or they don't, and getting the geometry parameters (surfaces/sectors/reserved blocks) wrong produces the classic "Not a DOS disk in device DH0" error. Reformatting through HDToolBox from a fresh install is often faster than debugging geometry math.</li>
<li><strong>Picking a monitor</strong>, a 4:3 panel at native 1280×1024 (like an older <a href="https://www.nec-display.com/" target="_blank">NEC MultiSync 1970NXp</a>) gives the most period-accurate Workbench experience; anything widescreen needs scaling compromises.</li>
</ul>
<h2>When to choose MiSTer</h2>
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ a Pi to Amiga development without tying up expensive FPGA hardware.</p>
Some demos use raster tricks that only work on real AGA hardware or the
MiSTer's FPGA core. Some productivity software depends on specific
accelerator card features that neither platform emulates perfectly.
And the perennial question of Kickstart ROM versions 3.1 for
compatibility, 3.2 for features applies equally to both setups.</p>
And the perennial question of Kickstart ROM versions, 3.1 for
compatibility, 3.2 for features, applies equally to both setups.</p>
<p class="redacted-note">Both setups now run side by side without any real winner MiSTer for authenticity and demos, the Pi for tinkering and RTG resolutions.</p>
<p class="note">Both setups now run side by side without any real winner, MiSTer for authenticity and demos, the Pi for tinkering and RTG resolutions.</p>
</div>
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<h1>Vampire V4, A600GS or MiSTer: Amiga Hardware Isn't a Simple Speed Race</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Trying to compare Amiga hardware options by benchmark numbers alone is a trap. A Dhrystone score from a real FPGA CPU implementation and an ARM chip's MIPS rating measure completely different things and neither tells you much about which system will actually run your favourite demo correctly.</p>
<p>Trying to compare Amiga hardware options by benchmark numbers alone is a trap. A Dhrystone score from a real FPGA CPU implementation and an ARM chip's MIPS rating measure completely different things, and neither tells you much about which system will actually run your favourite demo correctly.</p>
<h2>The Contenders</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Vampire V4 Standalone</strong> an FPGA-implemented 68080 CPU that's genuinely blisteringly fast (sub-second Workbench boots), but software compatibility suffers since the 68080 isn't a perfect 68060 clone. Best for games and demos, not for daily productivity.</li>
<li><strong>A600GS / A1200NG</strong> ARM-based boards running Amiberry underneath, in either a complete mini-PC (A600GS) or a drop-in motherboard replacement with real floppy and CompactFlash support (A1200NG). Cheap, plug-and-play, but with occasional software compatibility quirks.</li>
<li><strong>MiSTer with the Minimig core</strong> "loses" on paper to A600GS in raw MIPS numbers, but wins on emulation accuracy and software compatibility. Its D-Cache-on mode is faster still but introduces glitches, so it's best left off for stability.</li>
<li><strong>The real decision factor</strong> not speed, but compatibility, stability, and how much you value hardware-accurate timing versus raw throughput.</li>
<li><strong>Vampire V4 Standalone</strong>, an FPGA-implemented 68080 CPU that's genuinely blisteringly fast (sub-second Workbench boots), but software compatibility suffers since the 68080 isn't a perfect 68060 clone. Best for games and demos, not for daily productivity.</li>
<li><strong>A600GS / A1200NG</strong>, ARM-based boards running Amiberry underneath, in either a complete mini-PC (A600GS) or a drop-in motherboard replacement with real floppy and CompactFlash support (A1200NG). Note: this A1200NG is a third-party upgrade board, a different product entirely from Retro Games' upcoming "The A1200" console covered on its own page. Cheap, plug-and-play, but with occasional software compatibility quirks.</li>
<li><strong>MiSTer with the Minimig core</strong>, "loses" on paper to A600GS in raw MIPS numbers, but wins on emulation accuracy and software compatibility. Its D-Cache-on mode is faster still but introduces glitches, so it's best left off for stability.</li>
<li><strong>The real decision factor</strong>, not speed, but compatibility, stability, and how much you value hardware-accurate timing versus raw throughput.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">Conclusion after digging through all three: if you already own a working MiSTer, there's no compelling reason to chase the newer ARM boards for "better" performance the practical difference is marginal, and MiSTer's broader core library wins in the long run.</p>
<p class="note">Conclusion after digging through all three: if you already own a working MiSTer, there's no compelling reason to chase the newer ARM boards for "better" performance, the practical difference is marginal, and MiSTer's broader core library wins in the long run.</p>
<h2>How I Run My Amiga Today</h2>
<p>For now I'm not running original hardware, I reproduce my Amiga on the <a href="/retro/mist-mister-fpga/">MiSTer FPGA</a> using the Minimig core. My classic Amiga is mapped out there with Workbench and the tools I used back in the day, spread across different configurations and several Workbench versions, so I can revisit exactly how the machine felt across the years.</p>
<p>I've also spent time with <a href="/retro/pimiga-journey/">PiMiga</a>, an Amiga-on-a-Raspberry-Pi distro that bundles Amiberry with a full A1200 AGA setup and Workbench 3.1. It's not real hardware, but it's another way to run the machine cheaply, and I documented how the different versions compare.</p>
<p>I'm still keen on the real thing, though. Retro Games Ltd. is shipping an Amiga 1200 console on 4 December 2026, and I've been following everything public about it. There's a dedicated page on that: <a href="/retro/the-a1200/">The A1200: Release Date, Specs and What's Included</a>.</p>
<p>If you want the detail on getting AmigaOS itself running across MiSTer and Amiberry, rather than comparing the hardware, that's covered on the <a href="/retro/amiga-hardware-landscape/">Running AmigaOS in 2026</a> page.</p>
</div>
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<h1>The Atari Mega ST Fleet: Three Machines, Three Jobs</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Somewhere along the way, "one Atari ST" turned into three Mega ST 4 machines plus a Mega ST 2. Rather than let them gather dust, each one got a clearly defined purpose from untouched nostalgia piece to fully upgraded workstation.</p>
<p>Somewhere along the way, "one Atari ST" turned into three Mega ST 4 machines plus a Mega ST 2. Rather than let them gather dust, each one got a clearly defined purpose, from untouched nostalgia piece to fully upgraded workstation.</p>
<h2>What Is an Atari Mega ST?</h2>
<p>The Atari Mega ST is a variant of Atari's 16/32-bit ST computer line, released in 1987 and aimed at business and desktop-publishing users. Compared to the standard 520 ST or 1040 ST, it comes in a low, flat desktop case with the floppy drive and motherboard separated from the keyboard, similar to a classic PC tower-and-keyboard setup. It shipped with a built-in Blitter chip for fast graphics operations, which the earliest 520/1040 ST models lacked, making it noticeably better suited for GEM-based desktop publishing software of the era.</p>
<p>Mega STs were sold as Mega 1 (1 MB RAM), Mega 2 (2 MB RAM) and Mega 4 (4 MB RAM), all expandable, and were commonly bundled with monochrome high-resolution monitors for DTP work with software like Calamus or PageStream. The separated case design makes internal expansion and modification considerably easier than on an all-in-one 1040 ST, which is one reason the Mega ST remains a popular base for retro computing projects like the ones documented on this site.</p>
<h2>The Lineup</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>The heirloom machine</strong> kept as close to factory-original as possible, running the stock TOS 1.04 and a classic floppy drive. Its job is to be a baseline reference: if something breaks on a modded machine, this one proves the fault isn't in the software.</li>
<li><strong>The "Low" machine</strong> a bargain-bin Mega ST 4 rebuilt with a Cloudy/StormyCloud combo for TOS switching and extra FastRAM, a Gotek floppy emulator, an UltraSatan hard disk emulator, and a SidecarTridge multi-device for ROM, floppy, and Wi-Fi tricks. This is the demo- and game-machine, optimized for fast disk-image swapping rather than serious productivity.</li>
<li><strong>The "High" machine</strong> the workstation build. A MonSTerBoard adds 8MB of AltRAM, IDE storage, and flashable TOS (currently TOS 2.06), running Geneva for real multitasking. A NetUSB adapter and original Atari keyboard/mouse round it out, with an ET4000 graphics card in the pipeline for higher resolutions.</li>
<li><strong>The spare Mega ST 2</strong> a reserve and donor machine, kept in largely original condition, used to safely test upgrades before they go into the "real" machines.</li>
<li><strong>The <a href="/retro/mega-st-heirloom/">heirloom machine</a></strong>, kept as close to factory-original as possible, running the stock TOS 1.04 with a classic floppy drive and its own original Atari keyboard and mouse. Its job is to be a baseline reference: if something breaks on a modded machine, this one proves the fault isn't in the software.</li>
<li><strong>The <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">"Low" machine</a></strong>, a bargain-bin Mega ST 4 rebuilt with a <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a> for TOS switching and extra FastRAM, a <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek floppy emulator</a>, an <a href="/retro/ultrasatan/">UltraSatan</a> hard disk emulator, a <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge multi-device</a> for ROM, floppy, and Wi-Fi tricks, and a <a href="/retro/atari-networking-bbs/">Wi-Fi modem</a> for dialing into BBSs. It uses an original Atari keyboard and a <a href="/retro/mouster/">mouSTer</a> adapter with a USB mouse. This is the demo- and game-machine, optimized for fast disk-image swapping rather than serious productivity.</li>
<li><strong>The <a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">"High" machine</a></strong>, the workstation build. A <a href="/retro/monsterboard/">MonSTerBoard</a> adds 8MB of AltRAM, IDE storage, and flashable TOS (currently TOS 2.06), running Geneva for real multitasking. An <a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000 graphics card</a> drives a dedicated monitor for higher resolutions. A <a href="/retro/netusb/">NetUSBee</a> adapter, an <a href="/retro/eiffel/">Eiffel interface</a> for a PS/2 keyboard and mouse, and a new <a href="/retro/stpsu/">STPSU</a> for clean, stable power round it out.</li>
<li><strong>The spare <a href="/retro/mega-st2/">Mega ST 2</a></strong>, a reserve and test machine, kept in largely original condition, used to safely test upgrades before they go into the "real" machines.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">Fun fact: two of the "problem" machines turned out to have nothing wrong with the boards at all — a badly soldered CPU socket and a leftover blitter patch bridge were the actual culprits. Moral of the story: check your solder joints twice before blaming the silicon.</p>
<h2>Extensions Not Yet Installed</h2>
<p>A few upgrades have been bought or built but aren't in a machine yet, either waiting to go in or kept as spares:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>A second <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek floppy emulator</a></strong>, bought alongside the one fitted to the "Low" machine, still unbuilt and ready for another machine or as a spare.</li>
<li><strong>An <a href="/retro/eiffel-pico/">Eiffel Pico USB adapter</a></strong>, bought and configured but not yet installed, so I haven't decided which machine it will go into.</li>
<li><strong>A new <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge Multi-device</a> Revision 3</strong>, bought as an upgrade over the Revision 0 in use on the "Low" machine, still uninstalled until I decide where to put it.</li>
<li><strong>An <a href="/retro/acsi2stm/">ACSI2STM</a> adapter</strong>, bought but not yet in use anywhere, an alternative ACSI hard-disk emulator to the UltraSatan.</li>
<li><strong>An <a href="/retro/atari-vga/">ST2VGA Enhanced</a> adapter</strong>, an active RGB-to-VGA adapter bought as a spare, not currently in use.</li>
<li><strong>An original Atari STM-1 mouse converted with the <a href="/retro/laser-mouse/">laser board</a></strong>, upgraded but not currently in use.</li>
</ul>
<p class="note">Fun fact: two of the "problem" machines turned out to have nothing wrong with the boards at all, a badly soldered CPU socket and a leftover blitter patch bridge were the actual culprits. Moral of the story: check your solder joints twice before blaming the silicon.</p>
</div>
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<h1>The 15kHz Problem: Finding a Monitor That Speaks Atari</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Atari ST colour modes (Low-Res and Medium-Res) run at a horizontal scan frequency of 15kHz a frequency almost no modern VGA monitor supports, since anything made in the last two decades expects at least 30kHz. High-Res monochrome runs at roughly 35kHz and gets along fine with most displays, but colour gaming is a different story entirely.</p>
<p>Atari ST colour modes (Low-Res and Medium-Res) run at a horizontal scan frequency of 15kHz, a frequency almost no modern VGA monitor supports, since anything made in the last two decades expects at least 30kHz. High-Res monochrome runs at roughly 35kHz and gets along fine with most displays, but colour gaming is a different story entirely. A few older premium panels are the notable exceptions, and the NEC MultiSync LCD1970NXp is the best known of them.</p>
<h2>Panel Technology Matters More Than You'd Think</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>MVA/PVA panels</strong> the surprise winners. Their flexible crystal alignment tolerates unusual 15kHz signals far better than standard panels. A NEC MultiSync LCD1970NXp with an MVA panel handles Medium-Res colour reliably, once you fine-tune the H.Size setting.</li>
<li><strong>IPS panels</strong> a mixed bag. Some work (a widescreen Lenovo ThinkVision LT1952p reportedly fills the screen beautifully via an ST2VGA adapter), others don't, and there's no way to tell without testing.</li>
<li><strong>VA panels</strong> a dead end. Modern VA displays like the Dell SE2722HX and SE2422HX have a minimum horizontal frequency of 30kHz, ruling out native 15kHz signals entirely.</li>
<li><strong>The universal fix</strong> an Open Source Scan Converter (OSSC) upsamples the 15kHz signal for any HDMI monitor, at the cost of extra hardware and money.</li>
<li><strong>MVA/PVA panels</strong>, the surprise winners. Their flexible crystal alignment tolerates unusual 15kHz signals far better than standard panels. The classic example is the <a href="https://www.nec-display.com/" target="_blank">NEC MultiSync LCD1970NXp</a>, a 19-inch premium panel from around 2005 that genuinely handles 15kHz. Most LCDs only accept analogue VGA from 31kHz up, but this one is one of the rare exceptions, letting you connect an Amiga 500/1200, Atari ST or arcade board directly over a VGA cable without an upscaler. Its high-quality panel also gives wide 176-degree viewing angles and a strong 800:1 contrast, and it handles Medium-Res colour reliably once you fine-tune the H.Size setting. It's the monitor that runs my MiST and MiSTer.</li>
<li><strong>IPS panels</strong>, a mixed bag. Some work (a widescreen Lenovo ThinkVision LT1952p reportedly fills the screen beautifully via an ST2VGA adapter), others don't, and there's no way to tell without testing.</li>
<li><strong>VA panels</strong>, a genuine hidden gem. The <a href="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0957KH8X7/" target="_blank">Dell SE2722HX 27</a> (identical to the SE2722H) officially lists its horizontal range as starting at 30kHz, but its video scaler actually handles unlisted 15kHz support, something the community discovered through testing. Because it has a VGA input, it takes the raw RGB signal of old computers and upscales it to its native Full-HD 1920×1080, letting you connect an Amiga, Atari ST or arcade board directly without an OSSC or RetroTINK. Its VA panel gives a strong 3000:1 contrast for deep blacks, and it separates PAL and NTSC signals cleanly for smooth scrolling. It drives my Atari Mega ST 4 "Low" at 15kHz. The trade-offs: no built-in speakers, you have to switch the OSD aspect ratio to 4:3 (it's a 16:9 widescreen panel), and a heavily upscaled analogue signal can show faint vertical jailbars, which most retro fans accept given the price.</li>
<li><strong>The universal fix</strong>, an Open Source Scan Converter (OSSC) upsamples the 15kHz signal for any HDMI monitor, at the cost of extra hardware and money.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">If you're chasing 15kHz authenticity, buy the specific panel model people have already confirmed working in the forums don't trust a spec sheet that just says "supports VGA."</p>
<p class="note">If you're chasing 15kHz authenticity, buy the specific panel model people have already confirmed working in the forums, don't trust a spec sheet that just says "supports VGA."</p>
</div>
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---
title: "Getting a 40-Year-Old Computer Online: Atari ST Networking and BBS Access"
title: "Dialing Into BBSs with a Wi-Fi Modem on the Atari ST"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Connecting an Atari ST to the modern internet and to dial-up-era bulletin board systems, warts and all."
description: "Using dhansel's WifiModem on the Atari Mega ST 4 'Low' to dial into telnet bulletin board systems with terminal software, no real phone line required."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Getting a 40-Year-Old Computer Online: Atari ST Networking and BBS Access</h1>
<h1>Dialing Into BBSs with a Wi-Fi Modem on the Atari ST</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>The Atari ST predates the consumer internet entirely, yet a surprising amount of retrofitted networking hardware exists to get one talking to a modern network — or to a bulletin board system straight out of the dial-up era.</p>
<p>My <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> uses a ready-built Wi-Fi modem based on <a href="https://github.com/dhansel/WifiModem" target="_blank">dhansel's WifiModem</a> firmware, an ESP8266 module that connects a serial port to Wi-Fi. With it, the machine can dial into telnet-based bulletin board systems using its own terminal software, recreating the dial-up BBS experience without a real phone line.</p>
<h2>The Toolbox</h2>
<h2>The WifiModem</h2>
<p>dhansel's WifiModem is firmware for the ESP8266 that makes a serial port talk to Wi-Fi. It does this in two ways, and they're mutually exclusive:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>STinG</strong> the classic TCP/IP stack for TOS, still the backbone for anything network-related on an original machine, from Telnet sessions to FTP transfers.</li>
<li><strong>ESP32-based Wi-Fi modules</strong> — small serial-attached boards that emulate a modem over Wi-Fi. Results vary wildly between firmware projects: one variant handles HTTP downloads fine but can't do Telnet, another supports full modem emulation but drops connections unpredictably during longer BBS sessions.</li>
<li><strong>Terminal software quirks</strong> — ANSI art and special characters routinely render incorrectly in period terminal clients, an ongoing annoyance when connecting to text-heavy BBS systems.</li>
<li><strong>File transfer the easy way</strong> — a plain FTP client on the Atari talking to a NAS on the local network sidesteps most of the internet-connectivity headaches entirely, especially for moving disk images and software archives back and forth.</li>
<li><strong>Modem emulation</strong>, the computer on the serial port talks to the module as if it were a Hayes-compatible modem, sending AT commands. It can "dial" an IP address or hostname, and the module connects to that host over Telnet. This is what lets a vintage computer dial into telnet BBSs.</li>
<li><strong>Telnet server</strong>, a computer on the Wi-Fi network can connect to the module's port 23 and the module passes communication through to the serial connection, letting you reach the Atari itself over Wi-Fi.</li>
</ul>
<p>For dialing out to BBSs, the modem emulation mode is the relevant one. The module understands Hayes-style commands like <code>ATDT</code> followed by a hostname or IP address, and can even limit the line speed via the S37 register for an authentic slow-modem feel. Since the ESP8266 only has RX/TX pins, there are no hardware control lines, but the module handles the "+++" escape sequence to return to command mode during a call.</p>
<h2>Dialing the DarkForce! BBS</h2>
<p>To put it to the test, I dialed into <a href="https://www.telnetbbsguide.com/bbs/dark-force-bbs/" target="_blank">the DarkForce! BBS</a>, an Atari-centric system that has been running since the early 90s on a Mega ST4 with BBS Express! ST software. It's a fitting target for an Atari ST, since it's a fellow Atari machine at heart. With the terminal software on the Mega ST sending <code>ATDT</code> to the Wi-Fi modem, the connection to <code>darkforce-bbs.dyndns.org</code> over Telnet worked, and the ANSI login screen, message boards and file sections of a real BBS came up on the original hardware, no phone line involved.</p>
<h2>Why do it</h2>
<p>The obvious question is "why bother?", the Atari ST was never designed
for networking, and a modern device does all this far more easily. But
that's not the point. There's real satisfaction in making old hardware do
things it was never meant to do, and in experiencing the dial-up era's BBS
culture on original hardware, over Wi-Fi instead of a phone line.</p>
<p class="note">If you're chasing BBS nostalgia on real hardware: budget far more patience for the networking layer than for the actual computer. The 1980s hardware is the easy part; convincing 2020s Wi-Fi and modern BBS ANSI dialects to cooperate is the real challenge.</p>
<h2>Also worth noting</h2>
<p>Jungsi tested a <a href="https://www.jungsi.de/wimodem232-oled-retro/" target="_blank">WiModem232 OLED</a> on his Atari ST and wrote about it on his blog. He used a different modem hardware than I did, but the idea is the same. He used "Connect" as his terminal software on the ST, but I used a different terminal program that could render ANSI graphics in ST Medium resolution, though I'd have to look up which one it was exactly.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/dhansel/WifiModem" target="_blank">dhansel's WifiModem - GitHub</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.jungsi.de/wimodem232-oled-retro/" target="_blank">WiModem232 OLED - Jungsi's Corner</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.telnetbbsguide.com/" target="_blank">Telnet BBS Guide</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Why connect a 40-year-old computer to the internet</h2>
<p>The obvious question is "why bother?" — the Atari ST was never designed
for the internet, and the experience of using it online is objectively
worse than any modern device. But that's not the point. The real
satisfaction comes from making old hardware do things it was never
designed to do, understanding the networking stack at a level that modern
abstractions hide, and experiencing the dial-up era's BBS culture on
original hardware.</p>
<h2>The BBS experience</h2>
<p>Bulletin board systems from the dial-up era are still running today,
maintained by enthusiasts who keep the old software alive. Connecting to
one from an original Atari ST — via a Wi-Fi modem emulation — is a
genuinely nostalgic experience. The ANSI art login screens, the message
boards, the file sections, the door games — it's all exactly as it was
in the early 1990s. The main difference: instead of tying up a phone
line, the connection goes over Wi-Fi to a BBS that's accessible from
anywhere in the world.</p>
<h2>Lessons learned</h2>
<p>The biggest lesson: networking on retro hardware is 90% patience and
10% actual configuration. The STinG stack is well-documented but
fragile — wrong TCP/IP settings silently break connections without
useful error messages. The ESP32 Wi-Fi modules are cheap and flexible
but require careful firmware selection for the specific use case. And
terminal emulation is a rabbit hole of character sets, escape sequences,
and display quirks that haven't been relevant for decades but still
matter when connecting to a BBS that renders ANSI art.</p>
<p class="redacted-note">If you're chasing BBS nostalgia on real hardware: budget far more patience for the networking layer than for the actual computer. The 1980s hardware is the easy part; convincing 2020s Wi-Fi and modern BBS ANSI dialects to cooperate is the real challenge.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "Atari to VGA: Getting the ST Onto a Modern Monitor"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "How I connect the Atari Mega ST machines to modern VGA monitors, with three different RGB-to-VGA adapters."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Atari to VGA: Getting the ST Onto a Modern Monitor</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>To get the Atari ST onto a modern monitor, I use RGB-to-VGA adapters. I have three of them: a passive MCSWITCH adapter on the "Low" machine, a self-built adapter on the "High" machine, and a newer active ST2VGA Enhanced that isn't in use yet.</p>
<h2>The MCSWITCH (Low machine)</h2>
<p>The <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> uses an MCSWITCH adapter (ATARI Monochrome &amp; Color VGA Adapter) by Olivier Gossuin, bought directly from him in 2021 for 23 EUR. It shows all three ST resolutions on a suitable VGA monitor, with a switch for mono and color. The version documented on <a href="http://www.albersdoerfer.de/erweiterungen/stvga.htm" target="_blank">albersdoerfer.de</a> also has an A/V connector and volume buttons, but mine is an older revision without the volume buttons and with a slightly different look. I can't find my exact version at Olivier's anymore, nor a newer one, so the adapter I have is a bit of a rare older revision.</p>
<h2>The self-built adapter (High machine)</h2>
<p>The <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> uses a self-built adapter. I had to build my own because every off-the-shelf adapter blocks the VGA slot of the <a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000</a> card, since both connectors sit at the same spot on the machine. My solution is a short cable leading to a small box, which carries the VGA connector and the mono/color switch, so the ET4000's own VGA output stays accessible. I followed the guide at <a href="https://pest.atari.org/www.logicsays.com/atari/mono/docs/atari_vga.htm" target="_blank">pest.atari.org</a> to build the RGB-to-VGA adapter itself.</p>
<h2>The ST2VGA Enhanced (not yet in use)</h2>
<p>I also bought a new active <a href="https://sidecartridge.com/products/st2vga-atari-st/" target="_blank">ST2VGA Enhanced</a> from SidecarTridge, but it isn't in use yet. Unlike the passive adapters, the Enhanced adds an active amplifier and filter stage for early or noisy Atari machines, and carries its own +5V supply over micro-USB. It's designed for machines with weak video output, visible "jailbars", or picky LCD inputs that fail to lock to the signal. I want to try it on the "Low" machine to see whether it cleans up the output on the <a href="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0957KH8X7/" target="_blank">Dell SE2722HX</a>, which currently shows some faint vertical stripes, and hopefully removes them.</p>
<h2>A note on monitors</h2>
<p>Passive RGB-to-VGA adapters output the Atari's native timings, so color modes (ST Low and ST Medium) need a monitor that can lock to a 15 kHz horizontal sync signal. See my <a href="/retro/atari-monitor-compatibility/">monitor compatibility</a> page for which modern panels actually work. Mono mode (ST High) works on any standard VGA display.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="stvga-low.jpg" alt="The MCSWITCH VGA adapter connected to the Atari" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The MCSWITCH adapter on the Mega ST 4 "Low" machine.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.albersdoerfer.de/erweiterungen/stvga.htm" target="_blank">MCSWITCH (ATARI Monochrome &amp; Color VGA Adapter) - albersdoerfer.de</a></li>
<li><a href="https://pest.atari.org/www.logicsays.com/atari/mono/docs/atari_vga.htm" target="_blank">Atari to VGA adapter build guide - pest.atari.org</a></li>
<li><a href="https://sidecartridge.com/products/st2vga-atari-st/" target="_blank">ST2VGA Adapter - SidecarTridge (product page)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<h1>Batocera in the Living Room: One Box, Every Retro System</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Not every retro session calls for hardware-accurate FPGA timing. Sometimes you just want to grab a controller on the couch and pick something from a big menu that's exactly what the Batocera station in the living room is for.</p>
<p>Not every retro session calls for hardware-accurate FPGA timing. Sometimes you just want to grab a controller on the couch and pick something from a big menu, that's exactly what the Batocera station in the living room is for.</p>
<h2>What's Under the Hood</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Software emulation, not FPGA</strong> Hatari for Atari ST, UAE for Amiga, DOSBox for DOS, MAME/FBA for arcade, plus the usual console emulators (NES, SNES, Mega Drive, PlayStation). It's the go-to place for Atari ST gaming in this setup, since MiSTer's own ST core is unreliable.</li>
<li><strong>ROM organisation</strong> following the TOSEC standard and cleaning up collections with RomVault DAT files, aiming for "1G1R" (One Game One ROM) sets to keep launcher menus from turning into an unmanageable wall of duplicates.</li>
<li><strong>Curated sources</strong> a well-known "scene DVD" collection covers Atari ST releases comprehensively; Amiga has no equally tidy equivalent, since TOSEC's Amiga archive is comprehensive but messy, mixing dozens of crack-group releases per game.</li>
<li><strong>Division of labour with MiSTer/MiST</strong> Batocera wins on convenience and breadth, MiSTer/MiST win on accuracy and low-latency feel for serious sessions.</li>
<li><strong>Software emulation, not FPGA</strong>, Hatari for Atari ST, UAE for Amiga, DOSBox for DOS, MAME/FBA for arcade, plus the usual console emulators (NES, SNES, Mega Drive, PlayStation). It's the go-to place for Atari ST gaming in this setup, since MiSTer's own ST core is unreliable.</li>
<li><strong>ROM organisation</strong>, following the TOSEC standard and cleaning up collections with RomVault DAT files, aiming for "1G1R" (One Game One ROM) sets to keep launcher menus from turning into an unmanageable wall of duplicates.</li>
<li><strong>Curated sources</strong>, a well-known "scene DVD" collection covers Atari ST releases comprehensively; Amiga has no equally tidy equivalent, since TOSEC's Amiga archive is comprehensive but messy, mixing dozens of crack-group releases per game.</li>
<li><strong>Division of labour with MiSTer/MiST</strong>, Batocera wins on convenience and breadth, MiSTer/MiST win on accuracy and low-latency feel for serious sessions.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">If you're building a similar box: don't skip the DAT-file cleanup step. An unsorted TOSEC dump makes browsing physically painful once you cross a few thousand entries.</p>
<p class="note">If you're building a similar box: don't skip the DAT-file cleanup step. An unsorted TOSEC dump makes browsing physically painful once you cross a few thousand entries.</p>
</div>
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title: "The 486 DX2-66: Rebuilding a DOS Era on MiSTer FPGA"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Recreating a Vobis-Highscreen 486 DX2-66 setup on MiSTer FPGA, down to the original DOS configuration."
description: "Rebuilding the Vobis-Highscreen 486 DX2-66 experience from memory on MiSTer FPGA, as it felt back in the day."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>The 486 DX2-66: Rebuilding a DOS Era on MiSTer FPGA</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Long before Atari ST and Amiga took over the retro corner, a Vobis-Highscreen 486 DX2-66 in its distinctive Colani-designed tower case was the main PC. The original hardware is long gone, but the entire setup has been recreated 1:1 on MiSTer FPGA — same DOS version, same drivers, same AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS, same directory structure.</p>
<p>Long before Atari ST and Amiga took over the retro corner, a Vobis-Highscreen 486 DX2-66 in its distinctive Colani-designed tower case was the main PC. The original hardware is long gone, and I never kept a backup, so this MiSTer FPGA build isn't a byte-for-byte copy. It's a rebuild from memory, set up the way I remember it and the way it felt to use back then, the DOS version, the drivers, and the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS that got everything working.</p>
<h2>The original hardware</h2>
<p>The Vobis-Highscreen was a premium PC in its day the Colani design gave it a distinctive curved case that still looks futuristic. Inside it ran an Intel 486 DX2 at 66MHz with 8MB of RAM, a Sound Blaster 16, and a Tseng ET4000 graphics card. A 200MB hard drive and a 3.5" floppy drive completed the setup. The machine was the go-to system for early-90s classics like Doom, Wing Commander, Duke Nukem 3D, and Lemmings.</p>
<p>The Vobis-Highscreen was a premium PC in its day, the Colani design gave it a distinctive curved case that still looks futuristic. Inside it ran an Intel 486 DX2 at 66MHz with 8MB of RAM and a Sound Blaster 16. A 200MB hard drive and a 3.5" floppy drive completed the setup. The machine was the go-to system for early-90s classics like Doom, Wing Commander, Duke Nukem 3D, and Lemmings.</p>
<h2>The MiSTer recreation</h2>
<p>The AO486 core on MiSTer FPGA reproduces the original hardware with near-perfect accuracy. The key was not just getting the hardware emulation right, but rebuilding the exact software environment: the same MS-DOS version, the same memory managers (HIMEM.SYS, EMM386), the same Sound Blaster drivers, and the same AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS tuning that made the original machine run smoothly. Even the directory structure and file names match the original setup.</p>
<p>The AO486 core on MiSTer FPGA handles the hardware convincingly. The real work was rebuilding the software environment from memory: the MS-DOS version, the memory managers (HIMEM.SYS, EMM386), the Sound Blaster drivers, and the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS tuning that made the original machine run smoothly.</p>
<h2>Context: DOSMENU</h2>
<p>A key part of the preserved environment is <strong><a href="https://28k8.moonweb.org/bbs/pc/dosmenu/">DOSMENU</a></strong>, a boot configuration utility written in Turbo Pascal 6.0 in 1994 originally developed specifically for this Colani 486 machine. DOSMENU let you choose at boot time which AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS commands to load a critical feature in the DOS era, where memory management was manual and games often required different driver configurations. Features included saveable presets, a built-in MOD player, PCX picture display, and a DoubleSpace memory unloader. The original source: ~50k of Turbo Pascal, roughly 1900 lines plus some inline assembler.</p>
<p>A key part of the preserved environment is <strong><a href="https://28k8.moonweb.org/bbs/pc/dosmenu/">DOSMENU</a></strong>, a boot configuration utility written in Turbo Pascal 6.0 in 1994, originally developed specifically for this Colani 486 machine. DOSMENU let you choose at boot time which AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS commands to load, a critical feature in the DOS era, where memory management was manual and games often required different driver configurations. Features included saveable presets, a built-in MOD player, PCX picture display, and a DoubleSpace memory unloader. The original source: ~50k of Turbo Pascal, roughly 1900 lines plus some inline assembler.</p>
<h2>Why a 1:1 recreation</h2>
<p>The point isn't just to play DOS games it's to preserve the exact computing experience from that era. The way DOS memory management worked, the way sound drivers had to be configured manually, the way batch files chained together to create a usable environment. This level of detail is lost when you just launch a DOS game from a modern frontend. The MiSTer setup recreates the entire boot process, from BIOS POST to the C:\> prompt, just as it was in the mid-90s.</p>
<h2>Why a rebuild from memory</h2>
<p>The point isn't just to play DOS games, it's to recapture the computing experience from that era. The way DOS memory management worked, the way sound drivers had to be configured manually, the way batch files chained together to create a usable environment. This level of detail is lost when you just launch a DOS game from a modern frontend. The MiSTer setup recreates the whole boot process, from BIOS POST to the C:\> prompt, the way I remember it from the mid-90s.</p>
<h2>What's preserved</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>DOS boot environment</strong> the exact AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS from the original machine, including memory manager configuration and Sound Blaster IRQ settings.</li>
<li><strong>Game installations</strong> — original game installations with their setup utilities, configuration files, and saved games, all in the same directory paths as the original.</li>
<li><strong>System utilities</strong> Norton Commander, PKZIP, the usual toolkit of the era, all configured the way they were used daily.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://28k8.moonweb.org/bbs/pc/dosmenu/">DOSMENU</a></strong> a custom boot configuration utility written specifically for this Colani 486 in 1994. Built in Turbo Pascal, it let you choose at boot time which AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS commands to load essential for managing DOS memory across different games and applications.</li>
<li><strong>The quirks</strong> the specific workarounds and tweaks that were needed to get everything running together, the kind of institutional knowledge that only exists on a well-used personal machine.</li>
<li><strong>DOS boot environment</strong>, the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS set up from memory, including memory manager configuration and Sound Blaster IRQ settings.</li>
<li><strong>Game installations</strong>, DOS games installed and configured the way I used them, with setup utilities and saved games.</li>
<li><strong>System utilities</strong>, Norton Commander, PKZIP, the usual toolkit of the era, set up the way they were used daily.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://28k8.moonweb.org/bbs/pc/dosmenu/">DOSMENU</a></strong>, a custom boot configuration utility written specifically for this Colani 486 in 1994. Built in Turbo Pascal, it let you choose at boot time which AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS commands to load, essential for managing DOS memory across different games and applications.</li>
<li><strong>The quirks</strong>, the specific workarounds and tweaks that were needed to get everything running together, the kind of institutional knowledge that only exists on a well-used personal machine.</li>
</ul>
<h2>AO486 vs real hardware</h2>
<p>The MiSTer AO486 core handles the emulation convincingly. Timing accuracy is good enough for games that rely on cycle-sensitive behavior. Sound Blaster emulation covers the standard OPL3 FM synthesis and digital audio. The main trade-off is that some hardware-specific quirks like the exact timing of the ET4000 graphics card or the behavior of specific ISA bus peripherals aren't perfectly replicated. But for the purpose of preserving a working DOS environment, it's more than sufficient.</p>
<p>The MiSTer AO486 core handles the emulation convincingly. Timing accuracy is good enough for games that rely on cycle-sensitive behavior. Sound Blaster emulation covers the standard OPL3 FM synthesis and digital audio. The main trade-off is that some hardware-specific quirks, like the behavior of specific ISA bus peripherals, aren't perfectly replicated. But since this is a rebuild from memory rather than an exact copy anyway, that's more than good enough for a working DOS environment.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "Eiffel Pico USB: Modern USB Keyboard, Mouse and Joysticks for the Mega ST"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "The Eiffel Pico USB adapter brings USB keyboard, mouse and joysticks to the Atari Mega ST, a modern upgrade over the PS/2 Eiffel."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Eiffel Pico USB: Modern USB Keyboard, Mouse and Joysticks for the Mega ST</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Alongside the PS/2 <a href="/retro/eiffel/">Eiffel interface</a> I've also bought the <a href="https://klydes-korner.site/en/product/atari-eiffel-pico-usb-adapter/" target="_blank">Atari Eiffel Pico USB</a>, the modern USB-based successor. It's configured and ready, but I haven't decided which machine it will go into yet.</p>
<h2>What it does</h2>
<p>The Eiffel Pico USB lets you use a USB keyboard, a USB mouse (or an original Atari mouse) and a USB or DB-9 joystick with your Atari Mega ST(E) or TT. It's based on the work of Field of Cows, improved by TrickyDee and reworked by Klyde, and it emulates the HD6301 chip from the Atari keyboard, so the Atari thinks it's connected to an original keyboard. There are no drivers needed, it's plug and play, powered entirely by the Atari, and connects via a straight RJ12 (6P6C) cable.</p>
<h2>Key features</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Multilingual interface</strong>, French, English, German, Spanish and Italian.</li>
<li><strong>Atari keyboard emulation in many TOS languages</strong>, US/UK English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Swiss, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hungarian, Czech and Polish.</li>
<li><strong>Adjustable USB mouse speed</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Original Atari or compatible mouse</strong> supported on the DB-9 port for purists.</li>
<li><strong>Adjustable dead zone</strong> for USB joysticks.</li>
<li><strong>Adjustable autofire</strong> for USB and DB-9 joysticks.</li>
<li><strong>Key mapping</strong> of the Atari ST keyboard.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Compatibility</h2>
<p>It supports up to 4 USB devices (keyboard, mouse, joysticks), though keyboards with integrated USB hubs aren't compatible. Alongside the USB ports it includes two standard 9-pin Atari joystick ports, Joy0 and Joy1, for an authentic retro experience. A known-working list of keyboards and mice is maintained on the product page.</p>
<h2>Eiffel PS/2 vs. Eiffel Pico USB</h2>
<table>
<tr><th>Feature</th><th>Eiffel PS/2</th><th>Eiffel Pico USB</th></tr>
<tr><td>Peripherals</td><td>PS/2 keyboard + mouse</td><td>USB keyboard + mouse (or original)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Joysticks</td><td>2 PS/2-era ports</td><td>USB joysticks + 2 Atari DB-9 ports</td></tr>
<tr><td>Modern hardware</td><td>Needs PS/2 (or USB via adapter)</td><td>Native USB, modern peripherals</td></tr>
<tr><td>Extra features</td><td>F11/F12 mapping</td><td>Multilingual, mouse speed, dead zone, autofire, key mapping</td></tr>
</table>
<p>The PS/2 Eiffel is the classic option if you already have PS/2 hardware. The Pico USB is the modern choice, letting you use any USB keyboard and mouse without PS/2 adapters, with far more configuration options.</p>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>I've bought the Eiffel Pico USB and configured it, but it's not installed yet, so I haven't decided which machine it will go into. It sits alongside the other uninstalled extensions for now.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://klydes-korner.site/en/product/atari-eiffel-pico-usb-adapter/" target="_blank">Atari Eiffel Pico USB adapter - Klyde's Korner (product)</a></li>
</ul>
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---
title: "Eiffel Interface: PS/2 Keyboard, Mouse and Joysticks for the Mega ST"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Using the Eiffel interface to connect a PS/2 keyboard, mouse and joysticks to the Atari Mega ST 4 'High'."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Eiffel Interface: PS/2 Keyboard, Mouse and Joysticks for the Mega ST</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>My <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> workstation uses an Eiffel interface, which lets me connect a standard PS/2 keyboard and mouse plus two joysticks to the machine's keyboard port. The original Atari keyboard and mouse have moved over to the <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> machine.</p>
<h2>What the Eiffel is</h2>
<p>The Eiffel is a free, GPL open-source project to connect a standard PC mouse and keyboard to an Atari ST, Mega ST, TT or Falcon. It was originally started by Laurent Favard with help from Didier Mequignon. Features include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>PS/2 mouse support</strong>, up to two mouse wheels and five buttons.</li>
<li><strong>PS/2 keyboard support</strong>, standard 102/105-key with extra keys, with F11 mapped as the Atari Help key and F12 as the Undo key (changeable via a small GEM setup application).</li>
<li><strong>Two 9-pin Atari joystick ports</strong>, Joy0 and Joy1, like the original keyboard.</li>
<li><strong>Works with TOS, Magic, MiNT and Geneva</strong>, I have it running under Geneva myself.</li>
<li><strong>In-system programming</strong> of the PIC for firmware updates.</li>
</ul>
<h2>The version I use</h2>
<p>I have the <a href="https://www.eiffel-uno.com" target="_blank">Eiffel 3 for Mega ST, Mega STE and TT</a>, bought directly from Olivier Gossuin in 2021 for 18 EUR. As of 2026, the only place to still order one appears to be <a href="https://klydes-korner.site/en/product/ps2-to-atari-eiffel-adapter-with-joysticks/" target="_blank">Klyde's Korner</a>. This version connects to the keyboard port (RJ12) of an Atari Mega ST(E) or TT, and includes two joystick ports alongside the PS/2 keyboard and mouse. It's plug and play, comes pre-programmed with the latest firmware, and needs no drivers. It connects via an RJ12 (6P6C) straight cable, and works with a native PS/2 keyboard and mouse or certain PS/2-compatible USB devices via a USB-to-PS/2 adapter.</p>
<h2>Why use it</h2>
<p>Original Atari keyboards are getting rare and expensive. The Eiffel is a cheap, modern alternative that brings a standard PS/2 keyboard and mouse to the machine, along with the two joystick ports the original keyboard had. It also gives a much better typing feel: I use a Cherry PS/2 keyboard, which is far more pleasant to type on than the original, and a Logitech PS/2 mouse that tracks noticeably better than the original Atari STM1 mouse. It makes the workstation far more practical to use day to day. The older Eiffel versions were originally built and sold by Lyndon Amsdon, with the design documented on the <a href="https://hardware.atari.org/eiffel/index.htm" target="_blank">Atari Hardware Guide</a>, and the project history is covered in the <a href="https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Eiffel_Interface" target="_blank">Atari Wiki</a>.</p>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>In my Mega ST 4 "High" machine the Eiffel connects the PS/2 keyboard and mouse, keeping the workstation fully usable alongside the <a href="/retro/monsterboard/">MonSTerBoard</a>, <a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000</a> and <a href="/retro/netusb/">NetUSBee</a>. The original Atari keyboard is now used with the "Low" machine, which pairs it with a <a href="/retro/mouster/">mouSTer</a> and a USB mouse.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="eiffel-ps2.jpg" alt="The Eiffel PS/2 adapter without its case" width="480" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Eiffel PS/2 adapter, shown here without its case.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://klydes-korner.site/en/product/ps2-to-atari-eiffel-adapter-with-joysticks/" target="_blank">PS/2 Atari Eiffel adapter with joystick ports - Klyde's Korner (product)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hardware.atari.org/eiffel/index.htm" target="_blank">Eiffel - Atari Hardware Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Eiffel_Interface" target="_blank">Eiffel Interface - Atari Wiki-NEU</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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---
title: "Why an ET4000 Graphics Card and a Mega ST Don't Mix (Yet)"
title: "The ET4000 in a Mega ST: Higher Resolutions, Eventually Working"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "A cautionary tale about pushing 1980s power supplies past their limits with a modern-ish graphics card."
description: "How an ET4000 ISA graphics card ended up working in a heavily upgraded Atari Mega ST, via a STGA adapter, and what it took to get there."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Why an ET4000 Graphics Card and a Mega ST Don't Mix (Yet)</h1>
<h1>The ET4000 in a Mega ST: Higher Resolutions, Eventually Working</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>An ET4000 ISA graphics card, adapted to the Atari MegaBus, promises higher resolutions and more colors than the native Shifter chip can dream of. In practice, bolting one onto a heavily upgraded Mega ST turned into a lesson in power supply physics.</p>
<p>An ET4000 ISA graphics card, adapted to the Atari MegaBus, promises higher resolutions and more colors than the native Shifter chip can dream of. Getting one running in my heavily upgraded <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> machine turned out to be a genuine hardware battle, but it now works like a charm.</p>
<h2>What Went Wrong</h2>
<h2>The STGA Adapter</h2>
<p>The key to running an ET4000 in an Atari ST is a <a href="http://www.harbaum.org/till/atari/index.html" target="_blank">STGA adapter</a>, a design published by Till Harbaum in the ST-Magazin (issues 5, 6 and 7 in '93) that lets you drive an ET4000 VGA card in an Atari ST. I found a nice STGA adapter for ET4000 cards on ebay-kleinanzeigen.de, reproduced by an Atari forum user. After some research into which type of ET4000 could work, I bought one on ebay.de, and here it is running in my Atari Mega 4.</p>
<h2>The Card and Driver</h2>
<p>I can confirm that a card with the RAMDAC SC11487CN works with the Nova T8 and T6 drivers. And importantly, this particular card does not need -12V, which simplifies the wiring considerably. The STGA adapter comes with its own VDI (STGA_VDI.SYS, v1.3b), a control panel as a CPX module, and a ROM module that switches to the VGA automatically at boot.</p>
<h2>What Made It Difficult</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Power supply overload</strong> the stock Mega ST PSU simply wasn't designed to feed a MonSTerBoard, an ET4000, and a MegaBus adapter at the same time. The 5V and 12V rails ended up right at their instability limit.</li>
<li><strong>The missing -12V</strong> — the ET4000 needs -12V for its output drivers, usually tapped from the RS-232 port, adding yet another drain on an already stressed supply.</li>
<li><strong>Heat with nowhere to go</strong> the card runs hot, and the Mega ST case has zero provision for active cooling.</li>
<li><strong>Signal integrity issues</strong> the ISA-to-MegaBus adapter introduces reflections at higher frequencies, and access to ET4000 RAM is roughly 65% slower than native ST RAM, with no hardware BitBLT to make up for it.</li>
<li><strong>Power supply overload</strong>, the stock Mega ST PSU simply wasn't designed to feed a MonSTerBoard, an ET4000, and a MegaBus adapter at the same time. The 5V and 12V rails ended up right at their instability limit.</li>
<li><strong>The missing -12V</strong>, many ET4000 cards need -12V for their output drivers, usually tapped from the RS-232 port, adding yet another drain on an already stressed supply. The card I used avoids this.</li>
<li><strong>Heat with nowhere to go</strong>, the card runs hot, and the Mega ST case has zero provision for active cooling.</li>
<li><strong>Signal integrity issues</strong>, the ISA-to-MegaBus adapter introduces reflections at higher frequencies, and access to ET4000 RAM is roughly 65% slower than native ST RAM, with no hardware BitBLT to make up for it.</li>
</ul>
<h2>The Practical Fallback</h2>
<p>FPGA cores on MiSTer and MiST only emulate the native ST Shifter — there's no ET4000 emulation on the horizon given the FPGA resources it would require. The real answer for higher resolutions turned out to be software: Hatari running in VDI mode on a Raspberry Pi 400, which comfortably delivers 1280×768 with far more colors and zero PSU drama.</p>
<h2>How It Got Working</h2>
<p>Solving it came down to giving the supply the headroom it needed. With a properly beefed-up power supply to cover the 5V and 12V rails, plus a cooling solution for the card, the stability problems went away. The ET4000 now drives higher resolutions and more colors than the Shifter chip can natively produce, turning the "High" machine into a genuine workstation.</p>
<p class="redacted-note">Lesson learned: "just add a graphics card" on 40-year-old hardware is never "just" anything. The ET4000 project isn't dead, but it's shelved until there's a properly beefed-up power supply and cooling solution to go with it.</p>
<h2>The Context</h2>
<p>FPGA cores on MiSTer and MiST still only emulate the native ST Shifter, with no ET4000 emulation on the horizon given the FPGA resources it would require. So the real hardware approach remains the only way to get those higher resolutions, and now it works in the Mega ST 4 "High" machine with its dedicated <a href="/retro/atari-monitor-compatibility/">monitor</a>.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="et4000-1.jpg" alt="The ET4000 graphics card with STGA adapter" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The ET4000 graphics card ready for installation.</p>
<img src="et4000-2.jpg" alt="ET4000 card installed in the Mega ST" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The ET4000 installed in the Mega ST.</p>
<img src="et4000-3.jpg" alt="ET4000 card detail and wiring" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">Close-up of the card and its wiring.</p>
<img src="et4000-4.jpg" alt="ET4000 running at higher resolution" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The ET4000 driving a higher resolution desktop.</p>
<img src="et4000-5.jpg" alt="ET4000 final setup in the workstation" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The finished ET4000 setup in the workstation.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.harbaum.org/till/atari/index.html" target="_blank">Till Harbaum's Atari page - STGA adapter</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="note">Lesson learned: "just add a graphics card" on 40-year-old hardware is never "just" anything. But with the right STGA adapter, a compatible card, and the power supply and cooling sorted, the ET4000 now runs where I always hoped it would.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "Gotek Floppy Emulator: USB Stick Drive for the Atari ST"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Using cheap Gotek floppy emulator clones with HxC firmware to replace floppy drives with USB stick images on the Atari Mega ST."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Gotek Floppy Emulator: USB Stick Drive for the Atari ST</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Floppy drives and disks get unreliable after decades, so I picked up two cheap Gotek floppy emulator clones from AliExpress and followed the guides to bring USB stick disk images to the Atari. One is installed in my <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a>, the other is still unbuilt.</p>
<h2>What a Gotek is</h2>
<p>A Gotek is a cheap floppy drive emulator sold by the Chinese company of the same name, available in many variants on AliExpress, eBay and Amazon for around 20 Euro. To the Atari it looks like a normal floppy drive, but the disk data actually lives as disk-image files on a USB stick. That makes it easy to archive and preserve many old disks in little space, and to exchange data with a modern PC.</p>
<h2>The HxC firmware upgrade</h2>
<p>On their own, stock Gotek drives are of limited use on the Atari. The trick is to flash them with <a href="https://hxc2001.com/floppy_drive_emulator/" target="_blank">Jean-François del Nero's HxC firmware</a>, which dramatically expands their capabilities and makes them properly usable with the ST. Installing it involves flashing a new bootloader over a serial connection, then the firmware itself is loaded from the USB stick. The full steps are covered in the <a href="https://www.chzsoft.de/site/hardware/usb-stick-floppy-emulator-am-atari-st/" target="_blank">CHZ-Soft guide</a> and the <a href="https://www.jungsi.de/hxc-floppy-emulator-hardware/" target="_blank">HxC overview on Jungsi's Corner</a>.</p>
<h2>Modes and image formats</h2>
<p>The HxC firmware reads disk images in HFE format, a bit-for-bit copy of a disk's magnetisation that can even emulate unusual floppy formats. The emulator can run in several modes:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Indexed mode</strong>, loads files like DSKA0000.HFE, DSKA0001.HFE from the stick's root, selected with the drive's buttons.</li>
<li><strong>Autoboot mode</strong>, offers 16 image slots, with slot 0 holding the AUTOBOOT.HFE configuration program.</li>
<li><strong>File selector mode</strong>, needs an extra LCD display to browse and select images directly.</li>
</ul>
<p>Using the HxC software you can convert common Atari ST, MSA and other disk formats into HFE, create new images, and transfer files between the images and a PC. Always use double-density (DD) recording for the ST, and set the interface mode to Atari ST.</p>
<h2>Installation</h2>
<p>For the drive to work in the Atari, it has to be jumpered to drive select 0 (S0). Whether it runs as internal drive A: or external drive B:, the wiring inside a floppy station uses the usual power and data cables, though the data cable isn't keyed, so check pin 1. The front bezel of the floppy station may need cutting out to fit the emulator mechanically.</p>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>One of the Gotek emulators is installed internally in my Mega ST 4 "Low" machine, giving it reliable disk-image storage on a USB stick alongside the <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a>, the <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge</a> and the <a href="/retro/atari-networking-bbs/">Wi-Fi modem</a>. The second Gotek is still unbuilt, waiting to go into another machine or to serve as a spare.</p>
<p>For the internal mount I printed a <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2664753" target="_blank">Gotek case from Thingiverse</a> that fits in the floppy bay. I used this to relocate the Storm/Cloudy TOS switcher: the 2-way switch is mounted in a slot at the front of the printed case, right where the floppy opening is. So the TOS switcher now sits at the front of the floppy bay, which meant no drilling into the case at all, and there was already space there for it.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="gotek-switch-2.jpg" alt="The relocated TOS switcher at the front of the Gotek case" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The relocated TOS switcher at the front of the printed Gotek case, a clear view of how it sits in the floppy bay.</p>
<img src="gotek-back.jpg" alt="Gotek floppy emulator rear view" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Gotek in the 3D-printed case, with the relocated TOS switcher visible at the front.</p>
<img src="gotek-switch.jpg" alt="Gotek with the relocated TOS switcher in the printed case" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Gotek rear view.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.chzsoft.de/site/hardware/usb-stick-floppy-emulator-am-atari-st/" target="_blank">USB-Stick-Floppy-Emulator am Atari ST - CHZ-Soft (installation guide)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.jungsi.de/hxc-floppy-emulator-hardware/" target="_blank">HxC Floppy Emulator [Retro] - Jungsi's Corner</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2664753" target="_blank">Gotek floppy emulator case - Thingiverse (3D print)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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---
title: "Retro Computing Vintage Hardware & FPGA | moonweb"
title: "Retro Computing, Vintage Hardware & FPGA | moonweb"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Physical retro hardware collection Raspberry Pi units, Pi 400, and vintage computing setups."
description: "Physical retro hardware collection, Raspberry Pi units, Pi 400, and vintage computing setups."
layout: base.njk
sections:
- heading: "Atari ST Corner"
cards:
- title: "🖥️ The Mega ST Fleet"
summary: "Three Mega ST 4 machines and a Mega ST 2, each with a clearly defined role from heirloom to workstation."
href: "/atari-mega-st-fleet/"
- title: "⚡ ET4000 Experiment"
summary: "Why bolting a graphics card onto a Mega ST overloads a 1980s power supply, and what actually solved the resolution problem."
href: "/et4000-experiment/"
href: "/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/"
- title: "🎮 Mega ST 4 Low"
summary: "The bargain-bin Mega ST 4 rebuilt as a LowRes demo and games machine with Cloudy/Storm ST, Gotek, UltraSatan and more."
href: "/retro/mega-st-low/"
- title: "🖥️ Mega ST 4 High"
summary: "The high-end workstation with MonSTerBoard, ET4000, NetUSBee, Eiffel and STPSU, running Geneva."
href: "/retro/mega-st-high/"
- title: "🔧 Mega ST 2"
summary: "The spare and test machine for the rest of the fleet."
href: "/retro/mega-st2/"
- title: "🏛️ Heirloom Mega ST 4"
summary: "My father's original Mega ST 4, kept factory-original as a baseline reference."
href: "/retro/mega-st-heirloom/"
- title: "🌀 Storm ST & Cloudy ST"
summary: "Adding 8 MB Alt-RAM and flashable TOS to the Mega ST, switching between EmuTOS and iTOS 1.04."
href: "/retro/storm-cloudy/"
- title: "🧠 MonSTerBoard"
summary: "How the MonSTerBoard turns the Mega ST 4 'High' into a workstation with 8 MB TT-RAM, dual IDE and flashable TOS."
href: "/retro/monsterboard/"
- title: "📖 TOS Explained"
summary: "A short explanation of TOS, the operating system behind every Atari ST, and the versions that matter today."
href: "/retro/tos/"
- title: "💾 Gotek Floppy Emulator"
summary: "Replacing floppy drives with cheap Gotek emulators and HxC firmware, using USB stick disk images on the Mega ST 4 'Low'."
href: "/retro/gotek/"
- title: "💽 UltraSatan"
summary: "Giving the Mega ST 4 'Low' a real ACSI hard disk on an SD card with the UltraSatan Mini from Lotharek."
href: "/retro/ultrasatan/"
- title: "💽 ACSI2STM"
summary: "An open-source ACSI to SD card hard drive emulator for the Atari ST. Bought, not yet in use."
href: "/retro/acsi2stm/"
- title: "💳 SidecarTridge Multi-device"
summary: "An apps platform in a cartridge, adding Wi-Fi, ROM emulation and floppy/hard-disk images to the Mega ST 4 'Low'."
href: "/retro/sidecartridge/"
- title: "⌨️ Eiffel Interface"
summary: "Connecting a PS/2 keyboard, mouse and joysticks to the Mega ST 4 'High' with the Eiffel adapter."
href: "/retro/eiffel/"
- title: "⌨️ Eiffel Pico USB"
summary: "The modern USB-based Eiffel successor, bringing USB keyboard, mouse and joysticks to the Mega ST. Configured, not yet installed."
href: "/retro/eiffel-pico/"
- title: "🖱️ mouSTer"
summary: "Connecting a modern USB mouse to the Mega ST 4 'Low' with the mouSTer DB-9 adapter."
href: "/retro/mouster/"
- title: "🖱️ Laser Mouse"
summary: "Converting an original Atari STM-1 mouse to a modern laser sensor with the Atari mouse laser board."
href: "/retro/laser-mouse/"
- title: "📺 Atari to VGA"
summary: "Getting the Mega ST onto modern VGA monitors with three RGB-to-VGA adapters: MCSWITCH, a self-build and an ST2VGA Enhanced."
href: "/retro/atari-vga/"
- title: "📺 Monitor Compatibility"
summary: "The 15kHz problem explained, and which modern monitor panels actually cooperate with Atari colour modes."
href: "/atari-monitor-compatibility/"
- title: "🔌 Networking & BBS"
summary: "Getting an Atari ST online via STinG and Wi-Fi modem hardware, and dialing into classic bulletin board systems."
href: "/atari-networking-bbs/"
href: "/retro/atari-monitor-compatibility/"
- title: "⚡ ET4000 in the Mega ST"
summary: "Adding higher resolutions to the Mega ST 4 'High' via a STGA adapter and an ET4000 card, and what it took to get it working."
href: "/retro/et4000-experiment/"
- title: "🔌 STPSU"
summary: "Replacing the aging Mega ST 4 'High' power supply with a modern STPSU for clean, stable power, especially for the ET4000."
href: "/retro/stpsu/"
- title: "🌐 NetUSBee"
summary: "Real internet via STinG and a USB port for FAT16 data exchange with Windows on the Mega ST 4 'High'."
href: "/retro/netusb/"
- title: "🔌 Wi-Fi Modem & BBS"
summary: "Dialing into telnet bulletin board systems from the Mega ST 4 'Low' using dhansel's WifiModem and terminal software."
href: "/retro/atari-networking-bbs/"
- title: "🧩 MiSTery Core on MIST"
summary: "Cloning the Low's SD card to the MIST FPGA for direct SD access, five configurations and a backup plan if the real Mega ST breaks."
href: "/retro/mistery-core/"
- heading: "Amiga Corner"
cards:
- title: "💾 AmigaOS on Modern Platforms"
summary: "Running AmigaOS 3.2.3 on MiSTer FPGA versus Amiberry on a Raspberry Pi, and the HDF pitfalls to avoid."
href: "/amiga-modern-platforms/"
- title: "⚔️ Vampire, A600GS or MiSTer"
summary: "Why comparing modern Amiga hardware options by benchmark numbers alone is actively misleading, and how I run my Amiga today."
href: "/retro/amiga-modern-platforms/"
- title: "💾 Running AmigaOS in 2026"
summary: "MiSTer FPGA versus Amiberry on a Raspberry Pi, two very different ways to get a fully working AmigaOS 3.2.3 desktop today."
href: "/retro/amiga-hardware-landscape/"
- title: "🥧 The PiMiga Journey"
summary: "Three generations of the PiMiga distro compared, and why the newest release isn't automatically the best one."
href: "/pimiga-journey/"
- title: "⚔️ Vampire, A600GS or MiSTer"
summary: "Why comparing modern Amiga hardware by benchmark numbers alone is actively misleading."
href: "/amiga-hardware-landscape/"
href: "/retro/pimiga-journey/"
- title: "📦 The A1200"
summary: "What's confirmed so far about Retro Games Ltd.'s upcoming Amiga 1200 console, ahead of its 2026 launch."
href: "/the-a1200/"
href: "/retro/the-a1200/"
- heading: "FPGA & Emulation"
cards:
- title: "🧩 MiST and MiSTer"
summary: "Two FPGA boards with two very different personalities, and why the newer one doesn't win every category."
href: "/mist-mister-fpga/"
href: "/retro/mist-mister-fpga/"
- title: "🛋️ Batocera in the Living Room"
summary: "The couch-friendly, software-emulation counterpart to the FPGA rigs, covering everything from Atari ST to arcade."
href: "/batocera-living-room/"
href: "/retro/batocera-living-room/"
- title: "🕹️ Mini Arcades & Handhelds"
summary: "A buyer's guide to compact retro gaming devices, and how to spot a bootleg clone before you buy one."
href: "/mini-arcade-handheld-roundup/"
href: "/retro/mini-arcade-handheld-roundup/"
- heading: "DOS & PC"
cards:
- title: "💻 The 486 DX2-66"
summary: "A complete DOS environment rebuilt 1:1 on MiSTer FPGA, down to the original AUTOEXEC.BAT."
href: "/dos-486-tower/"
summary: "Rebuilding a DOS era from memory on MiSTer FPGA, recreating the environment the way it felt back then."
href: "/retro/dos-486-tower/"
- title: "👾 PHOBIA DemoGroup Archive"
summary: "The PHOBIA DemoGroup Archive, showcasing 1994 PC intros including the Phobia Welcome Intro, written in Turbo Pascal."
href: "/phobia/"
- title: "🎵 TranceMission Archive"
summary: "TranceMission demos and intros from 1992-1995, programmed in Turbo Pascal with assembler on DOS PCs."
href: "/tcm/"
- heading: "Overview"
cards:
- title: "🏠 The Retro Corner Today"
summary: "A room-by-room snapshot of every retro system currently active across the home."
href: "/retro-corner-snapshot/"
href: "/retro/retro-corner-snapshot/"
---
<h1>Retro Computing</h1>
<p class="site-intro">Hardware I've collected and kept running over the years. From Atari ST and Amiga to MiSTer FPGA and DOS environments.</p>
{% include "card-grid.njk" %}
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---
title: "Laser Mouse: Upgrading an Original Atari STM-1 Mouse"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Converting an original Atari STM-1 mouse to a modern laser sensor with the Atari mouse laser board."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Laser Mouse: Upgrading an Original Atari STM-1 Mouse</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>I converted an original Atari STM-1 mouse into a laser mouse using the Atari mouse laser board. It keeps the original Atari mouse shell and feel, but replaces the old mechanical/optical innards with a modern laser sensor, so the mouse actually tracks well again. It isn't currently in use on any machine, so it sits among my unused extensions for now.</p>
<h2>The Atari mouse laser board</h2>
<p>The board is a drop-in upgrade for an original Atari mouse. Instead of the worn-out original mechanism, it uses a laser sensor for smooth, accurate tracking while keeping the classic Atari mouse look. The board is sold by Tim (Lavago) and is available by email order.</p>
<h2>Current version</h2>
<p>There's a revised version of the board with several updates:</p>
<ul>
<li>Green PCB colour.</li>
<li>A status LED on the board, which can be disabled with a jumper.</li>
<li>Optimised firmware for even smoother movement.</li>
<li>New optimised button adapters.</li>
<li>Improved quality of the covers.</li>
</ul>
<p>It's available for Atari forum users by email order for 42 Euro including a 1040ST keychain (not 3D printed). When ordering by email, mention the keyword "Forum" and your address. Email: <a href="mailto:Info@Lavago.de">Info@Lavago.de</a>.</p>
<h2>Why do it</h2>
<p>The original STM-1 mouse is a classic, but the original sensors are getting tired after decades, and the feel isn't great compared to modern pointing devices. The laser board keeps the authentic Atari mouse shell while making it genuinely usable again, which is a nice middle ground between the original mouse and something like the <a href="/retro/mouster/">mouSTer</a> with a modern USB mouse.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="lasermouse.jpg" alt="The converted Atari STM-1 laser mouse" width="640" height="853" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The original Atari STM-1 mouse converted to a laser sensor.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li>Atari mouse laser board - available by email from Tim (Lavago): <a href="mailto:Info@Lavago.de">Info@Lavago.de</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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---
title: "The Heirloom Mega ST 4: A Reference Machine"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "My father's original Mega ST 4, deliberately kept in factory-original condition as a baseline reference."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>The Heirloom Mega ST 4: A Reference Machine</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>This is my father's original Mega ST 4, deliberately kept in its historical, unmodified condition. It's the one machine in the fleet that stays true to how it left the factory.</p>
<h2>Current State</h2>
<ul>
<li>Original TOS 1.04 reinstalled (onboard ROM, no external TOS switcher).</li>
<li>No modern expansions active, no MonSTerBoard, no Cloudy/Storm.</li>
<li>A classic floppy drive instead of a Gotek or emulator.</li>
<li>Its own original Atari keyboard and mouse.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Role in the Fleet</h2>
<p>This machine serves as a nostalgia and comparison reference. When problems occur on one of the modified Megas, I can test against this unchanged original state to distinguish bus, flash, or configuration errors from genuine hardware faults. It can also be used as a test platform for uncritical experiments, but stays as close to original as possible for nostalgic reasons.</p>
<h2>History</h2>
<p>The machine spent many years at my parents' house and was fully rebuilt and brought back into operation by me after I got seriously back into retro computing in 2020.</p>
<h2>Plans</h2>
<p>The plan is to use this machine again the way it originally was: hooked up to the old SM124 black-and-white monitor, and with the two old MegaFile hard disks (a MegaFile 60 and a MegaFile 30) connected, keeping the whole setup period-correct. Both are still stored in the basement at my parents' place for now.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "Mega ST 4 High: The Workstation"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "The high-end Mega ST 4 workstation with MonSTerBoard, ET4000, NetUSBee, Eiffel interface, a modern STPSU and patched TOS 2.06, running Geneva."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Mega ST 4 High: The Workstation</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Received for free in 2026, this Mega ST 4 was fully rebuilt and is today my primary workstation. It's the most capable machine in the fleet, running Geneva as a real multitasking environment.</p>
<h2>Work Performed</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Blitter patch</strong>, removed an existing patch and carefully bridged the severed trace with wire, verifying it with a continuity test. The installed blitter (marked S9012 / MM9092V, a National variant from week 12/1990) belongs to an unproblematic batch where the classic Mega ST blitter patch is generally no longer needed.</li>
<li><strong>CPU socket</strong>, soldered in a 68000 socket and checked all connections to the board with a multimeter.</li>
<li><strong>TOS</strong>, removed the onboard TOS from its sockets to avoid conflicts with the external flash TOS on the MonSTerBoard.</li>
<li><strong>Power supply</strong>, replaced with a modern <a href="/retro/stpsu/">STPSU</a> for clean, stable power, which matters especially for the ET4000.</li>
</ul>
<h2>MonSTerBoard</h2>
<p>The <a href="/retro/monsterboard/">MonSTerBoard</a> is plugged onto the 68000 socket, with jumpers set so TOS 2.06 is used from its flash. The TOS 2.06 is patched to skip the memory check, which noticeably speeds up the boot process. KAOS TOS is also installed on the flash, though currently I always run Geneva under TOS 2.06. No TOS switcher is wired up yet, so the machine is fixed to TOS 2.06 for now. The MonSTerBoard provides up to 8 MB of AltRAM (TT-compatible range, activated via <code>m_altram.prg</code>), an IDE interface for CF/IDE storage, and a flash ROM holding multiple TOS images. I boot from a 1 GB CompactFlash card over IDE, which is noticeably faster than an ACSI drive.</p>
<h2>Peripherals in Use</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000 graphics card</a></strong> in the MegaBus, providing higher resolutions and better display quality with Geneva/NVDI, driving a dedicated monitor.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/retro/netusb/">NetUSBee</a></strong> on the ROM port, giving real internet via STinG and a USB port for FAT16 data exchange with Windows.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/retro/eiffel/">Eiffel interface</a></strong> for a PS/2 keyboard and mouse, a much better typing feel than the original hardware.</li>
<li><strong>Self-built <a href="/retro/atari-vga/">VGA adapter</a></strong>, a short cable to a small box with the VGA connector and mono/color switch, since a standard adapter would block the ET4000's VGA output.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Role</h2>
<p>Workstation machine with multitasking (Geneva), AltRAM, IDE/CF boot, USB and network connectivity, and high-resolution display. My primary system for programming and productive work.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="high-1.jpg" alt="The Mega ST 4 High machine" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Mega ST 4 "High" workstation.</p>
<img src="high-2.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High internal view" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">Inside the "High" machine.</p>
<img src="high-3.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High detail" width="640" height="853" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">A detail of the "High" setup.</p>
<img src="high-4.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High expansion" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">Expansion boards in the "High" machine.</p>
<img src="high-5.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High close-up" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">Close-up of the "High" machine.</p>
<img src="high-6.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High running" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The "High" machine in operation.</p>
<img src="high-7.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High setup" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The "High" workstation setup.</p>
<img src="high-8.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High board" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">Board detail of the "High" machine.</p>
<img src="high-9.jpg" alt="Mega ST 4 High final" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The finished "High" machine.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "Mega ST 4 Low: Demo and Games Machine"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "The bargain-bin Mega ST 4 rebuilt as a LowRes demo and games machine, with Cloudy/Storm ST, Gotek, UltraSatan, SidecarTridge and a Wi-Fi modem."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Mega ST 4 Low: Demo and Games Machine</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Bought via eBay as a bargain, this Mega ST 4 is today my LowRes demo and gaming machine. It's the most heavily expanded of the fleet, but tuned for fast disk-image swapping rather than productivity.</p>
<h2>History and Repair</h2>
<p>I had originally cut out the TOS ROMs to experiment with external solutions, and afterwards it was unclear whether the board had been damaged in the process. Moving the <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a> to this machine via the MegaBus connector brought it back to stable operation. The actual problem turned out to be a poorly and incompletely soldered CPU socket.</p>
<h2>Hardware Configuration</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>CPU</strong>, 68000 with socket, plus the <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a> via the MegaBus adapter.</li>
<li><strong>TOS/Flash</strong>, Cloudy as the TOS switcher/flash solution with EmuTOS and PP's improved iTOS 1.04.</li>
<li><strong>RAM</strong>, 4 MB onboard ST-RAM plus 8 MB AltRAM via the Storm ST.</li>
<li><strong>Mass storage</strong>, a <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek floppy emulator</a> in a 3D-printed case and an <a href="/retro/ultrasatan/">UltraSatan</a> ACSI-SD emulator.</li>
<li><strong>Peripherals</strong>, a <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge Multi-device</a> on the ROM port, a <a href="/retro/atari-networking-bbs/">Wi-Fi modem</a> for dialing into BBSs, an original Atari keyboard with a <a href="/retro/mouster/">mouSTer</a> and USB mouse, and an <a href="/retro/atari-vga/">MCSWITCH</a> adapter for VGA output.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Role</h2>
<p>Focused on LowRes demos and games, with convenient image handling via the Gotek and SidecarTridge. No need for complex productivity software or precise keyboard layouts here. The entire SD card has been cloned to the <a href="/retro/mistery-core/">MiSTery Core on the MIST</a> as a backup and for easy data transfer between the real machine and the FPGA.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "The Mega ST 2: Spare and Test Machine"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "The Mega ST 2 that serves as an inactive backup machine for the rest of the Atari fleet."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>The Mega ST 2: Spare and Test Machine</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>The Mega ST 2 was given to me a while ago. Its role is purely as a backup: it sits inactive and is only meant to be brought back to life if the "High" or "Low" machine ever fails, not as an actively used machine.</p>
<h2>Current State</h2>
<p>It runs on original TOS with the internal RAM configuration, without the separate 4 MB expansion, which was removed for testing purposes and now sits set aside.</p>
<h2>History</h2>
<p>Everything in this machine was moved over to the <a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> that I was given, including its original power supply. It's not really a parts donor though, it's simply the spare machine now that the new Mega 4 carries the main setup. Back then it had an intermittent fault: after being on for a long time it would eventually show a white screen on boot. I first suspected the 4 MB expansion and removed it, but the fault persisted. Only after reverting it to the old TOS and a fully original state did it run stably again.</p>
<h2>Ideas for This Machine</h2>
<p>A few possible directions for the Mega ST 2, none of them decided yet:</p>
<ul>
<li>Reinstalling the 4 MB expansion, which was only removed for testing and is currently sitting set aside.</li>
<li>An external <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek floppy emulator</a>, since an external unit would suit this machine well.</li>
<li>An <a href="/retro/eiffel-pico/">Eiffel Pico USB</a> adapter for a USB keyboard and mouse.</li>
<li>The <a href="/retro/acsi2stm/">ACSI2STM</a> as an ACSI hard disk option.</li>
<li>A stereo sound mod.</li>
<li>Playing MIDI Maze against the <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a>: connect the two machines over MIDI, put the Mega ST 2 on the old MCSWITCH VGA adapter and the NEC monitor, and play together.</li>
<li>The old Revision 0 <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge</a> could move here once the new Revision 3 is installed in the "Low" machine.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<h2>What to Watch For</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>The bootleg trap</strong> devices built around VT369-style chips (NES-compatible, not real arcade hardware) often bundle 200+ "games" that turn out to be unlicensed clones and homebrew hacks, cataloged in enthusiast bootleg-game wikis. No Pac-Man, no Donkey Kong, just look-alikes.</li>
<li><strong>Genuinely licensed compact options</strong> devices built around real Namco or SNK licenses deliver actual classics (Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, dozens of Neo Geo titles) with premium displays, at a similar price point to the bootleg boxes.</li>
<li><strong>Expandable options</strong> some cabinet-style devices accept extra MAME ROMs via SD card, letting you add real arcade classics after the fact the one feature the bootleg boxes almost never offer without heavy soldering.</li>
<li><strong>The maximalist route</strong> a Raspberry Pi running RetroPie, or a MiSTer FPGA setup, both scale to tens of thousands of games or hardware-accurate arcade cores respectively, at the cost of more setup effort.</li>
<li><strong>The bootleg trap</strong>, devices built around VT369-style chips (NES-compatible, not real arcade hardware) often bundle 200+ "games" that turn out to be unlicensed clones and homebrew hacks, cataloged in enthusiast bootleg-game wikis. No Pac-Man, no Donkey Kong, just look-alikes.</li>
<li><strong>Genuinely licensed compact options</strong>, devices built around real Namco or SNK licenses deliver actual classics (Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, dozens of Neo Geo titles) with premium displays, at a similar price point to the bootleg boxes.</li>
<li><strong>Expandable options</strong>, some cabinet-style devices accept extra MAME ROMs via SD card, letting you add real arcade classics after the fact, the one feature the bootleg boxes almost never offer without heavy soldering.</li>
<li><strong>The maximalist route</strong>, a Raspberry Pi running RetroPie, or a MiSTer FPGA setup, both scale to tens of thousands of games or hardware-accurate arcade cores respectively, at the cost of more setup effort.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">If a mini-arcade's game list reads like a string of titles you've genuinely never heard of, that's the tell. Real arcade classics have instantly recognisable names bootlegs hide behind vague, generic-sounding ones.</p>
<p class="note">If a mini-arcade's game list reads like a string of titles you've genuinely never heard of, that's the tell. Real arcade classics have instantly recognisable names, bootlegs hide behind vague, generic-sounding ones.</p>
</div>
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<h1>MiST and MiSTer: Two FPGA Boxes, Two Very Different Personalities</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>Both boards run classic computers as hardware-accurate FPGA cores rather than software emulation, but living with them side by side reveals they're not interchangeable each one is simply better at certain jobs.</p>
<p>Both boards run classic computers as hardware-accurate FPGA cores rather than software emulation, but living with them side by side reveals they're not interchangeable, each one is simply better at certain jobs.</p>
<h2>Division of Labour</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>MiST for Atari ST</strong> older and more limited in scope than MiSTer, but its ST/STE core is rock solid. It's the default choice for anything Atari, paired with a network-capable configuration for file transfers.</li>
<li><strong>MiSTer for everything else</strong> Amiga, DOS (via the AO486 core), and a huge library of other systems. Its Atari ST core, oddly, is the less reliable one of the two boards reason enough to keep MiST around instead of retiring it.</li>
<li><strong>Native resolution ceiling</strong> both boards only emulate the original Shifter chip on Atari ST: Low-Res (320×200), Medium-Res (640×200), and High-Res (640×400 mono). No ET4000-style graphics card emulation is on the table; a Falcon030 core with higher native resolutions has been rumoured for years without shipping.</li>
<li><strong>Known rough edges</strong> accessory programs loading but not appearing on the desktop, and disabled XBOOT support, are still open items to chase down on the MiST side.</li>
<li><strong>MiST for Atari ST</strong>, older and more limited in scope than MiSTer, but its ST/STE core is rock solid. It's the default choice for anything Atari, paired with a network-capable configuration for file transfers. I also run the <a href="/retro/mistery-core/">MiSTery Core</a> on it as a full backup for the <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a>, with the entire SD card cloned from the UltraSatan.</li>
<li><strong>MiSTer for everything else</strong>, Amiga, DOS (via the AO486 core), and a huge library of other systems. Its Atari ST core, oddly, is the less reliable one of the two boards, reason enough to keep MiST around instead of retiring it.</li>
<li><strong>Native resolution ceiling</strong>, both boards only emulate the original Shifter chip on Atari ST: Low-Res (320×200), Medium-Res (640×200), and High-Res (640×400 mono). No ET4000-style graphics card emulation is on the table; a Falcon030 core with higher native resolutions has been rumoured for years without shipping.</li>
<li><strong>Known rough edges</strong>, accessory programs loading but not appearing on the desktop, and disabled XBOOT support, are still open items to chase down on the MiST side.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">The takeaway after months of use: don't assume the shinier, newer board wins every category. Sometimes the "older" FPGA implementation is simply the more mature one for a specific chipset.</p>
<p class="note">The takeaway after months of use: don't assume the shinier, newer board wins every category. Sometimes the "older" FPGA implementation is simply the more mature one for a specific chipset.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "MiSTery Core on MIST: An FPGA Backup for the Mega ST 4"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Running the MiSTery Core on the MIST FPGA board as a preserve for the Mega ST 4 Low, with five configurations from original TOS to Viking graphics."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>MiSTery Core on MIST: An FPGA Backup for the Mega ST 4</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>After getting the <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> fully configured, I cloned its entire UltraSatan SD card for the <a href="/retro/mist-mister-fpga/">MIST</a> FPGA board. The MiSTery Core on the MIST can access SD cards directly, so every partition from the UltraSatan is available right away, no HDD images needed. I can pull the SD card out of the MIST, put it into my computer and copy data straight onto it, just like with the UltraSatan. That keeps the MIST and the "Low" in sync and makes backups and data transfers very easy.</p>
<h2>Why do it</h2>
<p>The main reason is preservation. If the real Mega ST 4 ever breaks down, the MiSTery Core on the MIST can take over. It's not a replacement for the real hardware, but it means a dead Mega 4 doesn't leave me without a working setup.</p>
<h2>The SD card workflow</h2>
<p>The MIST reads the same SD card layout as the UltraSatan. Since the MiSTery Core supports direct SD card access, all partitions are immediately available. There's no need to convert partitions into HDD images or mount them through an emulator menu. The card comes out of the MIST and goes straight into a PC card reader. That makes it trivially easy to move data between the MIST and the real machine, and to keep backups current.</p>
<h2>My configurations</h2>
<p>I've prepared five configurations, each for a different use case:</p>
<img src="mistery-configs.jpg" alt="The MiSTery Core configuration selection screen" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The MiSTery Core configuration selection screen, showing all five available setups.</p>
<h3>1. iTOS 1.04 (same as the Low)</h3>
<p>The same setup as on the <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a>. With iTOS, pressing a number key and then space during boot selects the boot drive: 1 boots from D (GAMES), 2 from E (DEMOS), 3 from F (Medium Resolution). Exactly the way I have it on the real machine.</p>
<img src="itos1.jpg" alt="iTOS boot screen showing drive selection" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The iTOS boot screen with the drive selection prompt.</p>
<img src="itos2.jpg" alt="iTOS booting from the selected drive" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">iTOS booting from the selected drive.</p>
<img src="itos3.jpg" alt="iTOS demo running after boot" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">A demo running after boot on the iTOS configuration.</p>
<h3>2. 68020 14 MB with Viking Card</h3>
<p>This is the most interesting configuration. On the real Mega 4 "Low", high resolution is limited to 640x400, which always felt small to me, hence the <a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000</a> experiments and eventually the <a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a>. On the MiSTery Core, I can activate an FPGA recreation of the Viking graphics card. The original Viking had 1280x900, the FPGA version uses 1280x1024, which matches exactly the native resolution of my <a href="/retro/atari-monitor-compatibility/">NEC monitor</a>. Unlike the ET4000, which gives me 256 colours, the Viking is black and white only. But paired with Geneva and the faster 68020 processor, it's genuinely pleasant to work on. The core also emulates an EtherNEC and I have STinG configured for networking.</p>
<img src="viking1.jpg" alt="Viking configuration booting via EmuTOS" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Viking configuration booting via EmuTOS.</p>
<img src="viking2.jpg" alt="Viking GEM desktop loading" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Viking GEM desktop coming up.</p>
<img src="viking3.jpg" alt="Viking GEM desktop at full resolution" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Viking GEM desktop at full 1280x1024 resolution.</p>
<img src="viking4.jpg" alt="Geneva desktop on the Viking card" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">Geneva running on the Viking card.</p>
<img src="viking5.jpg" alt="Geneva desktop with windows open" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Geneva desktop with windows open, the final result.</p>
<h3>3. 68000 8 MB</h3>
<p>A slightly improved version of my high resolution configuration without the Viking card. I use this one for testing only.</p>
<h3>4. ST TOS 1.04</h3>
<p>As close to the original ST as possible. For playing floppy games and demos in a native configuration.</p>
<h3>5. STE TOS 1.62</h3>
<p>Same idea, but for STE-specific content. Original floppy games and demos that need STE hardware.</p>
<h2>How it compares to the real Low</h2>
<p>The MiSTery Core is an accurate FPGA recreation, so it behaves very much like the real hardware. The biggest practical differences are the Viking card option, which the real Mega ST 4 doesn't have, and the fact that the MIST has no physical MegaBus or ACSI port. But for the core use cases, preserving the "Low" setup and running floppy content, it's a solid stand-in.</p>
</div>
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---
title: "The MonSTerBoard: Alt-RAM, IDE and Flashable TOS for the Mega ST"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "How the MonSTerBoard adds 8 MB of TT-RAM, dual IDE and flashable TOS to my Atari Mega ST 4 'High' workstation."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>The MonSTerBoard: Alt-RAM, IDE and Flashable TOS for the Mega ST</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>My <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> workstation is built around the MonSTerBoard, an upgrade board from Alan Hourihane that sits on the MegaBus and adds 8 MB of TT-RAM, dual IDE interfaces and a 2 MB flashable TOS to any Atari ST, STe, Mega ST or Mega STe, hence the name. It's the board that turns the "High" machine into a genuine multitasking workstation.</p>
<h2>What the MonSTerBoard adds</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>8 MB of TT-RAM</strong>, alternate memory usable with TOS 2.06, MiNT and MagiC. Configurable via the M_ALTRAM program, which then goes into the auto-start folder.</li>
<li><strong>Dual IDE interfaces</strong>, two IDE connections on the board, ideal for a CompactFlash or IDE-SD adapter as mass storage.</li>
<li><strong>Flashable TOS (2 MB)</strong>, a 2 MB flash chip that can hold up to four TOS images, so you can switch operating systems in software.</li>
<li><strong>Optional real-time clock</strong>, a connector for an RTC module based on the Dallas DS1338 (already present on Mega ST/Mega STE mainboards).</li>
<li><strong>512K EmuTOS and flash disk support</strong>, the spare flash space can even hold a fast boot disk or an EmuTOS image.</li>
</ul>
<p>The heart of the board is a Xilinx XC9572XL CPLD that ties it all together. For a Mega ST, the board needs a separate MegaBus adapter board, also available from Alan.</p>
<h2>Installation</h2>
<p>Installation is fairly straightforward. For a Mega ST, plug the MonSTerBoard together with the adapter onto the MegaBus, connect the power supply and run a cable to pin 10 of the ACSI port. One thing that catches people out: the original TOS ROMs on the mainboard must be removed, otherwise the machine keeps booting the old TOS instead of the one on the flash board.</p>
<h2>The jumper block</h2>
<p>The board has an 18-pin jumper block. The top row is 3.3V, the bottom row is GND, and combined with the middle row they set the options. From left to right: TOSSEL, FLASHSW, FLASHON, IDESW, SCL and SDA.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>TOSSEL</strong>, for STFM/Mega ST with TOS 1.xx: jumper to GND boots from 0xE00000 (e.g. TOS 2.xx), jumper to 3.3V boots from 0xFC0000 (e.g. TOS 1.xx).</li>
<li><strong>FLASHSW</strong>, swaps the second 1 MB of the flash chip between the 0xE00000 and 0xFC0000 windows, so you can flash the other operating system.</li>
<li><strong>FLASHON</strong>, disables access to the flash for recovery mode, so the original ROMs can be reinstalled if needed.</li>
<li><strong>IDESW</strong>, swaps the first and second IDE interfaces.</li>
<li><strong>SCL/SDA</strong>, connection for the RTC module.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Software</h2>
<p>Alan provides three programs for the MonSTerBoard: M_FLASH.ZIP to write the onboard flash, M_ALTRAM.ZIP to configure the RAM (2, 4, 6 or 8 MB, then placed in the auto-start folder), and M_RTC.ZIP for the Dallas RTC module. In total you can install four TOS versions: two 192 KB and two 256 KB images.</p>
<h2>TOS selection via the jumpers</h2>
<p>The TOSSEL and FLASHSW jumpers pick which TOS the machine boots from the flash. A common setup maps them like this:</p>
<table>
<tr><th>TOSSEL</th><th>FLASHSW</th><th>Boots</th></tr>
<tr><td>off</td><td>off</td><td>EmuTOS</td></tr>
<tr><td>on</td><td>off</td><td>PP's modified TOS 1.04</td></tr>
<tr><td>off</td><td>on</td><td>TOS 2.06</td></tr>
<tr><td>on</td><td>on</td><td>Kaos TOS 1.4.3</td></tr>
</table>
<p>The MonSTerBoard is generally blitter-agnostic and works with all common Mega ST blitter variants, as long as the bus signals are clean. Common symptoms like a white screen with no boot are, in practice, usually caused by contact issues at sockets or incorrect jumper settings, not a defective blitter.</p>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>In my Mega ST 4 "High" machine the MonSTerBoard provides the 8 MB of TT-RAM that TOS 2.06 and Geneva use for real multitasking. For storage I use the dual IDE interface, booting the system directly from a CompactFlash card. I started with a 4 GB card, but that didn't work reliably, so I switched to a 1 GB card, which works fine. There's no ACSI hard drive connected in this machine; the IDE boot is noticeably faster than an ACSI drive would be. Combined with the <a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000 graphics card</a> and its dedicated monitor, it's the most capable machine in the fleet.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="monster-ide.jpg" alt="MonSTerBoard IDE adapter with CompactFlash card" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The MonSTerBoard IDE adapter with a CompactFlash card attached.</p>
<img src="monster-1gb.jpg" alt="MonSTerBoard with the 1 GB CompactFlash card" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">After the 4 GB card didn't work, I switched to a 1 GB CompactFlash card.</p>
<img src="monster-pins.jpg" alt="MonSTerBoard pins and jumper block" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The MonSTerBoard pins and jumper block.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.jungsi.de/monster-atari-st/" target="_blank">MonSTer [Atari ST] - Jungsi's Corner (installation guide)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.atarikit.co.uk/monster/monster.html" target="_blank">MonSTer order form - AtariKit (official page)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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---
title: "mouSTer: USB Mouse to Atari Adapter"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Using the mouSTer adapter to connect a modern USB mouse to the Atari Mega ST 4 'Low' via the DB-9 port."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>mouSTer: USB Mouse to Atari Adapter</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>My <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> machine uses a mouSTer, a universal USB HID to DB-9 adapter that lets me connect a modern USB mouse to the Atari. The original Atari mouse isn't in use here, instead the mouSTer gives the machine a far more comfortable USB mouse.</p>
<h2>What the mouSTer is</h2>
<p>mouSTer is the first fully configurable USB adapter for old computers, created by willyvmm. It plugs into the DB-9 mouse/joystick port of an Atari ST (and many other old computers) and lets you use a modern USB mouse. It's open source, with firmware updates done easily via a USB memory stick.</p>
<h2>What it can do</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Atari mouse emulation</strong>, so a USB mouse behaves like the original Atari mouse.</li>
<li><strong>Full configuration</strong>, adjustable mouse speed, full button mapping, and configurable autofire on any button.</li>
<li><strong>Wide USB support</strong>, it works with essentially all USB mice and gamepads.</li>
<li><strong>Easy firmware updates</strong> via USB memory.</li>
</ul>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>On the Mega ST 4 "Low" machine the mouSTer connects a USB mouse to the DB-9 port, giving a much better feel than the original Atari mouse. It works alongside the <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a>, the <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek</a>, the <a href="/retro/ultrasatan/">UltraSatan</a>, the <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge</a> and the <a href="/retro/atari-networking-bbs/">Wi-Fi modem</a>. The original Atari keyboard is still used on this machine.</p>
<p class="note">Worth a warning: before settling on the mouSTer I tested the <a href="https://polyplay.xyz/PS-2-Mausadapter-Atari-ST" target="_blank">PS/2 mouse adapter from Polyplay</a>, but it simply didn't work. I wrote to the shop several times and they even sent a second unit, but that one failed too. The shop still sells it, and despite asking the operator several times whether they had ever tested it themselves, I got no answer. If you're tempted, I'd test before you commit, or just go straight for a mouSTer.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/willyvmm/mouSTer" target="_blank">mouSTer - GitHub (project page)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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---
title: "NetUSBee: STinG, Real Internet and USB for the Mega ST"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "How the NetUSBee adds STinG networking, real internet and a USB port to my Atari Mega ST 4 'High', plus FAT16 USB stick transfer with Windows."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>NetUSBee: STinG, Real Internet and USB for the Mega ST</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>My <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> workstation uses a NetUSBee, a network card with two USB ports that plugs into the Atari's cartridge (ROM) port. It's what gives the machine real internet access via STinG, and the USB port lets me swap data with a modern Windows PC using a simple FAT16 USB stick.</p>
<h2>What the NetUSBee adds</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ethernet networking</strong>, a RTL8019AS network chip (the same one used by EtherNEC), giving the ST genuine network and internet access.</li>
<li><strong>Two USB ports</strong>, an ISP1160 USB controller (as used in EtherNAT), supporting USB mice, keyboards and, importantly, USB mass storage.</li>
<li><strong>Optional IRQ line</strong>, to speed up transfers and free up CPU time for applications.</li>
<li><strong>Compatibility</strong>, works with ST(e), Mega ST(e), Falcon and TT, connecting via the cartridge/ROM port.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Real Internet with STinG</h2>
<p>For networking I use the STinG TCP/IP stack together with the <code>enec.stx</code> (or <code>enec3.stx</code> for 68030) network card driver. Once configured, the Mega ST gets a real IP address on the network and can reach the internet, connecting the 1980s machine to modern services. The original NetUSBee was developed by Candle'O'Sin, and the current production runs are sold by Lotharek in a sturdy grey metal case that matches the Atari look.</p>
<h2>Exchanging Data with Windows via USB</h2>
<p>The USB port is particularly handy for data exchange. I use a FAT16-formatted USB stick, which the ST can read and write through the USB mass-storage driver. Because FAT16 is also readable on a modern Windows PC, I can transfer files between the Atari and a Windows machine just by moving the stick between them, no special cables or network tricks required.</p>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>In my Mega ST 4 "High" machine the NetUSBee sits in the cartridge port, working alongside the <a href="/retro/monsterboard/">MonSTerBoard</a> that handles IDE storage and Alt-RAM. It rounds out the machine as a true workstation: real internet via STinG, USB storage for file exchange, fast IDE boot from a CompactFlash card, and the ET4000 driving a dedicated monitor.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.jungsi.de/retro-atari-st-netusbee/" target="_blank">NetUSBee [Atari ST] - Jungsi's Corner (installation guide)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=46" target="_blank">Netusbee - Lotharek (order page, firmware and drivers)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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title: "PiMiga 3 to 5: Chasing the Perfect Amiga-on-a-Pi Distro"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Three generations of PiMiga later, here's what actually changed and why newer isn't always better."
description: "Three generations of PiMiga later, here's what actually changed, and why newer isn't always better."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@ parent: "/retro/"
<h2>What Changed Across Versions</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>PiMiga 3.0 (2022)</strong> the original recipe: Amiberry under DietPi with an XFCE desktop and the iGame v2 launcher. Now effectively retired, with no further updates.</li>
<li><strong>PiMiga 4.0 (2024)</strong> brought multi-architecture support (ARM and Intel/AMD) and swapped in the MegaAGS launcher, with roughly 4,800 games pre-installed. Its biggest strength: MegaAGS ships with strong trainer/cheat support baked into its game profiles.</li>
<li><strong>PiMiga 5.0 (Dec 2025, final release)</strong> the creator's last planned version. Switches back to the simpler iGame v2 launcher, drops in 600+ auto-switching backdrops, and adds native support for the newest Pi hardware but loses much of the trainer-focused depth that made version 4 so useful for casual replay sessions.</li>
<li><strong>The real decision criterion</strong> not "which is newest" but "do I care more about trainers/cheats (stick with v4's MegaAGS) or about the latest hardware support and polish (go with v5's iGame)". Running both on separate SD cards sidesteps the choice entirely.</li>
<li><strong>PiMiga 3.0 (2022)</strong>, the original recipe: Amiberry under DietPi with an XFCE desktop and the iGame v2 launcher. Now effectively retired, with no further updates.</li>
<li><strong>PiMiga 4.0 (2024)</strong>, brought multi-architecture support (ARM and Intel/AMD) and swapped in the MegaAGS launcher, with roughly 4,800 games pre-installed. Its biggest strength: MegaAGS ships with strong trainer/cheat support baked into its game profiles.</li>
<li><strong>PiMiga 5.0 (Dec 2025, final release)</strong>, the creator's last planned version. Switches back to the simpler iGame v2 launcher, drops in 600+ auto-switching backdrops, and adds native support for the newest Pi hardware, but loses much of the trainer-focused depth that made version 4 so useful for casual replay sessions.</li>
<li><strong>The real decision criterion</strong>, not "which is newest" but "do I care more about trainers/cheats (stick with v4's MegaAGS) or about the latest hardware support and polish (go with v5's iGame)". Running both on separate SD cards sidesteps the choice entirely.</li>
</ul>
<p class="redacted-note">Also worth knowing: getting the display right on an older 4:3 monitor is almost never a Raspberry Pi config.txt problem it's nearly always an Amiberry/X11 scaling setting. Check the emulator's Integer Scaling option before touching boot config files.</p>
<p class="note">Also worth knowing: getting the display right on an older 4:3 monitor is almost never a Raspberry Pi config.txt problem, it's nearly always an Amiberry/X11 scaling setting. Check the emulator's Integer Scaling option before touching boot config files.</p>
</div>
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title: "The Retro Corner Today: A Snapshot of the Whole Setup"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "A tour through every retro system currently active across the home, room by room."
description: "A tour through every retro system currently in the home, which ones are set up and running, and which are boxed and ready to use."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>The Retro Corner Today: A Snapshot of the Whole Setup</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>What started with childhood memories of an Atari ST and an Amiga 500 turned into a full-blown home retro-computing corner after 2020. Here's what's actually running right now, spread across two rooms plus a handful of portable devices.</p>
<p>What started with childhood memories of an Atari ST and an Amiga 500 turned into a full-blown home retro-computing corner after 2020. Here's a snapshot of the whole setup, which machines are actually set up and running right now, and which are boxed and ready to use on demand.</p>
<h2>Room by Room</h2>
<h2>The study</h2>
<p>The study holds the bulk of the serious gear. The <a href="/retro/mist-mister-fpga/">MiSTer FPGA</a> and the MiST FPGA are set up here, both connected to a <a href="https://www.nec-display.com/" target="_blank">NEC 1970NXp</a>. The MiST runs the <a href="/retro/mistery-core/">MiSTery Core</a> as a backup for the <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a>, with the entire SD card cloned from the UltraSatan. The <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> machine is set up and running on a <a href="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0957KH8X7/" target="_blank">Dell SE2722HX 27</a> that handles 15kHz, serving as the demo- and game-machine.</p>
<p>The rest of the Atari hardware is stored here but not set up, mainly for lack of space:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>The office</strong> — home base for the serious gear: three Atari Mega ST 4 machines plus a Mega ST 2, a MiSTer FPGA covering Amiga/DOS/arcade cores, and a MiST FPGA dedicated to Atari ST. A Raspberry Pi 400 running Hatari and PiMiga rounds things out as the flexible, high-resolution alternative to hardware that can't quite keep up on screen quality.</li>
<li><strong>The living room</strong> — a Batocera box for casual, couch-friendly sessions across dozens of systems, from Atari ST to arcade to consoles, no FPGA timing precision required.</li>
<li><strong>On the move</strong> — a small collection of handheld emulation devices for retro gaming away from a screen.</li>
<li><strong>The focus, unmistakably</strong> — Amiga and Atari ST are the heart of the collection; everything else (DOS, arcade, handhelds) exists to fill in the gaps around those two platforms.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">The Mega ST 4 "High"</a></strong>, the upgraded workstation, is boxed and can be set up on demand. It has its own EIZO FlexScan L365 15-inch monitor for the ET4000, and when I use it I set it up in the living room on the dining table. The L365 is a genuinely good 15-inch panel, with a sharp 1024×768 image and wide viewing angles that make it a great fit for high-resolution Atari desktop work, and it does the ET4000's output justice.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/retro/mega-st-heirloom/">The heirloom Mega ST 4</a></strong>, kept factory-original, is not set up.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/retro/mega-st2/">The Mega ST 2</a></strong>, the spare and donor machine, is not set up.</li>
</ul>
<h2>The office setup in detail</h2>
<p>The office houses the main retro computing workstation. The three Mega ST 4 machines each have a defined role: one runs GEM-based productivity software, one is set up for MIDI music production with a connected synthesizer, and one serves as the development machine for ST software. The Mega ST 2 is the backup and testing machine. The MiSTer FPGA handles Amiga and DOS emulation with near-perfect timing accuracy, while the MiST provides a dedicated Atari ST experience without the overhead of the MiSTer's larger feature set.</p>
<h2>Why the EIZO FlexScan L365 is a great fit</h2>
<p>The L365 was a genuinely premium 15-inch panel when it launched in 2001, and that quality still shows today. It was one of the brightest and most contrast-rich LCDs of its era, with 300 cd/m² brightness and a 450:1 contrast ratio, far ahead of most competitors, and it already offered gamma correction and precise colour temperature adjustment, features usually reserved for expensive CRT monitors. It also had a DVI-D digital input alongside VGA, which avoided the flicker of analogue LCDs and gave a pixel-sharp image.</p>
<p>For retro computing it's ideal. Its native 1024×768 at 4:3 matches the classic Atari/DOS desktop resolutions, and its high-quality scaling chip upscales lower resolutions like 640×480 or 800×600 far more cleanly than cheap monitors from the same era. And EIZO built it for round-the-clock industrial and office use, so after more than 20 years it still runs perfectly without noticeable backlight degradation. That's exactly what you want driving the ET4000 in the "High" machine.</p>
<h2>The living room setup</h2>
<p>The Batocera box in the living room takes a completely different approach — it's not about hardware authenticity, it's about convenience. A compact PC boots directly into the Batocera frontend, providing a console-like experience for casual retro gaming on the TV. Controllers are wireless, the interface is controller-friendly, and the focus is on games that work well from a couch rather than demos or productivity software that needs a keyboard and mouse.</p>
<h2>The NEC MultiSync LCD1970NXp: a different class</h2>
<p>The NEC MultiSync LCD1970NXp, released around 2005/2006, is a different machine class entirely and a clear step up from the EIZO L365. It's a larger 19-inch panel in 5:4 format with a higher 1280×1024 resolution, and its strength lies in a premium panel combined with unusual versatility for retro hardware.</p>
<p>Unlike cheap TN panels, it uses a high-quality panel with enormous viewing-angle stability, 176 degrees in both directions, so colours don't shift or darken when you view it from an angle or above. Its typical 800:1 contrast ratio, nearly double the EIZO's, delivers deep blacks and strong colours for its era.</p>
<p>What really makes it legendary among retro enthusiasts is its 15kHz support. Most LCD monitors only accept analogue VGA signals from 31kHz up, but the 1970NXp is one of the rare exceptions that handles genuine 15kHz. That lets you connect an Amiga 500/1200, Atari ST or old arcade boards directly over a VGA cable without a pricey upscaler and get a stable picture. It also has solid ergonomics, an ErgoDesign stand with a very smooth 110mm height adjustment and integrated cable management.</p>
<h2>The two monitors compared</h2>
<table>
<tr><th>Spec</th><th>EIZO FlexScan L365 (2001)</th><th>NEC MultiSync LCD1970NXp (2005)</th></tr>
<tr><td>Size</td><td>15-inch (compact)</td><td>19-inch (large)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Resolution</td><td>1024×768 (4:3)</td><td>1280×1024 (5:4)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Contrast</td><td>450:1</td><td>800:1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Viewing angle</td><td>Good for 2001</td><td>Excellent (176°)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Special extra</td><td>Very sharp DOS scaler</td><td>15kHz support for Amiga/arcade</td></tr>
</table>
<p>The EIZO is ideal if you want the typical, space-saving look of the first LCD generation for an original Windows 98 machine. The NEC is the technically more modern, larger and far more versatile all-rounder, especially valuable for home-computer enthusiasts who need 15kHz support for Amiga and similar systems. Both are excellent, just in different roles.</p>
<h2>The living room</h2>
<p>The <a href="/retro/batocera-living-room/">Batocera box</a> is the couch-friendly setup for casual sessions across dozens of systems, no FPGA timing precision required. The Raspberry Pi 400 (running Hatari and <a href="/retro/pimiga-journey/">PiMiga</a>) also lives here, connected to a small NEC 18-inch monitor as the flexible, high-resolution alternative to the original hardware. The <a href="/retro/the-a1200/">A1200</a> console is on pre-order and will join this setup.</p>
<h2>On the move</h2>
<p>Outside the two rooms there's a small collection of <a href="/retro/mini-arcade-handheld-roundup/">handheld emulation devices</a> for retro gaming away from a screen.</p>
<h2>How it all connects</h2>
<p>All machines share the same network infrastructure, with FTP access to the NAS for file transfers. Disk images and software archives are stored centrally and served to individual machines as needed. The MiSTer and MiST both use SD cards for storage, while the original hardware uses CompactFlash adapters or SCSI-to-IDE bridges depending on the machine. The Raspberry Pi 400 accesses the same NFS shares as the other Pis in the flat.</p>
<p class="redacted-note">The honest status update: several open items remain documenting the exact handheld models, and waiting on the A1200 Mini pre-order. Retro computing, it turns out, is never really "done."</p>
<p class="note">The honest status update: several open items remain, documenting the exact handheld models, and the full-size <a href="/retro/the-a1200/">A1200</a> is on pre-order ahead of its 4 December 2026 launch. Retro computing, it turns out, is never really "done."</p>
</div>
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---
title: "SidecarTridge Multi-device: An Apps Platform in a Cartridge"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "How the SidecarTridge Multi-device turns the cartridge port of my Atari Mega ST 4 'Low' into an apps platform for floppy, hard disk, ROM and Wi-Fi."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>SidecarTridge Multi-device: An Apps Platform in a Cartridge</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>My <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> machine uses a SidecarTridge Multi-device, a small board with a Raspberry Pi Pico W inside that plugs into the cartridge port and turns the Atari into an apps platform. It brings Wi-Fi and a microSD slot to the machine and runs a growing catalog of modular apps, no soldering and no internal mods required. I bought the original Revision 0 back in late 2023/early 2024, and I've since picked up the new Revision 3 as well.</p>
<h2>What it does</h2>
<p>The SidecarTridge Multi-device works in any Atari ST, STE, Mega, TT or Falcon. A Raspberry Pi Pico W inside brings Wi-Fi and a microSD slot, and the board interacts with the cartridge bus in real time to emulate a range of devices:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>ROM emulation</strong>, load 64K or 128K cartridge ROMs from microSD or over Wi-Fi and swap them on the fly.</li>
<li><strong>Drives emulator</strong>, floppy and hard-disk emulation from a microSD card, so you can boot any image without a mechanical floppy drive.</li>
<li><strong>Browser</strong>, search floppy images directly from the ST over Wi-Fi and boot them, with no PC in the middle.</li>
<li><strong>MIDI-to-IP</strong>, bridge the ST's MIDI port to the internet, so networked MIDI works against players anywhere.</li>
<li><strong>Real-time clock</strong>, plus other apps, all switchable without reflashing.</li>
</ul>
<h2>An apps platform, not just an emulator</h2>
<p>Firmware V2 reworks the device into an apps platform. Instead of one fixed mode, it runs a catalog of modular apps you can switch between in seconds, with over-the-air updates and per-app configuration. The hardware and firmware are open source on GitHub, so the community keeps adding new apps and the Atari keeps gaining capabilities.</p>
<h2>How it works</h2>
<p>Setup takes about ten minutes. Slide the Multi-device into the cartridge port, power on, and on first boot it exposes its own SIDECART Wi-Fi network. You join it from a phone or laptop, pick your home Wi-Fi, and from then on the device joins your network automatically. Once connected it shows a QR code with its IP, which opens a web UI listing every installed app, and you pick what your ST should become. On the "Low" machine I use it for the ROM and floppy side of things, alongside the <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a> and the Gotek for disk-image swapping.</p>
<h2>Revision 0 vs. Revision 3</h2>
<p>My Revision 0 is the very first version sold at the end of 2023/start of 2024, and it's the one in use on the "Low" machine. The new Revision 3 is a complete redesign that addresses feedback from early buyers. Functionally both run the same firmware and do the same things, but the v3 is noticeably improved:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Size and stability</strong>, the Rev 0 was a long, wide 2-layer board that stuck out and could flex if knocked. The v3 is a much more compact 4-layer board that sits more discreetly and doesn't flex.</li>
<li><strong>Signal quality</strong>, the Rev 0 used simple tinned (HASL) contacts, which can oxidise over time on the sensitive Mega ST bus and cause sudden crashes. The v3 uses a high-quality ENIG gold finish plus two inner copper layers for cleaner power, so transfers run flawlessly.</li>
<li><strong>Wi-Fi reception</strong>, on the Rev 0 the antenna sat over normal traces that dampened the radio signal, so the connection could drop if the ST was in a bad spot. The v3 has a copper clearance area under the antenna for a stronger, more stable connection.</li>
<li><strong>Power draw</strong>, the Rev 0 loads the aging 5V rail a bit more. The v3 was optimised to draw noticeably less and run more efficiently.</li>
<li><strong>Layout and Pico W mounting</strong>, on the Rev 0 the buttons and connectors were in the original spots and the Pico W had to be soldered on tall pin headers. The v3 repositions the buttons ergonomically and lets the Pico W be soldered flat, plus adds JST sockets for external buttons without soldering.</li>
</ul>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>The original Revision 0 SidecarTridge is in use on the Mega ST 4 "Low" machine. The new Revision 3 I've bought but not yet installed, so it's still sitting alongside the other uninstalled extensions until I decide where to use it.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://sidecartridge.com/products/sidecartridge-multidevice-atari-st/" target="_blank">SidecarTridge Multi-device for Atari ST - official product page</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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---
title: "Storm ST & Cloudy ST: Flashable TOS and Alt-RAM for the Mega ST"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "Installing the Storm ST (8 MB Alt-RAM) and Cloudy ST (flashable TOS) combo in my Atari Mega ST, switching between EmuTOS and PP's improved iTOS 1.04."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<h1>Storm ST &amp; Cloudy ST: Flashable TOS and Alt-RAM for the Mega ST</h1>
<div class="detail-content">
<p>I just installed the new Storm ST and Cloudy ST combo in my <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> machine. Now I can switch from EmuTOS 1.0.1 to PP's improved <a href="https://atari.8bitchip.info/tosimprgu.html" target="_blank">iTOS 1.04</a> and also have 8 MB of Alt-RAM under EmuTOS.</p>
<h2>The Cloudy ST</h2>
<p>The Cloudy ST is an extremely compact TOS adapter for Atari ST, STM, STF, STFM and Mega ST. It allows you to switch between two TOS ROMs: one ROM comes with EmuTOS preinstalled, the other one can be flashed via software, for example with TOS 2.06 or TOS 1.0x. It works together with the <a href="https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Storm_ST" target="_blank">Storm ST</a> and/or the Lightning ST, needs an address decoder (hexE00000) which the Storm ST provides, and is fully compatible with TOS 2.06, EmuTOS and TOS 1.00 - 1.04 (on mainboards that support 1 Mbit ROMs).</p>
<h2>The Storm ST</h2>
<p>The Storm ST is a compact add-on for the Atari ST, STM, STF, STFM and Mega ST that adds 8 megabytes of alternate RAM, usable with TOS 2.06, EmuTOS and MagiC. (Alternate RAM is not supported by TOS 1.x.) It also provides the address decoder for TOS 1.0x, 2.0x and EmuTOS, making it the perfect companion for the Cloudy's flashable TOS board, plus a connector for an optional real-time clock. With EmuTOS, Alt-RAM and the RTC are detected and used automatically with no software required.</p>
<h2>My Setup</h2>
<p>With the Storm ST and Cloudy ST combo in place, the machine boots into EmuTOS 1.0.1 with all 8 MB of Alt-RAM available, or switches over to PP's improved iTOS 1.04 for maximum software compatibility with games and demos from the era. iTOS 1.04 adds real FAT16 filesystem support, so it works much better with hard disks and mass storage, plus a few welcome extras on top of the classic TOS 1.04 behaviour. It's the best of both worlds: the modern conveniences of EmuTOS combined with the improved, authentic-feeling iTOS.</p>
<h2>Gallery</h2>
<img src="storm-cloudy-1.jpg" alt="Storm ST and Cloudy ST installed in the Mega ST" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Storm ST and Cloudy ST combo installed in the Mega ST.</p>
<img src="storm-cloudy-2.jpg" alt="Storm ST and Cloudy ST board detail" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">Close-up of the Storm ST and Cloudy ST boards.</p>
<img src="storm-cloudy-3.jpg" alt="Storm ST and Cloudy ST with wiring" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The Storm ST and Cloudy ST with their wiring in place.</p>
<img src="storm-cloudy-4.jpg" alt="Storm ST and Cloudy ST final install" width="590" height="443" loading="lazy">
<p class="caption">The finished installation in the Mega ST.</p>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Storm_ST" target="_blank">Storm ST - Atari Wiki-NEU</a></li>
<li><a href="https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Cloudy" target="_blank">Cloudy - Atari Wiki-NEU</a></li>
<li><a href="https://atari.8bitchip.info/tosimprgu.html" target="_blank">TOS improving (iTOS) - PP's Atari page</a></li>
</ul>
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