LibreELEC Might Be the Best Linux Distro for Your Mini PC

When everyone talks about Linux minimalist distros, they start with things like Raspberry Pi OS or a headless Ubuntu server. However, if you just try to create a Home Theater PC (or another streaming box), you have a much better option.

What is Libreelec?

Libreelec is a minimum and cut Linux distribution built on Debian, much like Raspberry Pi Os.

However, unlike Raspberry Pi OS (or most other light distros), Libreelec is built with one goal: Home Theater PCS.

To this end, it is almost as naked as an operating system can obtain it. He has no office environment. It does not come with most of the preloaded applications that you associate with an operating system. His simplicity means that there is very little trouble being wrong, so he tends to be very stable. All it does is start directly in Kodi.

Kodi is a program specially designed to transform PCs (or other devices) into a domestic theater (HTPC). It has an interface that does not look like most of the streaming services you know, with the exception of a critical difference: it is designed to play your local media library above all.

Related

10 Kodi features that you should use

Are you looking for a frontal front of the media center? Look no further than Kodi.

Consequently, Libreelec PCs start quickly and do not need much to execute – you can install Libreelec on an 8 GB microSD card if you really want. Otherwise, it also has very few general costs. You do not need the most recent CPU and the largest liquid cooling for smooth performance.

Libreelec is perfect for mini pc

Mini PCs are not known to be calculated from Powerhouses. Usually they have a low -power mobile processor associated with up to 64 GB of RAM. If you want more than that, you look at PCs in the range of $ 1000.

However, these low -power specifications are not really a drawback in many cases, including Libreelec.

If you create a Home Theater PC, you really need only something that is able to read and transcode video files and physically connect to your TV.

Kodi has so many plugins

Kodi is not limited to what he has out of the box.

It has a large library of addons that allow you to do almost whatever you want, although it is not designed to execute dedicated streaming applications like Netflix.

My favorite is a github project that allows you to launch the moonlight from Kodi. I have a fairly competent game PC, and I use Moonlight to broadcast games from my PC via a Raspberry Pi on my television.

It was much more profitable than buying an Xbox or a PS5, and I don’t have to worry about following the games I have on a given platform.

Which mini PC is best with Libreelec?

Most mini PCs will run freely, even if they are old. However, given that Libreelec is intended for the uses of the theater at home, I would recommend to stick to Intel processors.

Intel processors almost always support rapid synchronization, which is special equipment on the integrated Intel processor which allows you to code or decode video files very effectively. This can be particularly useful if you need to convert a 4K video to a 1080p video on the fly, for example.

This tends to be more important with plex servers than Kodi servers, but it is not a bad thing to have. Intel N97, N100 and N150 processors are extremely popular because they are inexpensive and consume about no energy. There are dozens of mini PCs with one of these processors. Look for one that can take at least one internal disc of 1 TB and which has 16 GB of RAM.

If you want to buy something more powerful and can be more versatile for future projects, I would look for something with an Intel 1220p or 1250p. They have additional performance hearts, which can be useful if you need to do something demanding.

Brand

Ministerum

Processor

Intel i5-1250p (12c / 16t)

The mini -forum UN1250 is a small mini PC designed for light work, such as basic edition and basic video, writing documents and other basic tasks.

If you are going to use the Mini PC as a Home Theater PC with Libreelec, I would however recommend starting an ordinary SSD rather than a microSD card. You do not want to go through the difficulty of installing everything as you only like it so that a microSD card is exhausted after a few thousand hours of use.

And above all, you are not stuck with a configuration. Libreelec does not come with a default office environment, but if you ever decide to change things, you can easily install an office that would allow you to use your PC Home Theater as an ordinary Linux office.

Alternatively, you can start with a double start of a completely distinct version of Linux which is more entirely featured.