Author: taternews

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Hollywood’s UK “Omnibus” Pirate Site Blocking Order Surfaces Through Cloudflare

https://torrentfreak.com/hollywoods-uk-omnibus-pirate-site-blocking-order-surfaces-through-cloudflare/

### Hollywood’s “Ghost” Order Finally Surfaces 🎬

For months, Hollywood studios have been bragging about a new “superpower” in the fight against piracy, but the actual paperwork remained a mystery—until now.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has been touting a massive “omnibus” blocking order in the UK. Instead of running to a judge every time a pirate site changes its URL from `.com` to `.net`, this order allows studios to simply tell ISPs, “Hey, this new site acts just like the old one—block it.” It’s essentially a “search and destroy” mission for streaming sites that doesn’t require a new court date every time a new domain pops up.

We only know the details because Cloudflare—not a court or a government agency—decided to be helpful and publish the document via its transparency filing.

The quick breakdown:

The “Seed” Sites: The order starts with known culprits like movies2watch.watch*, but the real power is in the “Part 2” category: any site that functions similarly to the originals.

• No Judge Required: Once a site meets the criteria, studios can add it to the blocklist voluntarily. The ISPs are essentially trusted to take the studios’ word for it.
• The Catch: While it’s efficient, it’s also a bit “trust me, bro.” There’s no independent review every time a site is added, though studios are forbidden from blocking entire servers if they host legitimate content too.

It’s a massive win for Disney and Netflix, but a headache for anyone trying to find a free movie without a fight.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

EasySMX M20 Review: Perfect for Playstation Without the Portal

https://retrohandhelds.gg/easysmx-m20-review/

### Your Phone Wants to Be a PlayStation Portal

Let’s face it: most of our gaming happens on our phones while we’re waiting for coffee or killing time on the couch. But if you’re a fan of PlayStation or emulation, playing on a touchscreen can feel like trying to play a piano with oven mitts. Enter the EasySMX M20, a telescopic controller that wants to turn your smartphone into a high-end handheld without the $200 price tag.

The M20 isn’t just another cheap plastic slab. It’s built with some seriously impressive specs, including Hall Effect sticks and a “dual-stage” trigger system. This means you can actually switch between digital and analog triggers—a rare and welcome feature for racing game fans.

The standout “party trick”? The face buttons are physically swappable. With a quick twist of a screwdriver, you can swap standard Xbox-style buttons for PlayStation iconography. It’s a small touch that makes a massive difference if you’re streaming PS5 games via remote play.

The quick hits:

• Versatility: It stretches up to 215mm, fitting most phones and even some small tablets (up to ~9 inches).
• Ergonomics: Thick, textured grips make it comfortable for long sessions.
• Customization: You can swap the D-pad and use the included bumpers to steady smaller devices.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to upgrade your mobile gaming setup, the M20 is a heavy hitter that punches well above its weight class.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Turbocharging the Worst VESA Local Bus Graphics Card – Diamond Viper VLB

https://retrorgb.com/turbocharging-the-worst-vesa-local-bus-graphics-card-diamond-viper-vlb.html

If you think your current PC is struggling to run a modern AAA title, just imagine being a gamer in 1993. Back then, your computer wasn’t built for DOOM; it was built for spreadsheets and AutoCAD. This left gamers stuck with “productivity” cards that were surprisingly terrible at actually playing games.

Enter the Diamond Viper VLB. This card was a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster, featuring two video chips: a slow, cheap one for basic DOS compatibility and a much faster one designed for Windows. The catch? If you wanted to play low-resolution DOS games, you were stuck with the slow chip. It was a massive waste of potential.

But someone had a bright idea: what if we bypassed the limitations? By creating a custom video mode to force the fast chip into action and pairing it with a modern scaler, we can finally unlock the speed this 30-year-old card was actually capable of. It’s a glorious bit of retro-engineering that turns a “worst-in-class” card into a gaming powerhouse.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Weekly Roundup #526

https://retrorgb.com/week526.html

Grab your soldering iron and a caffeinated beverage, because the latest RetroRGB roundup is packed with enough hardware news to keep you busy for a month.

If you’re a fan of the MiSTer FPGA, you’re in luck: there is massive news regarding physical disc support and several core updates, including a highly anticipated Virtual Boy core. If you prefer your retro gaming with a side of “actually working,” the NES Lumacode US distributor is officially live.

Here are the highlights you shouldn’t miss:

• Neo Geo Fans: The AES+ Ultimate Edition is making a comeback for US pre-orders.
• Cable Upgrades: New Multi-Sync-Option SNES cables are ready to fix your sync issues for good.
• Xbox 360 Hackers: The BadUpdate v1.3 is here, bringing a new hypervisor exploit to the table.

Whether you’re hunting for rare components or just want to squeeze more life out of your old hardware, this week’s episode has you covered. You can catch the full deep dive via video or listen on your favorite podcast app.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

INNOCN GA27M1Q Review: 500Hz QD-OLED Is Overkill in the Best Way

https://retrohandhelds.gg/innocn-ga27m1q-review/

Let’s be honest: 500Hz on a 27-inch monitor is technically overkill. Unless you’re a professional esports athlete with reflexes that defy physics, your brain probably can’t process that much data per second. But here’s the twist—the INNOCN GA27M1Q QD-OLED delivers that absurd refresh rate in the best way possible, making it a joy to use even if you’re just casually browsing or tinkering with a home lab.

I’ve been testing this beauty as a replacement for a dead Dell monitor, and it’s been a breath of fresh air. The QD-OLED panel offers stunning blacks and vibrant colors straight out of the box, requiring zero calibration. I’m also a huge fan of the glossy finish, which cuts through the usual matte “fog” of standard gaming displays, provided you don’t have direct sunlight hitting your desk.

The port situation is another winner. With HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 facing outward, plugging in devices is actually easy—a rarity in monitor design. Plus, it lacks the bloatware “smart” features that turn monitors into annoying TVs, keeping things simple.

Is it worth the retail tag? Not really. But here’s the good news: prices have dropped significantly. You can snag it for around $500 to $600, which makes this high-end panel a serious no-brainer for anyone wanting top-tier visuals without breaking the bank. Just maybe don’t expect to notice the difference between 240Hz and 500Hz.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

TrimUI Brick Pro Review: At Least it’s Bigger?

https://retrohandhelds.gg/trimui-brick-pro-review/

Let’s be honest: the original TrimUI Brick was a tiny, pocketable marvel. But after the “metal facelift” of the Brick Hammer, fans were left wanting… more? So, TrimUI did the most logical thing: they just made the original bigger. Enter the TrimUI Brick Pro.

Is it a worthy upgrade, or just a larger version of the same deal?

Here’s the lowdown on this vertical handheld’s evolution:

• Bigger Screen, Same Pixels: The display jumped from 3.2 inches to a spacious 3.95 inches. However, the resolution stayed at 1024×768. It’s not as sharp as before, and while it’s better than old 480p panels, it lacks that “wow” factor we hoped for.
• Controls: A Mixed Bag: The face buttons and D-pad are lighter and quieter than the Hammer, which is nice. But the Hall Effect sticks? They have a limited range of motion, and the RGB rings feel gummy. If you need precise analog control, you might find them frustrating.
• Build & Heat: The metal backplate adds weight and avoids that hollow plastic feel, but it does get warm. Not burning-hot, but definitely noticeable during long sessions.
• Performance: It’s still running the Allwinner A133 Plus. PS1 games run flawlessly, while N64 and Dreamcast are hit-or-miss. It’s a solid budget device, but not a powerhouse.

The Verdict: If you loved the original Brick’s form factor but struggled with the small screen, the Pro is a solid fix. But if you’re looking for raw power or premium ergonomics, you might want to stick with the Hammer or look at the Anbernic RG 40XXV. It’s tolerable, but not necessarily “Pro.”

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Turbocharging the Worst VESA Local Bus Graphics Card – Diamond Viper VLB

https://retrorgb.com/turbocharging-the-worst-vesa-local-bus-graphics-card-diamond-viper-vlb.html

Forget everything you know about console gaming. Scaling a PlayStation or SNES is a breeze because the hardware sticks to a predictable script. But throw a 90s PC into the mix, and you’re entering the Wild West. We’re talking variable resolutions, messy timing, and hardware that shifts depending on what’s plugged into the motherboard. It’s chaotic, it’s inconsistent, and it’s exactly why retro PC gaming is so fascinating.

Enter the Diamond Viper VLB, a card from 1993 that was arguably the worst of its kind. It’s a Frankenstein motherboard of two video chips: a sluggish, budget-friendly chip for basic DOS compatibility and a much faster chip meant to brag about performance. The catch? If you wanted to play low-resolution DOS games, you were stuck with the slow chip. It was a design flaw that left gaming performance in the dust.

But here’s the twist: someone figured out how to bypass the bottleneck. By creating a custom video mode that forced the system to use the faster chip and dropping the VGA signal below 31kHz, they unlocked hidden performance. It’s a clever hack that transforms a nearly obsolete, sluggish card into a viable gaming machine, proving that even the “worst” hardware from the 90s has untapped potential if you know where to look.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Paris Court Kicks Off New Football Season with Multi-Intermediary Piracy Blocking Orders

https://torrentfreak.com/paris-court-kicks-off-new-football-season-with-multi-intermediary-piracy-blocking-orders/

Football season is back, and so is France’s annual ritual of shutting down pirate streams. This time, the Paris Judicial Court didn’t just block the obvious streaming sites; it went full-spectrum. In a coordinated move signed in July, broadcaster Canal+ secured orders targeting ISPs, DNS providers, CDNs, VPNs, and even search engines like Google and Bing.

The goal? To ensure there’s no digital backdoor left open for fans looking to watch the Premier League or Champions League for free. Major providers like Orange and Free are blocking 73 specific domains. But the real innovation here is the net being cast wider than ever. If you try to bypass the ISP blocks using Cloudflare’s DNS or a VPN like ExpressVPN, the court has already told those services to step aside.

The legal battle was fierce. VPN providers argued that EU directives shielded them from liability, but the court disagreed, ruling that acting as a “bridge” for infringing content makes them fair game. Meanwhile, Google’s attempt to challenge Canal+’s rights didn’t sway the judge.

The kicker? These orders are just a preview. France is currently rewriting its sports laws to allow for automated, real-time blocking during live broadcasts. So, while you might still find a loophole today, the digital walls are about to get significantly higher. Enjoy the game—while it’s legal.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

More than 20,000 KONKR Pocket Advances Have Been Sold So Far

https://retrohandhelds.gg/more-than-20000-konkr-pocket-advances-have-been-sold-so-far/

Talk about a pop culture moment. The KONKR Pocket Advance didn’t just dip its toe in the water; it cannonballed, racking up over 20,000 sales in less than a week. That’s right, AYANEO CEO Arthur Zhang dropped this number during a recent sharing session, highlighting a level of hype that caught even the company off guard.

Here’s the catch: those 20,000 units were only sold on JD.com, China’s massive online retailer. While sales from the official AYANEO website remain a mystery, the sheer volume explains the sudden influx of new color options. The company is clearly trying to cast a wider net to satisfy a market that’s hungry for more than just the original lineup.

But if you’re hoping to swap your preorder for a trendy new shade, brace yourself. AYANEO support will handle those requests, but patience is key. The highly anticipated ONYX ICE colorway won’t ship until late October. So, while your Retro Gray order is currently safe, don’t get too comfortable.

With limited stock of certain colors like ONYX ICE (only 500 units for non-China markets), the clock is ticking. If you want your device sooner rather than later, it’s probably wise to lock in your order now before the next livestream unveils yet another irresistible finish.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Valve Adds Initial Gamepad Support for Ayaneo Pocket S2 in SteamOS Beta 3.8.25

https://retrohandhelds.gg/valve-adds-initial-gamepad-support-for-ayaneo-pocket-s2-in-steamos-beta-3-8-25/

Valve is officially throwing its weight behind the crowded handheld market, and the latest SteamOS beta proves it’s not just a friendly wave. Version 3.8.25 brings much-needed stability to third-party devices, with a spotlight on the Ayaneo Pocket S2. This is a big deal because it marks the first time an Android-based handheld gets native gamepad support in SteamOS, signaling Valve’s serious intent to make “Steam on Arm” a reality for everyone, not just those who can afford a Steam Deck.

The update doesn’t stop there. It also adds initial support for the Konkr FIT and the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, while polishing the experience for OneXPlayer and MSI Claw owners. If you’ve ever dealt with input lag or weird Wi-Fi quirks on non-Valve hardware, this release is your new best friend. They’ve even fixed that annoying habit where some handhelds would ignore your inputs if you held them at a specific angle—because apparently, ergonomics is a bug, not a feature.

Beyond the hardware wins, the beta tackles some pesky desktop mode annoyances, like HDMI lockups and boot logo flashes on gaming TVs. With a newer Linux kernel and improved battery indicators, Valve is clearly trying to smooth out the rough edges for power users. It’s a promising step toward a truly universal handheld ecosystem, proving that Valve wants Steam to run everywhere, regardless of who built the box.