[ROM] OpenELEC for Amlogic-based TV boxes (M8, MXQ, TV110, MX2/G18)

[Kiralina]

@Codesnake, did this make sense / did you happen to find any option to disable CEC; or at least, CEC-power toggle?

Disabling CEC totally in Openelec would NOT be a nice feature at all. Having some toggle buttons yes, so people can disable it if they don't need it.

I, for one, would be "dead" without CEC. My player's remote doesn't work at all with Openelec and I hate using a wireless mouse when I'm on the couch watching a movie. I can even navigate recovery mode and perform actions in recovery using my TV's remote. I don't have a keyboard, nor do I intend to buy one. So, bottom line, CEC is good. Having some toggles for it under input methods in Kodi would be also nice, so people that can't configure CEC from their tv's settings could use them.

[wpb]

Disabling CEC totally in Openelec would NOT be a nice feature at all. Having some toggle buttons yes, so people can disable it if they don't need it.

Of course. I think you may have missed the most crucial part of the point, that it would be an "option" - my quote:

did you happen to find any option to disable CEC; or at least, CEC-power toggle?

You have to understand, there are a ton of people that do not want their XBMC boxes shutting-down when their TV's shutdown. There are also many people that don't want to have to power-on their box by physically walking-up to it. As long as Amlogic does not support CEC-power-wake, then there needs to be an *option* to disable. And the entire point of the post was to see if @Codesnake can find a way to access this capability to offer that option.

[Kiralina]

For now, I just power on and off the player using a remote activated power socket. I know, it's not the most elegant solution, but it is cheap and effective.

I'm also one of the happy ones that can configure CEC functions from the TV's settings menu.

[codesnake]

Of course. I think you may have missed the most crucial part of the point, that it would be an "option" - my quote:



You have to understand, there are a ton of people that do not want their XBMC boxes shutting-down when their TV's shutdown. There are also many people that don't want to have to power-on their box by physically walking-up to it. As long as Amlogic does not support CEC-power-wake, then there needs to be an *option* to disable. And the entire point of the post was to see if @Codesnake can find a way to access this capability to offer that option.

To be clear, I know how to access HDMI CEC capabilities and how to make them available in Kodi, I just don't have enough free time to do that now. You should udnerstand that this is spare time project. I'll do that when I have time, so asking often will not make this happen any faster.

[wpb]

For now, I just power on and off the player using a remote activated power socket. I know, it's not the most elegant solution, but it is cheap and effective.

Thanks, that's a great idea. What remote power-socket do you use, something that supports IR that you map you your remote? That would be a great workaround.

I'm also one of the happy ones that can configure CEC functions from the TV's settings menu.

My TV's (as with most that support CEC) support CEC enable/disable, but it's for all devices. Disabling CEC means disabling the AV receiver integration, unfortunately. But I really do like your remote workaround!

[smilez]

Yes, the only way to recover is to load matricom 1.1.5 (as it uses the old MTD) then reinstall OE. Is a bit of a pain in the ass but the latest builds seem to happen less.

There are heaps of mx variants. You need to be really careful which ones you purchase. I've been stung with a 1.1 mx unit which uses a g02ref board. This struggles to load any matricom firmware, and isn't compatible with any firmware kernels higher than 3.0. That's why OE 4.2.1+ won't load on these units. You can tell if you have one by the lights on the Ethernet port being at the top of the port and the SPDIF port being next to HDMI rather than AV. These are absolute piles of crap and wouldn't recommend them.

The other variants have the g18ref board. These are the 2.0, 2.2 and 2.2.1 and are in line with the g boxes. You shouldn't have any trouble installing openelec on these but different boards may have different bugs such as HDMI issues etc

u were right. i was on openelec with kodi it keeps on getting stuck on on openelec screen. then i tried the boot recovery installed 1.1.6 then installed openelec with gotham 13.2 then i would try to install openelec with kodi it will install and boot up fine. but when i turn it off then turn it back on it would get stuck on the openelec screen. i tried to wipe cache reset setting all that good stuff but it would always get stuck at the same screen after turning it on and off. started same process but with 1.1.5 and it worked. thanks!!!!!

[smilez]

I have had this issue repeatedly and also thought the cause might be turning the box off and on immediately after.
A while ago I tried a different install method.
Instead of installing Android 1.1.6 I used the bootloop recovery method described on the Matricom wiki before installing codesnake's openelec build.
Never had to recover again, and I really tried putting it down :-).
I still turn off the box with the ir remote and power on right away. Boots every time...

(Long story short: I think it might be the install method rather than hardware..)

so this is happening because of turning it off then turning it back on real fast????? I've installed with the boot loop before and i still had the freeze problem.

[Kiralina]

Thanks, that's a great idea. What remote power-socket do you use, something that supports IR that you map you your remote? That would be a great workaround.


My TV's (as with most that support CEC) support CEC enable/disable, but it's for all devices. Disabling CEC means disabling the AV receiver integration, unfortunately. But I really do like your remote workaround!

I use a radio frequency remote activated socket with 50m range. It has it's own small remote. This one is good for me since the player's power socket is not visible for IR. There are also on the market IR activated power sockets and you can configure any taste on your tv's remote to power them on and off.

This is my player's power setup.



It had 4 sockets included , so it's usable for more devices, if needed ,and the price was around 12 Euros.


You can also use the TV usb trick, but you need a cable that has on one end a usb and on the other the same type of connector as the player's power supply. Also, your TV has to be able to supply via usb enough power for the player to operate . Mine does (tried with a friend's cable) , but I don't yet have the cable. I have first to buy a secondary power supply for the player and then "make" my own cable. With this trick when you power on/off the tv you also power on/off your player.

[al8782]

so this is happening because of turning it off then turning it back on real fast????? I've installed with the boot loop before and i still had the freeze problem.

That's really the only time I have seen it happen. I have had an 100% success rate when I wait 30+ seconds before I turn it back on no.

[smilez]

That's really the only time I have seen it happen. I have had an 100% success rate when I wait 30+ seconds before I turn it back on no.

U mention that after u use the boot loop recovery, did u still wait 30 second to turn it back on??

[al8782]

U mention that after u use the boot loop recovery, did u still wait 30 second to turn it back on??

That was not me that uses the bootloop to load the boxes up. I only use the bootloop recovery to fix the frozen screen.

I actually use http://matricom.net/install-openelec-xbmc-g-box-mx2/

I use to install 1.1.6 then OpenELEC.

And with the G Box q they have a bug in there firmware that puts the M8 logo over top a movie when trying to watch it. Have a buddy that has two q boxes and that has happen on both. I fixed it for him with installing one of fitness builds first and then code's OpenELEC.

[IMFan]

U mention that after u use the boot loop recovery, did u still wait 30 second to turn it back on??

No.

[IMFan]

That was not me that uses the bootloop to load the boxes up. I only use the bootloop recovery to fix the frozen screen.

I actually use http://matricom.net/install-openelec-xbmc-g-box-mx2/

I use to install 1.1.6 then OpenELEC.

And with the G Box q they have a bug in there firmware that puts the M8 logo over top a movie when trying to watch it. Have a buddy that has two q boxes and that has happen on both. I fixed it for him with installing one of fitness builds first and then code's OpenELEC.

So..your most recent install method is effectively the same, as you are not installing Android, wether its 1.1.5 or 1.1.6. Which was my point actually..
But than again it could be all coincidence..

[IMFan]

so this is happening because of turning it off then turning it back on real fast????? I've installed with the boot loop before and i still had the freeze problem.

No, you are missing the point

[noosk]

That was not me that uses the bootloop to load the boxes up. I only use the bootloop recovery to fix the frozen screen.

I actually use http://matricom.net/install-openelec-xbmc-g-box-mx2/

I use to install 1.1.6 then OpenELEC.

And with the G Box q they have a bug in there firmware that puts the M8 logo over top a movie when trying to watch it. Have a buddy that has two q boxes and that has happen on both. I fixed it for him with installing one of fitness builds first and then code's OpenELEC.

No, I usually shut down for an extended period of time, eg overnight, yet this still happens. I've tried everything - installing 1.1.5 - 1.1.6 - OE 4.2.1 in different orders, cache wipes, re-formatting, there just seems to be some random, niggling issue with these OE builds running on the MX2 that (what I think) causes the boot partition to corrupt. This problem has been in all the releases and is just that one remaining, underlying issue that is tainting this otherwise excellent software.