compliCATor

Thank you very much! Some "investigation" is now required on my part

Thank you @jeanrhum for the input, much appreciated! Do you by any chance know if such TV boxes are also able (in terms of supported software) to run RetroArch so I could have the "fun stuff" separate from "server stuff"? Thanks again!

Thanks @zador.blood.stained for your answer. I will investigate further. What do you think of these options/questions? 1.) For server use: Is an A20 processor powerful enough for running server tasks (even torrents) reliably or would I benefit from a more powerful processor? 2.) Do you think Orange Pi Plus 2E could handle running RetroOrangePi video playback (whatever format it supports) while also running the sftp/torrent in the background? (Let's say I'm OK with USB2 as a HDD connection) 3.) How about going with the "original" raspberry 3 for the media stuff (because of its available support, especially since I can get modules like "SPDIF" digital audio out) and then having more "open source" options for the server stuff? Thanks in advance. Others, please chime in with ANY suggestion. Thanks!

Hi! How come noone replies? Are my wishes unrealistic? What parts? Can you answer it partially? Thanks!

Hi! I've been interested in getting a SBC for a while now and I've done a bit of “researching” during the past two weeks. I'm getting quite frustrated searching for the right one since every board seems to have a list of disadvantages which I probably don't fully understand. I also am not sure what processor/specs would be fit for my needs. The Armbian community seems to be very productive and helpful so I'm asking you to please aid me with your SBC suggestions based on the description below. My wishes a) File server: * (High priority) To run (audio) server software (Logitech Media Server/Squeezebox Server) that serves files (flac) to a network audio player. All decoding is done by the player. * (High priority) Run sftp server for occasional file share with friends. I expect transfers of a 1-2Gb file, a few times per week. For this I would like it to be able to: * (High priority) Run a torrent client with web interface (like Transmission) - Connect an (external) drive (transfer speed doesn't need to be super fast but an USB3 or SATA option woud be a plus) - Connect to internet via etherent cable - Run the system from a fast on-board storage (eMMC?) b ) Video player: * (High priority) To be able to play popular video formats and display it on my TV via HDMI (standard "HD" resolution, no need for 4K) * (Medium priority) Get the audio out separately (not just HDMI) so I can hook it to my stereo. My TV sadly can't pass the audio on. c) Games : * (Medium priority) Run RetroArch (or similar) to play 8/16 bit era console games - Possibly via a bluetooth gamepad (It's OK if I need to use a separate bluetooth adapter) d) Convenience: * (High priority) I want a board that has a case/enclosure available as an accessory. * (High priority) Board that is relatively stable so that the server is "always" on-line. I see that many boards have "overheating" listed as a disadvantage. I’m OK with “restarting” it once or twice per month. Budget I'm OK with spending up to 200-250 EUR for the SBC, enclosure, cables & adapters. External disk & bluetooth gamepad cost NOT included. Questions Please give me advice / answers to: 1. What SBC would you recommend based on the description above? 2. Additional condition: What SBC would you recommend if I also want to have a mainline kernel? I just want security updates mainly. - I see that graphics drivers are a problem with mainline kernels. I don't mind if the video playback is software based (no hardware decoding) if it's able to do it reliably. - Preferably a Debian based OS. 3. Additional condition: What would you recommend if I also want: - I'd prefer if the SBC maker has a history of being open-source community friendly. Olimex (OLinuXino) and CubieBoard seem like good choices to me in regard of their "openness", but are they feasible in my scenario? I see that Allwinner A20 has good open-source support, but is it underpowered for what I want it to do? - I’d prefer to run as little proprietary blobs as possible. Thank you very much! -compliCATor