In this episode, John and Dave talk about discovering ZimaOS and building an affordable home lab using repurposed hardware - and how that single setup quickly expands into media streaming, network-wide ad blocking, ROM organization, browser-based retro gaming, backups, and local services. Along the way, they also touch on the Commodore 64 Ultimate, a Sega Channel preservation project, a retro electronics repair simulator, and why digital preservation and self-hosting matter more than ever.

Topics & sub-topics discussed:

• ZimaOS - app-based operating system that makes home labs approachable
  https://www.zimaspace.com/zimaos

• Home lab fundamentals - NAS, backups, ad blocking, VMs, and always-on servers

• ROMM - organizing ROM libraries with metadata, artwork, and downloads
  https://github.com/rommapp/romm

• EmulatorJS - play retro games directly in your web browser
  https://emulatorjs.org

• Jellyfin - self-hosted media streaming without subscriptions
  https://jellyfin.org

• The 8-Bit Files Podcast & Discord
  https://the8bitfiles.com

In this episode, Dave dives into the newly announced Commodore 64 Ultimate - a modern, FPGA-powered revival of the classic C64 - and compares it to his previously acquired Ultimate 64 Elite II board. He breaks down the different editions, pricing tiers, and what makes this official reboot stand out in a crowded retro hardware scene. John talks about modding his original Atari 2600 with a composite video output and the guys also check out the impressive MovieCart, a full-motion video cartridge for the Atari 2600, revisit the just-announced THEC64 Mini Black Edition, and discuss the surprise return of Compute!’s Gazette. Plus: John explains why he returned his preorder for the My Arcade Atari Watch.

🔗 Links & Resources:
Commodore 64 Ultimate: https://www.commodore.net
Ultimate 64 Elite II: https://ultimate64.com/Ultimate64
THEC64 Mini Black Edition: https://retrogames.biz/products/thec64-mini-black
MovieCart for Atari 2600: https://movieroms.com/moviecart/
Compute!’s Gazette Subscription: https://www.computesgazette.com
Podcast + Discord + Contact: https://the8bitfiles.com

In this episode, Dave finally unboxes the long-awaited Ultimate 64 Elite II - an FPGA-based modern C64 replacement - and shares why it might be the last 64 he ever needs. John dives into his surprising change of heart on the Nintendo Switch 2, covering game upgrades, new features, and how it compares to the Steam Deck. Plus: a custom Synthcart controller project and a quick review of the wireless Atari CX-40 joystick.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Ultimate 64 Elite MK2: https://ultimate64.com/Ultimate-64-Elite-MK2

• Synthcart for Atari 2600: http://www.qotile.net/synth.html

• Mr. Pi Batch 4 Preorder: https://retroremake.co/products/misterpi-preorder

• Podcast + Discord + Contact: https://the8bitfiles.com

In this episode, the guys talk about the Nintendo Wii, diving deep into what made it a game-changer for both hardcore and casual players. They also discuss the upcoming Switch 2, but it's more of a sidebar to their Wii nostalgia.

• John recalls lining up for the Wii on launch day and how hard it was to find in the wild

• They discuss how Wii Sports, especially bowling, became a cultural touchstone and brought families together

• Dave shares how even his mom got into gaming thanks to the Wii’s accessible motion controls

• They reminisce about quirky Wii accessories—from plastic steering wheels to crossbow shells—and how fun (and weird) they were

• John talks about soft-modding the Wii and loading it with emulators and classic games

• They mention the Wii’s forward-thinking features like Miis, the Virtual Console, and online updates

• They discuss the Switch 2 announcement, with John expressing skepticism over pricing, lack of killer titles, and backward compatibility quirks

Referenced videos from the episode:

• Wii Bowling training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmN-woiXtqk

• Wii Shopping channel demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxAanYvdx28

• Wii Mii channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6NAW72KzTQ

In this episode, John and Dave look back at the Sega Dreamcast, sharing memories of the console that was ahead of its time but gone too soon.

• The Dreamcast had zero copy protection - John and Dave traded burned game CDs "like baseball cards"
• Their gaming favorites included Crazy Taxi (with its Offspring soundtrack), Jet Grind Radio with its anime style, and Shenmue's groundbreaking open world
• John demonstrates his new "Singe" emulator that runs Laserdisc-style games and lets people create interactive adventures from movie clips
• They reminisce about playing games on massive CRT TVs that "weighed a billion pounds"
• John shares his Batocera emulation setup that includes arcade games and serves as a central ROM library
• They discuss how modern gaming is moving toward platform-agnostic services, similar to what Sega did after the Dreamcast

In this episode of 8-Bit Files, Dave and John dive deep into the Atari VCS, exploring this modern retro system after John snagged one during Black Friday sales. From its stock gaming experience to transforming it into a versatile mini PC with Windows 11, Ubuntu, and Batocera, they break down everything you need to know about this unique gaming system's capabilities, limitations, and surprising value proposition.

The guys also talk about:

Join the conversation at [email protected] and stay tuned for next episode's deep dive into the Dreamcast! 🎮

In this episode, the guys talk about their first impressions hands-on with The Spectrum, John mentions the new 8BitDo XBOX inspired keyboard and his recent order of the Atari VCS, and Dave talks about his adventures in AI coding, this time trying to re-create a favourite 20-year old PSP game.

Join us on DISCORD: ⁠https://discord.com/invite/CZBSpHWr⁠

In this episode, the guys talk about their personal experiences with the Sega Genesis (aka Sega MegaDrive). John talks about his experience with the Anbernic RG35XXSP Folding Handheld and Dave discusses his recent SNES pickup.

Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/TrwKu8272X

In this episode, the guys talk about John's experience with the MiSTER Pi, the new fully compatible MiSTer FPGA solution. And Dave talks about his fun time building the Atari 2600 lego set, and his new video capture setup.

And we are now on DISCORD!

* Join us: https://discord.com/invite/CZBSpHWr

In this episode, the guys talk about their excitement for the newly announced "The Spectrum" ZX Spectrum remake from Retro games, and all things Spectrum related.
John also talks about the MiSTER Pi and his excitement about joining the MiSTer community. And Dave talks about his experiences using AI to do Commodore 64 game programming.
Links:
MiSTER Pi: https://retroremake.co/