[alias_neo]

Yep. For applications where video isn't your main function, the Pi5 is a step back. In 3D printing (such as the Voron), where we want CPU cycles spent on printing, The Pi4 has to be used over the Pi5 if you want that hardware encoding for your camera stream so it's not eating up your CPU time and potentially ruining your prints.

[ffgjgf1]

If you need video encoding why would you ever get a pi instead of the N100 though?

[alias_neo]

There's an example in the comment you're replying to. A Voron [0] printer is designed around the Raspberry Pi as the default SBC.

It's an open-source 3D printer design, you want video encoding for your camera stream on the printer.

For projects intended to be built by ordinary people, a Raspberry Pi is a very accessible, reliable and well supported device with a track record, it's a no-brainer.

Your software might be targeting ARM, Pi boards are likely lower-power consumption than an N100 board, your application may not need the compute of an N100 (My Voron 2.4 is using about 20-30% CPU on a Pi4, while streaming (hardware encoding) a 720p camera feed, and printing at 400mm/s); the N100 launched last year; many projects built around Raspberry Pis are much, much older than that. There's _plenty_ of reasons to use a Pi over the N100. Also, N100 isn't an SBC it's a CPU, so who are you buying the finished board from, and what can you expect from them in terms of software and support? We know very well what to expect from RP at this point.

I'm not saying RPi is the answer to everything, but the N100 isn't the answer either.

[0] https://www.vorondesign.com/

P.S. To whoever downvoted; use your words.

[ffgjgf1]

I was mainly thinking about Plex/etc. servers where you might want to do high-res (or even just HD) encoding or multiple streams at the same time. Pi was always pretty horrible choice for stuff like that.

[alias_neo]

Yeah, I absolutely wouldn't use a Pi for something like that; a proper (mini) computer with a decent GPU (even an embedded one) is a better option for that sort of thing.

That said, there are still plenty of legitimate reasons to do hardware video encoding, as opposed to _transcoding_, which probably is what you're thinking of.

[ffgjgf1]

> there are still plenty of legitimate reasons to do hardware video encoding

But from what I understand Pi 5 still doesn’t have any HW encoder? So if your task relies on that you it basically loses its main advantage against the N100, lower power usage since you get it for free with Intel.

[alias_neo]

If we compare with the Pi5 yes, something like an N100 based board might be preferable (we should really compare the BCM to the N100, not the Pi itself).

Pi4 _does_ do hardware video encoding, so that is still a valid option for many applications; RP has a good record, decent board design, great software support and a huge community; if we compare with Radxa and their X4 for example; their track record is one of poor board design, poor software support and a miniscule community.

My personal opinion, and it's just that, my opinion based on my experience;

Unless I'm looking at an "embedded" task (board needs to go _inside_ a product), I wouldn't use an SBC; If I'm running Plex/Jellyfin/etc, I'd use a mini-PC or "bigger"; something with a better board design (there are questions about the board design of the Radxa X4 with N100 given its power envelope), proper cooling, better storage and GPU etc.