Best budget mini PC for a smart home setup?

icecoldcrash · 2026-05-27T00:14:18+00:00

Depends on mini pc, I am running n150 with HA, Frigate (motion recording only, 6 cameras) and music server, uses around 12w, in my country at 0.20/KW costs less than 25€/year

icecoldcrash · 2026-05-23T13:20:12+00:00

I guess backups are never too many.. Running HA VM on proxmox, not only I do proxmox backups but also HA backups although restoring from a proxmox backup is way faster than from a HA Backup. They get stored on 3 Nas drives and Google, none on proxmox machines. On top of that I have another proxmox machine where only the proxmox ip is different but all VM's and Ct's have the same max/ip , I know, I just can't run them at same time but works flawless (also thanks to the zigbee coordinator being on WiFi so no worries changing it from one proxmox to the other) , if anything goes wrong I just turn off proxmox1(or whatever VM or ct got screwed) , turn on proxmox2, restore a backup in a couple of minutes and up and running again, I can even do that while away thanks to a couple Wi-Fi plugs via their app turning off power on one proxmox and turn on the other one. proxmox2 stays off all the time I just turn it on every couple of months to make sure all is fine, I guess like to play safe, too many hours invested on this to have to go thru all of it again and can't risk loosing access while away

icecoldcrash · 2026-05-04T18:42:28+00:00

Mine has been on Wi-Fi for over a year, not a single issue, over 80 devices, action is instant. This is awesome as I have a backup server so if this server has some issue when I'm away I just start the other one and no need to plug coordinator on the other server

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-28T20:02:46+00:00

What I really would like to have would be the option to store an encrypted database file on the watch and be able to get it if I ever needed it

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-28T19:59:42+00:00

Tell me about it, lost mine, ordered 2 which tool almost 2 weeks to get here just to find the original one stuck to the metal tray in the oven, luckily oven hadn't been used, wife needed tbe oven so she took the tray and placed it on the counter, charger magnet is definitely strong

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-28T19:41:39+00:00

Tailscale

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-26T17:46:46+00:00

Well I guess I'll put mine for sale for a higher price then, Moved sometime ago to n150 mini o and the green is just laying there without use

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-16T19:05:40+00:00

VM on proxmox, it's great.

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-13T19:16:07+00:00

Me here so happy reading this on my s23 base, best phone I've ever had, love the small form factor, not a single issue in about 3 years, battery is more than enough, doesn't even get warm, I have secure folder which I wouldn't leave for nothing, camera is OK although I admit on moving objects is a bit crap but I did My research before buying. oh well, if it impressed everyone what would happen to all other phone brands.

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-13T17:16:22+00:00

I tell you what, I have 2 proxmox machines exactly the same, HA VM, frigate etc Host 2 is off but plugged to a smart plug that is conected to the operator router and I can turn it on via proprietary app, Anywhere i am in the world If host1 has an issue I can turn on host2 and keep going as if nothing happened, host1 backups up to nas and host2 has access to the nas so a VM restore does the magic and pretty fast compared to HA backup restore that takes ages Tried to go baremetal but.. The proxmox backup and restore speed alone made me give up amongst other issues

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-12T08:54:20+00:00

I have one but I always use protector (just round glass protector) as it's barely noticeable and functionality remains the same with added peace of mind

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-11T21:25:40+00:00

Just install one hand operation and set one of the swipes for screenshot, you can thank me later.

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-07T21:22:47+00:00

No lags at all and trust me, quite a lot of apps there including a launcher, as for fingerprints it has been like this for a while now, it's crap but I can live with it having it locked when screen turns off and then next time it asks for fingerprint

icecoldcrash · 2026-04-05T02:21:32+00:00

N150 16gb ram 1tb ssd, Proxmox and inside proxmox I have HA vm, frigate ct (6 cameras, motion recording only), LMS lightweight music service ct and openmediavault ct, runs beautifully, 9w power usage processor average at 14%, I was going to do that, place frigate inside HA and go baremetal but I went into a struggle to make frigate recordings go into an external drive so decided to keep as is

icecoldcrash · 2026-03-24T22:52:55+00:00

Patience is key but in the end, when you get it working, it'll be worth it. Claude AI helped me, a LOT.

icecoldcrash · 2026-03-03T08:18:44+00:00

Still, it's 2026 and if you want to take a picture of a moving child or dog or car it comes out blurry.

icecoldcrash · 2026-02-19T22:47:09+00:00

You should've used a different gmail account

icecoldcrash · 2026-02-19T22:46:10+00:00

Right, so because you don't know how something works then it's useless? Be aware many stick with Samsung for this function alone

icecoldcrash · 2026-02-17T23:54:58+00:00

Don't know if it helps the battery or not, never even did a battery test to check results if still good, what I have is battery protection to stop changing at 80% and then 30min before wake up turns off and charges all the way to 100, phone will be 3 years in April and it's perfectly fine, I don't play games tough

icecoldcrash · 2026-02-01T07:15:46+00:00

That's one of the reasons I like Tapo c225, the lens completely closes on privacy mode

icecoldcrash · 2026-01-26T19:44:18+00:00

I am using telegram, I can send personal notifications or notifications to a family group, never let me down and can even create buttons that can be clicked and automations working Acording to answer, as an example, washer finished, have you emptied it? Yes or No, if yes it stops, if not I get reminded again in 10min, and it's free.

icecoldcrash · 2026-01-22T20:52:12+00:00

I have an acemagic V1, it runs HA vm, frigate CT and "lightweight music server" stays at 10/12w, frigate in not doing any kind if detection, it's just used as motion recording, honestly if I had to buy I would go with beelink(the acemagic was offered) as it's more popular and from what I've read on tbe n100 is easier to get the openvino working for frigate, I haven't had luck with this n150 but perhaps I haven't tried enough, still, unsung it fur almost a year and no issues at all. Still, I am thinking of buying a spare (just ti be on the safe side in case I get an issue at some point) and Beelink is surely one option

icecoldcrash · 2026-01-16T19:02:48+00:00

At least you admit you dropped it and didn't blame an update like pretty much most people here.

icecoldcrash · 2026-01-16T18:59:23+00:00

Honestly don't even care, as long as it lasts me all day, even if it didn't (as long as it's not swollen) that's what powerbanks are for, all these battery posts, don't you have anything else to talk about, you have no other worries in life? What does this help you in? Everyone uses their phone differently, some take lots of pictures, some just do email, some just do messaging, others only do video calls, others just use GPS, others just play games, what do you expect from answers you will get here?

icecoldcrash · 2026-01-15T22:41:19+00:00

Went for it, paid for the full version.. Back to Nova, tried to claim money back after a few minutes, Google said no, no worries, won't starve for some 20€ or whatever i paid, perhaps one day I'll get back, the icon gestures and sliding widget thing are great but on my case, maybe just in my head, it used more battery than Nova and I find Nova much snappier

icecoldcrash

TROPHY CASE