Amstaga Targets Multi-Platform Emulation with Modern Styling and Features

While some retro computer enthusiasts focus on a single platform, others struggle to pick a favorite. Julien of bluemind.org addresses the latter group with Amstag: a neo-retro computer that runs multiple emulators. Its name is an amalgamation of Amiga, Amstrad, and Atari. Although, with the modern computer at its heart, it can run virtually any emulator.

Julien's Amstaga build is a 3D-printed project assembled with off-the-shelf electronic components. The single-board computer (SBC) is an Odroid XU4 based on a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5422 processor. It contains a quad-core Arm Cortex-A15, quad-core Cortex-A7, and a Mali-T628 GPU. The board has two gigabytes of LPDDR3 memory, ports for eMMC and microSD, and an HDMI port. In short, it is a very high-performance SBC ideal for emulating Amiga, Amstrad, and Atari computers!

Eight 3D-printed pieces make up the Amstaga enclosure. You will need a printer with 30 by 16 centimeters of print space for the largest component. And then, once printed, basic finishing tools and materials give Amstaga an injection-molded appearance.

On the back, you'll find ports for gigabit ethernet, HDMI, audio control, and more. Many of these ports come from the XU4 board. However, you must modify the XU4 to remove or relocate the DC barrel jack, two onboard LEDs, and media boot selector. The reset button is large enough to attach wires for the switch on the back.

Two other off-the-shelf parts you need are a keyboard and a power supply. Julien chose a compact 60%-style keyboard with RGB lighting. The lights and key switches help give Amstaga a very modern look AND feel! This build uses an AC-DC converter with an off-board C8-style connector for AC mains connection.

Since this is a DIY project, check out the Amstaga build notes if you want to make one. Julien documented the mechanical build stages and provided instructions on installing Linux and emulators for the vintage computing platforms.