MVR9 RK3328 - Custom AndroidTV Pie ROM by mo123

[mo123]

AndroidTV Pie Custom firmware v1.3 by mo123



Changelog v1.3

Magisk patched by default
Speed optimisations
Updated apps
Added Dashboard - Use it to change the All Apps screen when Long pressing Home or clicking on the red Apps icon.
Added Notifications app - Now you can see notifications like on regular Android
Add Terminal Emulator - Needed if you want to spoof a device with MagiskHideProps addon
Removed Safe Volume, volume should now stay at 15 steps
Added Setup on first start - Google account needed

Download Link: Here
Pass: mvr9
Use 7z to unzip and FactoryTool v1.68e Restore option to flash


Changelog v1.2

sepolicy: uncrypt: allow sys_admin capability
service: UsbDeviceManager: force restart when usb disconnect
Fix: MP3 Audio Files should use FFPlayer
Remove potential double free
init.rc: do not restart SF to fix flash during boot
Fix a memory leak in gatekeeper

Fix some Google apps permission problems
Fix auto frame-rate switching
Remove Hide HDMI Output, it was causing problems with some apps
Changed animation speeds so that the spinning wheel in some apps play smoother
Updated apps
Add SmartYoutube, Youtube Vanced
Add Navigation bar app - Open it and enable the Accessibility Service to have a navigation bar
Improve Mele F10 airmouse - Bottom row keys now control Rewind, Stop, Play/Pause, Forward & the 1st key second bottom row now opens menus in apps.

Download Link: Here
Pass: mvr9
Use 7z to unzip and FactoryTool v1.68e Restore option to flash
Boot image required for Magisk: Here

Changelog v1.1

hwui: stability: check mmap return value
arm64: dts: rockchip: fix rk3328 rgmii high tx error rate
make: Use build prop overrides when generating vendor
arm64: dts: rockchip: fix rk3328 sdmmc0 write errors
Move custom dpi settings under Display
Create 0 compression ratio jar files for improving speed and memory usage when it comes to reading apks
arm64: dts: rk3328-evb-android: set eMMC default sample phase to 90
clk: fractional-divider: add handle to frac numerator is not to be greater than 4
Fixes crash/race condition when destroyActivity
When compiling, use release-keys tag not dev-keys - Fix issues with some app requiring release-keys
libstagefright: Free buffers on observer died
DisplaySettings: font size in 5% steps from 80% to 130%
Fix NullPointerException in ConnectivityService
ViewRootImpl: set max fling ticks per sec to 24
BT: multi device interference problem
Optimize the font cache size according to display resolution
Fix OOB access in mpeg4/h263 decoder
Request to reset effect buffer in clearInputBuffer
drm/rockchip: dw-hdmi: limit tmds to 340mhz on rk3228/rk3328
uas: add USB quirks to unusual_uas: blacklist Norelsys, WD, and Seagate
ASCII fastpath for towupper and towlower - Decrease some apps, games loading time by 7%

Lots of speed optimisations
Fix bootanimation becoming slow
Updated apps
Manually set LeanKeyKeyboard - It now supports special characters for German
In Settings - Device - More Settings - Display | You can now change the font size, DPI easily to be smaller or bigger to fit your needs

Download Link: Here
Pass: mvr9
Use 7z to unzip and FactoryTool v1.68e Restore option to flash
Boot image required for Magisk: Here

Changelog v1.0

* Add MVR9 boot logo
* Add ‘More Settings’ menu to TvSettings if you want to change extra settings like in the normal firmware

• Change the onscreen keyboard to a mouse friendly one that is faster
• Remove some preinstalled apps
• Several stability and video playback patches from AOSP merged.

Kodi

• Add auto frame-rate, color mode switching
• Add 10-bit H264 video playback support
  All Anime videos should play correctly now
  https://www.koi-sama.net/files/hi10/ 21
• Add VC1 Blu-ray video playback support
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwxFVkl63-lERnhlY1pHeW5wbjQ/view 12
• Fix HDR video playback
• Add HD Audio(DTS-HD, True-HD) pass-through support.

Latest Kodi 18.5 app: https://mirrors.kodi.tv/nightlies/android/arm/master/

---

Add various gamepads support

• Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Elite controllers
• Sony USB DS3 and DS4 controllers
• Switch joycon and pro controllers
• Steam controller(also need to use the Steam app)
• Shield controller

---

Fix Home button on airmouses, USB remotes

• Long press to see All apps screen
• Single press to return to Android Homescreen
• Double press for Recent apps
  – Long press OK/DPAD_Center to close selected app window.
  – Long press back button to close all recent apps

---

Wifi

• Add Wifi connect button on wifi password enter screen to be easily clicked with a mouse, airmouse to setup wifi without using the onscreen keyboard
• General Wifi improvements
• Fix ethernet stops/disconnects sometimes bug
• Spoof ethernet as wifi connection
  – This fixes some games like Asphalt that only work over wifi connections to also work if only using an ethernet connection

---

• Fix Youtube VP9 videos freezing sometimes bug
• Change frame-buffer to 1080p, 320DPI
• Set HDMI Bitstream as default audio device.
• Add support for 192kbps FLAC audio support
• Add Shutdown menu to TvSettings - About Screen
• Fix some apps running sideways to always run in landscape
• Add some default Ad-blocker list to block some ads on websites
• Add some extra apps.
  Use MiXplorer File Manager(Samba v2 addon included) if wanting to access Samba v2.
  Some other file managers only use Samba v1 which has less than half of the network performance of Samba v2.0. Kodi 18 also uses Samba v2 so you can use that to setup your network shares if playing high bit-rate videos over ethernet to get the best network speed.

• Fixed Google Play Store new layout to use the top Apps/Games/Updates/Settings menu correctly. Seems it’s a server side switch by Google and not everyone gets updated to the new layout.
• Removed additional stock apps not needed
• Changed DPI to 320 for a better AndroidTV experience
• Updated to latest video codecs
• Added some extra HDMI CEC properties. Hope it can fix the not working after resume issue.
• Add AppDrawer icon
• Updated to the latest Magisk Manager
  Patch your boot.img and then click 5 times on build Info under the About menu to activate Developer Options. In Developer Options choose Flash image and select the /Download/magisk_patched.img and then select the boot partition. Restart your device for Magisk to work.
  Or you can boot to TWRP Recovery and flash the Magisk.zip file
• Add RefreshRate switching for any app
• Add KeyMapper application
  This is an open-source app, Check the AppDrawer to open it.
  You can map the power off menu, screenshot and Google Assistant(if you have a voice button on your airmouse)
• Add CetusPlay server app so you can use your phone as a remote control for AndroidTV.
  Install the client app on your phone - https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ay.remotephone
• Add Kodi and Nova Video Player app preinstalled.
  Nova is a very decent video player app with poster art, subtitle download, network playback, auto frame-rate switching and audio passthrough and works better than VLC & MXPlayer. Check the useful guide to use it optimally.
• Nova now supports 10-Bit H265 video playback on Rockchip devices
• Also supports 10-Bit H264 software decoding used by Anime videos.
  (1080p support still wip)
• Improved auto frame-rate switching accuracy and removed unused resolutions.
  * Youtube Vanced login support added so you don’t have to use the rooted versions.
• You must install the MicroG and Youtube Vanced app to be able to login.
  (Youtube Vanced gives a phone layout without ads compared to SmartYoutubeTV that has an AndroidTV layout)
  https://vancedtube.com/non-root/
• Decreased animation time by 50% for AndroidTV.
  Should be a lot snappier now.
• Fixed slow AndroidUI on every boot caused by fractional frame-rates

Download Link: Here
Pass: mvr9
Use 7z to unzip and FactoryTool v1.68e Restore option to flash
Boot image required for Magisk: Here


Use at your own risk.
Make sure you have a backup or your stock firmware and know how to use MaskROM Mode and short the correct pins.
Oreo firmware was reported to not work on some DDR3 devices since the MVR9 device uses DDR4 RAM.
(I bricked my devices 9 or 10 times before I got the final firmware working correctly, but it works now on MVR9 devices with DDR4)

[mo123]

Some guides for better use

To use RefreshRate app

• Go to TvSettings - Device Preferences - Accessibility options and enable it’s service.
  
  

• You need to change an additional setting to use it, Display over other apps
  
  

Once done, you can set the OSD shortcut key


Every time you press this key, it will bring up a menu to change the refresh rate, you can choose.
So map it to a key you will never use for typing.
You can also enable the numeric pad then you can press 1-9 to change the refresh rate easier if you remember which one it is.


Netflix/Amazon Prime US shows are mostly 23.976fps, AU/UK/EU countries shows are usually 50hz.
If you use a local paid streaming IPTV app, then you can also change the frame-rate to 50hz in most cases. Videos and streams will play much smoother without judder if played at the correct frame-rate.

MiXplorer

• To see hidden files and folders
  
  then enable the top 2 items
  

Nova Video Player
This is a very good open-source video player for Rockchip devices, better than VLC and MXPlayer.

• It supports poster art, show information
• Subtitle downloads
• AC3/DTS Passthrough
• Auto frame-rate switching
• 10-Bit 4K H265. 10-Bit 720p H264 playback support for Rockchip devices
• Network, external storage playback
• Very fast and easy to use, sometimes I prefer it over Kodi to quickly play something.
  The developer is also open to suggestions for new features to add.

To enable Passthrough and frame-rate switching, enable these 2 options


Kodi
To enable frame-rate switching

• Enable Adjust display refresh rate and set it to On Start/Stop
  
  In Settings - System - Display - Whitelist, enable the resolutions supported by your display
  
  To enable passthrough
  Set the codecs your device supports here under System - Audio
  

Useful Android Shortcuts

• Long press the Home button on your remote to see the All Apps screen
• Double press the Home button to see all your Recent apps
  **Long press OK/DPAD_Center on an app window to close it
  ** Long press Back to close all apps in the Recent apps screen.

How to root with Magisk

1. Copy the boot.img to a USB drive and connect to your device or download it directly with a web browser(eg. Lightning or Chrome) on the MVR9.
2. Use Magisk Manager to patch this boot.img

Flash the patched_magisk.img

1. Go to About - Click 7 times on build info to enable Developer Options

Inside Developer Options - Choose ‘Select Image to Flash’

Then select the patched_magisk.boot.img - Works well if you use MiXplorer interface

Then select boot partition and OK.



In a few seconds it will be flashed and you can restart your device and will have Magisk root.


To use Netflix
Download the latest Netflix app from the APKPure store app on the device

https://apkpure.com/netflix/com.netflix.mediaclient

[jcabad66]

Thank you very much for your work.
Will this work in A5X MAX?

[mo123]

I have no idea since I don't have such a device.
If you know how to enter MaskROM Mode and have a backup of your stock firmware, you could perhaps try or wait until others try.
I take no responsibility if people brick their devices and have no backup of their stock firmware or don't know how to short pins to enter MaskROM Mode.

[jcabad66]

OK.
I will try as soon as possible and will let you know.

[jcabad66]

I have managed to install in A5X MAX, and it works, but has several problems that makes a limited use of it.
Until now I have discovered:
1.- Bluetooth does not work
2.- There is no SPDIF audio output.
3.- It does not reboot (always go to off)
4.- Even after installing TWRP it is impossible to reboot to TWRP (I think this is due to point 3)

May be more problems

[mo123]

Bluetooth won't work on other devices since it needs lots of changes all over the firmware. I had to spend a week to get bluetooth working on my device and change a lot of things. Default audio is set to HDMI Bitstream, you can try to change it to SPDIF in audio settings. You will need Android Pie TWRP, older Android versions won't work correctly with the new partitions.

[clarkss12]

Mo, you sold me. Is it still available for purchase??

[mo123]

You might try Amazon or Eb*y but I think it will be very difficult to get it now unfortunately.
I think all the cheap Amlogic devices with broken hardware and software that flooded the market ruined this device's feasibility.
People always want the cheapest devices even if they only cost $20.
This firmware really gives it new life, if only manufacturers released Pie 1-2 years ago RK3328 would have been a lot more successful.

[jcabad66]

Thank you mo123
By the way, do you know where can I get Pie TWRP?

[mo123]

Thank you mo123
By the way, do you know where can I get Pie TWRP?

You can built it from Rockchip's code on Github.
But TWRP brings other problems like you can't boot firmware from a micro-sd card or update firmware on emmc from micro-sd cards anymore which is possible with stock recovery.
TWRP recovery is only useful for root, but there is already Magisk support so it's not needed and for backups there is Titanium Backup that only backups your apps and data and can restore it on any device. You can also try https://f-droid.org/en/packages/dk.jens.backup/ to backup your apps and settings.
Restoring backups with TWRP will cause problems if there are preinstalled apps or firmwares have different partition sizes which is not a problem with these 2 apps.
You can also make a full backup of firmware on the device with AndroidTool backup instructions I posted several times on freaktab in the past and easily restore everything, all apps intact, search for backup Rockchip etc.

[jcabad66]

You can built it from Rockchip's code on Github.
But TWRP brings other problems like you can't boot firmware from a micro-sd card or update firmware on emmc from micro-sd cards anymore which is possible with stock recovery.
TWRP recovery is only useful for root, but there is already Magisk support so it's not needed and for backups there is Titanium Backup that only backups your apps and data and can restore it on any device. You can also try https://f-droid.org/en/packages/dk.jens.backup/ to backup your apps and settings.
Restoring backups with TWRP will cause problems if there are preinstalled apps or firmwares have different partition sizes which is not a problem with these 2 apps.
You can also make a full backup of firmware on the device with AndroidTool backup instructions I posted several times on freaktab in the past and easily restore everything, all apps intact, search for backup Rockchip etc.

Thank you very much

[mo123]

Anyone tested this app?

https://github.com/codefaktor/FTVLaunchX

It seems to make you use 4 other launchers they mention on AndroidTV, bypassing the default AndroidTV Pie launcher.
Could be very useful.

It was confirmed working on an Nvidia Shield but not working on a FireTV Cube.
I can only test it later tonight.
Let me know if it works and what launchers you use that support AndroidTV app banners then I can include it in the next firmware.
Might need to enable all permissions and Accessibility services for it to work correctly.

[mo123]

Updated v1.1 ROM released.

It's a pity only a single person tested the Android Pie ROM so far.

[trebor]

That you know of that is.....

[mo123]

And a few silent testers I'm grateful for

[trebor]

We will let you know if it wrong

[jcabad66]

Updated v1.1 ROM released.

It's a pity only a single person tested the Android Pie ROM so far.

Thank you very much. Downloading. I will test it tonight and will let you know what I see.
But as it has serious limitations in my A5X MAX I guess that I will have to go back to my 7.1.2 ROM after testing.

[jcabad66]

Downloaded and installed in my A5X MAX.
mo123 : I have found at least the same problems than with the previous version.
I am going to keep it installed about 2 hours, just in case you want me to test something.
Thank you for your work

[BartW]

Hi,
Can you tell me, does it work on RK3318?

[mo123]

Hi,
Can you tell me, does it work on RK3318?

No, only works on RK3328 devices.
I have no interest to make RK3318 ROM's and it would also be impossible to do so.