The setup consists of a media/gaming PC, a gaming laptop, a gaming PC, a music production desk, a retro games console setup, an arcade pedestal setup in front of a TV, and a lot of controllers and games.
2x Libredrive flashed LG-WH16NS40 multi-disk optical drivers for ripping Blu-rays, CDs, DVDs and any optical disk with MakeMKV and games for my Plex server and emulators.
MakeMKV for ripping CDs and Blu-rays (lifetime licence)
AnyDVD HD (lifetime licence) for ripping DVDs and Blu-rays
4K Video Downloader (lifetime licence) for ripping videos from Youtube etc
Imagemagik for creating GIFs and command line batch graphics manipulation and conversion
FFMPEG for command line batch video manipulation
Movavai Video Editor 2022
Sony Vegas 19 Video Editor for more complex video edits
Aseprite Pixel Graphics and Animated Gif Editor
Sonarworks SoundID Reference - speaker and headphones environmental EQ software.
Audacity Audio Editor for editing and mastering mixes uploaded to Mixcloud
Hye Sync (official app) for syncing Phillips Hue lights to movies, games, etc
PlexAmp and Plex for streaming audio and video from my Plex server at highest quality
VLC for video playback
HandBrake for transcoding and compressing video
OBS Studio (open source)
Resolume Avenue 7 for visuals for my DJ stream
Resolume Wire for creating custom beat-synced visualisations for my stream
Paint.NET open source graphics program for simple crops and photo editing
Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player (lifetime licence) for playing unripped Blu-rays on my PC
Bome MIDI Translator Classic (lifetime licence) for translating MIDI events to key presses - useful for complex streaming setups
Various free emulation tools for decrypting/anti-DRMing copies of video game console optical disks and getting them in a playable state for use in an emulator
I share this setup between the Media PC and the Gaming Laptop.
I have a 4K HDR KVM switch and a USB 3.0 KVM switch so I can quickly switch between the two.
32" IPS 75hz adaptive refresh 1440p monitor with HDR (main monitor for both media PC and gaming laptop)
Herman Miller Aeron Chair
IKEA MARKKUS Chair (guest chair)
Phillips Hue Entertainment centre with 5 light sources and Hue Sync
Logitech G502X wired gaming mouse
Razer Tarturus Chroma Pro Gaming Keypad
Topre Realforce TKL UK Keyboard (main keyboard)
Microsoft Wired UK keyboard (second keyboard used for operating while on the music production desk)
Vertical mouse (music production mouse)
Presonus 1824c Studio Sound Interface
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro Black Edition Headphones
Avantree Oasis Plus Certified aptX HD Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter and Reciever
Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
Genelec 8020D Music Studio Speakers
Presonus Eris Studio Speaker acting as a subwoofer
Meta Quest 2 VR headset + controllers
ClonerAlliance Flint 4KP Plus video capture card with USB-c 3.0L
Blackout curtains
27" 1440p TN LCD monitor with Gsync and 144hz refresh (second monitor) (used in portrait mode for schmups)
19" 1080p IPS LCD monitor (third monitor)
40" 1080p IPS LCD Sony wall-mounted TV (fourth monitor)
Playnite - this brings all my third party launchers together and collates metadata, preview videos and reviews for games I own.
Various open source emulators - these plug into Playnite and let me play many different console games on my PC.
Hue Sync - this allows me to sync my Hue entertainment area lights with the colours on the screen, while playing games.
NexusMods and Vortex app - I have a lifetime membership of NexusMods, and this allows me to download, install and configure hundreds of mods for many games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Skyrim, at high speeds.
Special K - Allows me to tweak some games for better running, including retrofitting HDR to games that otherwise wouldn’t have it.
Razer Synapse - These allow me to create custom control profiles for some of the games I frequently play.
Action! - Gameplay Recording and Streaming (on Steam) - for recording PC gaming
I have two Flight Sticks and a throttle. The dual Flight Stick setup is useful for Mechwarrior style games, although I usually use the Flight Stick + Throttle for most games. They are installed on quick-release Hikig desk mounts so they can be easily setup and removed when not in use, to save space.
This is located on a ‘pedestal’ in front of the TV. It consists of the 2 Arcade sticks and 2 lightguns and a wireless keyboard and mouse.
It is connected via the gaming computer via a 4 port USB 2.0 extender over Cat6 cable, with a 10 meter Cat6 cable, so that I can play arcade games on my pedestal without lots of wires.
Logitech Wireless keyboard and mouse (third keyboard and mouse used for operating when at the arcade pedestal)
I have a Kaico Edition OSSC Open Source Scan Converter 1.6, which upscales all my retro consoles to HDMI. I use cables from https://retrogamingcables.co.uk/ with the OSSC, which are highly recommended as they make so much difference in terms of audio and video noise. The right cable can also unlock better sound and graphics quality when combined with the OSSC than was ever available before.
I also have a Marsellie MClassic HDMI to HDMI hardware-based AI image improver and upscaler which I use for the output of the OSSC.
Currently these are the consoles I have hooked up. They are all ‘PAL’ unless otherwise specified:
Super Nintendo with 2x official controllers and NTSC and J-NTSC cartridge converter
Sega Megadrive II (region unlocked) with 2x official 3 button controllers, 2x official 6 button controllers and Master System cartridge converter
Sony PS2 with 2x official PS2 controllers, and 1 x official PS1 controller, and 2x Guitar Hero PS2 Controllers.
Sony PS3 with 1x official PS3 controller
Sony PS4 with 2x official PS4 controllers
Nintendo Gamecube with 2x official Gamecube controllers
XBox 360 with 2x official wired 360 controllers and 360 Kinect
Sega Dreamcast with 3x official DC controllers, 2x VMUs and 1x third-party memory pack
Sony PSP2000 (TV out)
Nintendo Wii (Gamecube compatible version) with 2x Wiimote Motion controller and official balance board
Nintendo Wii U with CFW Aroma installed and 1x Wii U Gamepad and 1x Wii U Pro Controller
Nintendo Switch Unpatched V1 with CFW installed, 2x Joycons, Dock and 1x Switch Pro Controller
Nintendo 64 with 2x official N64 controller, Kaico PAL N64 -> HDMI converter (audio output via HDMI), expansion pak and memory pak
Microsoft XBox Original with 2x Duke controllers
SNK Mini Neo Geo International with 2x official controllers, and mini HDMI to HDMI cable for monitor output (audio output via HDMI)
Sony PS Vita OLED 1st Gen with cracked firmware and a 64GB memory card, allowing it to play any game from the store.
Sony PSP which I have cracked, and put a 64GB memory card in it. It has a complete set of SNES and Genesis games, as well as several PS One games which the PSP can emulate. I love playing the game ‘Wip3out’ on it.
Nintendo DSi XL which has a cartridge loader meaning I can play any games on it. Currently I mostly only use it for chess games, but aim to use it more.
Gameboy Advance SP which I use almost exclusively for the game ‘Final Fantasy Tactics’. I also have 4x cables to connect GBAs to the Nintendo Gamecube for multiplayer games that used this functionality, and a headphone adaptor for the GBA SP.
Original Gameboy which I use with Tetris.
Ambernic RG35XXSP handheld emulation device with MuOS firmware running RetroArch with a full set of Neo Geo, SNES, Genesis, Game Gear, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance ROMs.
Presonus Studio USB-C 1824 2x aux output -> Eurorack Mixer -> 2 BNC cables -> 2 channel inputs of YeaPook ADS1014D Digital Oscilloscope (for plotting waveforms)
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Presonus Studio USB-C 1824 2x aux output -> Eurorack Mixer -> 2 channels for small VU visual volume Level Monitor
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Presonus Studio USB-C 1824 7-8 aux output -> Avantree Oasis Plus Certified aptX HD Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter and Reciever -> Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
We have a separate minimal setup in our living room which my wife uses heavily. It is minimal because she doesn’t like overcomplicated tech stuff :) It consists of:
Sony BRAVIA 2023 Edition, KD-43X75WL, 43 Inch, LED, Smart TV, 4K HDR, Google TV
Because it has Google TV, we can use the Plex app to wirelessly stream 4K videos from my Plex server, and it handles 4K videos well, which is not a small feat as the wireless signal is being blasted through a concrete wall :) Netflix and all the other standard services also work well.
