diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 96dd449..fed370c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 error.glsl
 forge_default_save.txt
 build
+tmp*
diff --git a/2026-10-28_21-38.png b/2026-10-28_21-38.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..87256a4
Binary files /dev/null and b/2026-10-28_21-38.png differ
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7aac886..881c2d5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ run: $(BUILD_DIR)/$(TARGET)
 
 .PHONY: start-bg
 start-bg:
-	@python3 $(PROJECT_DIR)/i2c.py&
+	@python3 $(PROJECT_DIR)/i2c.py >> $(PROJECT_DIR)/python.log&
 
 .PHONY: start-fg
 start-fg:
diff --git a/Px437_IBM_BIOS.ttf b/Px437_IBM_BIOS.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c55a10e
Binary files /dev/null and b/Px437_IBM_BIOS.ttf differ
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 189bb60..80da000 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ echo 'make -C /opt/forge-invar start-weston' >> ~/.bashrc
 * https://www.exploding-shed.com/synth-diy-guides/standards-of-eurorack/eurorack-dimensions/
 * https://electricalflux.com/mcu-raspberry/i2c-oled-display-raspberry-pi-5-wiring-code
 * https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/configuration.html
+* https://int10h.org/oldschool-pc-fonts/fontlist/font?ibm_bios
 
 ## TODO
 
diff --git a/TinyAndChunkyRegular.ttf b/TinyAndChunkyRegular.ttf
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f705ea1
Binary files /dev/null and b/TinyAndChunkyRegular.ttf differ
diff --git a/host_generate.py b/host_generate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..007b0b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/host_generate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont, ImageMath
+
+# TODO clean
+
+font = ImageFont.truetype("./TinyAndChunkyRegular.ttf", 5)
+font2 = ImageFont.truetype("./Px437_IBM_BIOS.ttf", 8)
+
+im0 = Image.new("1", (128, 64), "black")
+
+draw = ImageDraw.Draw(im0)
+
+draw.text((26, 24), "F.O.R.G.E.", fill="white", font=font2)
+draw.rectangle((24, 35, 104, 40), outline="white", fill="black")
+
+im0.save("i2c_loading.png")
+
+im = Image.new("1", (128, 64), "black")
+
+draw = ImageDraw.Draw(im)
+
+
+# tempo
+draw.text((7, -2), "TEMPO:", fill="white", font=font)
+draw.rectangle((6, 6, 60, 11), outline="white", fill="black")
+
+# time
+draw.text((68, -2), "TIME:", fill="white", font=font)
+draw.rectangle((67, 6, 121, 11), outline="white", fill="black")
+
+# pipes
+draw.rectangle((26, 22, 78, 24), fill="white")
+draw.rectangle((26, 46, 78, 48), fill="white")
+draw.rectangle((78, 34, 128, 36), fill="white")
+draw.rectangle((76, 23, 78, 46), fill="white")
+
+# squares
+draw.rectangle((12, 16, 26, 30), outline="white", fill="black")
+draw.rectangle((41, 16, 55, 30), outline="white", fill="black")
+
+draw.rectangle((12, 40, 26, 54), outline="white", fill="black")
+draw.rectangle((41, 40, 55, 54), outline="white", fill="black")
+
+draw.rectangle((70, 28, 84, 42), outline="white", fill="black")
+draw.rectangle((99, 28, 113, 42), outline="white", fill="black")
+
+selected_bounds = [
+    (10, 14, 28, 32),
+    (10, 38, 28, 56),
+    (39, 14, 57, 32),
+    (39, 38, 57, 56),
+    (0, 0, 0, 0),
+    (97, 26, 115, 44),
+]
+
+# page
+draw.circle((55, 61), 2, outline="white", fill="black")
+draw.circle((63, 61), 2, outline="white", fill="black")
+draw.circle((71, 61), 2, outline="white", fill="black")
+
+im.save("i2c_background.png")
+
+# ---
+
+# tempo
+draw.text((42, -2), "240", fill="white", font=font)
+draw.rectangle((6, 7, 6 + 53 * 1, 10), fill="white", width=0)
+
+# time
+draw.text((94, -2), "1234", fill="white", font=font)
+draw.rectangle((67, 7, 67 + 53 * 1, 10), fill="white", width=0)
+
+draw.circle((55, 61), 2, fill="white")
+
+# selected
+
+for i in range(len(selected_bounds)):
+    if selected_bounds[i][0] > 0:
+        draw.rectangle(selected_bounds[i], outline="white", fill=None)
+
+im_overlay = Image.new("1", (128, 64), "black")
+draw2 = ImageDraw.Draw(im_overlay)
+
+
+# shaders
+draw2.text((16, 20), "0", fill="white", font=font2)
+draw2.text((45, 20), "2", fill="white", font=font2)
+draw2.text((16, 44), "1", fill="white", font=font2)
+draw2.text((45, 44), "3", fill="white", font=font2)
+draw2.text((74, 32), "K", fill="white", font=font2)
+draw2.text((103, 32), "6", fill="white", font=font2)
+
+im = ImageMath.lambda_eval(lambda args: args["convert"](args["a"] ^ args["b"], "1"), a=im, b=im_overlay)
+
+# ---
+
+im = im.resize((1280, 640)).convert("RGB")
+
+draw2 = ImageDraw.Draw(im)
+
+for x in range(1, 128):
+    draw2.line((x * 10, 0, x * 10, 640), fill=(50, 50, 50))
+for y in range(1, 64):
+    draw2.line((0, y * 10, 1280, y * 10), fill=(50, 50, 50))
+
+
+im.resize((1280, 640)).save("tmp.png")
diff --git a/i2c.py b/i2c.py
index 0b7aeae..bbb612d 100755
--- a/i2c.py
+++ b/i2c.py
@@ -5,38 +5,64 @@
 import collections
 import pathlib
 import sys
+import time
 
 from luma.core.error import DeviceNotFoundError
 from luma.core.interface.serial import i2c
-from luma.core.render import canvas
-from luma.oled.device import sh1106
+from luma.oled.device import device, sh1106
+from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont, ImageMath
 
 TARGET_FILE = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent / "forge_default_save.txt"
 TARGET_FILE_BACKUP = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent / "forge_default_save.txt.bck"
 
+ESTIMATED_BOOT_TIME_SECONDS = 18.0
+
 data: dict[str, float] = collections.defaultdict(lambda: 0)
 
-def readfile():
+font1 = ImageFont.truetype("./TinyAndChunkyRegular.ttf", 5)
+font2 = ImageFont.truetype("./Px437_IBM_BIOS.ttf", 8)
+loading_img = Image.open("i2c_loading.png").convert("1")
+background_img = Image.open("i2c_background.png").convert("1")
+blank_im = Image.new("1", (128, 64), "black")
+
+selected_bounds = [
+    (10, 14, 28, 32),
+    (10, 38, 28, 56),
+    (39, 14, 57, 32),
+    (39, 38, 57, 56),
+    (0, 0, 0, 0),
+    (97, 26, 115, 44),
+]
+
+
+def try_restore_backup() -> bool:
+    if TARGET_FILE_BACKUP.exists() and readfile(TARGET_FILE_BACKUP):
+        TARGET_FILE.write_text(TARGET_FILE_BACKUP.read_text())
+        return True
+    return False
+
+
+def readfile(file: pathlib.Path = TARGET_FILE) -> bool:
     try:
-        content = TARGET_FILE.read_text()
+        content = file.read_text()
     except:  # noqa: E722
-        return
-    TARGET_FILE_BACKUP.write_text(content)
+        return False
     for line in content.splitlines():
         key, value = line.split("=", maxsplit=2)
         data[key] = float(value)
+    if "time" in data:
+        TARGET_FILE_BACKUP.write_text(content)
+    return "time" in data
 
-def main():
-    if TARGET_FILE_BACKUP.exists() and TARGET_FILE.exists():
-        TARGET_FILE.write_text(TARGET_FILE_BACKUP.read_text())
 
+def open_device() -> device:
     # Pin definitions: I2C Bus 1 (SDA=GPIO2, SCL=GPIO3)
     # Default SSD1306 I2C address is 0x3C
     serial_interface = i2c(port=1, address=0x3C)
 
     try:
         # Initialize the device. If using SH1106, change ssd1306 to sh1106
-        device = sh1106(serial_interface, width=128, height=64, rotate=0)
+        return sh1106(serial_interface, width=128, height=64, rotate=2)
     except DeviceNotFoundError:
         print("Fatal: OLED not found at 0x3C. Check wiring and run i2cdetect -y 1")
         sys.exit(1)
@@ -49,13 +75,106 @@ def main():
             print(f"Fatal OS Error: {e}")
         sys.exit(1)
 
+
+def print_loading(restored: bool, t0: float) -> Image.Image:
+    im = loading_img.copy()
+    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(im)
+
+    now = time.time()
+
+    percent = min(1.0, (now - t0) / ESTIMATED_BOOT_TIME_SECONDS)
+
+    draw.rectangle((24, 35, 24 + 80 * percent, 40), fill="white")
+
+    if not restored:
+        draw.circle((4, 4), 1, fill="white")
+
+    return im
+
+
+def print_monitor() -> Image.Image:
+    im = background_img.copy()
+    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(im)
+
+    im_overlay = blank_im.copy()
+    draw2 = ImageDraw.Draw(im_overlay)
+
+    # tempo
+    draw.text((42, -2), f"{int(data['tempo'])}", fill="white", font=font1)
+    draw.rectangle(
+        (6, 7, 6 + 53 * (data["beats"] - int(data["beats"])), 10), fill="white", width=0
+    )
+
+    # time
+    draw.text((94, -2), f"{int(data['time'])}", fill="white", font=font1)
+    draw.rectangle(
+        (67, 7, 67 + 53 * (data["time"] - int(data["time"])), 10), fill="white", width=0
+    )
+
+    # page
+    draw.circle((55 + 8 * int(data["page"]), 61), 2, fill="white")
+
+    # selected
+    selected = int(data["selected"])
+    draw.rectangle(selected_bounds[selected], outline="white", fill=None)
+
+    # TODO active fx/src
+
+    # fx/mix values
+    # todo random and time based
+    fxa_value = 1 - data['value_18_x'] / 127
+    draw.rectangle((41, 16 + round(14 * fxa_value), 55, 30), fill="white")
+    fxb_value = 1 - data['value_25_x'] / 127
+    draw.rectangle((41, 40 + round(14 * fxb_value), 55, 54), fill="white")
+    mfx_value = 1 - data['value_32_x'] / 127
+    draw.rectangle((99, 28 + round(14 * mfx_value), 113, 42), fill="white")
+    mix_value = 1 - data['value_34_x'] / 127
+    draw.rectangle((70, 28 + round(14 * mix_value), 84, 42), fill="white")
+
+    # active shaders
+    draw2.text((16, 20), hex(int(data["state_0"]))[2].upper(), fill="white", font=font2)
+    draw2.text((16, 44), hex(int(data["state_1"]))[2].upper(), fill="white", font=font2)
+    draw2.text((45, 20), hex(int(data["state_2"]))[2].upper(), fill="white", font=font2)
+    draw2.text((45, 44), hex(int(data["state_3"]))[2].upper(), fill="white", font=font2)
+    draw2.text(
+        (103, 32), hex(int(data["state_6"]))[2].upper(), fill="white", font=font2
+    )
+    mix_type = data['value_33_x'] == 0
+    draw2.text((74, 32), "M" if mix_type else "K", fill="white", font=font2) # TODO
+
+    return ImageMath.lambda_eval(lambda args: args["convert"](args["a"] ^ args["b"], "1"), a=im, b=im_overlay)
+
+
+def main():
+    restored = try_restore_backup() or readfile()
+
+    device = open_device()
+
+    initial = True
+    started = False
+
+    t0 = time.time()
+
     try:
+        device.display(print_loading(restored, t0))
+
         while True:
-            readfile()
-            with canvas(device) as draw:
-                # draw.rectangle((0, 50, 127, 60), outline="white", fill="black")
-                draw.text((0, 0), f"time={data['time']}", fill="white")
-                draw.text((0, 10), f"beats={data['beats']}", fill="white")
+            if not readfile():
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+                continue
+
+            if initial or started:
+                if not started:
+                    started = "time" in data and data["time"] == 0
+                    if started:
+                        initial = False
+                device.display(print_loading(restored, t0))
+            else:
+                device.display(print_monitor())
+
+            if started and data["time"] > 0:
+                initial = False
+                started = False
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         print("Exiting gracefully...")
     except OSError as e:
diff --git a/i2c_background.png b/i2c_background.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b09675
Binary files /dev/null and b/i2c_background.png differ
diff --git a/i2c_loading.png b/i2c_loading.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9e3d33
Binary files /dev/null and b/i2c_loading.png differ