Computer

There are many advantages of the 1l mini PCs for home server applications: Obviously they are very compact, but more interestingly: The idle power consumption can be almost as low as current Raspberry Pi 5s acchieve, i. e. 5-6W*, all while avoiding many of their limitations**. In many cases the low power consumption is associated with quiet operation, which is especially important if you don’t have access to a dedicated server room in the basement or at least an acoustically isolated closet. Also, used mini PCs are available in large quantities at reasonable prices. This is why there is a ton of information and data out there, covering hardware expandability, compatibility with hardware and software and other aspects of converting mini PCs into capable home servers. ...

In order to be able to look at schematics etc. during repair and soldering sessions I recommissioned my old monitor months ago and connected it to my main PC that sits on a seperate bench. That solution kind of worked, but going back and forth between different monitors on different benches was a bit impractical. Also, I wanted to connect all my remotely controllable instruments to a separate computer - until now, I used an old ThinkPad for that. ...