<div><div dir="auto">In fact one of our first Xubuntu- based KODI servers was a netbook we had on/connected 24/7 to our TV. The netbook sat on a glass stand with lots of breathing room.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div>On Fri, Feb 2, 2018 at 10:28 AM Ron Singh <<a href="mailto:ronsingh149@gmail.com">ronsingh149@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Khalid, this project is very exciting! Would like to have an idea of the networked devices you plan on using.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I wonder, despite the fact that they are not fanless, would a laptop not suffice? <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">See, I have an X220(i5-2540M), set up as a torrent/playback PC that is never turned off, it is hooked up via a DP/HDMI cable to a TV set and uses a HID-compliant wireless mini keyboard(with trackpad)<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">In the BIOS, I have the Intel SpeedStep feature turned off, the power settings are "battery optimized" and the thermal setting is also for fan optimized. <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Essentially, this 2,4Ghz CPu spends most of it's time at 800-ish Mhz. One can force it to stick around 800-ish Mhz via TLP, but I have not tried that.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">It runs Mint-Cinnamon-18.1, essentially Ubuntu 16.04.1 with the Cinnamon DE. <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">With the laptop's screen set at minimum(it is all set up in the basement), the X220 uses 11 watts idling and 23 watts streaming/playing back 1080P media. <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The X220 has a slow-poke 5400rpm 750G HDD which is set for a 5 min spin-down when idle.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Would this platform(an i5-equipped X220) or any other i3/i5 laptop be appropriate for this end-use? <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I have looked into fanless PCs in the past, based on mobile Intel chips and crippled desktop chips, but they are pretty spendy with current models starting at $400 and still needing RAM and storage.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I have not played yet with this tool:</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="https://01.org/powertop/downloads/powertop-v2.9" target="_blank">https://01.org/powertop/downloads/powertop-v2.9</a></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">but it looks real promising in its ability to really fine tune some powersaving features of an Intel platform.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="m_2542272298567846814gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div><div>Thanks,<br><br>Ron Singh<br><br></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail_extra">
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Feb 1, 2018 at 2:40 PM, Khalid Baheyeldin <span><<a href="mailto:kb@2bits.com" target="_blank">kb@2bits.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Looking into home automation, I settled on Home Assistant <br><br><a href="https://home-assistant.io/" target="_blank">https://home-assistant.io/</a><br><br></div>This is written in Python, and there is a Raspberry Pi 3 image for it already (Hassbian, based on Raspbian, which is Debian derived).<br><br></div>Alternate install methods do work, and I managed to get it up and running on a good old AMD server running Ubuntu 16.04 using Python venv.<br><br><a href="https://home-assistant.io/docs/installation/virtualenv/" target="_blank">https://home-assistant.io/docs/installation/virtualenv/</a><br><br></div>Now, I want it to be permanently hosted on its own lower power server. The Raspberry Pi 3 is an option, but I want to make sure I explore other lower power servers that run stock Debian or Ubuntu 16.04 (or 18.04 soon). The reason is: the rich repository. If you want some package, it is already there, and you are not stuck. <br><br></div><div>So an Intel/AMD server is desirable.<br></div><div><br></div>Zotac have some servers that take power from a 12v adapters, and fanless, but they will be over $300 and up after one puts a CPU and SSD disk in them. An RPi3 is ~ $100 with a case and a microSD card. <br><br></div><div>There is Beagle Bone Black, and Pine64. There is also Odroid. But all these have a very small community and running Debian/Ubuntu on them with a rich repository will not be viable in the long run. <br><br></div>So the questions are:<br><br></div>1. Does anyone here use Home Assistant? Would like to hear your experience with it. <br><br></div>2. What other options are there for low power, low footprint servers that run stock Debian/Ubuntu?<span class="m_2542272298567846814HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br clear="all"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br>-- <br><div class="m_2542272298567846814m_-1458203949946577420gmail_signature">Khalid M. Baheyeldin<br><a href="http://2bits.com" target="_blank">2bits.com</a>, Inc.<br>Fast Reliable Drupal<br>Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.<br>Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. -- Edsger W.Dijkstra<br>Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. -- Leonardo da Vinci<br>For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken<br></div>
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</blockquote></div></div><div dir="ltr">-- <br></div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Charles McColm<br>Blog: <a href="http://www.charlesmccolm.com/" target="_blank">http://www.charlesmccolm.com/</a><br>Twitter/Identica/Google+: @chaslinux</div>