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YouTube TV Review: Cutting the Cord After Years of Cable

The day has finally come. After years of saying I would relinquish my cable card and my homemade DVR only when forced, my provider has made that decision for me. I still have broadcast, such as it is, but this seemed like a good time, when my provider has said that it will cease to work in the not too distant future, to try something new.

There are two types of cord cutting:

  • Subscriptions to Individual Streaming Services
  • Live TV Subscriptions

Live TV being a replacement for cable TV in functionality. I have traditional family members who are only slowly learning they don’t need appointment TV all the time. But they still want it. So, how do we solve this problem?

I decided to try a trial period of YouTube TV. Most people seem to consider it the gold standard for internet based Live TV. Some of the other providers are less expensive and may better suit you, but even the most expensive YouTube TV plan may be less than you are paying your cable provider noawadays.

Make a List of What Content You Want

What actually is important to you? What channels do you want? Do you watch sports? News? Etc. For exclusive streamers, which ones have the content you want? Is there anything you want to watch live? Or is live just about serendipity…as it helps you choose random things to watch?

YouTube TV: The Features

  • Six individual family accounts
  • Unlimited DVR Space, shows expire in a few months.
  • Three simultaneous things can be watched at once
  • Their 4K Plus add on adds unlimited streams, offline downloads, and some 4K content. 4K content is only available for playback on some devices.
  • Add Ons of various streaming services

YouTube TV: A Simple Review

I wasn’t sure what to expect.

  • Faster Release – The first advantage of having a DVR is that the program is available live, and immediately thereafter. No waiting till the next day after airing to watch it. If earlier is something you want.
  • Live TV Anywhere – You can watch this on the go, or on vacation.
  • Customization – There are no channel numbers, so you can rearrange the guide and hide the channels you don’t want. You can avoid the guide entirely and approach it from a show or movie point of view.
  • Intuitive Interface – The interface is familiar to anyone who has used YouTube or similar services. Even my technologically challenged relatives can handle it.

What YouTube TV Replaces From a Traditional DVR

  • Cable DVR hardware

  • CableCARD setup

  • Recording limits

  • Watching TV outside the house

Is YouTube TV Worth It?

If you are looking for a cable replacement with DVR functionality, YouTube TV is one of the best options currently available.

What YouTube TV does particularly well:

• Unlimited DVR storage
• Multiple family accounts
• Live TV anywhere
• Easy interface even for non-technical users

The biggest drawback is price. At $82.99 per month, YouTube TV is no longer dramatically cheaper than cable for some households.

However, if your current cable package includes:

  • equipment rental fees

  • DVR fees

  • regional sports fees

  • broadcast surcharges

YouTube TV may still end up being less expensive overall.

For many households, the real benefit is simplicity — no hardware, no installations, and access to your recordings from anywhere.

YouTube TV vs Cable TV

For many households the real comparison is not between streaming services, but between YouTube TV and traditional cable TV.

Feature YouTube TV Traditional Cable
DVR Unlimited cloud DVR Limited storage DVR, often at additional service cost
Equipment No dedicated hardware required Cable box + DVR rental
Watching Away From Home Works anywhere with internet Usually limited to home network, some limited mobile options
Setup Sign up online Technician or equipment installation
Price ~$82.99/month Often $90–$150 with fees

The biggest difference is flexibility.

With cable, recordings are tied to your DVR hardware. With YouTube TV, recordings are stored in the cloud and accessible from any device.

For households that travel frequently or want to watch on phones, tablets, and laptops, this can be a major advantage.

Conclusion: YouTube TV Is Compelling, Even with Budget Alternatives

The one possible stumbling block with YouTube TV is the base price of $82.99. It is at the higher end of the cable replacement services, but that is still again, less than many cable plans. But YouTube TV in February announced that they would introduce new less expensive plans that focus on different preferences, should you need fewer channels. After my promotional discount is over, I may look to pare down the selection. But for now, it may be time to call my cable provider and see how much cancelling TV through them will save me.

Because while bundle discounts may mean my internet through them will go up, it should hopefully be a net win.

Published on March 15, 2026
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UPS Batteries May Only Last 2–3 Years (And They Usually Fail Without Warning)

Last week I walked into my office and discovered that several of my computer systems were down.

Everything about it looked like a power outage.

Except there hadn’t been one.

All of the equipment was connected to a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) — essentially a battery backup power strip designed to keep systems running during outages.

But despite the name uninterruptible, everything had shut off.

UPS Batteries Don’t Last Forever

Most consumer UPS units use sealed lead-acid batteries. The typical lifespan is:

  • 2–3 years in normal conditions
  • shorter in warm environments
  • shorter if the UPS frequently switches to battery

Once the battery degrades enough, the UPS can no longer provide power and the unit may simply shut down when power fluctuates.

Many consumer UPS devices, such as mine,  provide little or no reliable warning before this happens. Silent failures defeat the purpose of a protective device.

My New Maintenance Plan

After this latest failure, I needed to adopt a much more systematic approach.

  1. Only buy UPSes with swappable batteries – the budget models often lack
  2. Label Every Battery – The date of installation of each battery will be labeled on the unit and on the battery.
  3. Perform Regular Hard Tests –

At regular intervals:

    • Power down connected equipment
    • Unplug the UPS from the wall
    • Confirm that the battery engages.
    • Optionally plug in a small device to verify the UPS actually provides power under load.

 

A UPS is not a “set it and forget it” device. If you rely on one to protect important systems — servers, networking gear, or workstations — you need to treat the battery as consumable component. Plan to replace it every few years and test it occasionally. Most UPS manufacturers recommend replacing sealed lead-acid batteries every 3 years, even if the device still appears to function normally.

Otherwise, the day you actually need the UPS may be the day you discover it stopped working long ago.

Published on March 12, 2026
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Typing On The Go: Best Travel Keyboards in 2026

There are a few approaches to travel keyboards. In previous years, we discussed folding keyboards as a possible solution. But a lot of those do not have the typing experience of a mechanical keyboard. So how can you get the customizable typing experience you want while on the go? All of my thoughts below use open source firmware for maximum customizability, and hotswap switch options where offered. In making

If you are looking for something other than a mechanical keyboard, you can consider something like the Keychron B series. These are scissor switch keyboards, a popular choice on laptops, but they offer full customizability with ZMK open source firmware. The smallest is the Keychron B1 Pro, at $33.99 but if your travel needs allow, you can get larger ones.

The next option would be a low profile mechanical keyboard. There are a lot of good options there.  Keychron, which makes a variety of mid-market keyboards, offers Ultra-Slim QMK open source KS-33 low profile mechanical switch keyboards. They offer a 75% at the lowest rate, the K3 QMK at $74.99 at the time this was published. They make a smaller 65% version as well.

If you want to bump up a level, you can go for a Nuphy low profile. Nuphy offers their Air series. The v2 series uses QMK open source firmware, and the newer v3 has reverted back to proprietary software, so for now would recommend the v2. I bought a used original version of this keyboard, acquiring used versions of both the 60 and the 75, both of which suffered from battery swelling, which is apparently not uncommon, but the ones I got used work perfectly well wired without a battery. Nuphy does not sell replacement batteries and tried to talk me into buying a new one. The Air60v2 is currently $109.95 and the Air75v2 is at $101.95.

The next option for portability is something that isn’t usually used for portability at all. Split keyboards. Split keyboards are usually a preference of individuals for ergonomic reasons. But a split also means your keyboard divides into two pieces. While there are a lot of unique layouts for these, you can get traditional layouts, just in two pieces. There is the Epomaker Split65. Epomaker does suffer from reports of inconsistent quality, but they are a popular budget brand. If you are willing to build, you can go over to companies like Keebio. They offer a kit and an assembled set of split keyboards, like the 65% Quefrency. They also offer the 60% FoldKB.

At the moment, my preference is for a 40% keyboard. These are keyboards that have less than 50 keys. There are a variety of layouts for these. While there are 40% made by bigger companies like Keychron, such as their Q9, you have to go a bit off the open path to find a bit more variety. I have my other site, selling supplies for these tiny keyboards, called Mechdreams, where you can see some of these. These small keyboards are great for small spaces, and you can fit one in your pocket, or even on your belt, and they are fully functional keyboards, although there is a learning curve.

So, what does this tell us? The best travel keyboard is the smallest or thinnest you can fit in your bag and still enjoy using.

 

Published on February 20, 2026
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How to Supercharge Your Alerts with Ntfy: Priorities, Actions, and Smart Integrations

Previously, I wrote about using Ntfy as a notification system for Uptime Kuma. But the system has a lot of other advantages, so I wanted to go into a bit more detail on how it can be used.

Ntfy works on channels. Channels manifest as paths under the server URL. For example, ntfy.sh/gadgetwisdom would be a gadgetwisdom channel. By default, the ones on the public server are all public, meaning that you can only hide or restrict them by having a hard to guess channel name, if you host the server, you can add access control globally, or on a per channel basis to require authentication for subscribing, publishing, or both.

  • Priorities – Ntfy supports custom priorities from 1 to 5, with 3 being the default.
  • Templates – If a service sends data in JSON format, you can write a template for Ntfy to interpret it, rather than having to set up something in between to do that.
  • Action Buttons –  You can add buttons to view a webpage, send a http request to a URL, or on Android only, trigger an Android intent.
  • Attachments – You can send attachments using a file or URL link in a message. Files expire in a few hours, but linked files would be available longer.
  • Icons – To help identify different messages, notifications can have an icon.
  • Phone Calls – Ntfy supports via a Twilio account notifying people via phone using text to speech.

This leaves a lot of creative opportunities for integrations.

  • Maybe I want to have urgent messages phoned to certain people. Setting priority levels and noises can also help with this.
  • Action buttons could allow me to instantly react to alerts with simple actions.
  • Attachments already let me view snapshots from my Frigate feed, but what else could I send.

As I look to better integrate this, this service reveals a lot of simple options I can leverage.

Published on December 1, 2025
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Choosing The Best Travel Wifi Router For 2026

There are many reasons to use a travel router when on the go. For example, protecting yourself from malicious actors on hotel wifi. As I write this, I am in an extended stay at a foreign hotel. The hotel TV has built in YouTube and streaming, and on three occasions so far, the TV has been taken over by people in other rooms apparently by accident.

At minimum, a travel router isolates your devices from the other people on the hotel wifi. p But it can do so much more. It can allow you to add a streaming device to the TV, as many cannot navigate the captive portal. Many can support a connected USB drive to act as a simple media server to stream to the device you connect to your TV.

Finally, your device can act as a VPN gateway for your devices, soomething I am doing with my travel router as we speak. Every web request is running through my VPN server in my apartment. My current preference has been the GL.iNet line of travel routers. They run a variant of an open firmware and have general been reliable. I have had several.

My current one for this trip is the A1300, aka the Slate Plus, released in 2022.  But I have been finding it was time to try to improve throughput of my VPN. So, I looked at what was available.

A year younger is the slightly faster Beryl AX, the MT-1300. The Slate Plus has two WAN and one LAN port, the Beryl AX has one LAN port.

There are two newer versions in the Slate line, the Slate AX and the Slate 7. The company is also prepping a new addition to the Beryl line. The Slate 7 offers a LCD control screen, which is a useful feature, but not necessarily worth the premium. The Slate series also has a reputation for running a bit hotter.

So, even though the Beryl AX is two years old now, and newer devices exist, it is a more mature reliable choice. Even spending an extended time traveling, do you need faster wifi, or 2.5gb networking? Neither of which most hotels have. What you need is speed and reliability, and the ability to add additional security measures.

Published on November 27, 2025
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Finding the Right File Synchronization Tool in Syncthing

Years ago, my first practical tool for file synchronization was a USB drive with a whopping 32 megabytes of storage. This was an issue for my mother, who, oddly for the time, just expected her files to follow her to every computer she went to. So I built a server to do just that. It was massive overkill for what it was actually used for.

Then came Dropbox. You installed an app and it synced everything in a designated folder to their servers. But Dropbox, like many services, became slower, bloated, etc.  So, I moved on to self hosting. First with Owncloud, and then with its fork, Nextcloud.  These platforms no longer bill themselves as file synchronization platforms, they bill themselves as ‘collaboration’ tools.

This is the problem that has taken me to look for a new solution that just does files. No more, no less. And while my instance of Nextcloud is still running, I am giving Syncthing a try. Syncthing requires no central server. It ticks all the security boxes: open protocol and encryption.

I installed a copy on my server, which allows me to synchronize the files there and back them up, in addition to syncing the various computers that need the files. It also, being peer to peer, allows me to have different folders synced to different systems, which allows for a bit more independent flexibility than the centralized systems, but also a bit more setup time.

Syncthing works perfectly on a local network, but has some challenges on the public internet. There are two services Syncthing provides for thi: A discovery server and a relay server.

Syncthing runs several public discovery servers, which assist in helping instances find themselves, but you can run your own. Discovery servers are safe enough to use publicly, although using them can identify that a device exists. The other server is a relay server. It allows relaying between devices that may be on different networks. The information is encrypted, so it is unlikely a malicious one could do much more than disrupt communication.

But regardless, I set up my own private discovery and relay server, and neither can be used without a token that I have to manually add to each device when setting them up. So, it is as secure as I can make it.

It remains to be seen if it will fully suit my needs, but so far, it is lightweight, flexible, and dumps all of the unnecessary cruft I do not want.

Published on November 24, 2025
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The Future of Linear Television: ATSC3.0

In the future streaming has created, where content is accessible on demand whenever we want, it is sometimes easy to forget linear television still exists. No longer, aside from live sports, must we watch shows at a prescribed time. But that itself is a loss. There is no morning after water cooler conversation at a specific time. Some streamers still do release one episode per week, but some adopt the model of dumping entire blocks at a time on streaming. You can watch almost any show..except that one you can barely remember from your childhood that mysteriously can’t be found anywhere.

There are solutions to this though. Someone created Ersatz TV…which allows you to turn your media library into a complete TV channel. So you can create your own linear content.

There is also subscribing to cable. You can still do that. But cable isn’t necessarily the value proposition it once was. People are abandoning it in droves.

And finally, there is the final option, broadcast TV. The airwaves are meant to be public and available to all without subscription. Broadcast is also at risk though. The latest standard for brodc ast in the US is ATSC 3.0. Some may remember the transition to digital broadcast, or ATSC 1.0 twenty years ago. The government gave out coupons for external tuners, and new televisions stasrted to get tuners over time. That is not happening this time.

NextGen, aka ATSC3.0

ATSC 3 actually allows for encryption, which was originally promoted as a way to add additional services, but now many broadcasters are encrypting their regular feeds, while running older ATSC1 transmissions alongside. Meanwhile, with no mandate to provide tuners, only higher end televisions are being built with ATSC 3 support, yet the government seems to be accepting lobbyists’ push to move forward on discontinuing the older standard beginning in 2028. Despite the current administration, which tends to be pro business, often over consumer, the FCC is considering public comment in its notice of proposed rulemaking. Specifically whether they should reconsider the lack of a mandate for ATSC3 tuners in new TVs as they did in 2002 and whether they should mandate unencrypted broadcast channels as originally intended before encryption technology was a consideration.

So, our only hope for free to watch television is currently in the hands of the FCC, who will hopefully come up with something fair, or to make our own station…which only our families can watch. I will give them credit, however, they so far are acknowledging there may be a problem, but that does not mean they will actually do anything about it. They don’t have the track record of making consumer friendly decisions, or when they do, ensuring they actually result in what is intended.

That program to give people free tuners as part of the conversion was difficult to navigate, and confusing for people. It took years to resolve itself. That was why the FCC tried to let the market handle the migration this time, but corporations aren’t offering tuners to the people who use them the most, they aren’t lowering hurdles to the manufacturer.

They should have learned after they let encryption happen to cable. You used to be able to tune cable channels with your TV, but then the cable companies started encrypting, and wanted you to rent a box from them. So, the FCC required they offer the encyption as a plug in device called a cablecard, so you would be able to return to using the tuner in your TV. But like the ATSC 3.0 tuners, the TVs that offered cablecard support were higher end and you couldn’t buy an external tuner with some rare exceptions. And trying to find someone at the cable company to give you the mandated cablecard was equally hard. The FCC finally eliminated the cablecard mandate in 2020. I still have one, and I am sure my provider will force me to give it up any day now. In deciding to give up the cablecard, the FCC cited apps that could be run on multiple devices as giving people the freedom to watch on the device of their choice, but that is still a limited experience.

Hopefully broadcast television doesn’t go the same way.

Published on November 14, 2025
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A Tale of Two 3d Printer Companies: Anycubic Support Disappoints

I don’t have high expectations when it comes to technical support. I get frustrated at times with customer service in general. Sometimes, I seem to know more about the product than the representatives of the company that makes it. I can accept that, but usually I feel like they are trying to help me, not wasting my time.

I have several 3D Printers now. All of them have had problems at some point. Printers heat plastic to high temperatures, have a series of motors to move the pieces around…these are parts that wear over time. I’m not surprised that things fail over time.

I own two Anycubic Kobra 2 Printers. The Kobra 2 Plus and recently I bought the Kobra 2 Max. Both were purchased during good sales, so below MSRP. These are the exact same printer, except can print up to 320mm, the other 420mm. In the modern age, 3D Printers are starting to have cameras built in to monitor the print remotely. The Kobra series, even the new Kobra 3 line, offers a port to add a camera, and they sell it an inexpensive one as an accessory, but it is not included standard.

The Kobra 2 Plus has been a workhorse. It hasn’t broken, it rarely clogs and I only had to replace a degraded piece once. The Max, after calibration, has been about the same. There are opportunities to improve the print quality slightly with setting changes, but it is reliable. Reviews however, have gone both ways, with people either finding the Kobra 2 line wonderful or horrible.

After using the Plus for a long period of time, and getting the Max, I opted to finally get the camera. The device shows it detects a camera is connected, but it can’t be viewed in their Android app. It asked me to check if a camera was connected. When I had temporarily plugged in a Logitech camera to the Plus last year, it did work. I tried other cameras, and same. So, I assumed this was a software issue, and contacted Anycubic Support.

At the point I write this, I have been talking to them for the nearly the whole month. The rep has ignored every question I asked, continually asked questions I already answered, and finally, decided that I must need a new motherboard. When I asked if he meant two new motherboards, and asked how that would help the situation, he asked if I’d modified the printers in any way, which I hadn’t. Not that I didn’t consider it, considering that the software support for the Kobra 2 line is so limited that I transfer files to the printers on a USB drive, despite them having network connections.

Let’s contrast that with Elegoo. I also own a Centauri Carbon. It is a newer printer that was the rage to preorder this spring and summer. It produces high quality prints, and worked solidly to the point I picked it to print more and more. And it supports network printing from Linux, my chosen operating system, so no USB drive. They have no support for the Carbon in their app, but because the Carbon has open network control, someone wrote a third party Android app and I can monitor the built in camera.

So, 100% closed system on one printer, partially closed system on the other one. I am not a purist, but when someone figured out how to get the Kobra 2 line to actually support remote connections, Anycubic’s response was to close the hole, which is indicative of their approach.

The Carbon broke. It suddenly wasn’t printing correctly. It clogged and then wouldn’t work reliably even after I cleaned it up. When I dismantled it, I found the entire hotend assembly, which is the part of the printer that heats and distributes the melted plastic, was bent. I replaced it and contacted Elegoo. They asked for a picture, I sent it to them. They explained to me what they thought happened. They offered me a replacement hotend because the part failed so atypically. They have none in their US warehouse, which is a massive complaint people have about it, they not only offered to send it to me from their Chinese warehouse, they told me that if I got charged duties on the import, they’d reimburse me. They had a tracking number to me quickly.

The Carbon is not without controversy itself. They were so popular at the price point they were shipping out versions, discovering engineering issues, then correcting them for the next batch, leaving some of the earlier people who ordered it with problems. They promised automatic material switcher(AMS) support, but have experienced issues in delivering the product, and they are already launching a Carbon 2. Elegoo has a reputation for abandoning products and moving on to the next thing. But that’s the internet complaining, I have had no issues.

So far, Elegoo has done everything users asked, and risks alienating their customers due lack of long term commitment, but they gave me good support when I needed them. Anycubic produced good hardware, but their support…we are 21 days in and they just asked me for the serial number of the printer. They previously asked for video of the Android app not working…not sure how “Make Sure Your Camera is Connected” as an error message is video worthy.

I have 2 Anycubic Printers, not sure I’m inspired enough to buy from them again. I’ve left relationships with companies for less. There is always Bambu Labs, which people love, and I do like my A1 Mini.

 

Published on October 30, 2025
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Why This Digital Camera Might Be the Best Gift for Kids in the Age of Phone Bans

 

Across the U.S., schools are starting to push back against student smartphone use — and parents are listening. Sparked in part by the debate following Jonathan Haidt’s bestselling book The Anxious Generation, a growing number of districts are restricting or outright banning phones during the school day.

But that leaves parents asking a question: what can we give kids instead?

There’s one surprisingly perfect answer — the return of the digital camera.

The Case Against Phones for Kids

Haidt’s The Anxious Generation argues that the rise of constant digital stimulation, social media, and smartphone dependency is directly tied to anxiety, depression, and loneliness in young people.

Many educators agree. Schools from California to New York have implemented “Yondr” pouches or mandatory lockers for phones. The movement isn’t about anti-technology — it’s about reclaiming attention, creativity, and real-world connection.

That’s where devices with a single purpose come in — tools that help kids engage with the world rather than scroll through it.

Rediscovering Real Photography

Before the smartphone, photography was its own kind of adventure. You picked a subject, framed a shot, and waited to see what you captured. Today, a dedicated camera — especially one designed for kids — brings that magic back.

One of the best new options for that purpose is the Digital Camera for Kids (link), a compact, fun, and durable model that’s built to spark curiosity without distraction.

It’s small enough for a backpack, rugged enough to survive a fall, and best of all — it doesn’t come with notifications, games, or the endless scroll of social media.

Why a Digital Camera Makes a Great Phone Alternative

Parents are looking for screen-free or low-screen ways to give kids creative freedom. A kids’ digital camera checks every box:

? Encourages Creativity

Instead of selfies and filters, kids can focus on composition, light, and storytelling. You might be surprised how creative they become when they’re not chasing likes.

? Builds Focus and Patience

Taking photos intentionally — instead of just snapping endlessly — helps kids slow down and see their surroundings differently.

? Promotes Outdoor Play

When children have a camera, they naturally go outside more. Whether it’s birds, pets, or clouds, they start looking for subjects instead of screens.

? No Distractions

There’s no social feed, no messages, no pings. Just a device for capturing moments — the way photography was meant to be.

? Teaches Responsibility

Owning their own camera (especially one that’s sturdy and simple) helps kids take care of their gear and understand the value of technology as a tool.

Spotlight: A Great Starter Camera for Kids

The Digital Camera for Kids available on Amazon is one of the best-reviewed options for parents looking for a child-friendly photography device.

It’s designed for ages 6–12 and includes:

  • Full HD video and photos (so they can make short movies, too!)
  • Shockproof housing and ergonomic grips
  • Rechargeable battery via USB-C
  • Expandable storage with microSD cards
  • Simple, intuitive menus for beginners

Parents love that it’s durable, inexpensive, and fun — without being another gateway to social media.

If your child loves to explore, this camera turns curiosity into creativity.

? View it now on Amazon ?

The Bigger Conversation: Raising the “Unplugged Generation”

Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation has reignited a much-needed conversation about how digital life is shaping childhood. He argues that social media and constant phone use have rewired adolescence, trading independence and real-world exploration for isolation and comparison.

You don’t have to agree with every argument in the book to recognize the problem. Even adults admit they struggle to set boundaries with their devices.

By giving kids tools that focus their attention outward, like a camera, microscope, sketchbook, or instrument, we help them build independence — without handing over a gateway to the entire internet.

? The Anxious Generation on Amazon ?

What Schools Are Doing — and What Parents Can Do Too

More than a dozen school districts have enacted phone-free school days, and early results are encouraging:

  • Students report better focus in class
  • Teachers see improved behavior
  • Social interactions are more positive and in-person

At home, parents can build on that progress. Creating “phone-free” times and spaces — like dinner, homework, or weekends outdoors — helps reinforce that balance.

Replacing the phone with something purposeful, like a digital camera, ensures that creativity isn’t lost when screens are put away.

Building Better Digital Habits Starts Early

Going phone-free doesn’t have to mean going tech-free. It means teaching kids that technology should serve creativity, not consume it.

A simple, single-purpose device like the Digital Camera for Kids gives them freedom to explore and express themselves — without the noise of the online world.

Pair it with a copy of The Anxious Generation for yourself or another parent, and you’ll see why this conversation is so important.

Let’s make curiosity cool again.

 

 

Published on October 26, 2025
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The Great Debate: One Big Computer or Several Smaller Computers

As part of my renovation project, as I make my new apartment into my own, and upgrade the infrastructure elsewhere in the building, I had several new lines run for cameras, all of which feed into Frigate, which I have mentioned previously. Frigate requires processing power, and I worry my server is taking on too many tasks that require the same resources.

The Problem

This brings me to my latest debate. Do I get one or more efficient computers with power efficient processors that can reliably handle low level tasks, or a single beefier computer? Technology has caught up to this while I was just letting my server run, because it just worked. Most home servers are idle most of the time, as you aren’t getting the demand a server with many users would receive, even with a full household. My NAS is running on an N100 CPU with 32GB of RAM.

The N100 has 4 cores, which is akin to having 4 different CPUs.  My server is running a processor that is a few generations older, with 6 cores. The benchmark of the N100 is about 1/3 of the score given to the older processor, but also uses a 10th of the power consumption. The NAS has an average usage of 3% CPU, as a NAS needs RAM to cache data, but serving it takes very little in terms of capacity.  By comparison, the server with the more powerful processor, running Jellyfin(a media server), Immich(photo server), Frigate(NVR), and more, is averaging 20% of more.

Plenty of CPU Maybe, but what about GPU?

Some of this involves hardware transcoding, using the GPU, to transcode video streams for Jellyfin. Frigate can use the GPU to run object detection. So, purchasing a Mini PC means another GPU, and the CPU can handle some low demand services. The alternative is to go for a an external GPU. However, the used computer my beefier CPU is in, is one I bought refurbished, only to discover that the PCI-E slot I would need to do that was not soldered onto the motherboard for some reason, which brought me to the idea of dividing the server, rather than replacing it entirely.

Multiple Computers…but in Software? Virtualization

Some people who have homelabs opt to go in a completely different direction. Virtualization. They have multiple virtual computers running on one server. There are advantages to this in that you can tear down a virtual computer and replace it, you can back up each piece separately. That leaves one with a lot of choices. I’ve read dozens of opinions and talked to several people about this.

Is more hardware better than virtualization? And if the idea of a low power CPU is to reduce energy costs, how does more than one of them help?

Final Thoughts and a question

As a final thought, having multiple pieces of hardware increases complexity, and thus maintenance time, but independent hardware means a failure in one system doesn’t mean a failure in another, the same isolation virtualization offers.

I have gone back and forth on a conclusion. I have seen people who run their entire infrastructure on a mini PC. That may be good for many people, but some might find themselves straining under the load.

But, what do you think? Am I better off upgrading or bifurcating?

Published on October 23, 2025
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