What is the best alternative to Handheld Linux Terminal (V2)?

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score 28 · Answer 1

Pi-hole

Top Pro

You can select a DNS like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 and others

Top Con

Requires some advanced devOps skills

The tutorial and installation is pretty straight-forward but requires some technical chops to install. You should be comfortable with the Linux command line. See More

Top Pro

Does not need a Pi

You can install this on any posix device that can run bash scripts eg your linux or unix server it also can run on windows with the subsystem for linux or with a docker container. See More

Top Con

Can inadvertantly block sites that are required for other web-based services

For example, using pi-hole for websites that rely on 3rd-party sites can be broken by pi-hole if the 3P site references black-listed sites. See More

Top Pro

Blocks ads for all network devices and browsers

No need to install blockers at the browser or OS level. Pi-hole works at the DNS (network) level so you only have to maintain and manage one authority. See More

Top Con

Unreliable because of Pi architecture

If you use it with a Pi, however, Pi-hole can run on any POSix device that can run curses like: Any Unix/Linux server, Windows servers with the Linux subsystem, routers, even toasters if they run on Linux. See More

Top Pro

Frequent updates are easily applied

It takes one mouse-click to keep pi-hole updated and current with new blocked-site lists. See More

Top Con

Setup horror

Top Pro

Low-cost deployment

Installs on a $35 Raspberry PI SBC. Open-source software (donations accepted). See More

Top Con

Pages

It blocks the ads but doesn't delete the location of an ad. See More

Top Pro

Can whitelist blocked sites on the fly

If a blocked site comes up and pihole is set to display the block page, you can add it to the whitelist there and then. See More

Top Pro

Can be used with a vpn from anywhere in the world

Top Pro

Easy installer

It includes an easy shell installer. See More

Top Pro

Regex blocking

Supports now regex blocking. See More

Specs

Platforms:Router / Local Hardware

Blocking:All configured Networks/ Network-wide

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28 3

score 76 · Answer 2

Kodi

Top Pro

Can install on several devices

Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Xbox, Apple TV (jailbroken), and more. See More

Top Con

You may have to jailbreak some devices

This is only for things like a Fire stick, but Android TV boxes etc. should be fine. See More

Top Pro

Lots of plugins available

Like PlutoTV, Curiosity Stream, and YouTube. 3rd party repositories, such as the SlyGuy Repository, contain more plugins like Disney+, Paramount+, Hulu, and Netflix. See More

Top Con

Terrible navigation

Menus over menus with dozens of submenus. See More

Top Pro

Free

Top Con

Not Client/Server Capable

While most solutions provide a client/server setup the KODI developers REFUSE to adopt this approach forcing individual setups for every device. See More

Top Pro

Open source

Completely FOSS, licensed under GPL 2.0 See More

Top Con

Poorly optimized

Often not a fluid experience on low-end devices. See More

Top Pro

Great customization/multiple skins

You can change navigation flow and other aspects of Kodi with the plethora of customization options and skins. See More

Top Con

No official AAA addons for streaming services

It does not have any official AAA addons and fully relies on the community which result in often broken packages/addons. See More

Top Pro

Can play many different file formats

It supports Blu-ray Discs, CDs, DVDs, USB Flash Drives, local Hard Disk Drives, AirPlay, network file shares, basically every video, audio, and image format available, subtitle files, and even retro game console ROMs. See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, AndroidTV, iOS, tvOS

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76 14