Last Updated on November 8, 2022 by pg@petergamma.org
- We where able to run a Home Assistant image on a HP Compaq 8100 Elite Mini-tower according to the following instruction:
https://www.home-assistant.io/installation/generic-x86-64
- The instruction is easy. And we have a version of Home Assistant which allows to edit the .yaml files, which is essential for our project.
- Now we need the Minitower for other research project, and it is not mobile at all
- but which platform to choose?
- an option are the Intel Nuc mini PCs. Unfortunately, they are power hungry, and not designed for mobile use
- the same applies for x86-64 mini PCs which can be found on Aliexpress
- Lattepandas use the Intel Atom processor. We found, that it runs 12 hrs with a powerbank of the size of a smartphone, which is great
- but can the above x86-64 Home Assistant image be flashed and run onto a LattePanda?
- the internal eMMC memory of our LatttePanda has 32 GB, which is very small
- in the following example, a LattePanda Alpha is used:
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/install-hassio-on-lattepanda-alpha/126532/7
- but who wants to spend more than 400 USD for a HA LattePanda Alpha?
- LattePanda V1 starts from 130 USD on Aliexress with 2GB Ram and 32 GB eMMC
- It is possible to have a multi OS system on the eMMC of the LattePanda, but the eMMC of the LattePanda is very small
- Unfortunately, it is not possible to boot from the SSD card of the LatttePanda
- there are very few examples of .iso booting from usb hard drives of the LattePanda
- but it is possible to boot LattePandas from a usb hard drive by selecting it in the BIOS
- an external medium can be used to boot HAOS, such as a USB SDD, which is not recommended:
https://www.home-assistant.io/installation/generic-x86-64
- but if it works, then it is the setup of our choice.
- The LattePanda V1 is affordable, a 2 TB usb SSD drive can be found for around 20 USD on Aliexpress, and we think it is worth to test whether this setup works with Home Assistant as a mobile data acquisition platform