When I wrote the first post of this series I fully expected using my former Windows 10 PC as a home theater PC would work out. That didn’t last long and the Windows 10 part was soon moved to another computer so the Mini-ITX system could be reinstalled with Lubuntu for the specific role that it was needed for. That hasn’t worked out either, in both cases the older low-spec hardware is the issue, not specifically because it is low-spec but because it is older. The AMD E350, while good for desktop use, is not recent enough to be able to decode modern video codecs fast enough to be able to give good video playback on Youtube and other live streams.
So as the updates to that post attest, I had moved to using the Antec chassis system with Lubuntu, but that has not worked out after about a month of use. The only reasonably cheap solution, therefore, is to move to using a Raspberry Pi for this application. Although my one and only Pi is being used at my desk for a particular application where it gets its internet connection off my phone’s mobile data, I can use an old laptop for that particular purpose in the meantime while I use the Pi for the bedside PC application (for night prayer/intercession use), until I can get another Pi.
The model 3 B Pi is just slightly too underspec to keep up with all livestreams. It actually still does work very well with Youtube on 240p or lower, but at higher rates tends to drop out a little. That is OK for now, and far better than the E350. The Pi 4 which has just been released is available with 2 GB of onboard RAM at $85 for the board ($105 with 4 GB of RAM) and is much faster than the 3 B and has many enhancements such as dual mini-HDMI ports, USB C power , etc. To that price you have to add a case and power supply, which can be done in stages as funds permit. There is no real hurry on that as I can get by for now with the 3 B, which is currently powered off a spare Ipad power adapter. I could continue a similar arrangement with the Pi 4 and save on the cost of a power adapter, but it will be a toss up whether to go with 2 GB or 4 GB of RAM, and also which distro to run on it if I want to use Firefox, which is apparently unavailable for Raspbian.
So the Antec chassis will go back to being my Windows 10 PC, which in turn can be moved out of a bulky spare desktop chassis again.