Month: July 2026

Physical Media Has Never Been Better — Here’s How to Make the Most of It

The common sentiment among media consumers today is that physical formats are on their way to extinction. This was validated by Sony’s recent announcement that they are phasing out production of physical games, and Nintendo’s new “Game Key” cartridges that merely trigger a digital download.

So while those signs are ominious for gamers, the reality for fans of music and movies is much different – in fact I argue in my latest video that we’re in a golden age for physical media.

First let’s look at prices: newly released music and movies are selling for less today than they did thirty years ago, especially when adjusted for inflation.

I recently examined a 1994 Best Buy sales circular that listed CDs for about $11 each. At the time, that was considered a bargain, as many new releases retailed for closer to $17 at shopping mall music shops.

When adjusted for inflation, Madonna’s newest album in 1994 cost about $24 when adjusted for inflation. Her newest 2026 CD sells today for half that amount, $11 on Amazon!

This represents a substantial decrease in cost for a format that still offers higher audio fidelity than the standard subscription tiers of streaming services. Because CDs provide lossless audio, they remain a superior source for listeners concerned with sound quality. And the best part is you pay once and own access to that disc forever.

The evolution of home video shows a similar trend. In the early 1990s, the LaserDisc was the gold standard for home theater enthusiasts. A single movie could cost $50—the equivalent of $115 today—while specialized box sets cost significantly more. Today’s top tier medium, a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, typically retails for around $30 or less upon release. These packages often include a 1080p Blu-ray disc and a digital code, providing both a physical disc and digital convenience. For older titles, the price often drops to $20 or less. And like CDs, the audio and visual quality of a UHD Blu-Ray disc is substantially better vs. a streaming service.

And for those who enjoy the conveniences of digital media, there’s some great free tools available for converting those physical discs to digital with no loss in quality.

For music, I use Exact Audio Copy to create one-to-one digital replicas of my CDs. By saving these as FLAC files, I can maintain lossless quality and host them on a personal media server like Plex. This allows me to access my own music library from anywhere, effectively creating a private streaming service that I control entirely.

Archiving film and video games requires more specialized hardware. I use an external ASUS Blu-ray drive, which I have modified with open-source “OmniDrive” firmware. The Omnidrive firmware is necessary to read 4K Blu-ray data and to extract data from older game consoles like the Xbox 360, GameCube, and Wii.

For movies, the free MakeMKV software is what most enthusiasts use for pulling a 1:1 version of the movie off the disc which can then be transferred to your personal media server.

The same hardware and firmware setup allows for the preservation of legacy video games. By using a tool called the Media Preservation Frontend, I can create digital images of discs from consoles that are no longer manufactured like the Xbox, Xbox 360, Gamecube and Wii. These imaged discs can then be run on emulators like Xenia for Xbox 360 and Dolphin for the Gamecube. This process is particularly relevant for game preservation, as it ensures that software remains playable even after the original consoles suffer from hardware failure.

While the market for physical media has certainly narrowed to a more dedicated group of collectors, the media itself is the most affordable it’s ever been – especially for the level of quality and depth of content you get for the price. Additionally, the tools for maintaining and enjoying these libraries have never been more accessible.

By moving away from a total reliance on subscription models, it is possible to build a high-fidelity library that remains immune to the shifting landscape of digital licensing and monthly fees. The current era offers a rare intersection where the highest possible quality meets historically low prices, provided one is willing to manage the physical discs.

Ken Paxton’s Texas Settlement on LG TV Spying Is Barely a Slap on the Wrist..

I have been following the legal developments in Texas regarding consumer privacy and the data collection practices of major television manufacturers. Late last year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued five TV makers : LG, Samsung, TCL, HiSense and Sony over their practices related to televisions collecting data on what people are watching.

Two of the cases have already been settled: Samsung and LG. In my latest analysis video, we take a look at the LG case’s settlement terms.

While Paxton’s press release suggests significant changes for consumer protection, a closer look at the actual agreement reveals a more nuanced agreement that will not alter the landscape for most current users.

The settlement requires LG to obtain affirmative consent before collecting viewing data and to provide a clear way for users to opt out. However, these requirements come with specific timelines and limitations. The conspicuous pop-up disclosures highlighted by the Attorney General’s press release do not apply to existing LG televisions. Instead, they are mandated for 2027 and subsequent models. While 2025 models will receive an update to make the onboarding process more visible, older sets will maintain a user agreement flow similar to what is currently in place, with the primary change being the placement of certain text at the top of the agreement.

In my examination of the current LG interface, I noticed that opting out of these data collection agreements often restricts the use of the television’s smart features. Users who do not agree to the terms may find themselves unable to launch third-party applications like YouTube or Plex. The settlement does not clearly address whether LG must allow access to these features for those who choose not to share their data. Furthermore, the entire agreement is set to expire after five years, at which point the mandated practices are no longer legally required under this specific settlement.

The scope of the agreement is also limited to smart TVs, leaving other connected devices unaddressed. Recently, reports have surfaced regarding LG monitors installing software on Windows computers through the standard update process without direct user intervention. This software has been found to include advertisements and potentially is installing full applications for paying third-party services. Because these devices are categorized as monitors rather than televisions, they fall outside the parameters of the Texas settlement, illustrating how manufacturers may continue data practices through different product lines or changing the nature of their existing products.

This LG agreement follows a previous Texas settlement with Samsung. While the Samsung settlement was not available on the Texas LG’s website, I did request a copy which arrived after my video was uploaded. You can find the Samsung settlement here, which largely mirrors the agreement Paxton reached with LG.

Three lawsuits remain pending against Sony, TCL, and Hisense. As these cases move forward, it remains to be seen if the outcomes will provide more protections or if they will follow the precedent set by the LG deal.

UPDATE: This story was updated on July 23, 2026 to include the Samsung Settlement.

Amazon Gadget Tech Haul 17 ! 10 More Tech Picks!

I have spent the last several weeks acquiring another collection of interesting gadgets found on Amazon, ranging from mobile gaming peripherals to off-grid communication tools. My evaluation included items I purchased personally as well as units provided by manufacturers for review purposes.

You can check out the haul video here!

Note that some of these products I purchased with my own funds, and others were provided free of charge by their manufacturers. However this was not a sponsored review and none of the manufacturers of these products reviewed or approved the video prior to uploading. All links to products below are compensated affiliate links. You can see a link to all of the reviewed items on Amazon here.

I began by testing the 8bitdo FlipPad, a compact controller that connects to smartphones via USB-C and sits over the lower portion of the screen in portrait orientation. It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices and was immediately recognized by the RetroArch emulator during my testing. Retroarch places the game play screen high enough in portrait mode to not be covered by the controller, but some emulators may be problematic if they don’t have display adjustments.

The buttons offer a tactile, clicky response, though the placement of the shoulder buttons requires some adjustment to muscle memory as they are on the face of the controller. One notable design feature is its ability to flip away from the screen, allowing access to the phone’s touch interface without disconnecting the hardware. While it fits comfortably on phones with thin cases, those using thicker protective covers may encounter connectivity issues. 8bitdo provided the controller free of charge.

In a more domestic category, I looked at a self-contained rechargeable light bulb designed for lamps located away from power outlets. This bulb attaches magnetically to a lamp base and operates on an internal battery (charged via its USB-C port) rather than drawing power from a cord. It includes a remote control for adjusting brightness and color temperature, providing roughly six to nine hours of use per charge. However, because it is not integrated into the lamp’s electrical system, it must be turned off manually or via remote, as the physical lamp switch has no effect on its operation. I paid for the bulbs with my own funds.

For those looking to expand the utility of their mobile devices, the Elecrow Lapdock functions as a 14 or 15-inch docking station that mimics the form factor of a laptop. When connected to any HDMI device or a smartphone with desktop mode capabilities, such as a Google Pixel or Samsung device, it provides a 1080p display, keyboard, and trackpad. While the keyboard and trackpad feel somewhat spongy, the unit includes an internal 5,000 mAh battery to power the connected device. It also features a bridge board system for single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi 5, effectively turning a bare circuit board into a portable workstation. Elecrow provided the Lapdock free of charge to the channel.

I also evaluated the ESR Magnetic Shift Case for the iPad that I picked up for my daughter’s iPad A16. This case uses a magnetic mounting system that allows the tablet to be positioned at various heights and angles. It notably supports a portrait orientation, which is a departure from many standard landscape-only cases. The design includes a storage slot for an Apple Pencil and provides a modular back protector that can be detached from the main stand while remaining protected. I paid for the case with my own funds.

In the peripheral space, the Lenovo 800 wireless keyboard stands out for its lack of a traditional battery. It utilizes a supercapacitor charged by a photovoltaic panel at the top of the unit that is sensitive enough to be charged just with overhead lighting in a home or office. According to the specifications, it can run for a month in total darkness on a full charge. While the typing experience is softer and spongier than a mechanical keyboard, the device is waterproof and supports switching between three different Bluetooth connections. I paid for the keyboard with my own funds.

For the radio nerds like me, I tested the Seeed Studio SenseCAP Solar Node P1 Pro, a device designed for the Meshtastic and Meshcore off-grid communication networks. This weather-sealed solar powered unit acts as a repeater for license-free radio signals, allowing users to send messages without relying on traditional cellular infrastructure. After 18 days of exposure to high temperatures and rain out in my garden, this solar-powered node maintained a full battery charge and successfully processed over 100,000 data packets being transmitted around my area. For those that don’t want to build a node of their own, this is a nice out of the box solution that also includes mounting hardware. I paid for the node with my own funds.

On the simpler side of the spectrum, Retro Fighters released a storage case for Nintendo Switch games modeled after a VHS tape, specifically themed for the 35th anniversary of the film Terminator 2. The replica VHS tape opens up to hold 12 games and four microSD cards. It has a magnet to keep it from flopping open. This is similar to the blockbuster themed case I reviewed previously. Retrofighters provided the case free of charge.

Additionally, Retrofighters just released a “dock for a dock” for the Nintendo Switch 2 called the Battledock. This base fits over the standard Switch 2 dock and adds four wired GameCube controller ports for players who prefer using retro controllers with a wired, low-latency connection for games like Super Smash Bros. The dock includes a black, silver, atomic purple and orange interchangeable front plates and for some aesthetic customization. Retrofighters also provided the dock free of charge.

Sabrent sent over their utilitarian Voltik 252w charger to the channel free of charge, which manages its power budget by splitting 125 watts to each side; with a single device able to pull up to 100 watts, while multiple devices share the available capacity. The construction is dense and sturdy, though the included power cable is relatively short. If you have two high powered devices, this is a good solution. It’s big and heavy with rubber feet that keep it securely grounded to a desktop. Sabrent also includes wall mounting hardware in the box.

Finally, I tested an Orei video capture device capable of recording 4K video at 60 frames per second. Unlike many budget USB capture cards that downscale output to 30 frames per second, this unit maintained the full 4k60 frame rate in my tests with OBS software. It includes a loop-out port for lag-free gaming on a secondary display and supports higher refresh rates at lower resolutions. While it is a USB 3.0 5 gigabit per second device, the image quality remains sufficient for standard streaming and recording needs. Orei sent this to the channel free of charge.

These videos are always a fun exercise and tend to get many more views than doing individual reviews of each. I’m always on the lookout for more stuff like this for future hauls so do let me know what I should get next!

See the rest of my haul videos here.

The New Apple IIgs MiSTer Core Is Pretty Amazing!

The Apple IIgs core is now officially released on the the MiSTer FPGA platform. While I have maintained an original IIgs hardware setup for many years, the development of this cycle-accurate FPGA core offers a way for the masses to access this sometimes underappreciated Apple II computer’s software library. Since its initial beta phases a few months ago, the core has seen significant functional improvements and is now integrated into the standard update scripts for MiSTer users.

Check it out in my latest video!

Getting the system operational is straightforward. Running the “update all” script installs the core and the necessary ROM automatically. For software, I have been using disk and hard drive images sourced from community archives, specifically those curated by Alex Lee on his website “What is the Apple IIgs?”

Using a System 6.04 hard drive image provides a bootable desktop environment that mirrors the original user interface. The core currently supports mounting two hard drive or floppy images simultaneously along with an additional 3.5-inch and a 5.25-inch volume. One technical detail to note is that while the core can boot from zipped files, these images remain read-only. To save data or configurations, the files must be unzipped on the MiSTer storage.

The user interface of the IIgs was notable for being the first color Apple GUI environment, predating the color Macintosh. In testing various titles like Tunnels of Armageddon and Task Force, the performance remains consistent with the original 2.8 MHz hardware. For those who find the native speed restrictive, the core includes options to emulate period-accurate accelerators like the Zip GS or TransWarp GS. The audio quality, which was somewhat muffled in earlier versions of the core, is now clear and reflects the capabilities of the original Ensoniq sound chip.

Beyond gaming, I tested the core’s compatibility with demo scene software that often pushed the hardware to its max. The Free Tools Association (FTA) produced several technically demanding demos, such as Space Harrier and Modulae. Most of these run without issue, though minor graphical glitches occasionally appear in specific demos like FTA’s Xmas.

For users interested in visual accuracy, the core supports RGB output through the MiSTer analog board, which allows for connection to CRT monitors and televisions. It looked spectacular on my JVC TV that has an RGB component input.

One of the more interesting features available is the MiSTer platform’s ability to provide modem emulation through a Telnet connection. By adjusting the UART settings in the MiSTer menu, the IIgs core can communicate over a network as if it were using a physical serial port. Using terminal software like Spectrum, I was able to dial into Telnet-based bulletin board systems. The core supports two-way communication, meaning it is also possible to host a BBS directly from the device. The Telnet feature simulates a modem ring and can answer standard Hayes AT commands to answer the virtual phone.

The system also maintains backwards compatibility with the broader Apple II library. When running older software designed for the Apple II Plus or IIe, such as Oregon Trail, the system speed must be adjusted manually in the control panel to 1 MHz to ensure the software does not run too quickly.

With 8 MB of onboard RAM—more than many original machines possessed—this new core functions as a comprehensive recreation of the hardware in its most “souped up” state. The efforts of the contributing developers have resulted in a stable environment for exploring this specific era of computing history.

See more of my MiSTer content here!

The Beelink Eqi 304 is an Interesting Intel Wildcat Lake Mini PC

My latest Mini PC review is of the Beelink EQI304, the first I’ve looked at powered by Intel’s new Wildcat Lake architecture. The new chipset offers some great new IO options including dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 10 gigabit ethernet port. These are up for pre-order at Beelink’s site (compensated affiliate link) and should be available on Amazon post release.

Check it out in my full review!

The Wildcat Lake architecture in this model features five cores—one performance core and four efficiency cores. It is designed for low power consumption, which I observed during my testing. At idle, the system draws approximately 5.4 watts, and even under full load, it typically stays around 30 watts, peaking briefly at 40. Despite this low power draw, the performance is a measurable step up from previous low-end Intel chips like the N300.

One of the more unusual aspects of this device is the memory and storage configuration. The model I tested came with 24GB of RAM, which is upgradable, whereas the 16GB entry-level model features non-upgradable memory. Inside, I found a single stick of Crucial memory, though users should note that since Micron has discontinued its consumer Crucial brand, internal components may vary in future batches.

For storage, Beelink has integrated 512GB of UFS 3.1 memory directly onto the motherboard. While this is slower than standard NVMe storage—recording write speeds around 800 to 900 MB/s—the system includes two empty NVMe slots for expansion, one of which is hidden beneath the top of its NVME heatsink and the other underneath the heatsync.

The connectivity options are quite robust for a machine of this size. The rear panel includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, both of which performed to specification in my data transfer tests, though I did encounter a system lock-up when connecting an older Thunderbolt 3 drive.

More notably for those interested in networking, the device features a 10-gigabit Ethernet port alongside a secondary 2.5-gigabit port. In my testing, both ports reached their expected throughput, making this a potentially useful piece of hardware for those looking to run a small home server.

Thermal management and noise levels are where this unit is particularly refined. The power supply is integrated into the chassis, eliminating the need for an external brick, yet the system remains cool. During a 3DMark stress test, the internal temperature stabilized at 39 degrees Celsius. The fan was barely audible throughout the process, even when the processor was fully engaged.

In terms of real-world use, the EQI304 handles daily tasks like web browsing and 4K video playback without much effort. Gaming is possible on a casual level; I was able to run older titles like Grand Theft Auto V at 1080p with low settings, achieving frame rates between 45 and 50 per second. PlayStation 2 emulation also ran at full speed during my trials. However, it remains well behind older Ryzen-based mini PCs in terms of raw graphical power, so it is better suited for office work or server tasks than for heavy video editing or modern gaming.

I also tested the system with Linux, specifically Ubuntu 26.04. The operating system recognized all hardware components, including both Ethernet ports and the Wi-Fi 6 card, suggesting that driver support is already maturing for this newer architecture. Older versions of Ubuntu did not have driver support.

The current market volatility for computer components has pushed the price of this unit to $659 for the 24GB configuration. While this is higher than the entry-level pricing seen in previous years, the combination of low power consumption, silent operation, and high-speed networking makes it a versatile option. It serves as a clear indicator of where Intel’s low-end efficiency chips are heading, prioritizing connectivity and thermal stability for users who do not require the overhead of a high-wattage desktop.

Disclosure: Beelink provided the Mini PC to the channel free of charge. However no other compensation was received and they did not review or approve this video prior to uploading.

Is Your ATSC 3.0 Box Spying On You?

For the better part of the last four years, I have been tracking the rollout of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard. While marketed as the future of television, this transition has become a point of significant friction between broadcasters and viewers. The primary source of this tension is the decision by major networks to encrypt over-the-air signals, which frequently requires an active internet connection to watch what has historically been a free, offline medium.

In my latest video, I did some deep packet analysis of two of the most popular ATSC 3.0 TV boxes to see what these boxes are doing while users are watching over the air television.

I set up GMKtec Mini PC with two ethernet ports that I configured as a router to sit between the television boxes and the Internet. This setup allowed me to monitor every request sent from the devices to the outside world. I focused my testing on two popular consumer devices: the ADTH box, which is currently one of the most affordable options, and the Zapperbox. While the payloads of the data packets I examined are themselves encrypted, when these packets are triggered along with the destination addresses provide a clear map of which companies are receiving information about my viewing habits.

Starting with the ADTH box, I found that the device is notably “chatty” in its data transmission. Despite marketing claims that it can function without a constant connection, the box failed to tune into encrypted channels in my tests until it was reconnected to the Internet after being offline for a few months. When I tuned into a standard ATSC 1.0 channel—the older, unencrypted standard—the box immediately sent telemetry data to Tulka.tv, the company responsible for the device’s software. The chatter increased significantly when I switched to an ATSC 3.0 encrypted channel.

As the encrypted NBC affiliate loaded, the box initiated several sessions with Yotta, a UK-based company that manages encryption certificates for American broadcasters. However, the most notable discovery was the immediate communication with Google Tag Manager when the mandatory “interactive features” loaded up after tuning into the channel.

In a web environment, Google Tag Manager is used to build marketing profiles based on user activity. In this context, the ADTH box was essentially reporting my viewing choice to a marketing platform. The activation of interactive features on the broadcast triggered further data flows to Amazon’s Cloudfront and a service known as Firehose, which is designed for high-volume data collection. This telemetry occurred automatically, with no visible option for me to opt out.

Even unencrypted ATSC 3.0 channels on the ADTH box showed evidence of tracking. When I tuned into my local ABC affiliate, which does not currently use encryption, the box continued to send telemetry to many of the same servers. This suggests that the data collection is not purely a function of the encryption itself, but a broader feature of how these new broadcast stacks are designed to operate.

In comparison, the Zapperbox exhibited a different profile. It still requires an Internet connection to fetch the necessary licenses for encrypted channels, but it appeared to be less communicative than the ADTH box. I did not see the Google Tag Manager requests during my time with the Zapperbox, though this may be because the device does not yet support the interactive overlays that trigger much of that specific traffic. Most of its communication was limited to the Yotta license servers and Geniatech, the manufacturer’s technical layer. While it was less “chatty,” it still maintains the requirement of an Internet delivered digital handshake to unlock a broadcast signal.

The transition to ATSC 3.0 represents a fundamental change in the relationship between the broadcaster and the viewer. The anonymity that defined over-the-air television for decades is being replaced by a system that mirrors the tracking found in web browsers and streaming apps. I am looking into ways to further intercept this data to see the specific contents of these packets, but the initial map of activity suggests that the “free” nature of broadcast TV now comes with a different kind of cost beyond the DRM hijacking big broadcasters are after.

See more ATSC 3 analysis here.

SteamOS as a Desktop OS? Browsing, Office, Printing, Local LLM and More!

I have been testing SteamOS on a Minisforum PC equipped with a Ryzen AI 9 370 processor (compensated affiliate link). While much of the attention surrounding this operating system focuses on its console-style interface, there is a functional desktop side that allows for traditional computing tasks.

See the desktop side of SteamOS in my latest video!

The interface is built on KDE Plasma, which offers a layout similar to Windows, including a start menu, taskbar, and file manager. However, the architecture of SteamOS is immutable. This means the operating system is designed to be wiped and replaced during updates. While the user’s files are maintained between updates, system-level modifications, such as kernel drivers or specific VPNs like Tailscale, will not persist after an update without significant technical intervention. This creates a clear boundary between SteamOS and more flexible Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Mint.

For apps, the system relies on the “Discover Store”, which utilizes Flatpaks. These applications run in isolated containers and remain intact through system updates. I found that common applications like Firefox, VLC, and Spotify are readily available. I also installed LibreOffice, which functioned as expected for document and spreadsheet work. While many open-source tools are compatible, high-end professional applications such as DaVinci Resolve are difficult to run due to the specific system architecture and driver requirements.

Another core computing function, printing, is supported on SteamOS. By accessing the system settings, I connected the device to a color laser printer on my network. The installation was straightforward, and the system successfully printed documents from a web browser.

The PC’s 64GB of RAM allowed for an exploration of local AI performance using LM Studio. I loaded a Gemma 4 model to perform image analysis on a photo from my garden. The system identified the objects in the image efficiently, reaching a performance level of 27 tokens per second. While this does not match the speed of a high-end gaming desktop with a dedicated Nvidia GPU, it is a functional level of performance for local AI tasks. It can also serve as a local AI server within a home network, though the aforementioned lack of Tailscale support limits remote access.

For those with game libraries outside of Steam, the Heroic Games Launcher is available through the Discover store. This tool provides access to titles from Epic, GOG, and Amazon Prime. It allows for the configuration of different Proton versions for each game, providing a degree of flexibility for cross-platform libraries.

The transition between the gaming interface and the desktop is handled by a simple toggle. SteamOS is primarily built for gaming appliances, but the desktop environment is sufficient for browsing, office work, and basic media management. And the cool thing is that if you have a Steam Deck, this functionality can essentially turn the Deck into a functional desktop PC when docked.

See my Steam Deck review here!

Take Back Your Android /Google TV Buttons!

If you own an Android or Google TV device, your remote control likely features several branded buttons dedicated to specific streaming services. Manufacturers monetize this hardware real estate by selling priority access to platforms like Netflix or YouTube. For users who do not utilize these specific services, these buttons remain dormant. While hardware manufacturers lock these inputs by default, third-party software offers a workaround. I recently purchased an application called TVQuickActions Pro to see if it could successfully reclaim these unused buttons.

Check it out in my latest video!

TvQuickActions Pro costs approximately five dollars, which positions it as a more affordable alternative to similar software like ButtonMapper.

Getting the software to intercept a button press before the Android operating system responds requires adjusting system permissions. Specifically, you must enable accessibility permissions for its core button-remapping functionality. Once configured, the software allows for granular control over individual buttons.

Instead of a standard single action, you can assign distinct commands to a single press, a double press, and a long press. During my testing, I successfully remapped Onn’s “Free TV” button to launch Plex with a single press and the RetroArch emulator with a double tap.

The application also supports visual overlays. By mapping a button to the action menu feature, you can generate an on-screen directional pad. This allows you to assign different applications to the up, down, left, and right inputs. Additionally, a dock feature can summon a customizable, horizontal menu of applications that can be navigated without returning to the primary Android home screen.

For users willing to modify deeper system settings, the tvQuickActions Pro integrates with Android’s developer (ADB) tools. By enabling Developer Options and USB Debugging in the device settings—and granting the corresponding ADB permissions within the app—you can execute system-level commands from the remote. In one example I configured a long press to force-stop the foreground application, providing a physical override to clear a suspended or problematic app from memory without digging through menus. Another developer-level feature transforms the remote into a virtual mouse, placing a cursor on the screen that can be navigated using the directional pad for applications that require point-and-click input.

The software also supports webhook transmissions, meaning a single button press could be configured to trigger external network commands, such as toggling networked room lights.

Reclaiming these locked remote control buttons provides a functional method for bypassing pre-programmed manufacturer constraints, giving you the flexibility to operate your home media setup exactly how you prefer!

Valve’s New 5 Minute One-Click SteamOS Install !

Valve’s newest SteamOS release, 3.8, no longer locks the gaming operating system to specific hardware. This means SteamOS can be installed on any PC – provided it’s running with AMD graphics hardware.

In my latest video, I install SteamOS on a Minisforum AI X1 Pro 370 Mini PC (compensated affiliate link) as a test case to see how close to an official “Steam Machine” users can get with their own hardware.

Check it out here!

Getting started was straightforward. Valve provides a SteamOS installation and repair page with the files and instructions needed to prepare a bootable external drive. On this particular PC, I had to disable Secure Boot in the BIOS before the installer would launch, but after that the process moved along without much friction.

One important limitation became clear immediately. SteamOS currently wipes the primary boot drive during installation, and it does not appear to offer a simple graphical option for choosing a different target disk. In this case, even with another drive installed, the installer defaulted to the main Windows drive. Anyone trying this should assume the main system disk will be erased unless they have taken steps to avoid that outcome.

The operating system installed in well under five minutes, and after a short post-install update and some basic setup steps for networking, display scaling, and audio output, I was at the login screen. The overall setup felt closer to bringing up a console than configuring a conventional desktop operating system.

After logging in, the interface looked very familiar. SteamOS on this PC presents the same lean-back environment that Steam Deck users already know. I moved into the display settings to confirm that a 4K panel was being detected correctly, and the system allowed me to force 3840 by 2160 output along with appropriate screen scaling without trouble. That does not mean this class of hardware is suited to modern games at 4K, but 4k is an option for lighter or older titles.

I started by downloading a game over Ethernet, where the system appeared to make full use of the PC’s 2.5 gigabit connection. From there, I loaded No Man’s Sky and began testing performance. At 1080p with the lowest settings, the game ran at a solid 60 frames per second, which is roughly where I would expect this hardware to land. Raising the resolution to 4K dropped performance to around 20 frames per second, which confirmed that 4K gaming is not realistic here for a title like this. Returning to 1080p and increasing visual quality from standard to enhanced brought performance into the 50 to 55 frame per second range, still in line with expectations.

What stood out was that the drivers appeared to load correctly, the game rendered properly, and the hardware behaved about as it does under Windows. In Cyberpunk 2077, running the built-in benchmark at 1080p on low settings, performance again matched what I usually see from this processor, with some moments looking marginally faster. There were no obvious driver issues or instability during testing.

I also wanted to see whether SteamOS on a mini PC could go beyond native PC gaming and serve as a broader living-room system. For that, I switched into desktop mode and installed EmuDeck, the software package that automates emulator setup on Steam Deck and similar systems. The process on SteamOS looked identical to the one on Valve’s handheld. After downloading the installer, dragging it to the desktop, and stepping through the setup, I had a full emulation environment in place with little manual configuration.

To test that side of the system, I loaded Burnout Revenge through Emulation Station using a PlayStation 2 emulator configured for 1080p. The result was stable 60 frames per second performance with no visible slowdowns. Controller setup was handled automatically, which is part of the appeal of EmuDeck in the first place. Users can also push emulated games directly into the Steam interface, though I tend to prefer keeping them grouped inside Emulation Station.

The final part of the test involved an external GPU. I connected a GMK eGPU equipped with an RX 7600M XT through the mini PC’s Oculink port. SteamOS recognized it immediately, and the system booted without any special configuration. I was not able to get the same unit working over Thunderbolt in this setup, although there are reports from other users of success with USB4 and Thunderbolt-connected GPUs under SteamOS.

With the Oculink-connected eGPU in place, No Man’s Sky at 4K with enhanced settings ran at about 60 frames per second. That was a meaningful step up from the integrated graphics result at 1080p, and it delivered similar to what this GPU achieves in Windows. In practical terms, the combination turned this mini PC into a living-room gaming system that boots directly into Steam’s controller-friendly interface while also handling emulation and external graphics expansion.

What emerged from this test was not a perfect universal installer, but a clear sign of where Valve seems to be heading. On compatible AMD hardware, SteamOS is already simple enough that setting up a console-style PC with an OS optimized for gaming no longer feels experimental. The main caveat is still the installer’s handling of storage, which remains blunt and potentially destructive if a user is not careful.

For anyone with spare AMD GPU hardware, or a Ryzen-based mini PC gathering dust, SteamOS now looks like a practical weekend project rather than a niche experiment. It still has clear boundaries, especially around Nvidia support and drive selection, but in day-to-day use it already feels less like a workaround and more like the early shape of a broader PC gaming platform.

Plex Hardware Transcoding on AMD Ryzen ! Zen 2 through 5 Tested

It has been four years since I last examined the feasibility of using AMD hardware for video transcoding on a Plex server. At that time, I found that hardware transcoding could be made to work on Windows with certain older mini PCs. In this month’s sponsored Plex video, I am revisiting this topic to see how the landscape has changed, specifically focusing on how different generations of AMD architecture—Zen 2 through Zen 5—perform under a Linux environment.

Check out the results in my latest video!

While Intel remains the standard recommendation for Plex hardware transcoding due to its consistent driver support and Quicksync technology, the current pricing and availability of AMD-based mini PCs make them a common choice for home lab enthusiasts. For this evaluation, I used a portable version of Unraid to test four different devices: a Zen 2-based Beelink SER4, a Zen 3 Geekom A5 Pro, a Zen 4 Geekom A8, and a Zen 5 Minix PC.

Starting with the older Zen 2 and Zen 3 architectures, the results were surprisingly functional. On the Ryzen 4800U and the 7530U, I successfully initiated hardware transcoding. When converting a 4K Blu-ray file to a 1080p 8-megabit stream, the systems utilized hardware decoding and encoding, which kept CPU utilization to a minimum. However, a significant limitation persists: hardware tone mapping is not supported on these chips. This means that while the video plays smoothly, HDR content does not display colors accurately, often appearing washed out.

As I moved to the newer Zen 4 and Zen 5 processors, I discovered hardware transcoding does not work. Instead, the systems relied on raw CPU power to handle the video processing. On the Zen 4-based Geekom A8, the 8745HS processor was capable enough to manage a 4K transcode through software, but it came at the cost of high CPU usage and noticeable fan noise. The Zen 5 Ryzen AI 365 showed similar behavior; it handled the task through software with better color accuracy for HDR content than the older chips, but lacked the efficiency of dedicated hardware acceleration.

To provide a baseline, I compared these results against a budget-friendly Intel N100 mini PC. Even as a low-end processor, the Intel chip handled hardware transcoding and HDR tone mapping simultaneously without strain. The CPU remained nearly idle while the video colors were mapped correctly, illustrating why Intel continues to be the preferred path for this specific use case.

For those who already own an older Zen 2 or Zen 3 AMD system, these devices can serve as capable Plex servers, provided the user does not require HDR tone mapping. For users with newer Zen 4 or Zen 5 hardware, the processing power is sufficient to handle one or two transcodes via software, though it is not the most efficient method.

I will continue to monitor updates to the Plex Media Server software, as future releases may eventually bridge the compatibility gap for newer AMD graphics architectures.

Disclosure: This was a sponsored post, however Plex did not review or approve this content prior to uploading.