Draco AW80 - LINUX, let's talk about...

[no_spam_for_me]

I start some explicit threads to sort all issues and feedbacks from the beginning...
So please use this threads (of cause only if it's fits)
Because I have to wait till my order will arrives I have collected some information of other thread(s) (THX to everybody I get from)

as far as i know, tronsmart and all winner are working hard on the linux image right now

they already get the GPU drivers from Imagination, and they are trying to make the GPU working in the linux, but they can't promise it will be finished at the end of this month, but they will try their best.
:
Eric

[geekbuying]

Tester Needed! The Very early version of linux in Tronsmart Draco AW80

Hi guys

I just get this ubuntu from tronsmart, i push them so hard to make it release . They don't want to release it so early,because they are still working it, they tell me it should have bugs, but i can't wait to share with you guys, and i want you guys can help to test, and give me feedback.
about hardware acceleration,i know all of you guys need this in linux, but it is not ready in this early beta firmware, i have told them many many many times, make the hardware acceleration work, they said it should be ok in the middle of Dec, so we will see. now let's first check this ubuntu:


you can grab the ubuntu firmware here :

http://pan.baidu.com/s/1i39pSWH

password: ypdw

Update 2th Dec. New download link:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/80n4ongphsovp8n/Tronsmart_AW80_Lubuntu_20141127.img.zip

use the phoenixsuit to flash the firmware, and you should decompress the download firmware first. and load it in phoenix suit.

the flash method is almost same as flash android firmware, you should power off the draco aw80, and then press the FN button at the bottom of draco aw80, use male to male usb cable to connect draco aw80 with you pc. (usb 3.0 port is also the otg port). and while you press the FN button with toothpick connect the power adapter.it will start to update.

here is a screenshot i just made:


so please help to check this beta firmware, and give me your feedback, please only flash this if you know what it is.

Thanks for your help!!! Let's work together to make it better!!!

ps: for android users, please don't blame me, i know every bugs you have report and i have marked and on my list to push them fix, but now the ubuntu is in my top 1 list and i want to push them to give a steady ubuntu firmware asap. hope you understand. once they can release a steady linux firmware with hardware acceleration, i will push them to fix the android bugs, i promise, i will push hard!!!!


Thanks again.
Eric
Geekbuying

[neomode]

Hello Eric,

That is fantastic New´s!
I also want Linux on that beast and will try and report back.
Hopefully there will be late a Option to Install it to the Data Disk.


Regards
Ray

[geekbuying]

Hello Eric,

That is fantastic New´s!
I also want Linux on that beast and will try and report back.
Hopefully there will be late a Option to Install it to the Data Disk.


Regards
Ray

Thanks, Neomode

Hopefully there will be late a Option to Install it to the Data Disk.

what does it mean? do you mean you want to install this linux in usb driver, and choose to boot from usb driver?

Eric

[taki]

can you say that will be support xbmc for linux ubuntu. support vpu and gpu on linux. and open source driver. may be someone will make openelec for this box. like openpctv project (boot group loader android+ubuntu+openlec) with AW80 Telos. this project support Alwinner A20

http://www.openpctv.com/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/openpctv/

for cubietruck(A20)

https://sourceforge.net/projects/openpctv/files/release/cubietruck/

anybody share review AVC/MPEG4 ts continer support hw for android and linux (ubuntu).

[no_spam_for_me]

Thanks, Neomode

Hopefully there will be late a Option to Install it to the Data Disk.

what does it mean? do you mean you want to install this linux in usb driver, and choose to boot from usb driver?

Eric

Yes, external device like SD, USB-pendrive or -HDD...
Best case it can boot up without touching the android-rom (instead of e.g. via the recovery-'partition' (but I also know linuxium was able to build up a SD-version for rk3188 devices which seems to be able to boot up linux also without touching the android-rom))...

[geekbuying]

Yes, external device like SD, USB-pendrive or -HDD...
Best case it can boot up without touching the android-rom (instead of e.g. via the recovery-'partitition' (but I also know linuxium was able to build up a SD-version for rk3188 devices which seems to be able to boot up linux also without touching the android-rom))...

Thanks for let me know this, contact them right now to confirm.

[no_spam_for_me]

Is it ok for you if I merge this thread with http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.p...t-s-talk-about ?

[geekbuying]

Is it ok for you if I merge this thread with http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.p...t-s-talk-about ?

Sure, go ahead, my friend.

i just want some draco aw8 users to help me test, and report problem.

till now, i find the fat32 format hard driver can't write, just read.

Eric

[geekbuying]

Just confirm, boot from SD CARD is possible, boot from usb hard driver is not possible.

Eric

[Zahir]

Nice Proof of Concept

Only tested this briefly because - without h/w acceleration - it's not going to do what I want, which is to run XBMC. Noted that this is a Lubuntu build, probably based on an earlier release for the Cubieboard.

Pluses

1. Boots up quickly
2. Unity desktop feels smooth
3. Ethernet works well out-of-the-box. Home network access is readily available (Did not try wi-fi)
4. Chromium web browser finds sites quite quickly
5. HDMI audio output is clear and static-free, with adequate volume.

Minuses

1. Video performance: without acceleration, basically, all video tasks are much slower than in Android (screen redraw rates, web page fill rates etc). YouTube in browser is jerky. Did not try the media player but that too will obviously run slow. XBMC is out of the question.

2. Input: no wireless keyboard or mouse detected, only physical USB input devices. Remote control also not detected. Seems like no usb transceiver has been included.

3. Output: As Eric noted, no write to FAT32 media, only read.

4. Shutdown menu: Reboot and shutdown options don't work

I decided to stop there because - for my uses - this platform is not yet ready. But its potential is clear and exciting. I am looking forward to a more sustained experience with Linux on this box in mid-December.

NB: if you want to sample how a really fast, well-equipped Linux rom can perform on a TV box, Codesnake's OpenElec for the square M8 is the one to beat. But it doesn't have a desktop, and is not a full build.

[geekbuying]

Only tested this briefly because - without h/w acceleration - it's not going to do what I want, which is to run XBMC. Noted that this is a Lubuntu build, probably based on an earlier release for the Cubieboard.

Pluses

1. Boots up quickly
2. Unity desktop feels smooth
3. Ethernet works well out-of-the-box. Home network access is readily available (Did not try wi-fi)
4. Chromium web browser finds sites quite quickly
5. HDMI audio output is clear and static-free, with adequate volume.

Minuses

1. Video performance: without acceleration, basically, all video tasks are much slower than in Android (screen redraw rates, web page fill rates etc). YouTube in browser is jerky. Did not try the media player but that too will obviously run slow. XBMC is out of the question.

2. Input: no wireless keyboard or mouse detected, only physical USB input devices. Remote control also not detected. Seems like no usb transceiver has been included.

3. Output: As Eric noted, no write to FAT32 media, only read.

4. Shutdown menu: Reboot and shutdown options don't work

I decided to stop there because - for my uses - this platform is not yet ready. But its potential is clear and exciting. I am looking forward to a more sustained experience with Linux on this box in mid-December.

NB: if you want to sample how a really fast, well-equipped Linux rom can perform on a TV box, Codesnake's OpenElec for the square M8 is the one to beat. But it doesn't have a desktop, and is not a full build.

Zahir, you rock! I thought you should be the first one to give me feedback, and you make it

for the Minuses you are talking.
3 has got a solution, i confirmed with tronsmart.
i also find the 4 yesterday, and report to them.

for 2, i can't use my logitech k400r wireless keyboard, however, i can use the air mouse. i doubt it is the driver problem.
i might borrow my logitech k400r keyboard to them for testing and find the solution.

thanks

I am hoping more feedbacks, so we can make them fix in next release together!!

Eric

[Zahir]

Committed Linux users will probably find this early build promising: I mean - except for the big omission of h/w acceleration - it's pretty much all there, functionally. The few broken routines can be fixed quite quickly. Among those, I hope Tronsmart gets the wireless keyboard input working. Nobody these days wants to be tied to a cord, and certainly not in the living room...

But who will use Linux? We may have two broad groups:

1) University researchers, accounting/payroll departments, school computer science labs, small businesses etc. etc. For these users, this is not a TV box but an interesting mini-pc. It's for small projects, for tinkering, for teaching, and for non graphics-intensive applications These users mainly want a lean alternative to other OS's which they can easily customize.

2) Internet and media consumers: this group expects a fast, fully functional replacement for Android-based XBMC and other audio-video applications. It wants the convenience of an appliance in the living room - but one that takes advantage of an 8-core PC, with very fast network performance and a graphics chip whose power has not yet been exploited. These users want speedy internet, fluid video and clean surround sound. They would be happy to stop fussing with launchers, desktops and the performance-limiting overhead of Android.

To successfully position this box in the market, Tronsmart must respond to both. They're already fairly close to 1). They must now reach out to 2).

[clarkss12]

Committed Linux users will probably find this early build promising: I mean - except for the big omission of h/w acceleration - it's pretty much all there, functionally. The few broken routines can be fixed quite quickly. Among those, I hope Tronsmart gets the wireless keyboard input working. Nobody these days wants to be tied to a cord, and certainly not in the living room...

But who will use Linux? We may have two broad groups:

1) University researchers, accounting/payroll departments, school computer science labs, small businesses etc. etc. For these users, this is not a TV box but an interesting mini-pc. It's for small projects, for tinkering, for teaching, and for non graphics-intensive applications These users mainly want a lean alternative to other OS's which they can easily customize.

2) Internet and media consumers: this group expects a fast, fully functional replacement for Android-based XBMC and other audio-video applications. It wants the convenience of an appliance in the living room - but one that takes advantage of an 8-core PC, with very fast network performance and a graphics chip whose power has not yet been exploited. These users want speedy internet, fluid video and clean surround sound. They would be happy to stop fussing with launchers, desktops and the performance-limiting overhead of Android.

To successfully position this box in the market, Tronsmart must respond to both. They're already fairly close to 1). They must now reach out to 2).

Well said.
I have no knowledge of Linux, but my goal is to get tvheadend server running on these boxes so I will have a self contained DVR. Taki is making great progress implementing that on these boxes. I think Linux would be a better base for that.

[bigall123]

Draco AW80

Is it possible to have ubuntu & android on the same box. Like a dual boot. ?