The #RaspberryPi wasn't enough to 'scratch my itch' for #SBC/#MiniPC #homelab -bing. Now, I'm tempted to do something with this old #Android TV Box my dad bought that has been left abandoned for many years now cos it's pretty garbage (as a TV box).

It's the #Zidoo X6 Pro, and looking up its specs, it seems to have the #Rockchip #RK3368 CPU which AFAIK, is pretty decent. It has also has a gigabit ethernet port (shocking), 2x USB 2.0 ports, and a Micro SD card slot (besides some other ports like HDMI, etc.).

Anyone knows/has a guide on how I can get #Linux on this thing - assuming it doesn't require me to do any hardware tinkering like soldering, etc.?

So someone in FLOSS #DeltaChat group said #ARM #SBCs are terrible at computation power. And that a #miniPC has much better computation power comparing to something like #RaspberryPi. I had plans for a #homeserver and I wanted to use my #LibreComputer #Alta and utilize its #npu.

Libre Computer boards have really good prices comparing to the performance they provide comparing to other ARM SBCs such as #RPi. However, comparing them with a mini or even #microPC, an old micro PC provides better computation power.

LibreComputer #RenegadeElite features a #Rockchip #rk3399, 4GB DDR4 and costs 76 USD:

https://libre.computer/products/roc-rk3399-pc/

On the other hand, this renewed #HP #EliteDesk is 100 USD and with far better specs:

https://www.amazon.com/HP-EliteDesk-Mini-Desktop-Computer/dp/B08L9NB7RD?rnid=2257851011&th=1

Maybe it's not fair compare a renewed product with a brand new one. But it seems for having a homeserver to #selfhost things, if we factor out power usage, an old mini PC is better than a new ARM SBC.

However, if we also consider power usage, the abovementioned LibreComputer board consumes only 15 W under full load. And the old Ryzen 5 on that HP mini PC has a TDP of 35 W. This affects running cost of your homeserver and also the cost for the #UPS. But for myself, there isn't a big deal between 15W and 35W.

Edit: Comments or advises are very welcome!

Edit2: On second thought, I won't go for second hand or renewed. I want to use them as servers and this means 100% uptime. And I doubt second hand ones will survive, especially given the more power they consume which generates heat. And since my budget for a homeserver is 100 USD, ARM SBCs seem to be the only choice. I can research more though.

Banana Pi BPI-Forge1 Rockchip RK3506j Industrial grade SBC public sale.
https://docs.banana-pi.org/en/BPI-Forge1/BananaPi_BPI-Forge1
#SBC #bananapi #raspberrypi #orangepi #opensource #Rockchip #RK3506 #IoT #IndustrialProduction

Banana Pi BPI-CM5 Pro computer module with Rockchip RK3576, with 6Tops NPU for AI, power than Raspberry Pi
https://docs.banana-pi.org/en/BPI-CM5_Pro/BananaPi_BPI-CM5_Pro
#computer #bananapi #raspberrypi #orangepi #AI #NPU #DeepSeek #Rockchip #RK3576

BREAKING NEWS, folks: #Armbian has finally discovered the #spellcheck feature while "enhancing" their #Linux flavor for ARM! Get ready for the riveting experience of #boot #improvements and #Rockchip optimizations that only a terminal wizard could love.
https://www.armbian.com/newsflash/armbian-updates-nas-support-lands-boot-systems-improve-and-rockchip-optimizations-arrive/ #ARM #HackerNews #ngated

Armbian Updates: OMV support, boot improvents, Rockchip optimizations

https://www.armbian.com/newsflash/armbian-updates-nas-support-lands-boot-systems-improve-and-rockchip-optimizations-arrive/

Finally found time to continue work on the Rockchip NPU. Plan to give this a strong push in the next few months:

https://blog.tomeuvizoso.net/2025/05/rockchip-npu-update-5-progress-on.html

Rockchip RK3568 for Router design. which project are you want to do with Banana Pi BPI-R2 Pro.
https://docs.banana-pi.org/en/BPI-R2_Pro/BananaPi_BPI-R2_Pro
#bananapi #rockchip #rk3568 #router #openwrt #IoT

NEW Video

Radxa ROCK 5T : So Many features in this Tiny SBC

Dual 2.5 Gbit Ethernet
Support 4 Displays
Cellular Network Support & Much More

Full Video : https://youtu.be/EO1mQR8f_Kw

Eliminate Boot Delays!
ArmSoM Forge1 #RK3506J delivers instant industrial-grade boot (<1s) with rock-solid reliability.
Solve latency headaches in #automation/#edge systems.
Launching next Wednesday!
Stay tuned:https://docs.armsom.org/armsom-forge1

We're returning with another fascinating story from our Root of Trust and Chain of Trust Zarhus Team cookbook. This time, we approach #Rockchip RK3568B Secure Boot, SoC of open-schematics hardware from Hardkernel named Odroid-M1. Please let us know about your struggles to make embedded computing trustworthy.

https://blog.3mdeb.com/2025/2025-04-22-odroid-m1-secure-boot/

1st Anniversary Special: Thank You for Making ArmSoM Stronger!
After over a year of growth with you, we’re excited to announce immediate price drops on select ArmSoM products!
Why we're doing this?
-Empower Maker Culture - 10% of proceeds will fund open-source hardware initiatives
-Accelerate Innovation - Lower barriers for prototype development
Your voice = Our next upgrade
Explore ArmSoM:https://armsom.org
Share your thoughts below!
#embedded #rockchip #AI #armbian #iot #maker

ArmSoM-W3 #RK3588 development board meets #euleros !
#sbc #opensource #armbian #rockchip #embedded #maker #AI #IOT

Learn more:https://docs.armsom.org/armsom-w3

ArmSoM boards (RK3576) CM5&Sige5 have been successfully tested with Ultralytics projects (e.g., YOLO11n) ,support ​​Ultralytics YOLO11n​​ with ​​Rockchip RKNN​​!
Achieve ​​low-latency, high-efficiency AI inference​​ for edge applications like industrial automation, smart retail, and robotics.
Dive into benchmarks & deployment:https://docs.ultralytics.com/integrations/rockchip-rknn/#how-does-the-performance-of-rknn-models-compare-to-other-formats-on-rockchip-devices
Stay tuned!See how it goes!
@ultralytics @GlennJocher
#EdgeAI #RK3576 #YOLOv11n #rknn #NPU #ai #rockchip #hardware #opensource #embedded #iot

Linux on Samsung Chromebook Plus (Kevin) with Rockchip RK3399 ARM SoC (2024)

https://www.devkitsune.net/blog/wordpress/2024/01/04/linux-on-arm-chromebooks/

#HackerNews #Linux #Samsung #Chromebook #ARM #Rockchip #RK3399 #2024

#Forge1 Interface Deep Dive
Rockchip RK3506J Dev Board – Launching April 2025!ONLY at $23!
Tri-core Cortex-A7: Built for smart voice, audio I/O, image processing & multimedia.
2D/Display Engines: Minimizes CPU load for seamless visuals.
Rich Peripherals: SAI, PDM, SPDIF, USB2 OTG, CAN, RMII & more – cut complexity & costs!
Learn more and Available for Pre-order Now:https://docs.armsom.org/armsom-forge1
#linux #armbian #rockchip #plc #HMI #industrial #sbc #opensource

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Win a FriendlyElec NanoPi R3S – a dual Gbps router powered by Rockchip RK3566!

Enter here: http://forum.armbian.com/raffles/raffle/27-friendlyelec-nanopi-r3s/

Boost

#TechUpdate: Forge1 powered by #RK3506J has PASSED extreme temperature testing with flying colors (-45°C to 85°C)! Rigorous quality checks completed as we gear up for mass production.
Shipping starts late April/early May!
Secure yours now: https://armsom.org/product-page/forge1
#sbc #opensource #hardware #linux #armbian #embedded #PLC #maker # IndustrialGateway #SmartHomeAppliances #HMI #ROCKCHIP

Wow! Check out this awesome video from lucky giveaway winner!
Two clear methods to run #DeepSeek locally on the ArmSoM #Sige7 powered by #RK3588.
Both informative and fun for the video, offering something new for everyone.
#opensource #armbian #rockchip #linux #ai #sbc #hardware #iot #embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsIT6F8DFs0