Home Assistant freed me from the smart home brand wars, and now I buy whatever works
… Home Assistant gives me the freedom to buy outside one brand’s ecosystem, but it doesn’t magically turn bad hardware into good hardware. …
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This Synology 4-bay NAS is a bargain if you're willing to trust them again
… However, it can be hard to trust a brand after such a move . But, if you're willing to give them another try, we think the Synology DS925+ is going to be a good option. It provides a versatile and powerful software experience, along with expandable hardware in a relatively compact size. …
I installed Synology's software on a dead NAS and it runs circles around the original
… The issue with pre-built NAS systems compared to a DIY setup is the end of life EoL date, which usually puts a halt to software updates outside of critical security patching. This isn't great if you wish to be running the latest and greatest from the likes of Synology, Asustor, and other brands. …
The FCC's router ban could make these router brands a risky bet in the future
… Unlike most networking brands that rely heavily on overseas manufacturing, Starlink hardware is largely produced and assembled within the United States, most notably in Texas. …
Free NAS distros beat Synology's price, and the performance gap doesn't justify the markup
… This goes for the hardware and software. Should an update break an app or service, you'd need to spend time rolling it back. If the CPU fails or RAM needs to be replaced, you're going to be the one to have to do it. There's no calling Synology or some other NAS brand. …
Linux 7.1-rc1 brings faster, safer file transfers between Windows and Linux partitions with a brand new NTFS driver
… However, Linux 7.1 isn't just "in with the new;" it also has its fair share of "out with the old," including the removal of support for an Intel CPU that's beginning to push 40 years old: Things look fairly normal, although we do have a few different projects to cull some old hardware support to he… …
Synology's DSM is brilliant until you realize what TrueNAS and Unraid can actually do
… I'll start with hardware, which was the largest concern of mine. Synology is rightfully slightly more hostile toward third-party hardware. The company has its own cameras, branded drives, memory, and other devices. …
Modern projectors have a bigger problem than lamp life, and nobody's talking about it
… Most brands do not commit to a specific number of years for software support, nor do they guarantee any Android version updates. …
Linux Mint is skipping new releases for 7 months, but its HWE ISOs will make sure your new hardware works
… The Linux Mint dev team has announced plans to release Hardware Enablement HWE ISOs, meaning people will still receive support for their new hardware despite the feature freeze. Related Linux Mint may publish fewer updates a year, but that's not necessarily a bad thing Slow and steady wins the race. …
I replaced five smart home hubs with a $30 Zigbee dongle and never looked back
… Mixing brands is the biggest benefit No longer are you locked to a single ecosystem By using a Zigbee dongle, you're actually giving yourself a whole new level of freedom, as you can mix brands like a pro. …