Practical gaming know-how, from Super Nintendo to Twitch.
Jason Howell and Sam Machkovech of Ars Technica take gaming one practical question at a time, from capping a child's screen time to building a streaming setup that holds up on a bad night. This archived TWiT series signs off with a standing instruction: now that you know how, go do it.
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This is the audio feed of a TWiT gaming series that is no longer in production. It treats games the way a workshop treats tools: one job at a time, talked through, then handed back to the audience to try. Episodes open with a one-line tease, a welcome from Jason Howell and an introduction for Sam Machkovech of Ars Technica. Sam stands beside him on some days and appears on a monitor over his shoulder on others. The conversation is friendly and openly excited about the hardware. The subjects range widely. In 'Modern Gaming Parent', Nintendo's parental-control app is judged ahead of anything Xbox or PlayStation offers. The detail is useful: a time limit can ring as a nag instead of cutting play off mid-level, then send an alert to a parent's phone so the parent makes the call. There is also a relatable moment about a tablet's two-hour limit arriving with no warning, the screen turning blue at the worst possible time. In 'Classic Gaming' the discussion turns to emulation, including Nintendo's own emulation team, known by the initials NERD. It credits the NES Classic with starting a run of solid mini consoles, brings out the Super Nintendo Classic and dismisses a licensed Sega Genesis mini for its middling menus and weak emulation. 'Live Broadcasting Gameplay' separates streaming for a living from streaming for fun. A streamer with thousands of viewers and real income at stake needs backup gaming machines, backup streaming machines and a backup network, while a casual streamer can usually count on viewers forgiving a small blip. In 'Console Hacking', a save slot is cleared before Super Mario World runs through a TAS bot setup, and the talk turns to a rig that can drive four one-player consoles at once. 'Holiday Games Guide' recommends Pokemon Let's Go to players who are neither hardcore fans nor doubters, and explains the in-game garden that moves creatures between the Switch game and Pokemon Go on a phone. 'Mobile Gaming' moves from a look back at phone gaming toward what it takes to get console-quality play on a phone. The audio edition shows its video origins: sign-offs thank people for watching, and some moments point at things only visible on screen. The closings share a running joke about a helper whose handle, the Mac and Josh, gets plugged on Foursquare in one episode and Snapchat in another, to general confusion. Then comes the fixed farewell, 'now that you know how', followed by an order to go game, stream, build a replay device, make a console museum, buy some games or have some turkey. The best starting point depends on the question. A parent dealing with screen time should start with 'Modern Gaming Parent', and anyone planning a streaming setup should start with 'Live Broadcasting Gameplay'. 'Console Hacking' is the most technical episode, though parts of it were clearly made to be seen.
Made for: Suits a listener who wants plain, practical answers about games and gear, such as how to set screen-time limits for a child, which mini retro console is worth buying or what a first streaming setup requires. It also suits someone who does not need current release news, since the series is an archive.
What sets it apart: Each episode takes one practical theme, from a child's screen-time cap to a four-console TAS bot rig, and closes with the same order to go put it into practice. That makes the series play like a run of gaming workshops.
Get your gaming on! Jason Howell and Ars Technica's Sam Machkovech bring you 12 episodes and cover it all, from tips and tricks, consoles, gaming rigs, controllers, Virtual Reality, classic gaming, live gameplay, mobile gaming, console hacking, and more! Plus, they'll wrap up with a holiday game guide.Although the show is no longer in production, you can enjoy episodes from the TWiT Archives.
The soldering irons get swapped mid-demo; your inner tinkerer gets the real lesson.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A grounded look at screen-time limits, parental guilt, and the tech shaping modern gaming rules.
Modern gaming parenthood gets framed as a small, familiar history of control, from a shared phone line and 56k modem to screen-time tools that can alert a parent or suddenly turn a tablet blue.
A bot turns Super Mario World into a visible choreography of LEDs, button presses, and strange movement.
Console Hacking turns Super Mario World into a compact lab for machine-controlled play. Jason Howell and Sam Moscovich sit with Alan Cecil as a bot drives the game through button presses, LEDs, and a visualization board built from controllers with the buttons removed.
A practical, nostalgic look at miniature consoles, emulation, and the uneven work of reviving classic games.
Classic gaming gets a grounded tour of the retro revival, moving from the NES Classic and Super Nintendo Classic to Sega's less steady miniature Genesis and the emulation work beneath them.
A practical 2018 games discussion that judges Pokemon Let's Go by the players it actually suits.
KnowHow turns a gray, rainy-day setup into a useful conversation about 2018 video games, with Jason Howell and Sam Miskovic focused less on declaring winners than on matching games to the right players.
A clear case for taking the gaming machine in your pocket seriously.
Know How's "Mobile Gaming" pushes back on the old habit of treating console and PC play as the only serious kind, then places phone gaming inside a longer portable-device story that reaches back to the Nokia-smartphone era.
Specialists walking through software's tradeoffs, one system at a time.
Founders and engineers on AI coding agents like Claude Code, and supply chain security.
Know How...
["KnowHow's 'Console hacking done right with TazBot' follows Alan Cecil showing how a retail NES and Super Nintendo can be driven through external controller ports.", "Jason Howell and Sam Moscovich from Ars Technica ask how tool-assisted speed runs moved from Morimoto's unlabeled 2003 Super Mario Bros.
Jason Howell and Sam Skobich compare a Geffen composite-to-HDMI scaler against the OSSC while Super Mario World runs on both boxes.
Know How's Holiday Games Guide has Jason Howell and Ars Technica's Sam Miskovic running through 2018 games across PlayStation VR, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Know How’s "Mobile Gaming" tracks the move from Snake, Brick Breaker, and Diner Dash to Fortnite, PUBG, and Elder Scrolls Blades on modern phones.
Know How examines how gamers can broadcast gameplay, from short clips shared with friends to audiences of thousands on Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer.
Jason Howell and Ars Technica writer Sam Skovich explain how DSL, cable internet, Xbox 360, Sega Dreamcast, Halo, Call of Duty, and Fortnite made online gaming a baseline expectation.
Know How hosts Sam Iscovich and Jason Howe compare gaming TVs, PC monitors, and sound systems for console and computer setups.
KnowHow hosts Jason Howell and Sam Miskovic compare premium console controllers, specialized PC accessories, and Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller.
Know How hosts Jason Howell and Ars Technica's Sam Miskovic compare PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive Pro, and Lenovo Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
Know How examines PC gaming with Sam Miskovich from Ars Technica, comparing prefab computers with self-built systems and explaining why customization is the category's central advantage.
Know How hosts Jason Howell and Sam Miskovic from Ars Technica demonstrate practical features on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
Know How episode 400, “The Howies: Our Favorite IoT,” has Megan Moroney and Florence award connected-home products they personally used throughout the season.
Megan Maroney and Florence Ion examine “Thneed” IoT products that combine functions such as Wi-Fi, voice control, thermostats, lighting, and parental controls.
Know How hosts Florence Ion and Megan Maroney examine IoT fragmentation through Google’s Nest ecosystem, Thread, ZigBee, Z-Wave, and IOTivity 2.0.
Know How hosts Megan Maroney and Florence Ion compare entertainment devices across Amazon, Google, Apple, and Chromecast ecosystems, including Polk's $300 Command Bar and a HomePod connected to Apple Music.
Know How's "Alexa Swallowed Cortana" tests Microsoft's Cortana through an Amazon Echo Dot while Megan Maroney and Florence Ion compare assistant capabilities.
Know How hosts Megan Maroney and Florence Ion examine enterprise IoT through Bradley Chambers's $100,000 school HVAC system, which reduced power costs by $5,000 per month but exposed management and security problems.
Know How hosts Megan Maroney and Florence Ion examine DIY security systems and cameras after Florence tested multiple products for seven to ten days each.
KnowHow hosts Megan Maroney and Florence Ion compare the Lenovo Smart Display, the Amazon Echo Show, and Apple’s HomePod through screens, video services, cameras, music, lighting, and smart-home control.
Megan Maroney and Florence Ion test Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod devices for responsiveness, personality, recordings, and privacy controls.
Know How hosts Megan Maroney and Florence Ion compare LIFX, Philips Hue, TP-Link, Sengled, Monoprice, and Bliss smart bulbs through setup demonstrations and hands-on testing.
Know How...
Megan Maroney and Florence Ion open Know How episode 389 and season four with a 12-week Internet of Things series focused on connected homes.
Know How 3.0 ends with Robert Ballecer and Brian Burnett revisiting experiments and projects before Megan takes over in Know How 4.0.
Know How's "The Tech of Summer" brings Leo, Megan Maroney, and Jason Howell together to review technology for summer vacations and road trips.
Know How host Padre and Jason Howell demonstrate combining a Synology NAS, Plex Live DVR, an HD HomeRun Connect Duo, and an antenna for recorded over-the-air television.
Know How hosts Robert Balasar and Patrick Delahanty build the LiPi, a modular Raspberry Pi enclosure using 18650 batteries, a UBEC converter, protected charging circuitry, and interchangeable 3D-printed sections.
Know How...
Father Robert Palacere and Megan Maroney build an Arduino-driven Funko Pop stand with a WS2812 16-LED ring and a magnet.
Know How hosts Robert Palliser and Jason Howell demonstrate how a Synology NAS can manage network security cameras, including Amcrest hardware, Surveillance Station, patrol presets, recording quotas, and segmented networks.
Know How...: Maker Virgin introduces Maker Faire San Mateo through Robert Ballas and Megan Maroney's tour of maker projects, from walnut-shell gasification to circuit-board printers.
Father Robert Balassaire and Jason Howell examine Synology NAS hardware, including the two-bay 713 Plus, the four-bay 418 Play, RAID configurations, and Western Digital Red drives.
Know How hosts Father Robert Balliser and Megan Maroney answer listener questions about Linux laptops, capture-device latency, Nanoleaf lighting, and Ubiquiti networking.
KnowHow hosts Father Robert Balasar and Jason Howell build a low-cost streaming setup around a $100 ring light, Logitech C920 camera, and external HDMI capture.
Know How's "Build a Mouse Droid" follows Patrick Delahanty's attempt to combine a $50–60 Granite Earth shell with a roughly $150–180 Traxxas Bandit RC car.
Know How...
Father Robert Ballasare and Steve Gibson examine the CLOUD Act, which became law inside a 2,200-page U.S.
Know How hosts Father Robert Ballasare and Megan Maroney assemble a basic streaming kit for about $250-$300 using a Neuron ring light, Logitech C920 webcam, HyperX Cloud Alpha headset, and free XSplit Broadcaster software.
Know How’s “The Secrets of Geek Travel - Part II” answers Martin P.’s question about carrying nearly 50 GB of sensitive data through hostile countries without an office VPN.
Know How hosts Father Robert Balassaire and Jason Howell return to soldering 101, covering equipment, wire preparation, tip selection, heat control, and basic tinning.
Know How's "Switch How - Part II" follows Megan Maroney and Jason Howell after six weeks using each other's Android and iOS ecosystems.
Know How’s “Switch How - Part 1” follows Megan Maroney moving from iOS to Android and Father Robert Balasar[e] moving from Android to iOS.
Know How's "Multirotor 101 - Part III" gives Jason Howell and Father Robert Ballasar a practical FPV lesson using SEMA trainer quadcopters.
Know How hosts Father Robert Balocer and Patrick Delahunty review CES-related products including the Roav Viva car adapter, SplitSecond vehicle tracker, Roav Dashcam C2, and MyCharge Adventure Jumpstart.
Know How hosts Father Robert Balasar and Megan Maroney compare $40 prefab charging stations, a $12 drilled mail organizer, and Burke's custom charging-box designs for households with multiple devices.
Know How: MultiRotor 101 - Part 2 covers prop balancing, Spectre and Meltdown protection checks, and preparation of the 2018 Alien X quadcopter.
Know How's "You Feeling Lucky?" covers network interrogation with Fing and Nmap, including scans that identify devices, IP addresses, MAC addresses, and open services.