I would like to try ethminer + pill on nvOC. Is there an easy way to do this on V0019-2.0 (I have access to the rig on ssh)? Or is it best that I burn V19-2.1beta on a HDD?
The easiest and safest thing you can do is to follow the guide to update to nvOC 2.1beta from your current image, it is safer than trying to burn the beta image as it is a mixture of old 2.0 stuff and old 2.1beta stuff which you would need to update before using it, even if the eth+pill works fine. Moreover if something do not work in the new beta you can revert to 2.0 in exactly 8 mouse clicks. Your other option is to find in this thread previous instructions to manually patch 2.0 tu support the pill. Can be done but it is neither the easiest nor the quickest way.