Single board computers and usage of them

[Daniil]

Hello friends!
I owns, among other computing hardware, a single-board computer, OrangePi PC 2. It's a kind of a Raspberry Pi computer, but open-source and chinese - it's small, it's with Linux, it's stupid, it's cool! I used it as a RTL-SDR server - to receive data from sattelites, ISS and planes through RTL-STR dongle.

Does anybody of you have such computers? For what purposes do you use them?

[Shadow.97]

Been wanting rtl-sdr for a long time on a pi at our summer house.
Most of the time I've used my raspberry pi2+ for Pihole,https://pi-hole.net/ which is an easy way to adblock using DNS. Good for phones etc that you dont want to use adblocking browser with.
Other than that, I've used it to run basic server software like apache and "OpenWorld" by TastyLollipop. (online mod for Rimworld).
I'm currently considering using it as a server for an Arduino for monitoring moisture, temperature and turning on/off relays over the internet in the summer house. As we do not want it dropping below 1c due to freeze risk of pipes when we are not there. We also want to be able to heat the place up before arriving.
Also considering hosting webcam stream/storage for low-end security footage.

Main issue is getting a proper powersupply that can handle a few hours power outage for the pi and the modem/router and how to mount it in a decent looking way.

I often found the pi2+ to be a bit too weak for anything I want to do longterm and I absolutely hate how many SD cards I've shredded. I've paid much more for SD cards for it than I've paid for the pi+case.
Lack of 64bit arm applications is also a huge bummer which has been solved in newer revisions.
For the abovementioned reasons I've just resorted to using my server with i5 4590 in it when I've needed to host anything.

[Daniil]

Been wanting rtl-sdr for a long time on a pi at our summer house.

The main trouble with RTL-SDR in my case is that my antenna is "in a pit" (i'm living in a center of big city, and tall buildings around my house covering sight), and I'm living at a high latiude. I.e., for example, ISS is visible for me very low over horizon, and in very rare occasions, that's why I can't receive many of their transmissions.

Most of the time I've used my raspberry pi2+ for Pihole,https://pi-hole.net/ which is an easy way to adblock using DNS. Good for phones etc that you dont want to use adblocking browser with.

PiHole is a good thing!

Other than that, I've used it to run basic server software like apache and "OpenWorld" by TastyLollipop. (online mod for Rimworld).

Oh, you're also a fan of open-source game servers? I'm keeping internal MANGOS server for WoW 3.3.5 on my linux file server.

Also considering hosting webcam stream/storage for low-end security footage.

Oh, that's interesting! What software you planning to use for this? I used ZoneMinder for a long time, it's stable after install, but it's very difficult in installation.

Main issue is getting a proper powersupply that can handle a few hours power outage for the pi and the modem/router and how to mount it in a decent looking way.

That wasn't a problem for me. I.e., with OrangePi I bought a noname chinese 220V->USB power converter for 2.5 amps current - and all working fine, almost 3 years already.

I often found the pi2+ to be a bit too weak for anything I want to do longterm and I absolutely hate how many SD cards I've shredded. I've paid much more for SD cards for it than I've paid for the pi+case.

Well, yes, SD cards are a trouble. In my video security, ZoneMinder based system, SD card died after 3 years of usage, but it's died in very strange way. Under the tests it's working fine for about 1-2 hours, but in real application it's hanging the system after 10-12 hours when ZoneMinder trying to write something into database.

[Daniil]

Also considering hosting webcam stream/storage for low-end security footage.

NB! DO NOT use Armbian for this! I lost 8 freaking hours to reinstall a ZoneMinder today, until understood that it can't run on Armbian.
I'll create a guide about making CCTV security systems via webcam+SBC+ZoneMinder later.

[Daniil]

So, some small advice about usage small singleboard computers.

How we could use them right way? My escape to Kazakhstan and all previous adventures gave me a great idea I realized and use.

Orange Pi is great because it's small, smart and agile. Linux (especially Ubuntu server) is great because it's versatile, robust and gilt. And, also, it's familiar for me. And, last but not least, torrents are great because it gives me games and anime for freaking no money i mean gives to me a chance to test software before I can buy it.

Back in St.Petersburg as a torrent processing system I used special-built computer based on VERY cheap Asus P5S-MX SE motherboard with SiS chipset and cheapest Celeron 420 1.6GHz. That was bought on purpose, as a most robust and reliable system. Many years ago (at about year 2011-2012) I bought it, thinking that:
1) slowest system means less tehrmal-loaded
2) slowest system means required less VHF semiconductors and capacitors, i.e., they with greater possibility would be quality enough to live long and stable life.
3) system with less TDP require less cooling, i.e., it will survive longer with less mechanical parts.
4) hardware from well-known brands would, more possible, have good electronic components

Also, I thought about extensibility. At that time, at 2011, I had plenty of old HDDs, from 40 to 250 GBs, IDE and SATA. Why should I throw them away, they were in good condition, and it'd be unwise to not let them serve me. But it'd be difficult to use them because of their different volumes and interfaces. But that'd be cool to connect them somehow in something like great single volume... So I started to look for solution, and soon found it! That was an MHDDFS - Multy-HDD File System. It allowed to join multiple volumes in a sort of one big virtual volume, and transparently for Linux write there files. (Now at 2024 it's unavailable anymore, but there is better FS with same logic, I'll mention them later.)

So I bought this system, mount it into a noname Chinese case with 7(!) slots for 3.5' HDD, and put there most of unused HDD I had. Over this all I installed Linux, mount MHDDFS, set up Transmission, and... Well, that worked for 12 years!

Interesting, that at August 2023, when I sold Asus P5B-MX, it worked pretty well, and I sold it for price greater than I bought it.

But, after this I started to think - what could be a replacement for such torrent processing system for a cyberpunk-nomad, who I became? It must be same versatile, rugged, very light and compact, with extreme possibility for extensibility, able to use cheapest components and with all this - able to being transportable in a backpack, or, better, in a pocket.

And OrangePi became a solution! It's small and cheap. It uses Ubuntu and cheapest SD-cards as main disc. I can connect (through USB hub) any amount of external USB drives to it. How to connect them in single great volume? MHDDFS is not available now, but guys made it now provides MergerFS. It's the same but with more useful features.

So that's it. System in "full pack" - with 3 external HDDs, OrangePi in case, and power adapters and cables could be easily packed into a not-so-big backpack together with laptop. It works fine as file storage for home office and as a torrent processor.

If you want, I may tell more about how to configure such thing.

[humbert]

Hello Daniil. Let me ask: what city are you in? Almaty, Astana, or somewhere else?

With everything you know according to your post, you could do well in Kazakhstan. Do you have some work already, in the computer field?

Hey let me ask: I assume almost everyone speaks Russian over there. I believe they have their own language. What's the story with this?

[Daniil]

what city are you in? Almaty, Astana, or somewhere else?

I'm now in Astana. It's very comfortable and beautiful city, btw!

Do you have some work already, in the computer field?

No, I didn't, yet. I'm in a process. The best way of work for me (with my experience in code and my knowledge of English) is to work with different western corporations. Maybe as an analitycist of IT and IT-to-aerospace projects. I'm making a lot of contacts to make myself known - through local IT business accelerators, Democratic Party of Kazakhstan and other progressist structures.

Also I made a lot of things to fill my "portfolio" - example projects for Unity3D, autopilots for flying and orbital vehicles, algorithms of flight control and celestial navigation. Part of it I even already published at my site. It required time, but I think that this would help me to being know as advanced enthusiast and specialist.

I assume almost everyone speaks Russian over there. I believe they have their own language. What's the story with this?

Yes, your truth. Locals in most know Russian, 90% of them speak Russian pretty well, and other 10% uses Russian language from time to time. About language differences - Kazakh language isn't like Russian at all. They using modified Cyrillic letters but language itself is more like heavily modified persian (Farsi).

It's strange, but it sounds a bit like Malay language.

For example, in Malay "Good morning" is "Selamat pagi", and in Kazakh "Hello" is "Сәлеметсіз бе" (you're know how to read Cyrillic-like texts, so you'll understand). In Malay "profit" is "faedah", and in Kazakh it's "пайда". And so on.

[humbert]

I'm now in Astana. It's very comfortable and beautiful city, btw!

I went to Google street maps to look at Astana. You're right! It's very clean, very orderly, and very advanced. Congrats to the Kazakh people. I believe you said you and your girlfriend were renting an apartment

No, I didn't, yet. I'm in a process. The best way of work for me (with my experience in code and my knowledge of English) is to work with different western corporations. Maybe as an analitycist of IT and IT-to-aerospace projects. I'm making a lot of contacts to make myself known - through local IT business accelerators, Democratic Party of Kazakhstan and other progressist structures.

Seems to me you now have hope. And with a loving woman by your side, all the better. For you Russia, Putin, and all the misery has been left behind. Your future is is Khazakstan. Stay there permanently if possible and, whenever you can, become a Kazakh citizen.

BTW, may I ask, how is your girlfriend taking in transition? Is she happy with the move? Is she working or sitting at home all day?

Yes, your truth. Locals in most know Russian, 90% of them speak Russian pretty well, and other 10% uses Russian language from time to time. About language differences - Kazakh language isn't like Russian at all. They using modified Cyrillic letters but language itself is more like heavily modified persian (Farsi).
It's strange, but it sounds a bit like Malay language.

Are you familiar with Farsi and Malay? Or was all this explained to you by local people?

Let us know how it's going. I am very happy for you. I was seriously worried you might die in Ukraine.

[Daniil]

Are you familiar with Farsi and Malay? Or was all this explained to you by local people?

That's a strange story actually. I'm not familiar with eastern languages. But, as I said before, I've got mental - a dual identity disorder of some sort. I found a way to communicate with this my "other identity" and she is a bit familiar with Malay.
The most funny things that this is really truth. When we thought about place to run from Russia, we thought about Malaysia as an option (that was her idea, to be honest). We with my girlfriend started to learn Malay, and - yes, translations made by my "other identity" was correct in a lot of cases.
And when we got here to Kazakhstan, she listened how we interact with locals, and thought to me - "Wow, Dany, their speech freakingly familliar sometimes!"

BTW, may I ask, how is your girlfriend taking in transition? Is she happy with the move? Is she working or sitting at home all day?

She's very happy about this. She wanted to leave Russia long time ago, same as me (because she understood that there was no perspectives in Russia).
The move was relatively hard (that was like escape from concentration camp but not like a simply move from one country to another - everything was counteract us). But Anna steadily endured all of that.
She is helping me with business, as my clerk and partner. We're together all the time while we need to contact with other people. And while I'm working with code she is drawing. She's an artist, she's drawing sci-fi art.

[humbert]

That's a strange story actually. I'm not familiar with eastern languages. But, as I said before, I've got mental - a dual identity disorder of some sort. I found a way to communicate with this my "other identity" and she is a bit familiar with Malay.

That's interesting. It seems your other identity is beneficial and not a liability AND you know it's not another person. I would not call it a disorder.

The most funny things that this is really truth. When we thought about place to run from Russia, we thought about Malaysia as an option (that was her idea, to be honest). We with my girlfriend started to learn Malay, and - yes, translations made by my "other identity" was correct in a lot of cases.

Of course you know that moving to Malaysia would involve a MAJOR change in climate. Prior to this trip have you even been outside Russia, not including Ukraine? Have you ever been to a place with a tropical climate? If not, let me tell you what you missed.

And when we got here to Kazakhstan, she listened how we interact with locals, and thought to me - "Wow, Dany, their speech freakingly familliar sometimes!"

I'm not clear what Anna means. To my knowledge although Kazakh is the official language, almost everyone speaks Russian. Is Anna referring to their accent when speaking Russian, or something else?

She's very happy about this. She wanted to leave Russia long time ago, same as me (because she understood that there was no perspectives in Russia). The move was relatively hard (that was like escape from concentration camp but not like a simply move from one country to another - everything was counteract us).

Why was moving out of Russia so difficult? You explained that due to your age and some problems with your health, you were not subject to military conscription. You also said that getting out was a simple matter of going to Pulvoko and getting on a plane. Was it lack of money or maybe your misguided mother wanting you to die for Царь Владимир, or something else?

But Anna steadily endured all of that.
She is helping me with business, as my clerk and partner. We're together all the time while we need to contact with other people. And while I'm working with code she is drawing. She's an artist, she's drawing sci-fi art.

One day soon she will cease to be your girlfriend and become your wife. I congratulate you. You are blessed with a brilliant woman who is an asset in every way. Sadly I haven't been as lucky.