2018-05-14, 08:13
Yes, HDD prices are slowly falling finally, it's time to get something big(ger) and have stuff on one or two HDD drives, instead of 4 or 5 drives.
2018-05-14, 19:55
(2018-05-14, 08:13)Klojum Wrote: Yes, HDD prices are slowly falling finally, it's time to get something big(ger) and have stuff on one or two HDD drives, instead of 4 or 5 drives.Stupid thing is Sainsburys had 1TB drives for £65, go figure.
2018-05-17, 01:04
@nickr Internal storage drives me nuts, especially as I'm running MacOS, Windows and Ubuntu!!
@speedwell68 Are the cheap HDD at a brick and mortar Sainsbury's? Or are those deals online - also envious at your media server, takes up far less room than my beast of a machine!
@Klojum I have 'only' three large storage, 2x4TB spanned and 1 8TB the larger one is my backup drive. So fewer bigger, means more space internally if need be.
Totally agree with regards to wifi, my premise is, if it doesn't leave the house, then it gets a cable! (although loads of switch boxes around the flat drive me nuts!)
@speedwell68 Are the cheap HDD at a brick and mortar Sainsbury's? Or are those deals online - also envious at your media server, takes up far less room than my beast of a machine!
@Klojum I have 'only' three large storage, 2x4TB spanned and 1 8TB the larger one is my backup drive. So fewer bigger, means more space internally if need be.
Totally agree with regards to wifi, my premise is, if it doesn't leave the house, then it gets a cable! (although loads of switch boxes around the flat drive me nuts!)
2018-05-17, 09:42
Nice and simple, effective setup! And yeah, ethernet cables are the way to go! Whatever device in my home can get an ethernet cable has one. Only mobiles and tablets are on WiFi.
2018-05-19, 20:37
(2018-05-17, 01:04)tjay260476 Wrote: @speedwell68 Are the cheap HDD at a brick and mortar Sainsbury's? Or are those deals online - also envious at your media server, takes up far less room than my beast of a machine!
Totally agree with regards to wifi, my premise is, if it doesn't leave the house, then it gets a cable! (although loads of switch boxes around the flat drive me nuts!)
It was in store in Sainsburys. Sorry about the late reply I have been busy.
(2018-05-17, 09:42)guardianin Wrote: Nice and simple, effective setup! And yeah, ethernet cables are the way to go! Whatever device in my home can get an ethernet cable has one. Only mobiles and tablets are on WiFi.
Thanks for the comments on the setup. When I decided I needed a media server I looked at a lot of the huge great crates people were running and thought why? I figured that all a machine needs to be able to do is move data around a network and manage a very simple MySQL database. I have actually been pushing this machine a little harder and it still doesn't break a sweat, it can still serve up video to all 5 Kodi clients in the house and download/encode video using get_iplayer over ssh whilst doing it.
2018-05-20, 04:33
As in my hardware thread, the reason for my ‘crate’ is that I repurposed my server I bought for my last IT business, and converted it into a home lab, if I was building from scratch I would just use a Pi with a couple of big external HDD, hence the envy!
I would dearly love to go over to FOSS completely too, problem is I need a Mac for a couple of things (final cut pro being one!) Windows for another couple of things (Publisher being another)... problem though.... running RDP via a Mac, then ssh to a Linux server (I’m running VM’s under a hypervisor) my keyboard shortcuts go AWOL!
At present I’m running an instance of Windows Server 2016 as a media server (with the boring name Kodi-Server!) so this is most likely to be converted to something like Open Media Vault, so at the very least I can have my HTPCs front and back running FOSS.
The other VM’s I’m running are a web server, an email server and a Windows 10 workstation, and I can safely say that I’ve been runnng email servers longer than Google!
I would dearly love to go over to FOSS completely too, problem is I need a Mac for a couple of things (final cut pro being one!) Windows for another couple of things (Publisher being another)... problem though.... running RDP via a Mac, then ssh to a Linux server (I’m running VM’s under a hypervisor) my keyboard shortcuts go AWOL!
At present I’m running an instance of Windows Server 2016 as a media server (with the boring name Kodi-Server!) so this is most likely to be converted to something like Open Media Vault, so at the very least I can have my HTPCs front and back running FOSS.
The other VM’s I’m running are a web server, an email server and a Windows 10 workstation, and I can safely say that I’ve been runnng email servers longer than Google!
2018-05-25, 10:18
(2018-05-20, 04:33)tjay260476 Wrote: As in my hardware thread, the reason for my ‘crate’ is that I repurposed my server I bought for my last IT business, and converted it into a home lab, if I was building from scratch I would just use a Pi with a couple of big external HDD, hence the envy!
I would dearly love to go over to FOSS completely too, problem is I need a Mac for a couple of things (final cut pro being one!) Windows for another couple of things (Publisher being another)... problem though.... running RDP via a Mac, then ssh to a Linux server (I’m running VM’s under a hypervisor) my keyboard shortcuts go AWOL!
At present I’m running an instance of Windows Server 2016 as a media server (with the boring name Kodi-Server!) so this is most likely to be converted to something like Open Media Vault, so at the very least I can have my HTPCs front and back running FOSS.
The other VM’s I’m running are a web server, an email server and a Windows 10 workstation, and I can safely say that I’ve been runnng email servers longer than Google!
I thought about a Pi as a media server and was worried that it wouldn't be able to keep up. I actually made the Revo struggle the other day. The kids were watching something and I started doing a bulk download using get_iplayer over ssh and ripping a disc on my desktop PC direct to the same HDD and the playback stalled. I guess that 3 things reading/writing to a single USB 2 HDD was too much for it.
2018-11-14, 22:30
I have added another TB drive to the server at the weekend. I am going to get a dual bay caddy for the 3.5" drives and hook them up to the eSATA port and use the 2.5" drives on a powered USB hub to reduce the load on the power supply. I have considered using a full size machine as a media server instead but the power consumption puts me off. So I think that I am going experiment with Wake On Lan to save power consumption.
2018-11-15, 22:31
I have seriously thought about it. I am not sure what it would it would actually bring that the Acer doesn't do. At idle the Acer comsumes 22w. At full chat, which hardly ever happens, it draws 30w. Where as an Intel I7 Nuc draws 17w at idle and a massive 77w at full load. Obviously the I7 is better in every way over the Atom 230, but will the person watching a video actually tell the difference?
2018-12-06, 09:37
Ok. I have just ordered 3 Google Home Minis in time for Christmas and I plan to be able to operate the basic functions of Kodi with them. I have spent about a week experimenting with Home Assistant on a spare Raspberry Pi Model B and got nowhere. Yesterday I tried this...
https://github.com/OmerTu/GoogleHomeKodi
...using method B2, setting up a Node.js server on the Acer and running DuckDNS with a Cron job. I have been testing it with my phone, on my Linux PC, it works really well and doesn't seem to have any affect on the performance of the server, but I have only tested it with two clients running simultaneously. If it does affect performance then I will setup a Raspberry Pi Model B to run Node.js and DuckDNS.
I am going to spend some time today getting it to work on multiple Kodi clients, with multiple Google accounts. Then I want it to work with CEC, which is going to be a bit of a task as I have never got CEC to work with my TV/AVR in the lounge, however it works perfectly with my Daughter's TV so I will start there.
https://github.com/OmerTu/GoogleHomeKodi
...using method B2, setting up a Node.js server on the Acer and running DuckDNS with a Cron job. I have been testing it with my phone, on my Linux PC, it works really well and doesn't seem to have any affect on the performance of the server, but I have only tested it with two clients running simultaneously. If it does affect performance then I will setup a Raspberry Pi Model B to run Node.js and DuckDNS.
I am going to spend some time today getting it to work on multiple Kodi clients, with multiple Google accounts. Then I want it to work with CEC, which is going to be a bit of a task as I have never got CEC to work with my TV/AVR in the lounge, however it works perfectly with my Daughter's TV so I will start there.
2019-01-06, 13:23
I have been busy over the Christmas break.
I now have 4 Google Home Minis, 1 in the lounge and 1 in each bedroom. I still haven't managed to get CEC working with my AVR/TV in the lounge, so I have given up and have come up with a hacky solution. Basically I have got a smart socket with the TV and AVR plugged in. The AVR will stay in the powered on state when the power is disconnected, however the TV returns to standby. I noticed that the TV supports WOL (wake on lan), so it occurred to me that I could use WOL as a solution. What I have done is using IFTTT I have setup 2 triggers that use the exact same phrase to activate them (TV on). The first trigger switches on the smart socket which powers on the TV and AVR. Next I have set the Advanced WOL addon to send a packet to the TV, then I have added it to my favourites and re-named it 'On'. The second trigger calls the favourite named 'On', which sends the magic packet and the TV duly comes out of standby. This all happens inside 10 seconds which is about how long it took to turn on the TV/AVR with their respective remotes. To turn it all off you just say 'TV off' and it switches them both off at the wall. As I say it is a little hacky but it works. I am going to come up with a less hacky solution in time. There are two on the drawing board. The first is to buy a Broadlink IR blaster and turn on the TV/AVR with that, this would free up a smart socket. The second is to write a WOL script on the Acer and have the Node.js server call it via IFTTT, it does exactly the same as the Advanced WOL addon, but TBH I don't like relying on Kodi Addons. I favour the second option as it comes at zero cost.
So far I have the following functions controlled by voice...
Playing of Movies/TV Shows/Music/Favourites.
Pausing/Resuming/Stopping of playing content.
Library Updates.
Binge watching TV shows.
Turning TV/AVR on/off.
Returning to the Home screen.
That is about all I think I am going to bother with as to do any of Kodi's higher functions would be a bit of a faff.
I was intending to use a Raspberry Pi Model B to run the Node.js server and the Cron job for DuckDNS, to take the load off the Acer, but it makes no difference to the Acer at all and running another Pi 24/7 would cost money, not much, but it would still be some.
Also, a mate of mine just gave me a unused Raspberry Pi 2. He bought it and installed OSMC to get 'free' movies. When he discovered 'free' movies would mean constant tinkering to keep it running the RPI2 hit the back of a draw. It has been pressed into service replacing the Raspberry Pi Model B in my youngest Daughter's room. This is connected to an LG TV that works perfectly with CEC, which made voice control a breeze.
All of this voice control required me to use DuckDNS, which added an extra layer to the process, there was a couple of seconds of delay after the Google Home Mini said OK. So I experimented with using IFTTT directly to my public IP address, it was way much faster, almost instant. So I have bought a static IP address off of my ISP, it was only £5 for the life of my contract with them, which is about how much running an RPI 24/7 would have been a year.
I now have 4 Google Home Minis, 1 in the lounge and 1 in each bedroom. I still haven't managed to get CEC working with my AVR/TV in the lounge, so I have given up and have come up with a hacky solution. Basically I have got a smart socket with the TV and AVR plugged in. The AVR will stay in the powered on state when the power is disconnected, however the TV returns to standby. I noticed that the TV supports WOL (wake on lan), so it occurred to me that I could use WOL as a solution. What I have done is using IFTTT I have setup 2 triggers that use the exact same phrase to activate them (TV on). The first trigger switches on the smart socket which powers on the TV and AVR. Next I have set the Advanced WOL addon to send a packet to the TV, then I have added it to my favourites and re-named it 'On'. The second trigger calls the favourite named 'On', which sends the magic packet and the TV duly comes out of standby. This all happens inside 10 seconds which is about how long it took to turn on the TV/AVR with their respective remotes. To turn it all off you just say 'TV off' and it switches them both off at the wall. As I say it is a little hacky but it works. I am going to come up with a less hacky solution in time. There are two on the drawing board. The first is to buy a Broadlink IR blaster and turn on the TV/AVR with that, this would free up a smart socket. The second is to write a WOL script on the Acer and have the Node.js server call it via IFTTT, it does exactly the same as the Advanced WOL addon, but TBH I don't like relying on Kodi Addons. I favour the second option as it comes at zero cost.
So far I have the following functions controlled by voice...
Playing of Movies/TV Shows/Music/Favourites.
Pausing/Resuming/Stopping of playing content.
Library Updates.
Binge watching TV shows.
Turning TV/AVR on/off.
Returning to the Home screen.
That is about all I think I am going to bother with as to do any of Kodi's higher functions would be a bit of a faff.
I was intending to use a Raspberry Pi Model B to run the Node.js server and the Cron job for DuckDNS, to take the load off the Acer, but it makes no difference to the Acer at all and running another Pi 24/7 would cost money, not much, but it would still be some.
Also, a mate of mine just gave me a unused Raspberry Pi 2. He bought it and installed OSMC to get 'free' movies. When he discovered 'free' movies would mean constant tinkering to keep it running the RPI2 hit the back of a draw. It has been pressed into service replacing the Raspberry Pi Model B in my youngest Daughter's room. This is connected to an LG TV that works perfectly with CEC, which made voice control a breeze.
All of this voice control required me to use DuckDNS, which added an extra layer to the process, there was a couple of seconds of delay after the Google Home Mini said OK. So I experimented with using IFTTT directly to my public IP address, it was way much faster, almost instant. So I have bought a static IP address off of my ISP, it was only £5 for the life of my contract with them, which is about how much running an RPI 24/7 would have been a year.
2019-01-07, 21:27
This morning I stumbled across this post on Reddit...
https://www.reddit.com/r/ifttt/comments/...uter_with/
I tried to set that up on the Acer so it would load etherwake and send a WOL packet to the TV. But etherwake need root permissions to run, which would involve much messing around with /etc/sudoers. So I put a fresh install of Raspbian Lite on an 8GB SD card and set it up on there as Raspbian doesn't ask for a password when you use the sudo command. It works a treat, takes about 3 seconds to start the TV from issuing the command to Google Assistant.
When I get a moment I will move the Node.js server over to the RPI and let it handle all of my IFTTT stuff.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ifttt/comments/...uter_with/
I tried to set that up on the Acer so it would load etherwake and send a WOL packet to the TV. But etherwake need root permissions to run, which would involve much messing around with /etc/sudoers. So I put a fresh install of Raspbian Lite on an 8GB SD card and set it up on there as Raspbian doesn't ask for a password when you use the sudo command. It works a treat, takes about 3 seconds to start the TV from issuing the command to Google Assistant.
When I get a moment I will move the Node.js server over to the RPI and let it handle all of my IFTTT stuff.
2019-09-10, 11:29
Alas, the Acer Revo died. Well the power supply did. I guess running the PC and 5 external HDDs 365 days of the year got the better of it. I can get a new one for £12 but decided to upgrade a bit. I am now using a Acer Aspire X3400 I saved from the skip. It has 9 USB 2.0 sockets and I eSATA socket so I can hook up 10 external drives. It also has a 640 GB internally with 500GB free once the OS and Music files have been added. It has 4GB of DDR3 ram too.
It runs Xubuntu Core 18.04, as before, everything is shared using NFS and MySQL manages the DB. I am also running get_iplayer as a PVR using Cron. So it will download BBC shows and podcasts direct to the relevant folders which get automatically added to my library using a Google Home routine.
It does use much more power than the Revo, but it is way much faster to respond and I can hookup twice as many drives.
It runs Xubuntu Core 18.04, as before, everything is shared using NFS and MySQL manages the DB. I am also running get_iplayer as a PVR using Cron. So it will download BBC shows and podcasts direct to the relevant folders which get automatically added to my library using a Google Home routine.
It does use much more power than the Revo, but it is way much faster to respond and I can hookup twice as many drives.
2020-05-25, 15:44
I was running out of space for Movies. I had a laptop to scrap which yielded a 1TB Western Digital. So I now have a total of 7.75TB of external storage.
