Need custom ROM for MXIII 4K (1G/8G) with support for Vidon XBMC

[pedu]

Hi guys

The VidOn XBMC player allows for pass through of DD TrueHD. DD Atmos (i think) and DTS-HD Master. However it requires building a new ROM from sources which I do not have the knowledge to do myself. It requires the latest Android 4.4 SDK from Amlogic. Anyway the required changes are listed below. Anyone up for the job? It would be highly appreciated by me and probably a lot of other users as well

SDK download description http://openlinux.amlogic.com/Android...o_get_4.4_code
VidOn instructions http://www.vidon.me/support_vidon_xb...pport/635.html


Amlogic SDK Configuration - S802 S805 S812

1. Permission:
Please change the permissions in the two files below.

device/amlogic/common/init/mbx/init.amlogic.rc
device/amlogic/common/init/mbx/ueventd.amlogic.rc

chmod 666 /dev/amvideo
chmod 666 /dev/amstream*
chmod 666 /sys/class/video/axis
chmod 666 /sys/class/video/screen_mode
chmod 666 /sys/class/video/disable_video
chmod 666 /sys/class/tsync/pts_pcrscr
chmod 666 /sys/class/audiodsp/digital_raw
chmod 666 /sys/class/ppmgr/ppmgr_3d_mode
chmod 666 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq
chmod 666 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq
chmod 666 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
chmod 666 /sys/class/video/blackout_policy
chmod 666 /dev/snd/controlC0
chmod 666 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0c
chmod 666 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p
chmod 666 /dev/snd/pcmC0D1c
chmod 666 /dev/snd/pcmC0D1p
chmod 666 /dev/snd/timer
chmod 666 /sys/class/audiodsp/digital_codec
chmod 666 /sys/devices/platform/spdif-dit.0/spdif_mute
chmod 666 /sys/class/amhdmitx/amhdmitx0/config

2. Change:
frameworks/base/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowStateAnimator.java

Change this piece of code

boolean isNeedOpaque = attrs.getTitle().toString().contains("xbmc.Main") ? false : true;

to

boolean isNeedOpaque = true;
String attrsTitle = attrs.getTitle().toString();
if (attrsTitle.contains("xbmc.Main") || attrsTitle.contains("xbmc.kodi") || attrsTitle.contains("org.vidonme"))
isNeedOpaque = false;

[pedu]

Nobody carer about HD audio pass through? Or 24/50/60Hz autoswitching (SPMC does work). I tried to contact Amlogic to get access to their openlinux repo on git but they do not wish to support private Android developers. Why the h... do they call it openlinux then anyway ;-)

[Ichijoe]

Nobody carer about HD audio pass through? Or 24/50/60Hz autoswitching (SPMC does work). I tried to contact Amlogic to get access to their openlinux repo on git but they do not wish to support private Android developers. Why the h... do they call it openlinux then anyway ;-)

To be fair I thought XBMC / Kodi already allowed for the Next-gen Audio Formats (Via passthough...), you only needed to flip the switch in the Settings though. This said I'd have no use for it, as my Amp only does DPL, DD (EX) & DTS (ES) - 7.1. As for Autoswitching 24/50/60... I think you need to possibly roll back to an earlier Firmware, that supports Autoswitching. Again not really something I followed though.

BTW: Open Linux ≠ Android. OpenLinux here is the bases of OpenELEC, which is certainly not the same thing as the Android Source. Even IF Android is Linux based, its still should be seen as a separate entity. I'm less sure about the Open Linux bit, as I haven't tried to access that bit of the Code yet. But AFAIK you have to contact Amlogic somehow, and sign a NDA Form to be able to get their Source Code for Android.

Perhaps a better (if getting way OT here), question is why everything is in *nix, OTHER then the USB Burner Tool which is Windows ONLY!

And, did you ever bother to check their Fourm Page... It has a direct Download link for the APK...
As to the Permission Change(s)... They don't seem all that different to just about every other Build of Kodi that I've seen.
Of course setting, (and, moreover!), retaining the Permission(s) as you've listed them above would prove trickier. Since Simply using Putty to connect via SSH to change 'em would be lost again after a reboot. I know that much exactly 'cause of Kodi!

The only tick Ive seen there is to go into SuperSu, and scroll though the Options till you find the One about alerting to such changes and then disabling it, and possibly turning off all notifications to (Kodi / The App in question), from the Settings -> App Setting.

*EDIT* Looking at this.... I wonder how they can get away with most of these claims?... I can't say I ever had much call for it, as i don't have... (or need for), Blueray *.iso Rips... But, I'd be damned if the normal XBMC (Well at lest Kodi as from my PC!), doesn't already do Blueray Menus from the option System -> Settings-> Video -> Discs. I'm really have to start asking myself if this isn't a sucker scam? About the only thing I saw that looked remotely interesting was the Cloud App. The problem with that is most of the stuff I'd either need, or want is already hosted on someone else's Cloud.

So that's most of their bigger bubbles busted right there? As "My Media" (Would be behind the Firewall, on a local NAS), and Multi Box, is nothing but, a joke anyway! I just fail to see how their Subscription System XBMC/Kodi. is even remotely better then the real thing.

[pedu]

I just fail to see how their Subscription System XBMC/Kodi. is even remotely better then the real thing.

I agree with you. However the latest stable build or even nightly builds of Kodi for Android does not support pass through of HD audio. Neither does SPMC (though autoswitching between 24/50/60Hz does work). You may not need neither framerate autoswitching or HD audio pass through but frankly I do :-) I can't stand watching a blu-ray rip (23.976Hz) played back at either 50Hz or 60Hz). It drives me nuts. And since my decoder supports decoding of TrueHD and DTS-HD MA I would like the best audio possible as well. And at $1.99/month I'm willing to pay until we see official Kodi support for HD audio pass through. If VidOn can implement that feature so can the Kodi development team. Im just wondering why it hasn't beed implemented yet??? :-(

The major drawbacks of paying for the VidOn subscription at the moment are:

1) Requires a new ROM for S802/805/812 SoCs. AFAIK Minix have compiled a new ROM but I don't have a Minix box
2) The current release of VidOn XBMC is based on the v13 release of Kodi (outdated)

BTW: Open Linux ≠ Android. OpenLinux here is the bases of OpenELEC, which is certainly not the same thing as the Android Source. Even IF Android is Linux based, its still should be seen as a separate entity. I'm less sure about the Open Linux bit, as I haven't tried to access that bit of the Code yet. But AFAIK you have to contact Amlogic somehow, and sign a NDA Form to be able to get their Source Code for Android.

I know OpenLinux is different from Android. However to get acces to the Android SDK youu would execute

repo init -u ssh://[email protected]/kitkat/platform/manifest.git -b kk-amlogic

So potato/potato ;-)

Like I said i sent my public RSA key to Amlogic and requested acces to the SDK. This was their reply:

Dear Peter,

Thanks for your email. Our openlinux focuses on IDH or OEM instead of personal developers.

If you are from a company, please kindly provide us more information about your company and what kind of products you are developing based on Amlogic chipset. Later our sales will contact you and check how we will provide our technical support.

--
Best Regards,
Kevin Zhu

So i guess even Amlogic mixes up the OpenLinux and Android SDK. I did ask for access to the Android 4.4 SDK not OpenLinux ;-)

[Asure]

Vidon is a GPL-violating bunch of tossers, i see no reason to support them. The BD-J and HD audio support is payware, whilst XBMC is ment to be free.

Lucky for us, KODI branches are already popping up with BD-J support.
See http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=213352&page=8

[Ichijoe]

If that's how it is... You couldn't do much worse the flogging your current Box on Fle****, and replace it with their Box then. Depending on which version i.e. either the 1G, or 2G. you should be at least able to recoop 40-ish$ to 50$ for a 2G Box. That you could use to buy their Box for 69.99$, and have to deal with this.

'Cause I'm afraid you can wait a long time till any of this ever gets fixed. Or you could give SPMC 13.2 (IIRC), had the option(s) to enab!e HD Audio. Which IIRC was the stock XBMC on 111k4 though my memory is hazy on this point.

Again have you actually gone to their Website, and tried to install their *.apk? Cause the have it. I only suspect that it has the same issues as does Kodi on this Box, and that's the same set of permissions. Which can either be ignored (Upon starting it), or be mutter from the SuperSU Settings. Which is how I'm using Modi right now. Otherwise you'd may have to concentrate on Part 2. Which I can only gather is in their Build, as this does NOT exist on Stock. As to its actual location though? I have no idea, as its not on my MXIII.

[pedu]

Vidon is a GPL-violating bunch of tossers, i see no reason to support them. The BD-J and HD audio support is payware, whilst XBMC is ment to be free.

Lucky for us, KODI branches are already popping up with BD-J support.
See http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=213352&page=8

This topic is not about BD-J support but HD audio pass through. No offense :-)

[pedu]

Again have you actually gone to their Website, and tried to install their *.apk? Cause the have it. I only suspect that it has the same issues as does Kodi on this Box, and that's the same set of permissions

I have tried two different versions from their website. Same thing with the permissions on startup but no big deal to me. I can select TrueHD and DTS-HD capable receiver but when playing back a movie the screen is blank and no audio. The receiver does not even switch to TrueHD or DTS-HD. Subtitles are being rendered though. Must be some kind of overlay thing related to the required java changes i referred to in my first post

[Ichijoe]

No offence but, is the MXIII even capable of passing on the Signal to your Recover. I've never seen it ever advertised as being capabe. AFAIK both True-HD, and DTS-MA have to go through the HDMI since the are HDCP encrypted.
Some things for you to double check on are the Setting(s) -> Advanced; That your Audio Option is set to either PCM, or HDMI Passthrough. You should also make equally sure that the Passthrough is enabled under System -> Settings -> System (Switch from Standard to Expert), Audio Output in SPMC, Vidion, XBMC or Kodi.

I suspect that first bit is your "Problem", and you'll need to play with it to find which of the Two Options work correctly for you. In my case its simple I use Tosslink. But, then as I said True-HD, and Co. don't work though Tosslink. But, you should already know that.

[pedu]

No offence but, is the MXIII even capable of passing on the Signal to your Recover. I've never seen it ever advertised as being capabe. AFAIK both True-HD, and DTS-MA have to go through the HDMI since the are HDCP encrypted.
Some things for you to double check on are the Setting(s) -> Advanced; That your Audio Option is set to either PCM, or HDMI Passthrough. You should also make equally sure that the Passthrough is enabled under System -> Settings -> System (Switch from Standard to Expert), Audio Output in SPMC, Vidion, XBMC or Kodi.

I suspect that first bit is your "Problem", and you'll need to play with it to find which of the Two Options work correctly for you. In my case its simple I use Tosslink. But, then as I said True-HD, and Co. don't work though Tosslink. But, you should already know that.

My MXIII is connected through HDMI. I have the audio options set to HDMI Passthrough in the MXIII settings and enabled audio passthrough in the Kodi/SPMC/VidOn XBMC settings. I have no problems playing movies with either DD, DTS, TrueHD or DTS-HD. However for the TrueHD and DTS-HD streams only the "core" audio are being passed through to the receiver/decoder. The options to check TrueHD &DTS-HD capable receiver are only present in the VidOn build of XBMC. Neither Kodi nor SPMC have these options

[Asure]

The Vidon website clearly shows that HD Audio is a paid feature, and not available in the free downloadable versions on the website. Like i stated in my first reply to your post.
So even if those options are available in the download, they have been disabled. You'll need to purchase a paid version of vidon, and have a box with the mods done to the android framework, in order to get any HD audio.

[pedu]

The Vidon website clearly shows that HD Audio is a paid feature, and not available in the free downloadable versions on the website. Like i stated in my first reply to your post.
So even if those options are available in the download, they have been disabled. You'll need to purchase a paid version of vidon, and have a box with the mods done to the android framework, in order to get any HD audio.

I do have a paid version of VidOn XBMC. In regards to having a box with the mods done - well that's why I started this thread in the first place and asked for a custom firmware:-)

[Ichijoe]

You know for these People to be charging what, they're charging for a twaked-up XBMC, they really should package up the generic 111k4+ (AiO Firmwares), to come already pre-patched as need be.
Like I said before You should either try to send the MXIII back for a refund, or barring that selling it for whatever you can get for it, and buy their Box for $70-ish instead, then everyone wins...

Waiting for someone here to bangup a patched Android OS to run this bit of scamware, isn't really gonna happen, even if the Source Code grew on trees.
Unfortunately for you the MXII just isn't the correct Box, for your needs.... Like the ASUS Nexus Player (Puck), wasn't the right fit for me either, with my ancient TV, not being able to send the correct EDID though the HDMI in order for it to display anything other then an, ugly 576p. Thankfully I was able to take it right back to the Store the next Day for a refund. As bad as I want a Nexus ADT-1, this experience might have pushed me back towards going for the Minix again.

[Asure]

You can probably do it yourself by decompiling the jar (services.jar if i'correct.)

See http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2311766

The resulting smali file(s) look something like this, but you can edit them if you know what you are doing.

If you want it done, then do it