Reviving a Sun-Faded Super Famicom Shell
A yellowed console gets a UV retrobright pass and a full switch cleaning, with notes on matching the original plastic tone.
Vintage consoles rebuilt, documented, and celebrated in Aswan
We open up aging hardware, trace every rare mod, and log the restoration process for fellow collectors to study and learn from.
Explore the ArchiveWhat We're Restoring This Season
A rotating look at the consoles and mods currently on the bench
PC Engine Duo Recap
A yellowed CoreGrafx housing brought back through careful shell restoration, new capacitors, and a full audio stage recap on original PCB traces.
Sega Nomad Backlight Mod
Converting the notoriously dim original screen into a backlit panel while preserving the handheld's stock shell and button feel.
Neo Geo AES Region Swap
Documenting a region-free BIOS swap and RGB output mod on a cartridge-based AES unit sourced from a private Cairo collection.
Famicom Disk System Belt Fix
Replacing a perished drive belt and recalibrating the read head on a unit that hadn't spun a disk in over two decades.
Dreamcast VMU Repro Build
A community-submitted reproduction VMU project, tracked from bare PCB to finished shell, with notes on button matrix wiring.
Analogue Nt Mini Comparison Log
Side-by-side notes comparing FPGA output fidelity against a restored original NES motherboard under the same capture setup.
Questions We Get From Fellow Collectors
Common questions about our restoration logs and documentation process
Do you sell the consoles you restore?
No, this is an editorial documentation project. We write up each restoration and modding process for the community rather than operating as a retail or repair shop.
Where do the units in your write-ups come from?
Most come from private collectors around Aswan and the wider Egyptian retro scene who send in hardware for documented restoration and mod logging.
Do you cover consoles outside the classic era?
Our primary focus stays on 8-bit through early 32-bit hardware, though we occasionally document sixth-generation systems when a mod or repair is notable enough.
Can I submit my own modding project?
Yes, readers regularly send in their own restoration and mod logs, and we feature select projects with full credit and technical breakdowns.
Do you explain how to do the repairs yourselves?
Our articles document process and reasoning in detail, including part choices and diagnostic steps, aimed at readers who want to understand the work, not just see the result.
Fresh From the Workbench
Recent logs from the restoration desk
Inside a Community RGB Bypass Project
We trace a reader-submitted RGB mod on a PAL console, documenting solder points and the reasoning behind each wire run.
Sourcing Rare Capacitors in a Regional Market
Notes from tracking down period-correct electrolytic capacitors for a restoration, and what substitutes actually held up long term.
One Collector's Decade-Long Arcade Board Project
A profile of a local collector who has spent ten years documenting and preserving jamma arcade boards from the region.
Why Original PCBs Still Matter to Restorers
An editorial look at why hobbyists favor working with stock boards over replacements, and what gets lost in a full swap.
Curious what's on the workbench this month?
Browse full restoration logs, mod breakdowns, and collector profiles from the Aswan retro scene.