Celeron J1900 4 core 2GHz

Playground Hardware
#1

Was going to pick up a NAS to replace my shield as the DVR backend but a Synology NAS plus a drive comes out quite expensive in the UK (£400+).
I can pick this up off Amazon plus 8GB RAM plus 2TB drive for £210

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MOEMZMQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

The specs suggest it should transcode as it supports Quick Sync. Is that what we are looking for in a processor?

Also if it is good enough what linux flavour do you prefer? I would prefer not to install X or a Desktop Environment but keep it as CLI (I'm an old hand with SSHing into FreeBSD as a server in the pre-cloud days but FreeBSD seems not a viable option due to lack of transcoding). I'll be running it headless in the loft attached to the same switch that my 2 HDHR CONNECTs are attached to.

#2

I have that same processor in a Dell. It’s a few years old but transcodes just fine. We use QuickSync

A barebones Ubuntu install is probably simplest

#3

Is there any reason barebones debian wouldn’t work rather than ubuntu which is based on debian as I understand it? You use your own version of ffmpeg with QuickSync enabled don’t you? Does the kernel need any particular drivers?

#4

Either will work. Any modern kernel has the i9x5 drivers built in.

#5

Thanks. I’m on holiday right now but I setup a Debian 9 VM on virtual box. on my MacBook. Minimal(ish) install - just SSH and standard system libraries from the install ISO. Then added sudo, nano and net-utilities just for convenience. ChannelsDVR installs and works fine (no tuner to be found though of course). Took 20 minutes.

#6

Got back off holiday and new PC waiting for me. Trouble with this device is that the SATA port can only supply limited power. Will not supply the 1A a 2.5" FireCuda 2TB drive needs. Beeping drive and no BIOS. A 0.55A 500GB drive I had laying around works fine.

#7

Just to update this old thread so it is factually correct. The 2TB HDD was the problem - jammed read-write head. Replacing it with a 1A 1TB drive worked fine. Has been humming alone without a hitch for past 6 months.

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