Jonatan Miarecki

Welcome to my personal website where I write about my projects and other things.

• Bose Killed Your SoundTouch. Here's How to Fix It: You didn’t break it. Bose did. Here’s the fix — and why you shouldn’t have to do this. I have a SoundTouch 20. Solid hardware, years of daily use, and as of may 6th the preset buttons no longer work. This post explains what actually broke and why, then walks through how to bring the speaker back using AfterTouch, a free open-source toolkit that replaces everything Bose’s servers used to handle. No cloud, no Bose account, no app required. Tested on the SoundTouch 20; the process is the same or very similar across all SoundTouch models: 10, 30, Portable, and the home theater systems.
• About me: Hi, I’m Jonatan Miarecki, a software engineer and AI researcher. I build things until they run, then figure out how to make them run better. Based in the EU and open to collaborating with anyone building something interesting. How I got here It started with Snap Circuits and Lego Mindstorms EV3, and the pattern has stayed consistent ever since: I want to see the thing work. Not in a simulator, not in theory, but actually running and doing something real. During secondary school I worked through Harvard’s CS50x, and the German Physical Society awarded me the DPG-Abiturpreis in July 2025 for my physics results. Both helped, but honestly most of what I know came from breaking things and figuring out why.
• Archives: This is a list of all available posts and pages in English currently in the archive.
• Legal / Impressum: Impressum, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
• Site-Wide Search: Search trough all posts and pages for the thing you are looking for.
• Receiving Images From the International Space Station: Have you ever wanted to receive images directly from space? Recently, I found out that the International Space Station (ISS) occasionally transmits images down to Earth using radio waves, and with a surprisingly simple setup, you can receive them at home. I thought that was pretty cool, so I gave it a try. At the time of writing, the last ARISS SSTV event took place approximately a week ago. Here’s how I managed to receive images from the ISS and how you can do it too.
• Web Key Directory Checker: This tool verifies Web Key Directory (WKD) configuration for email addresses, checking both direct and advanced discovery methods. It validates policy files, CORS headers, key availability, and proper key association with the email address. At least one Method is required to be set up for the WKD to work. More Information on how to set up WKD Check WKD Status Direct Method Unknown Key Location: Unknown Key Available: Unknown Key CORS Valid: Unknown Key Type: Unknown Fingerprint: Unknown Email in Key: Unknown Policy Available: Unknown Policy Configuration Unknown The WKD specification requires a policy file to be present (even if empty) to check for WKD support and advanced configuration properties. Policy Location: Unknown Policy CORS Valid: Unknown Policy Compliant: Unknown Advanced Method Unknown Key Location: Unknown Key Available: Unknown Key CORS Valid: Unknown Key Type: Unknown Fingerprint: Unknown Email in Key: Unknown Policy Available: Unknown Policy Configuration Unknown The WKD specification requires a policy file to be present (even if empty) to check for WKD support and advanced configuration properties. Policy Location: Unknown Policy CORS Valid: Unknown Policy Compliant: Unknown Overall Status Unknown Valid: Unknown NPM Library This tool is powered by the wkd-checker npm library. You can use it in your own projects or run it via CLI. The JSON output below is identical to the library output.
• Setting up Web Key Directory: Getting a PGP Key is easy, but sharing it with others can be a hassle. Why use Web Key Directory Sharing your public key is important to secure your communication as it allows others to encrypt messages that only you with the corresponding private key can decrypt and to verify that messages are from you. This is especially important for E-Mail, as it is not encrypted by default and can be intercepted and read by the entity handling the E-Mail. However this requires the recipient to have your public key, which needs a way to be shared.
• Modding an IKEA Iskärna to use Zigbee: The IKEA Iskärna lamp is a stylish addition to any home, but its original design limits functionality to manual control via a single button. This modding project aims to enhance the lamp’s capabilities by replacing its original control board with a custom one, enabling Zigbee control, including integration with Home Assistant. This allows for automated control, custom effects, and remote operation of the lamp. Required materials IKEA Iskärna lamp 24V LED controller (Zigbee or other) Soldering iron Wires Screwdriver Glue Optional Button Disassembly The first step is to disassemble the lamp. The lamp is held by a single screw at the back, which can be removed using a screwdriver. Once the screw is removed, the lamp can be opened by pulling the top part from the bottom part.
• The Glorious Revolution and the resulting Bill of Rights: Historical events In 1685, a pivotal moment in English history unfolded as James II succeeded his brother Charles II to the throne. James II, unlike his Protestant predecessor, was a devout Catholic. His ascent to power ignited a wave of hope among Catholics for greater religious freedom and tolerance. However, this hope was met with apprehension and resistance from the Protestant majority, particularly within Parliament. Portrait of James II, Public Domain
• Valve publishes Steam Link App for Meta Quest: Valve, the company behind the popular Steam gaming platform, has released a new app for the Meta Quest that allows you to stream PC VR games to Meta Quest VR headsets over a Wi-Fi connection. The app is called Steam Link and is available for free in the Meta Store. It can be downloaded via the Meta Store. This allows for direct streaming of SteamVR games, such as the popular “Half-Life: Alyx”, to the Meta Quest VR headset. This move marks an expansion of Steam Link functionality, which has previously only been used to stream PC games to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
• Smart Message Language Reader for Home Automation: The continuous development in the field of home automation opens up ever new possibilities to control the energy consumption in our homes efficiently. A crucial step in this direction is the reading of data from smart electricity meters using the Smart Message Language to gain detailed insights into energy consumption. That’s exactly why I created “SML-Reader” to read out the Smart Message Language data and then send it to smart home systems, such as Home Assistant, via MQTT.
• The Michelson-Morley Experiment and the Aether Theory: This blog Post has an alternative Video version if you prefer that. The video can be accessed on YouTube. The Michelson-Morley experiment is an important physics experiment conducted in the late 19th century. It was already known in earlier times that light propagates in waves and was compared to water waves, which require a medium, namely water. Michelson and Morley thought that light must also have a medium, namely the aether, and they wanted to prove this through an experiment.
• Protein Biosynthesis: If you are more of a visual learner, you can also view my YouTube video for protein synthesis, which is embedded or directly available on YouTube. Proteins are the workhorses of life and perform a variety of essential functions in our cells. But have you ever wondered how these complex molecules are actually made? The answer lies in the fascinating world of protein synthesis, a remarkable cellular process that we are in the process of unraveling.