Chainedbox L1 Pro - Cheap Personal NAS

Lenovo ChainedBox L1 Pro was introduced in 2018 with the application of Blockchain technology in data storage. Each box serves as a data-storing node, and personal data is uploaded to nodes within the system. Simultaneously, individuals purchased the product in large numbers primarily to receive rewards for maintaining nodes.

In July 2019, the service was temporarily suspended due to many old nodes disconnecting, leading to ChainedBox L1 Pro being liquidated at a very competitive price. As of April 28, 2021, the price is 93¥ per box without a hard drive.

1. Exterior of L1 Pro

• Material: Aluminum alloy with sandblasted finish, giving it a sleek appearance.
• Front Panel: Power button and status indicator lights.
• Right Panel: Logo embossed into the surface.
• Left Panel: Device serial number and MAC address.
• Back Panel: Technical specifications and interface ports.
• Top Panel: Designed with small ventilation holes for device cooling.

2. Interior of L1 Pro

• CPU: RK3328 – Quad-core Cortex-A53 up to 1.5GHz
• RAM: 1GB DDR3
• Power: DC12V/3A
• Weight (without hard drive): 1100g
• ROM: 8GB MLC EMMC 5.0
• Connectivity Ports: 1x USB3.0, 1x USB2.0, 1x 1Gbps Ethernet
• Dimensions: 18757157mm

Currently, there is no dedicated opening on the case for HDMI. If you wish to use the HDMI port, modifications to the case may be necessary.

3. What am I installing on L1 Pro ?

On the L1 Pro, you can install various Linux software distributions such as Armbian. Additionally, it supports Docker, allowing unlimited exploration capabilities. Below is a list of software currently running on my L1 Pro:

• qBittorrent: Essential for torrenting on various trackers.
• ownCloud: With Google discontinuing free photo storage, this is my top priority choice. I also use ownCloud for personal data storage, and it synchronizes well across iOS and PC platforms.
• Jellyfin: Allows streaming of movies and music anywhere with internet access. (This app is particularly impressive for its dual-person movie watching feature.)
• pyLoad: Supports direct link downloads, handy for maintaining torrent ratios.

4. Summary

Overall, the Chainedbox L1 Pro features an attractive exterior and offers straightforward, convenient usage. It’s suitable for users with simple needs such as torrenting, personal data storage, movies, music, and more.