Jeff Geerling - Floatplane

The Raspberry Pi I wasn't supposed to buy

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The Special Value Pi 4 was only for sale for a week. Right after I bought one, it was gone! What made it a 'special value', anyway?

Here's where I first heard about these 'Special Value' Pi 4s: https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/06/26/discounted-1-25-ghz-raspberry-pi-4-model-b/

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

I flew 20 TB up to Canada and helped Sean Hodgins set up a new storage server

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

I flew up to Canada with a 20TB hard drive. After building a new storage server for a friend, I proved I was faster than the Internet—sorta ;)

Things I mentioned in the video, in order of appearance:

- Pigeons are Faster than the Internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pz2kMxCu8I

- 45Drives Beast: https://45drivesstudio.com/configure/studio-beast?utm_source=Geerling&utm_medium=Geerling_Beast&utm_campaign=Geerling_Beast

- 45Drives Dead Silent Server: https://45drivesstudio.com/configure/silent?utm_source=Geerling&utm_medium=Geerling_Silent&utm_campaign=Geerling_Silent

- ServerPartDeals: https://serverpartdeals.com

- Sean Hodgins: https://www.youtube.com/c/SeanHodgins

- ORICO Hard Drive Case: https://amzn.to/4vtzj9o (As an Amazon Associate, I earn for qualifying purchases)

Huge thanks to 45Drives for paying for my travel expenses for this video, and providing the Beast server for Sean! Also thanks to ServerPartDeals for setting Sean up with storage! And finally to Josh from 45Drives and Sean for showing some wonderful Canadian hospitality!

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - Pigeons are Faster than the Internet

00:34 - Station Wagons are, too

01:12 - Oh, Canada

01:56 - 45Drives brought two studio servers

03:29 - Hard drives and SSDs

04:25 - Building the server

05:06 - Server ASMR

05:57 - First boot into Rocky Linux and Houston UI

07:05 - A surprise guest on the CRT

08:38 - Just as Wendell predicted...

10:29 - Did my data snowball melt?

11:55 - Full-size GPUs in the 5U chassis

12:44 - Down to Sean's machine shop for a DIY rackmount

It took Apple 30 years to copy this basic PC feature (power on always)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

You can finally remotely power on a Mac, even if it shut down normally!

Things I referenced in this video (some links are affiliate links):

- Apple's support article: https://support.apple.com/en-us/125517

- ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Outlet: https://amzn.to/4vxuhse

- How I set up my power monitoring in Home Assistant: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2025/how-i-monitor-and-control-all-my-powered-devices-zigbee-ha/

- How to log into a Mac with SSH before FileVault is unlocked: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2025/you-can-finally-manage-macs-filevault-remotely-tahoe/

- 9to5Mac Article about the feature: https://9to5mac.com/2026/05/11/macos-26-5-adds-new-way-to-control-your-macs-power-state-via-switches/

- Reddit comment where I found this out: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/1txnj04/comment/opyd44t/

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - What it's not

00:44 - Why this feature is actually useful

02:00 - Zigbee power control

03:26 - macOS's new power setting

04:38 - Remote access with FileVault

06:09 - Potential security hole

07:41 - I found a bug

09:36 - prodigalAvian

I tested EVERY single IP KVM

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

I put a computer in your computer. And on your computer. And behind your computer.

Links to all the KVMs I mentioned (in order of appearance):

- PiKVM: https://pikvm.org

- BliKVM: https://blikvm.com

- GL-iNet Comet/Pro/etc: https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-rm1/

- Sipeed NanoKVM/Pro/etc: https://wiki.sipeed.com/hardware/en/kvm/NanoKVM/introduction.html

- JetKVM: https://jetkvm.com

- Luckfox: https://www.luckfox.com/Luckfox-PicoKVM-Base

- LeafKVM: https://kvm.rs

- TinyPilot: https://tinypilotkvm.com

- Openterface KVM-GO: https://openterface.com

- Pi-Cast: https://www.crowdsupply.com/hackergadgets/pi-cast-kvm

- DezKVM: https://www.tindie.com/products/tobychui/dezkvm-go-kvm-over-usb-device/

Thanks to all the KVM manufacturers who sent in review units over the past couple years, many of which were displayed in this video. (Note: None of the companies paid anything for this video, or had any say in its contents.)

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - ALL the KVMs

01:59 - Caution

02:33 - PiKVM

03:17 - BliKVM and BliKVM PCIe

03:49 - GL-iNet Comet and Comet Pro

04:49 - The one that got me an FBI visit

05:39 - NanoKVM Pro and PCIe

06:16 - JetKVM

07:25 - Luckfox

07:39 - LeafKVM

08:20 - TinyPilot

09:13 - Openterface KVM-GOs

10:01 - Pi-Cast

10:27 - DezKVM

11:22 - Which ones do *I* use

The Framework 12 is dead. Apple killed it.

Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Why would someone consider a Framework 12 anyway?

Some of the resources I mentioned in this video:

- MacBook Neo: https://www.apple.com/macbook-neo/

- Framework 12: https://frame.work/laptop12

- Macbook Neo test results: https://github.com/geerlingguy/sbc-reviews/issues/102

- Framework 12 test results: https://github.com/geerlingguy/sbc-reviews/issues/107

- Brad Colbow's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STzF3xm-E_I

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - A $250 price premium

01:20 - Many things are bad

02:22 - Slower performance

03:22 - Some things are good

04:31 - What about artists?

05:02 - What would a graduate choose?

10:17 - A bad value, not a bad laptop

Raspberry Pi 6 update: You're not gonna like this...

Fri, 22 May 2026 22:26:00 +0000

A few things we learned about the Pi 6 and potential for a Zero 3 W.

A link to the AMA: https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/comments/1tcyfvk/hello_rengineering_were_eben_upton_ceo_james/

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - Raspberry Pi 6

01:24 - Pi Zero 2W and Zero 3W

02:38 - Microcontrollers

03:23 - Software and support

Bambu Lab 3D printers: Never again

Tue, 12 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Bambu Lab couldn't leave well enough alone.

Resources mentioned in this video:

- OrcaSlicer-bambulab: https://github.com/jarczakpawel/OrcaSlicer-bambulab

- Bambu's Blog post responding to the situation: https://blog.bambulab.com/setting-the-record-straight-on-cloud-access-and-community/

- Louis Rossmann's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLLVn6XT7v0

- My video last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91kfolYkRNM

- Slic3r: https://github.com/Slic3r/Slic3r

- Prusa Slicer (fork of Slic3r): https://github.com/prusa3d/PrusaSlicer

- Bambu Studio (fork of Prusa Slicer): https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio

- OrcaSlicer (fork of Bambu Studio): https://www.orcaslicer.com

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

How did Apple make this work?? (gPTP over WiFi)

Fri, 08 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Apple's HomePod minis can pair up into stereo pairs.

But how do they do it?

Resources mentioned in this video:

- HomePod mini: https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-homepod/homepod-mini/midnight

- IEEE 802.1AS: https://www.ida.liu.se/~sohsa65/courses/tsn-course-2021/stds/8021AS-2020.pdf

- AirPlay 2 RS (open source project): https://github.com/lmcgartland/airplay2-rs

- What is gPTP: https://blog.meinbergglobal.com/2024/03/27/what-is-gptp/

- What is PTP: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_Time_Protocol

- Wireshark: https://www.wireshark.org

- HomePod mini intro video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPakvOuwg48

- MacRumors buyers guide: https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Homepod-Mini

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - What did Apple do?

01:22 - How hard can it be?

06:36 - Now there are two

08:30 - Testing a stereo pair

09:46 - Wireshark

10:52 - WiFi snooping with Apple

12:46 - Finding gPTP

15:03 - Timing packets

17:09 - How PTP works

17:55 - Brief look at IEEE 802.1AS and AVB

19:51 - Apple using standards?

Building a Tiny Supercomputer to beat college students

Fri, 01 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

It's clusterin' time! Time to compare my cluster to SBCC student clusters, that is.

Mentioned in this video (some links are affiliate links):

- DeskPi Super4c: https://amzn.to/4nau3nR

- Waveshare HomeRack: https://amzn.to/4w0wBc5

- Waveshare HomeRack Touch Display Mount: https://amzn.to/4w5DFV6

- Tripp-Lite BC600R mini UPS: https://amzn.to/4vQVA1w

- Raspberry Pi Cluster Ansible repo: https://github.com/geerlingguy/pi-cluster

- Top500 HPL Project: https://github.com/geerlingguy/top500-benchmark

- SBCC 2026 Competition and Results: https://sbcc.sdsc.edu/main-page.html

- Project MINI RACK: https://mini-rack.jeffgeerling.com

Thanks to DeskPi for sending the Super4C to test, and Waveshare for sending a prototype HomeRack to test. See all the Mini Rack parts I've tested and cataloged here: https://mini-rack.jeffgeerling.com

And see all the CM5 and CM4 boards I've tested and cataloged here: https://pipci.jeffgeerling.com/boards_cm

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - The competition

00:18 - DeskPi's Super4C

01:50 - A bad value

02:26 - A true cluster board

02:56 - Waveshare's new mini HomeRack

03:49 - Mini rack touch display

04:38 - And a mini UPS!

04:52 - Remote cluster management

06:01 - Scientific cluster benchmarking

07:00 - Efficiency

07:28 - Student Cluster HPL battle

08:19 - How do they win?

08:52 - The real fun of SBC clusters

FINALLY: cheaper, smaller, cooler 10 GbE NICs

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

10 Gigabit networking tech is finally getting smaller, cooler, and less expensive.

In this video, I test WisdPi's new 10G USB 3.2 adapter.

Some of the things mentioned in this video (Amazon links are affiliate links):

- WisdPi 10G USB Network Adapter: https://www.wisdpi.com/products/usb-c-to-10gb-ethernet-adapter

- WisdPi 5G USB Network Adapter: https://www.wisdpi.com/products/wisdpi-usb-3-2-5g-ethernet-adapter-wp-ut5-wired-lan-network-connection-for-mac-os-linux-windows-backward-compatible-on-5g-2-5g-1g-100mbps-ideal-for-gaming

- OWC 10G Thunderbolt 4 10G Adapter: https://amzn.to/4tjVFJu

- QNAP 10G SFP+ Thunderbolt and USB4 Adapter: https://amzn.to/4vxSnDY

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - 10 Gbps NIC meets USB-C

01:00 - Testing on a Framework 13

02:35 - Testing on a MacBook Neo

03:36 - Full speed ahead (2x2)

04:20 - What about USB 4

05:04 - Best speed for value

05:42 - Power draw and thermals

Arm comes to the Framework 13

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:15:00 +0000

This new mainboard brings Arm to the Framework 13.

Things I referenced in this video:

- Framework 13: https://frame.work/laptop13

- MetaComputing AI PC Mainboard: https://metacomputing.io/products/metacomputing-aipc?variant=50604798640434

- All my test data: https://github.com/geerlingguy/sbc-reviews/issues/103

- Radxa's guide for Frigate NVR on Cix P1: https://docs.radxa.com/en/orion/o6/app-development/artificial-intelligence/frigate-cix

MetaComputing sent their Arm AI PC mainboard for testing, and because of that, I mark this video as "sponsored" in YouTube's settings. They did not pay for this video, nor have any say in its contents. See my review sample policy here: https://github.com/geerlingguy/youtube

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - 12 Arm cores on a Framework 13

00:54 - Upgrading to Arm

02:11 - First boot into Ubuntu Linux

04:39 - Performance - CPU

06:28 - Performance - GPU

07:13 - FEX - Windows games on Arm Linux

09:13 - Windows on Arm on Framework

10:51 - Why AI PC?

11:22 - The problem

Dial "1" for Wi-Fi

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Wi-Fi still required phone lines for a time. A belated #MARCHintosh video.

Shop Micro Center's Monitor Madness Event: https://micro.center/1eb0c8

Visit Micro Center News: https://micro.center/310248

If you want to replicate this setup, here's what you need (some links are affiliate links):

- My Pi ISP project: https://github.com/geerlingguy/pi-isp

- Raspberry Pi 3, 4, or 5 (or equivalent) ($35)

- StarTech.com 56K USB Dial-up Modem ($45): https://amzn.to/3NJMeTZ

- Viking DLE-200B Two-Way Line Simulator ($120): https://amzn.to/3NnJETN

- (Optional, but retro-cool) Traditional Bell-style telephone ($36): https://amzn.to/3PPmpme

Also referenced in this video:

- MacWorld 1999 New York Keynote: https://archive.org/details/1999-07-21-macworld-new-york-keynote

- Steve Jobs says "Jump!" and Phil Schiller does https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MR4R5LdrJw

- Steve Jobs introduces WiFi to the masses with a hula hoop! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFngngjy4fk

- The Serial Port video on digital lines for 56K: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0KTtMQ_8s

- Steve Jobs' 1999 Speech at the Apple Campus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoM2Y2KO6kU

- Dial-up soundPoster: https://www.redbubble.com/i/poster/The-Sound-of-the-Dialup-Explained-by-windytan/31262230/flk2

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - Internet like it's 1999

00:50 - Hula-hoops and Schiller-jumps for WiFi

02:57 - Sponsorblock probably caught this

03:25 - Let's shake hands with QAM

05:10 - Pi ISP

11:02 - Dial a Pi (from the first iBook)

12:19 - Now do it over Wi-Fi

14:32 - Lucent and Apple

15:04 - 6 hours of battery life, 27 years later

15:46 - One more thing...

19:03 - The White House

20:00 - Downloading a game over dial-up WiFi

21:39 - NTP over dial-up Wifi

22:52 - New Macs on OG AirPort?

23:40 - Your own dial-up ISP

This is no joke: the SBC hobby is dying

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Read Raspberry Pi's post announcing the 3GB RAM Pi 4:

https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/a-new-3gb-raspberry-pi-4-for-83-75-and-more-memory-driven-price-increases/

All prices were taken from the list price offered through official sales channels on manufacturer's website. Note: some prices don't reflect total shipping + tarriff charges you'll have to pay, depending on your region...

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Apple Abandoned It. I Saved It with a Raspberry Pi. (FireWire)

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Video like it's 1999. Welcome to #MARCHintosh, FireWire edition!

Shop Micro Center's Monitor Madness Event: https://micro.center/1eb0c8

Visit Micro Center News: https://micro.center/310248

Links to things I mentioned in this video (some links are affiliate links):

- How to use FireWire on a Pi: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2026/firewire-on-a-raspberry-pi/

- Equip-1 Firehat: https://equip-1.c-e.group

- Equip-1 Firehat Crowd Supply page: https://www.crowdsupply.com/computer-equipment-group/equip-1

- Open MRU: https://www.reddit.com/r/tapeless/comments/1n3aqsk/open_mru_raspberry_pi_5_based_mrucapture_device/

- toqer tv's video on Open MRU: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa4BIMdgVtM

- StarTech IEEE 1394 Mini PCIe FireWire card: https://amzn.to/4lRrQeU

- GeeekPi PCIe to Mini PCIe HAT for Pi 5: https://amzn.to/47U0vFj

- PiSugar 3 Plus: https://amzn.to/4uy23Oe

- FireWire Intro at MacWorld SF 1999: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP5aLoRozt8

- This Does Not Compute - GL2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqCO4Z_VP3c

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

0:00 - Intro like it's 1999

0:34 - Look ma no tape

1:48 - MRUs

2:34 - FireWire

3:12 - You can still buy FireWire cards

3:37 - Tape test and the GL1

8:03 - Editing on Apple's fastest G4

10:24 - Why did FireWire stick around for 26 years

11:53 - No tape for the tapeless

12:32 - FireWire on a Pi attempt 1

13:48 - Firehat and PiSugar demo

15:30 - Firehat's simple UI

17:04 - Conclusion like it's 1999

The best laptop Apple ever made

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Another #MARCHintosh video!

HUGE thanks to all the other YouTubers who shared their favorite Mac laptops — be sure to check out their channels (in order of appearance:

- Branchus Creations: https://www.youtube.com/@BranchusCreations

- Action Retro: https://www.youtube.com/@ActionRetro

- This Does Not Compute: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisDoesNotCompute

- Mac84: https://www.youtube.com/@Mac84

- Mr. Macintosh: https://www.youtube.com/@Mr.Macintosh

- Computer Clan: https://www.youtube.com/@ComputerClan

Links to some of the parts I used to upgrade my 11" Air (some links are affiliate links):

- iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit: https://amzn.to/4snd2ZB

- Fancy Buying A1406 Battery for MacBook Air: https://amzn.to/4bAU8aj

- M.2 NGFF NVMe SSD adapter for MacBook Air: https://amzn.to/4cT7gKf

And if you want to keep up with all my retro computing adventures, check out this GitHub repository: https://github.com/geerlingguy/retro-computers

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - The Best Mac Laptop Ever

01:20 - I need some parts

01:56 - Modern SSD in an old laptop

02:26 - Branchus Creations

03:20 - Impossibly-thin G4, impossibly-hot G5

04:17 - Action Retro

04:56 - Keyboards and trackpads

05:52 - This Does Not Compute

06:54 - iBook G3 nostalgia

08:02 - Mac84

09:18 - Mr. Macintosh

10:04 - Computer Clan

10:35 - Small Mac laptops

11:41 - 11" Air was ahead of its time

13:07 - Old design felt better

14:01 - Still useful

Switchberry: Sometimes a good time costs extra

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 19:07:00 +0000

Check out the Switchberry: https://github.com/Time-Appliances-Project/Switchberry

Also mentioned:

- My Stratum 1 PTP/NTP Pi 5 Server: https://github.com/geerlingguy/time-pi

- TimeHAT V6: https://pmqipr-s3.myshopify.com/collections/timehatv6-bundles

Yes, I know it's expensive. Someday we can maybe get the price down, if we can prove the concept :)

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - N'Sync

00:40 - The Switchberry

01:24 - The TimeHAT V6 Pi Server

02:34 - NTP Sync

03:25 - PTP Settings

05:08 - Wireshark PTP packet sniffing

08:20 - It's always 37 seconds off

10:10 - Switchberry internals

Apple used to make REAL servers

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

A #MARCHintosh project: my first Xserve!

Things I mentioned in the video (some links are affiliate links):

- Apple's U.S. Manufacturing and ACDC Servers: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/02/apple-accelerates-us-manufacturing-with-mac-mini-production/

- House of Moth Xserve G5 PSU Recap Guide: https://thehouseofmoth.com/recapping-an-xserve-g5-power-supply-part-1-preparations/

- 65scribe video on Apple Network Server 500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsVAdrdkyoA

- Menda IPA bottle: https://amzn.to/4sb2igE

- Kimwipes: https://amzn.to/4rBEIsw

- Apple's 2002 Special Event (Xserve G4 launch): https://archive.org/details/2002-05-13-wwdc-xserve-introduction

- Hakko FX-888DX Soldering station: https://amzn.to/4cHQy0k

- iFixit FixMat Magnetic Project Mat: https://amzn.to/3Pw44KF

- iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit: https://amzn.to/4synBbI

- Chipquik SMD291 No-Clean Tack Flux: https://amzn.to/4bluGpi

- Inland Platinum 256GB SSD: https://www.microcenter.com/product/645077/inland-platinum-256gb-ssd-3d-tlc-nand-sata-iii-6gb-s-25-internal-solid-state-drive

- My Xserve G5 build log / notes: https://github.com/users/geerlingguy/projects/10

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - Apple's secret ACDC servers

01:06 - Thank the maker

01:38 - Prepping the fix

02:58 - Cracking open the PSU

06:03 - Moo

07:36 - New cap fr

08:44 - Soldering tips

11:39 - Reassembling the PSU

12:47 - Testing the PSU

13:46 - HDD trays and proprietary connections

14:30 - Reassembling the Xserve and first coil whine

16:01 - First boot!

19:39 - Installing Mac OS X Server 10.3 on an SSD

22:49 - Using Mac OS X Server in 2026

24:58 - Hardware locks

26:19 - Rack the Mac

27:35 - Apple's humility and looking forward

I built a PTP clock, and now I'm not sure what time it is

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0000

A man with a watch knows what time it is.

Mentioned in this video (some links are affiliate links):

- Excuse me, what precise time is it? https://media.ccc.de/v/39c3-excuse-me-what-precise-time-is-it

- PTP Wallclock open source project: https://github.com/Gemini2350/ptp-wallclock

- My blog post on the setup: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2026/ptp-wall-clock-impractical-too-precise/

- Geerling Engineering video on the Blues game and PTP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ar4wmA4ujM

- Video on the Pico GPS mini rack clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5qA4fgdS28

- Video on the Mitxela Precision Clock Mk IV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBDgD032DEI

Parts needed for the build:

- Raspberry Pi 4 B: https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/

- Adafruit RGB Matrix HAT: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2345

- (2x) Waveshare 64x32 LED RGB Matrix Panel: https://www.waveshare.com/RGB-Matrix-P3-64x32.htm

- 3D Printable joining bracket: https://www.printables.com/model/1624778-ptp-wall-clock-bracket-waveshare-rgb-matrix-connec/collections

- DC 5V 4A power supply: https://amzn.to/3P1I8XG

- 32GB microSD card: https://amzn.to/3NhlGJE

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - Excuse me, what time is it?

02:01 - Parts required to build a PTP clock

03:14 - Building a precise clock

04:32 - Software for controlling the matrix

05:26 - It works!

06:06 - Keeping it together

07:17 - The problem...

09:04 - It's a timing bug

11:36 - Back in the box

Pretty Fly for a Spy Pi (Exaviz Cruiser)

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000

I more than doubled the performance of my NVR with a new CM5 board. And it has PoE+ built in!

Some of the resources I referenced in this video (some links are affiliate links):

- Exaviz Cruiser: https://exa-pedia.com/docs/cruiser/

- Frigate: https://frigate.video

- Seagate IronWolf NAS 4TB HDD: https://amzn.to/46vIPyx

- Hard Drive sleds (Dell R720-compatible): https://www.ebay.com/itm/404293056771

- DeskPi 2U mini rack mount: https://deskpi.com/products/deskpi-2u-mini-rack-mount-case-pre-order-for-the-exaviz-cruiser-carrier-board

- My 1U Interceptor NVR build from 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wkVGcdI2vk

- Blog post configuring Hailo and Frigate on Pi CM5: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2026/frigate-with-hailo-for-object-detection-on-a-raspberry-pi/

Exaviz sent me a prototype version of the Cruiser for testing, and DeskPi sent an early prototype of their mini rack case for the Cruiser. Neither company paid for this video or had any input in its production, but I still mark my videos as 'sponsored' if any equipment was provided by vendors in the making of the video. See my sponsorship policies here: https://github.com/geerlingguy/youtube#sponsorships

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy

Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy

Merch: https://www.redshirtjeff.com

2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GeerlingEngineering

3rd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Level2Jeff

Contents:

00:00 - Upgrading from the Interceptor

00:38 - Exaviz Cruiser CM5 board

01:57 - Adding another camera

02:46 - Google abandoned the Coral TPU

04:27 - Cruiser's USB-heavy architecture

06:08 - Building the mini-rack server