{"id":426,"date":"2025-06-22T14:32:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T14:32:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/?p=426"},"modified":"2025-07-12T16:01:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T16:01:43","slug":"ultimate-gaming-machine-from-scratch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/ultimate-gaming-machine-from-scratch\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Media Center Computer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In this post I will be discussing a guide to my view of the ultimate media center computer as of 2025. Many of these choices are personal and opinionated, but I will explain each choice further down. The PC will be equipped for the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Coding:<\/strong> BASH, CSS, GDScript, HTML, Javascript, Python 3<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emulation:<\/strong> DOS and others<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gaming:<\/strong> Linux, Windows, Android, and emulated games<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multimedia Production:<\/strong> image, video, audio, and 3d modeling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Music Consumption<\/strong>: mp3, m4a, wav, opus, and online discovery of music<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Music Production:<\/strong> live, recorded, and produced<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Physical Media Compatibility:<\/strong> 8track, AM\/FM radio, cassette, CD, DVD, VHS, vinyl record<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Privacy:<\/strong> with a mild threat model to protect modesty against corporate data harvesting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reading: <\/strong>for reading epub, mobi, and cbr files<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security<\/strong>: to harden against malware, threat actors, data loss, identity fraud, and corporate spyware<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Video:<\/strong> streaming, local files, and youtube content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Virtualization:<\/strong> Windows and Android for gaming and comparability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I will be building this computer from scratch and installing all necessary software. As an overview, I will first discuss the hardware, OS, then software in the above categories as well as an overview of their setup. I will be using Fedora Linux as an OS; although I prefer LMDE, Fedora has solid Wayland, HDR, and AMD Freesync support with KDE. Wayland support in Cinnamon is experimental at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hardware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The main hardware requirement will be Linux compatibility, as I will be using Fedora Linux . Most hardware works well with Linux if it is not too new; I will also be building an all AMD system as NVidia drivers are a nightmare to deal with on Linux. I&#8217;m also not a big fan of RGB, which might be a deal breaker for some. I want my PC to be eihter Yellow, Wood, Retro, Matte, or Vaporwave themed; but you can get a different case and peripherals to fit your own style. Also see the same build on <a href=\"https:\/\/pcpartpicker.com\/list\/xphxqH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PCPartPicker<\/a>. The cost of the PC itself as of 2025 is about $3.6K and the cost of all the peripherals is about $5K, totaling $8.6K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pcbuild0-576x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pcbuild0-576x1024.png 576w, https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pcbuild0-169x300.png 169w, https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pcbuild0-768x1365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pcbuild0-864x1536.png 864w, https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pcbuild0.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Computer Specs<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>CPU:<\/strong> 4.2 GHz, 16 cores, 32 threads<br><strong>GPUs: <\/strong>(each) 16GB VRAM, 1.83 GHz, 72 raytracing cores<br><strong>RAM:<\/strong> 64GB dual channel DDR5<br><strong>SSD Storage:<\/strong> 3TB<br><strong>HDD Storage:<\/strong> 16TB RAID5 (12TB functional, 4TB backup)<br><strong>External Storage:<\/strong> 4TB HDD backup<br><strong>Average Power Draw:<\/strong> 300W-600W<br><strong>Max Power Draw:<\/strong> 1200W<br><strong>OS:<\/strong> Fedora Linux<br><strong>DE:<\/strong> KDE Plasma<br><strong>WM:<\/strong> Wayland<br><strong>Media:<\/strong> 8track, AM\/FM radio, cassette, CD, DVD, floppy disk, VHS, vinyl record<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Part<\/th><th>Name \/ Link<\/th><th>Stats<\/th><th>Cost<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>CPU<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amd.com\/en\/products\/processors\/desktops\/ryzen\/7000-series\/amd-ryzen-9-7950x3d.html\">AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D<\/a><\/td><td>4.2 GHz<br>32 Threads<\/td><td>$740<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>CPU Cooler<\/td><td>Custom Copper Tube Liquid Cooling<\/td><td>40dB<\/td><td>?<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Motherboard<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asrock.com\/mb\/AMD\/X670E%20Taichi\/index.asp\">ASRock X670E Taichi<\/a><\/td><td>EATX<br>AM5<br>x4 DDR5 RAM<br>x8 SATA<br>x2 PCIe x16<br>x3 M2<br>USB 2, 3, and C<br>2.5mm audio<br>Ethernet LAN<br>802.11 Wifi<br>Etc.<\/td><td>$450<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>RAM<\/td><td>x2 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gskill.com\/product\/165\/393\/1665020366\/F5-6000J3040G32GX2-TZ5N\">G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo<\/a><\/td><td>32GB each<br>DDR5-6000<\/td><td>$200<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>SSD Storage<\/td><td>x3 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomshardware.com\/reviews\/toshiba-xg6-nvme-ssd,5782.html\">Toshiba XG6<\/a><\/td><td>1TB each M2 <\/td><td>$225 ($75 each)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>HDD Storage<\/td><td>x4 <a href=\"https:\/\/storage.toshiba.com\/consumer-hdd\/internal\/x300\">Toshiba X300<\/a><\/td><td>4TB each SATA<\/td><td>$500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Backup Storage<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/storage.toshiba.com\/consumer-hdd\/internal\/x300\">Toshiba X300<\/a><\/td><td>x1 4TB USB-C<\/td><td>$125<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>GPUs<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amd.com\/en\/products\/graphics\/desktops\/radeon\/6000-series\/amd-radeon-rx-6950-xt.html\"><\/a>x2 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amd.com\/en\/products\/graphics\/desktops\/radeon\/6000-series\/amd-radeon-rx-6800-xt.html\">AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT<\/a><\/td><td>16GB VRAM each<br>1.83 GHz<br>72 Raytracing Cores<\/td><td>$1000 ($500 each)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Case<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.geometricfuture.com\/news-10\/8.html\">Geometric Future Mode 6<\/a><br>or custom steampunk\/wood case<\/td><td>Mid Tower ATX<\/td><td>$150<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PSU<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/pg.asrock.com\/Power-Supply\/PG-1300G\/index.asp\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/pcpartpicker.com\/product\/wpjRsY\/asrock-phantom-gaming-pg-1300g-1300-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-pg-1300g\">ASRock PG-1300G<\/a><\/td><td>1300W<br>~$80\/Mo at 0.17\u00a2<\/td><td>$190<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Extra Cooling<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apevia.com\/product-cooling\/af512l-syl\">Apevia AF512L-SYL<\/a><\/td><td>25dB<\/td><td>$25<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Peripherals<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Part<\/th><th>Name<\/th><th>Stats<\/th><th>Cost<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Modem\/Router<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.netgear.com\/home\/wifi\/modem-routers\/cax30\/\">Netgear Nighthawk CAX30<\/a><\/td><td>2.7Gbps<br>Docsis 3.1<\/td><td>$300<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Monitors<\/td><td>x2 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msi.com\/Monitor\/G274QPF-QD\/Specification\">MSI 274QPF-QD<\/a><\/td><td>27&#8243; QHD<br>170Hz<br>FreeSync<\/td><td>$440 ($220 each)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>TV<\/td><td>Any &#8220;dumb&#8221; TV<\/td><td>1440p<br>LCD<br>At least 60Hz<\/td><td>$200-$500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>VR<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.valvesoftware.com\/en\/index\">Valve Index<\/a><\/td><td>Full VR set<\/td><td>$1000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Keyboard<\/td><td>Yellow: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Wireless-Keyboard-Mouse-Combo-Ergonomic\/dp\/B0D46DRWNL?s=electronics&amp;xpid=cqrZgghoQ1lGF&amp;th=1\">Yellow<\/a><br>Retro: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Mechanical-Keyboard-Bluetooth-Swappable-Programmable-PC\/dp\/B0CCP8KYGG?th=1\">8bitdo Retro<\/a><br>Wood: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/TrioGatos-Wireless-Keyboard-Friendly-Handcrafted\/dp\/B07JYH8KVS?s=electronics\">Bamboo<\/a><br>Steampunk: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Typewriter-Mechanical-Backlight-Bluetooth-5-0%EF%BC%8CCompatible\/dp\/B0C2BJK52J?th=1\">Typewriter<\/a><br>Vaporwave: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Wireless-Keyboard-Receiver-Ergonomic-Computer\/dp\/B0BXWLFXPR?s=electronics&amp;th=1\">Purple<\/a><br>Matte: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/DAREU-Mechanical-Pre-lubed-Structure-Swappable\/dp\/B0D3P3LCNM?s=electronics&amp;th=1\">DAREU EK98pro<\/a><\/td><td>Compact with Numpad<\/td><td>$20-$150<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mouse<\/td><td>Yellow: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Wireless-Chromebook-Receiver-Ergonomics-Cordless\/dp\/B0CTXFLWRG?s=electronics&amp;th=1\">Yellow<\/a><br>Retro: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/LOFREE-Bluetooth-Connection-Rechargeable-Compatible\/dp\/B0CT9VX5ZM?s=electronics&amp;th=1\">Lofree Touch<\/a><br>Wood: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vecteezy.com\/png\/44607502-wooden-computer-mouse-isolated-on-transparent-background\">Mahogany<\/a><br>Steampunk: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/listing\/1854482825\/steampunk-unique-shaped-wooden-computer?ls=s&amp;content_source=0dbec2b1-d973-476b-a00b-68abc6da7ff1%253Aba6d66bab4af79fe1ec2f8a52e1a451dcf5a27cf\">Steampunk<\/a><br>Vaporwave: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Logitech-Wireless-Mouse-Designed-Scrolling\/dp\/B007T1CTF2\">Logi M325<\/a><br>Matte: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Logitech-Signature-M550-Wireless-Mouse\/dp\/B0CPSP69MQ?s=electronics&amp;xpid=nrQ-sHi_OCnC-\">Logi M550<\/a><\/td><td>Office mouse, USB-A<\/td><td>$20-$60<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mouse Pad<\/td><td>Yellow: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Golden-Japanese-Mousepad-Stitched-Extended\/dp\/B0D1FTXBLS?s=electronics&amp;th=1\">Golden Waves<\/a><br>Retro: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/listing\/1467277032\/lemmings-classic-amiga-game-mousemat\">Lemmings<\/a><br>Wood: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Wood-Grain-Desk-Mat-Keyboard\/dp\/B0DSCCWL8V\">Grain<\/a><br>Steampunk: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Steampunk-Large-Mousepad-Non-Slip-Wireless-Accessories\/dp\/B0CJFX1T61?s=electronics\">Clockwork<\/a><br>Vaporwave: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Purple-Japanese-Vaporwave-Computer-Keyboard\/dp\/B0B2CWWCQ8?s=electronics\">Synth City<\/a><br>Matte: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/MROCO-Anti-fray-Stitching-Premium-Textured-Waterproof\/dp\/B0DSZWGYFL?s=electronics&amp;th=1\">Blackwave<\/a><\/td><td>Any size, felt<\/td><td>$5-$30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Speakers<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edifier.com\/global\/p\/bookshelf-speakers\/r1280ts\">Edifer R1280Ts<\/a><\/td><td>Bookshelf<br>4&#8243; bass drivers<br>52Hz &#8211; 20KHz<\/td><td>$170<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Headphones<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/north-america.beyerdynamic.com\/p\/dt-990-pro\">Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro<\/a><\/td><td>Open, Over-ear<br>5-35000Hz<br>250\u03a9<\/td><td>$180<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Audio Mixer<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/mackie.com\/en\/products\/mixers\/vlz4-series\/802VLZ4.html\">Mackie 802VLZ4<\/a><\/td><td>8 Channels<br>2ch EQ<br>Phantom Power<br>XLR and Tape inputs<br>Onyx Preamp<\/td><td>$200<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Microphone<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microcenter.com\/product\/641975\/shure-mv7x-xlr-dynamic-microphone-black\">Shure MV7X XLR<\/a><\/td><td>Dynamic<br>50 Hz &#8211; 16 kHz<\/td><td>$200<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Instruments<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Epiphone_G-400\">Epiphone G-400<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.casio.com\/us\/electronic-musical-instruments\/product.CT-S400\/\">Casio CT-S400<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ableton.com\/en\/products\/controllers\/launchpad\/\">Novation Launchpad<\/a><\/td><td>Electric Guitar<br>MIDI Keyboard<br>Ableton Launchpad<\/td><td>$200<br>$270<br>$80<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Amp<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/orangeamps.com\/products\/guitar-amp-combos\/crush-series\/crush-mini\/#specs\">Orange Crush Mini<\/a><\/td><td>Mini Amp<\/td><td>$75<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pedals<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.behringer.com\/product.html?modelCode=0709-ABU\">Behringer VD400<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boss.info\/us\/products\/rv-6\/\">Boss RV-6<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boss.info\/us\/products\/sd-1\/\">Boss SD-1<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boss.info\/us\/products\/bf-3\/\">Boss BF-3<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sonicake.com\/products\/noise-wiper\">Sonicake Noise Wiper<\/a><\/td><td>Delay<br>Reverb<br>Overdrive<br>Flanger<br>Gate<\/td><td>$40<br>$150<br>$60<br>$150<br>$35<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Controllers<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xbox.com\/en-US\/accessories\/controllers\/xbox-wireless-controller\">XBox Series<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wii_Remote\">WiiMotes<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayflash.com\/product\/W010.html\">Mayflash Dolphinbar<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendo.com\/us\/store\/products\/nintendo-64-controller\/\">N64 Controller<\/a><\/td><td>Bluetooth, USB-C, or USB-A<\/td><td>$80<br>$30<br>$30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Stickers<\/td><td>Manufacturer Stickers<br><br>Style Stickers<\/td><td>Fedora, Linux, AMD, Toshiba, ASRock, GSkill, XBox<br><br>Yellow, Retro, Steampunk, Vaporwave<\/td><td>Varies<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>LEDs<\/td><td>Yellow: Yellow<br>Retro: Beige<br>Wood: Orange<br>Steampunk: Orange<br>Vaprwave: Purple\/Cyan<br>Matte: White<\/td><td>USB-A<br>Dimmable<\/td><td>$20<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>External Media<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/External-Floppy-Portable-Windows-Required\/dp\/B00RXEWOAA?s=electronics\">Floppy Reader<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Audio-Technica-AT-LP60X-BK-Belt-Drive-Hi-Fidelity-Anti-Resonance\/dp\/B07N3XJ66N?s=electronics\">Record Player<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Cassette-Converter-Cassettes-Portable-External\/dp\/B0DH29MXRF?s=electronics&amp;xpid=7ZGkn5dyQX05a\">Cassette Player<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Audiocrazy-Bluetooth-Speaker-Vintage-Headphone\/dp\/B0CKH5898T?s=electronics&amp;th=1\">AM\/FM Radio<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.com\/sch\/i.html?_nkw=rca+8track+player&amp;_sacat=0&amp;_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&amp;_odkw=8track+player&amp;_osacat=0&amp;LH_PrefLoc=2\">8Track Player<\/a><br>VCR<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/External-Portable-Compatible-Desktop-Windows\/dp\/B09LXVV8P7?th=1\">CD\/DVD ROM<\/a><\/td><td>USB-A<br>RCA<br>2.5mm<br>2.5mm<br>RCA<br>RCAV<br>USB-A<\/td><td>Varies<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Misc<\/td><td>SATA to USB-C HDD Case<br>USB Pen Drives<br>Headphone Stand<br>Phone Clamp<br>Mic Snake Arm<br>HDMI to USB-A video capture card<br>DisplayPort hub<br>Thermal Paste<\/td><td>Various<\/td><td>Varies<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cables<\/td><td>x3 DisplayPort m2m<br>x2 HDMI m2m<br>x1 MIDI interface m2m<br>x4 1\/4&#8243; m2m<br>x1 dual RCA m2m<br>x2 RCA to 1\/4&#8243; m2m<br>x2 2.5mm to 1\/4&#8243; m2m<br>x1 XLR m2f<br>x1 RCAV m2m<br>x1 RCAV to HDMI converter f2f<br>2.5mm to USB-C f2m<br>N64 to USB-A adapter<br>cat5e rj45 m2m<br>coaxial cable m2m<br>Power cables and power strips<\/td><td>Make sure video cables are rated for at least 1440p. Also make sure not to exceed 1200W per outlet. Your PC should get its own outlet with nothing else plugged in.<\/td><td>Varies<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Friend<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/market\/linux_tux_plush\">Mr Tux<\/a><\/td><td>Linux Mascot<\/td><td>$35<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why I chose certain hardware<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D<\/strong><br>On top of needing a decent CPU for gaming, having multiple cores helps a lot with virtualization, especially if utilizing the host and guest at the same time. Also supports AMD-V  and AMD-Vi (IOMMU) for virtualization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>AMD Radeon RX <strong>6800 XT<\/strong><\/strong> #1<br>AMD offers superior drivers when it comes to Linux. FreeSync is also much better than GSync when it comes to Wayland as well. This will act as the main gaming GPU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT<\/strong> #2<br>The second GPU will be used for virtualization and passed through to VMs. This GPU has been confirmed to work in KVM\/QEMU and supports the needed tech for VM gaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ASRock X870E Taichi<\/strong><br>Has all the IO features I&#8217;m looking for. Supports IOMMU for virtualization as well as Raid 5 for SATA storage. Has 2 PCIe x16 slots for my dual GPU setup and supports dual channel ram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Toshiba X300<\/strong><br>Currently Toshiba has the best track record for long lasting and dependable HDDs. I&#8217;ve had mine for almost 15 years with no problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Office Mouse<\/strong><br>I personally prefer the ergonomics of common office mice like the Logi M250. I&#8217;ve tried out various gaming mice and do not like how they feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Compact Keyboard<\/strong><br>While I think mechanical keyboards are cool, the clacking kinda annoys me during daily use. I prefer something more compact and with a slimmer profile. As long as the buttons have decent tactile feedback I only really care about the form factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro<\/strong><br>At 250 Ohms the DT 990s make excellent studio quality headphones. They also double for great audio during gaming. Their high resistance (ohms) allows them to have a more dynamic range and higher volume when dealing with mic-level and pre-amped audio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>XBox Series Controller<\/strong><br>Despite being made by Microsoft, the XBox series is very easy to interface with Linux. Growing up on XBox I am also used to and prefer the Xbox controller&#8217;s layout and ergonomics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>External Media<\/strong><br>I enjoy vintage tech and old media formats, specifically VHS, Casette, Records, and 8-Tracks, which is why I incorporated them into my build.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PC Assembly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First step is to assemble the PC. There are plenty of guides online, but here are the steps in general:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make sure your workplace is static free. Wear shoes and touch a metal object that is <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ground_(electricity)\">grounded<\/a> to discharge any built up static. Make sure your workspace has plenty of room and lay down a towel or mat to discourage static discharge. Even the smallest shock could damage PC components.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unbox and inspect PC parts for damage. Many a time have I heard of friends receiving PC parts that were broken.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start assembly by inserting the CPU into its socket.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Insert RAM into the DDR5 slots, using dual channel configuration (e.g. if there are slots 1 2 3 4, put the RAM sticks in slot 2 and 4).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install the motherboard into the case. Remember to fit any fittings or gaskets to the motherboard depending on your chosen cooling solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install CPU cooling solution. I will be making a custom copper tube liquid cooler (which I will make a separate guide for in the future), but any fan with the right size will do. Make sure to apply thermal paste before attaching the CPU fan. Also install any other extra fans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install the SATA HDDs, connecting SATA cables as necessary.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install the PSU or power supply unit, attaching cables to necessary components including LEDs if any. Generally you will have to connect the ATX\/EPS connectors to the PSU, as well as PCIe power connectors and SATA power connectors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install PCIe devices including 2x SSDs, sound card, and GPU.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure everything is securely attached including RAM sticks, fans, and any screwed components.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seal up the PC and celebrate: the first part is done!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Operating System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I will be installing Fedora Linux for its respect of privacy, better security, faster speed, and freedom to tinker. I will not be using Windows due to its bounty of privacy invasions, driver issues, anti-consumer practices, and proprietary structure. I will also not be using LMDE my favorite distro, because Fedora has much better support for Wayland, which offers access to HDR, Android Apps, and AMD FreeSync technology which are game-changers for gaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As of 2025, the Fedora installation process is fairly straight-forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On a separate computer you will need 3 things, the <a href=\"https:\/\/fedoraproject.org\/en\/kde\/download\/\">Fedora KDE ISO file<\/a>, a pen drive with at least 3GB, and either <a href=\"https:\/\/rufus.ie\/en\/\">Rufus<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/fedoraproject.org\/en\/kde\/download\">Fedora Writer<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/etcher.balena.io\/\">Balena Etcher<\/a>. Make sure to grab the KDE version of Fedora, as it supports Wayland, HDR, and AMD FreeSync.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plug your pen drive in and open up one of the above programs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make the pen drive bootable via one of the programs; <em>make sure to pick the USB driv<\/em>e, as you will overwrite all the contents on it. You don&#8217;t want to erase everything on the wrong drive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plug the drive into your new PC once finished. Power it on while pressing F2 (sometimes delete key) repeatedly to bring up the BIOS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to the boot menu and select your pen drive. You should now boot into a live instance of Fedora where we can install the OS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A popup should appear prompting us to install Fedora. Click install.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose your language.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For installation method, choose &#8220;whole disk&#8221;. Be aware this will overwrite all data on your system, if you have any.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select encrypt disk; this will provide extra security for the files on your drives. Make sure to remember your encryption password!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Proceed and check the box confirming that you are sure everything will be erased and click install.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not power off or interrupt the install process, as doing so can lead to bricking in certain scenarios.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once finished, restart the system and remove the pen drive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once booted in, select your language, configure your keyboard, and disable location services &amp; problem reporting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Configure your time-zone. Doing so accurately is important for other internet services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enable 3rd party repositories to get updates faster.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create your user and password. Check &#8220;make this user administrator&#8221; to give yourself sudo privileges. Password should be at least 8 characters and contain numbers, letters, capitals, and symbols for best security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enjoy your new Linux install!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hardware Connectivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now its time to set up all of the peripherals. The audio will be the most complex. See the chart above for connectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Video<\/strong><br>Connect the two monitors to the DisplayPort splitter. Plug the splitter into a DisplayPort port on the back of the PC. Plug the TV in to the PC via HDMI. Plug the Valve Index base station into the other DisplayPort port, and the headset into a free USB 3.0 port.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>VCR<\/strong><br>You will need various adapters to set up a VCR for use with a PC. Plug an RCA cable into the VCR and into an RCA to HDMI adapter. Plug the HDMI cable into a USB-A video capture card, and plug the USB-A into your PC. Chain will look like VCR &#8211; RCA Cable &#8211; HDMI Adapter &#8211; HDMI Cable &#8211; Capture Card &#8211; PC. Use the program <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/obs-studio\/\">OBS Studio<\/a> to set up a live feed from your VCR. Pop in a tape and watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Audio Out<\/strong><br>Start with the mixing board. Using a dual 1\/4&#8243; to RCA cable, connect the Audio Out L to the white port and the Audio Out R to the red port on your speakers. Connect headphones to the headphones port with a 1\/4&#8243; cable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Audio In<\/strong><br>Connect the following to the AUX IN ports for each channel. Reserve channel 1 for the XLR microphone.<br>Channel 1: XLR mic (XLR m2f)<br>Channel 2: PC Audio (1\/4&#8243; to 2.5mm m2m) connect to 2.5mm line out port on back of PC.<br>Channel 3: Phone Audio (1\/4&#8243; to 2.5mm m2m with USB-C dongle f2m)<br>Channel 4: Guitar Amp (1\/4&#8243; m2m)<br>Channel 5: Piano Keyboard (1\/4&#8243; m2m<br>Channel 6: AM\/FM Radio (1\/4&#8243; to 2.5mm m2m)<br>Channel 7: Cassette Player (1\/4&#8243; to 2.5mm m2m)<br>Tape In: Record Player or 8-Track Player (RCA m2m)<br>Tape Out: (RCA to 2.5mm Y cable m2m) connect to 2.5mm line in port on back of PC. Note a con to this setup is you will only get mono audio to your computer for recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Guitar<\/strong><br>Connect the guitar to your first pedal. Chain pedals with short 1\/4&#8243; cables as desired, and end with a connection to the amp. Connect the amp to channel 4 on the soundboard via 1\/4&#8243; cable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>USB<\/strong><br>Connect the following devices to the USB ports on the back of the computer.<br>Valve Index: USB-A 3.0<br>Piano Keyboard MIDI: USB-A 3.0<br>CD\/DVD ROM: USB-A 3.0<br>Floppy Reader: USB-A<br>Launchpad: USB-A<br>Keyboard dongle: USB-A<br>Mouse Dongle: USB-A<br>VCR Capture Card: USB-A<br>Mayflash Dolphin Bar: USB-A<br>Backup HDD: USB-C 4.0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bluetooth<\/strong><br>Xbox Series Controller<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Configuration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Raid 5 Storage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we will configure our SATA drives for a Raid 5 setup via the terminal. We will do so using the mdam utility. First install mdam:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>sudo dnf install mdam<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>Next we will partition and format all of our drives with parted. First use fdisk to list all of your drives.:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>fdisk -l<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>Use the parted command on each of your 4 sata drives to format:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">parted \/dev\/sde mklabel msdos<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, use the fdisk utility to create a disk partition on each drive; do the following for all 4 drives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">fdisk \/dev\/sde<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>This will give you  a few options. Select the following<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>press <strong>n<\/strong> (create new partition)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>press <strong>p<\/strong> (select a primary partition)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>press <strong>Enter<\/strong> (default is partition number 1)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>press <strong>Enter<\/strong> (default is First Sector)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>press <strong>Enter<\/strong> (default is Last Sector)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>press <strong>t<\/strong> (change partition type)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>type <strong>fd<\/strong> (selects Linux autoraid)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>type <strong>w<\/strong> (write all changes to disk and exit)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally we will use mdam to create the Raid array; make sure to replace the drives with your drives that you got from the fdisk -l command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">mdadm --create \/dev\/md1 --level=raid5 --raid-devices=4 \/dev\/sde1 \/dev\/sdf1 \/dev\/sdg1 \/dev\/sdh1<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>In pseudo code what this command does is:<br>mdam, &#8220;create a mountable drive&#8221; &#8220;with a raid5 configuration&#8221; &#8220;with 4 devices&#8221; &#8220;with these four SATA drives&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your drives are now being configured for raid. This process will take a while, but you can use the following command to check progress:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">mdadm --detail \/dev\/md1<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you see <\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">State: clean<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>your drives are fully initialized. At this point we can format the ext4 file system of our new raid drive with the mkfs command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">mkfs.ext4 \/dev\/md1<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>This will also take a bit of time. Once it is done, we can create and mount the Raid array. Replace &#8220;storage&#8221; with whatever you wish to name the drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">mkdir \/storage<br>mount \/dev\/md1 \/storage<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Settings &amp; Customization<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Colors &amp; Themes:<\/strong> Make your new install your cyber home. Head over to System Settings&gt;Colors and Themes and choose your favorite themes. Play around with the settings and customize what you are comfortable with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Display &amp; Monitor:<\/strong> Under Display&amp;Monitor, make sure your resolution is 2560&#215;1440 and refresh rate is 170Hz matching your monitors. You may have to unplug the HDMI cable to your TV if you don&#8217;t see the relevant resolutions and refresh rates. Also switch color accuracy to &#8220;prefer color accuracy&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Program Icons:<\/strong> You can also change the icons for all of your programs to match your color profile. Download new .png icons from the web or make your own. Furthermore, you can also download applets and different taskbars and start menus by right clicking on them. KDE has many powerful ways to customize your desktop to how you like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Next up is installing and configuring the new system for gaming, productivity, optimal security, and privacy. On Linux there are different types of programs. System packages are installed via the terminal or package manager, while programs called flatpaks are installed via the discover store. Flatpaks are sandboxed and restricted programs, while system packages are obtained through repositories, which are usually vetted and confirmed to work on your system. Each distro has their own repository, where you can download from via the terminal using the &lt;dnf&gt; command. There are also 3rd party repositories, where the same software is mirrored. We enabled these during installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essential Programs<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>You can install programs via the KDE discover store on the toolbar and the &lt;dnf&gt; command in the terminal. Here are some essentials and what they do. See my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/linux-programs\/\">Linux Programs<\/a> page for the best software; I will only be going over essentials and programs that need explaining below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mullvad VPN<\/strong><br>It is a good idea to install this first to encrypt your internet traffic right off the bat. Install by entering the following code, obtained from <a href=\"https:\/\/mullvad.net\/en\/download\/vpn\/linux\">Mullvad&#8217;s Website<\/a>. Anything after a # is a comment and does not need to be typed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code># Fedora 41 and newer\n# Add the Mullvad repository server to dnf\nsudo dnf config-manager addrepo --from-repofile=https:\/\/repository.mullvad.net\/rpm\/stable\/mullvad.repo\n\n# Install the package\nsudo dnf install mullvad-vpn<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Librewolf<\/strong><br>Librewolf has significant privacy advantages over stock Firefox. See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/librewolf\/\">Librewolf.<\/a> Also install <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/ublock-origin\/\">Ublock Origin<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/noscript\/\">NoScript<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/privacy-badger\/\">Privacy Badger <\/a>as addons. Switch the default search engine to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/duckduckgo\/\">DuckDuckGo<\/a>. Type about:config into the librewolf searchbar and change enable.letterboxing = true to combat fingerprinting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Timeshift<\/strong><br>Take snapshots of your OS&#8217;es state. If something goes wrong, simply revert to an older snapshot. I usually keep 2x monthly, 1x weekly, and custom snapshots before tinkering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steam &amp; Proton<\/strong><br>The well-known and well-loved games storefront. Steam personally forwards the development of Proton, which allows Windows games to run on Linux. Installing a game via proton with Steam is very easy. I prefer installing the Steam system package over the Flatpak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pegasus<\/strong><br>A frontend for any emulated games and your steam games as well. Pegasus is very intricate and has a ton of customization options so I will only go over the basics here. You can read the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pegasus-frontend.org\/docs\/user-guide\/getting-started\/\">Pegasus Getting Started<\/a><\/strong> Guide as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Install the Pegasus Flatpak.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install a custom theme by downloading one from <a href=\"https:\/\/pegasus-frontend.org\/tools\/themes\/\">pegasus.org<\/a> and placing in the <code>\/home\/.config\/pegasus-frontend\/themes\/<\/code> folder. I enjoy the Retro Mega Next theme.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use Skyscraper via the terminal to add metadata and images to your collection. Read how to use <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/muldjord\/skyscraper\">here<\/a> or via the &#8211;help command.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Edit each system&#8217;s media.txt file to configure launch commands for emulators like Dosbox X.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Flatseal<\/strong><br>A program that allows you to modify permissions of all installed Flatpaks. Essential for fine-tuning and sandboxing applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lutris &amp; Bottles<\/strong><br>For running Windows programs via a compatibility layer in Linux. Steam handles its own games well with Proton, but if you have any non-steam games, like through GOG or on disc, Lutris and Bottles both make  running them easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Media Center Programs<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Below are programs that fulfill the abilities I outlined in the beginning of the post.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Coding<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/emacs\/\">Emacs<\/a>: for BASH<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/kate\/\">Kate<\/a>: for CSS, GDScript, HTML, and Javascript<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/idle\/\">Idle<\/a>: for Python3<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Emulation<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/dosbox\/\">Dosbox X<\/a>: for MS-DOS emulation<br>misc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Gaming<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/godot\/\">Godot<\/a>: for game development<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/good-old-games\/\">GOG<\/a>: for buying DRM-free games<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/lutris\/\">Lutris<\/a>: for Linux and Windows compatibility<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/pegasus\/\">Pegasus<\/a>: for organizing games in a pretty frontend<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/steam\/\">Steam<\/a>:for buying games and Linux-Windows compatibility<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/waydroid\/\">Waydroid<\/a>: for Linux-Android compatibility<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Multimedia Production<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/blender\/\">Blender<\/a>: for 3D modeling<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/gimp\/\">GIMP<\/a>: for raster image editing<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/godot\/\">Godot<\/a>: for game development<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/inkscape\/\">Inkscape<\/a>: for vector image editing<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/libre-office\/\">Libre Office<\/a>: for word, powerpoint, and spreadsheet editing<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/obs-studio\/\">OBS Studio<\/a>: for streaming, and recording audio\/video<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/scribus\/\">Scribus<\/a>: for publication and document editing<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/shotcut\/\">Shotcut<\/a>: for video editing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Music Consumption<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/celluloid\/\">Celluloid<\/a>: for playing local audio files, supports wav, mp3, m4v, opus, and others<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/nuclear\/\">Nuclear<\/a>: for discovering new music<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/shortwave\/\">Shortwave<\/a>: for listening to internet radio<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Music Production<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/audacity\/\">Audacity<\/a> for recording and waveform editing<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/lmms\/\">LMMS<\/a>: for music production, VST plugins, and MIDI instruments<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Privacy<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/duckduckgo\/\">DuckDuckGo<\/a>: for making private searches<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/flatseal\/\">Flatseal<\/a>: for finetuning flatpak permissions<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/librewolf\/\">Librewolf<\/a>: for blocking fingerprinting<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/privacy-badger\/\">Privacy Badger<\/a>: for blocking trackers<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/ublock-origin\/\">Ublock Origin<\/a>: for blocking malware<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reading<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/calibre\/\">Calibre<\/a>: for reading books and comics and editing metadata<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/koodo-reader\/\">Koodo Reader<\/a>: for reading books and comics with a minimalistic interface<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Security<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/clamav\/\">Clam AV<\/a>: for an antivirus with file and systemwide scanning<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/flatseal\/\">Flatseal<\/a>: for editing flatpak permissions<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/keepass\/\">KeePass XC<\/a>: for storing and encrypting passwords<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/mullvad-vpn\/\">Mullvad VPN<\/a>: for encrypting and securing internet traffic<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/noscript\/\">NoScript<\/a>: for blocking cross-site scripting malware and cross-domain tracking<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Video<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/celluloid\/\">Celluloid<\/a>: for playing local video files<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/freetube\/\">Freetube<\/a>: for accessing YouTube content in a privacy respecting way<br><a href=\"https:\/\/kodi.tv\/download\/\">Kodi<\/a>: for organizing local video files<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/librewolf\/\">Librewolf<\/a>: for accessing streaming sites more securely<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/vlc-media-player\/\">VLC<\/a>: for playing and streaming lesser known video codecs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Virtualization<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/kvm\/\">KVM\/QEMU<\/a>: for emulating Windows and other OSes<br><a href=\"https:\/\/virt-manager.org\/\">Virt Manager<\/a>: for making an easy GUI interface f or KVM\/QEMU<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/waydroid\/\">Waydroid<\/a>: for providing a compatibility layer to run Android apps<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Best ways to craft a media library on your PC:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Books\/Comics\/Manga<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/calibre\/\">Calibre<\/a> and\/or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/koodo-reader\/\">Koodo Reader<\/a>. <br>Calibre is a powerful suite for e-books and .cbr comics, allowing you to edit the metadata of books like their descriptions and covers. You can also tag them to categorize your book library. <br>Koodo reader is also a library and e-reader, but offers a much simpler and minimalist interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Games<\/strong>: CD-ROM, Floppy Reader, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/steam\/\">Steam<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/good-old-games\/\">GOG<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/lutris\/\">Lutris<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/pegasus\/\">Pegasus<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/waydroid\/\">Waydroid<\/a>. <br>The CD-ROM and floppy drive allow access to older media formats. I know there are ways around this, but I wanted the original media experience. These can also be mounted and read by emulators like Dosbox X.<br>Steam offers not only being a great storefront, but also Proton which makes gaming on Linux a breeze.<br>GOG is a great option for DRM-free games, which respect the integrity of your machine. <br>Lutris can be used as a frontend, but more importantly offers easy management and installation of Windows games with Wine or Proton. <br>Pegasus offers the perfect customizable frontend to emulated, Steam, Lutris, and GOG games so that you can craft your library exactly how you like it.<br>Waydroid allows you to install and play Android games on your pc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Music<\/strong>: 8Track Player, AM\/FM Radio, Cassette Deck, CD-ROM, Record Player, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/celluloid\/\">Celluloid<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/nuclear\/\">Nuclear<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/shortwave\/\">Shortwave<\/a>. <br>Having an audio board connected to all of those media devices enables you to switch between any physical type of media with the push of a button. <br>Celluloid allows you to listen to any downloaded music you have, Nuclear allows you to discover new music, and Shortwave gives you access to internet radio stations around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Video<\/strong>: VCR, DVD-ROM, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/freetube\/\">Freetube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/kodi.tv\/download\/\">Kodi<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/librewolf\/\">Librewolf<\/a>.<br>The VCR and DVD-ROM allow access to physical video media. <br>Freetube offers privacy friendly access to YouTube content. <br>Kodi allows you to organize any digital video media you may have. <br>Librewolf gives you privacy friendly access to online streaming services like Netflix etc. Do be aware that you have to enable DRM for some streaming sites, which is a compromise to your security and privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Virtualization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I will be setting up virtualization using KVM and Virt -Manager to make GUI setup easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First step is to enable virtualization in the BIOS. Shut down your computer and press F2 or del repeatedly until the BIOS menu appears. Navigate to Advanced&gt;CPU Configuration&gt;SVM Mode, and enable SVM Mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Boot up the computer and open a terminal. We will now be installing KVM and Virt-Manager via dnf, which will also download all the required dependencies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>sudo dnf install KVM\nsudo dnf install virt-manager<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Once done, run virt manager by just typing virt-manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next step is to get a legal copy of Windows 10. You can buy a fresh install or if you have an existing install you can <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/recovery-options-in-windows-31ce2444-7de3-818c-d626-e3b5a3024da5\">jump through some hoops<\/a> to get one. This also works with any OS, so if you want to try out other Linux distros or even Android x86, you just need the .iso file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Virt-Manager, go to File&gt;New Virtual machine. Here are the basic steps for setting up a new machine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choose Local install (ISO)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ISO Folder:<\/strong> It is good practice to make an iso folder somewhere and make a pool for your isos. Put your iso file somewhere safe and click browse in virt-manager.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Making a pool: <\/strong>Click the + button in the bottom left and create a pool from the folder you placed your iso in. A new entry should appear on the left; click it, then select the iso file and then click choose volume.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>VM RAM and CPU:<\/strong> Next up is selecting how much RAM and how many cores you want your VM to use. If you plan on using both at the same time, delegate as needed, otherwise we can max them out for optimal computing power. Set RAM to 62,000 and CPU cores to 32.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>VM Storage<\/strong>: Now we will create the storage for your VM. If installing Windows, allocate at least 60GB, and adjust for whatever use you may have for the VM, e.g. if you are installing a 20GB game, allocate 100GB total. 60GB OS + 20GB game + 20GB buffer = 100GB total.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you want your storage to not be on your main drive, select the custom option and click manage. Make a new pool for your VM and create a new .qcow2 volume where you want your vm storage to reside.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Next, name your VM and click install. This will bring you to the live installer where, depending on your os, you can install to the storage file we made earlier. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Follow the install instructions and boot into your new VM.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Congrats! You are now running multiple OSes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>I will also make a tutorial on GPU passthrough with KVM\/QEMU for gaming eventually; stay tuned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this post I will be discussing a guide to my view of the ultimate media center computer as of 2025. Many of these choices are personal and opinionated, but I will explain each choice further down. The PC will be equipped for the following: I will be building this computer from scratch and installing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-linux","tag-guides"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":832,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426\/revisions\/832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fmidnight.com\/cyberdisk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}