[GTALUG] best choices for tiny mlinux media centre in 2016?

Tue Dec 29 06:40:34 UTC 2015

You said you had a RaspberryPi running Raspbian, that is a full linux
distro. You could try openelec, that is a customized distro made only to
run a media center with xbmc/kodi. After the boot, the only X application
you will see running is the media center.
On Dec 29, 2015 5:46 AM, "William Park" <opengeometry at yahoo.ca> wrote:

> You missed "used laptop" which is still the cheapest option.  KWLUG
> (Kitchener/Waterloo LUG) got them by truck loads.
> --
> William
>
> On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 01:38:20PM -0500, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:
> > | From: Matt Price <moptop99 at gmail.com>
> >
> > | I'm looking to replace my  desktop-based xbmc movie playing box with a
> much
> > | smaller and more energy-efficient ARM-based DIY project.  II'd love to
> hear
> > | what other people recommend for specs.  I'd like to build a system
> with:
> >
> > - XBMC is now called Kodi
> >
> > - it has become semi-mainstream
> >
> >   - it will run under Linux, Windows, Android.  I don't know about OSX
> >     or iOS (google surely knows)
> >
> >   - there are tonnes of cheap chinese-brand sticks and boxes that even
> >     come with it pre-installed.
> >
> > - From what you said, the amount of storage is going to be an issue.
> >   Roughly how much storage do you need?
> >
> >   - Raspberry Pi 2 is great in many ways but adding storage isn't so easy
> >
> >     + is USB 2 fast enough?  If so, an external drive would work (but
> >       that requires another box)
> >
> >     + do you have a network file server where stuff could be stored?
> >       (but remember that the Pi's ethernet goes through the USB
> bottleneck)
> >
> >   - typical chinese boxes don't have internal store either.  Some have
> >     native ethernet (faster than the Pi).  Few if any have USB 3.
> >
> > Some local optima:
> >
> > - Raspberry Pi 2.
> >   + Well support by community
> >   - slow expansion storage
> >   - guess: no hope for proprietary streaming sources like Netflix,
> >     Shomi, etc
> >   + Linux!
> >
> > - cheap chinese-brand TV stick or box (Android)
> >   + cheap, comes with Kodi
> >   + can choose models with ethernet
> >   + some models have a community of modders (creating other ROMs)
> >     but they are limited since key device drivers are closed source.
> >   - manufacturers very soon stop releasing new firmware
> >   - parts of chips are secret and hence hard to support
> >   - Really important: check if Kodi has native drivers for the video
> playback.
> >     I don't really know how to do that (lots of googling).
> >   + you can select cost vs features.
> >     - 32 vs 64 bit ARM
> >     - 1G vs 2G RAM (an anagram of ARM!)
> >     - 4G, 8G or 16G flash memory
> >     - cheap brand or one with a community
> >
> > - Nexus Player.  Currently on fire-sale ($70) meaning it is a dead
> product.
> >   + runs latest Android (Marshmallow)
> >   + run Kodi and is well-supported
> >   + runs Netflix including HD (only a few Android devices do HD (for
> >     some reason that Netflix hasn't explained))
> >   - won't run Shomi app (for some arbitrary reason)
> >   + can accept google "casting" from a phone or tablet
> >
> > - a random (but carefully selected) Android tablet.  Pretty much the
> >   same as cheap chinese-brand stick or box.
> >
> > - a fair number of Windows-based choices that are like the sticks,
> >   boxes, or tablets.
> >
> >   For example, right now, Newegg offers this for $139.99 + 4.99
> >   shipping (- $10.00 if you use Visa Checkout and a coupon):
> >   <http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883722001>
> >   It comes with Windows but should be able to run Linux instead
> >   (not enough "disk" for dual booting).
> >
> > - some little PCs.  Deals come and go.
> >   Here's one that's almost sold out:
> >   <
> http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=7_1203_1157&item_id=069768
> >
> >   This is a real PC and will run ordinary Linux distros just fine.
> >   It includes a 500G HD.  And a power switch.  And probably a remote.
> >   Takes real power, but nothing like a desktop.
> >   If you want control, this is the easiest path.
> >
> > - cheap bare ARM boards from chinese brands.  Too much of a circus for
> >   me to recommend.  Surely there is good value somewhere there (Banana
> >   Pi?  Cubie Board?)  but likely too much adventure if you only care
> >   about the result (TV!).
> >
> > | - relatively simple and manageable OS (Raspbian has been nice on my
> old RP
> > | rev b)
> >
> > If you want to be in control, it is hard to beat the Pi without going
> > to a full PC.
> >
> > | - some kind of hobbyist board, raspbi or beaglebone or whatever seems
> best;
> >
> > That sounds like you want control.  Lots of these ARM things have
> > pain-points.  For example, the beaglebones didn't do FullHD (hardware
> > limitation).  Most have closed drivers for video.  Codecs are a pain.
> > Bootloaders are all different so that a generic Linux distro cannot work
> > (yet).
> >
> > | - cheapest possible large ssd drive
> >
> > Most don't take SSDs (or hard drives) except as externals (USB or NAS).
> > If you find your media collection grows, SSD is bound to be too small
> > or expensive.  SSDs are great for the OS but don't really have an
> > advantage for videos.  Since videos are accessed mostly-sequentially,
> > the seek time of a hard drive is not a problem.
> >
> > Some little PCs come with room for a 2.5" drive.  You can get 2.5"
> > hard drives up to 1TB.  If you need more than 1TB, you need 3.5"
> > drives, something little computers don't accommodate.
> >
> > | - a power button (!)
> >
> > Not really needed for the really low power ones.
> >
> > | - a wireless keyboard or other control device
> >
> > Easy to add via USB or bluetooth.
> >
> > | - HDMI out
> >
> > At FullHD.  Too early for good UltraHD support.
> >
> > | - some kind of a box to hold everything together (likely self-designed
> out
> > | of some very cheap scrap materials)
> > | - power source that can drive all these pieces
> > | - as little cost as possible
> > ---
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