[ROM] Unofficial OpenELEC for MK808B+ and MXQ

[Hercules Man]

Back on 6.0.0.2 everything is fine, The issue with the psu is the connector on the cable, it is slightly the wrong spec I think, not the socket on the MXQ. I used this box on 6.0.0.2 at my sisters on her psu and it does not have any connection issues. Still stable on 6.0.0.2. no shut downs so far and not expecting any. Next time I get the chance to test it on another psu with 6.0.1.1 I will, but im not holding my breath for any changes,

Thanks


H MAn

I left my box on overnight and it's still working fine on 6.0.0.2, no crashes, I cannot use 6.0.1.1. it doesn't work for me


H MAn

[kszaq]

Hercules Man Some reasons why 6.0.1.1 may not work for you:

• In HD18Q build I changed device tree to match to one from V3 boxes.
• 6.0.1.1 has a bit higher power consumption (albeit only a little as reported by my crappy meter) because it uses interactive CPU governor (all 4 cores online all the time) and Mali Turbo mode

Things you can try:

• use MXQ build (replace remote.conf with this one to keep remote control functionality)
• revert to hotplug CPU governor by adding
  echo hotplug > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
  to autostart.sh

[Hercules Man]

Hercules Man Some reasons why 6.0.1.1 may not work for you:

• In HD18Q build I changed device tree to match to one from V3 boxes.
• 6.0.1.1 has a bit higher power consumption (albeit only a little as reported by my crappy meter) because it uses interactive CPU governor (all 4 cores online all the time) and Mali Turbo mode

Things you can try:

• use MXQ build (replace remote.conf with this one to keep remote control functionality)
• revert to hotplug CPU governor by adding
  echo hotplug > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
  to autostart.sh

I am actually on a V03 board so device tree should be ok?

Can I update with the OpenELEC-Amlogic.MXQ.arm-6.0.1.1.tar over the HD18q 6.0.0.2 build and what is the easiest way to update remote.conf and change the cpu governor. I am fairly new to MXQ and I would need some help in doing this if anyone could assist.

Many thanks for all your help.


H MAn

[kszaq]

I am actually on a V03 board so device tree should be ok?

Can I update with the OpenELEC-Amlogic.MXQ.arm-6.0.1.1.tar over the HD18q 6.0.0.2 build and what is the easiest way to update remote.conf and change the cpu governor. I am fairly new to MXQ and I would need some help in doing this if anyone could assist.

Many thanks for all your help.


H MAn

Yes, you can switch builds by simply putting tar file in Update folder. To replace remote.conf, download the file I linked and put it in Configuration folder. To switch governor, create a file named autostart.sh with the following content:
echo hotplug > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
Put this file in Configuration folder.

[PatrickJB]

Yes, you can switch builds by simply putting tar file in Update folder. To replace remote.conf, download the file I linked and put it in Configuration folder. To switch governor, create a file named autostart.sh with the following content:
echo hotplug > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
Put this file in Configuration folder.

I might add, as I discovered today, you need to tell kodi to display hidden folders in System / Appearance / File Lists. Yes I'm a bit thick! I worked out how to add the update tar to the .update folder! I've was playing around to see if 6.0.0.2 really did have a much lower cpu load and it did although I went back to 6.01.1 as the wifi and ethernet work better. I might apply the governor code and see how it goes. Video quality does seem slightly better on 6.01.1 but that might be my eyesight, I jest not!

@jed
I think the reason my kodi/system backup was causing problems was because I made the back up when the date was 1970 i.e. When my date wasn't updating over the web!

@K
I take it these changes can be undone by simply removing the files? And when a new version of Kodi is added to your build you have to do a complete install i.e. you need to keep a kodi/system back up on a card or stick to restore addons etc.

While I'm asking, is the SD card version as simple as it sounds to setup? If you boot the box without an SD card will it revert to always booting into Android or does it remember to always look for OE on the SD port? If I get a new box I may try that version, SD card, as it may well keep the power settings etc. I've actually given up on the idea of powered off usb ports unless Codesnake can add it somehow but from what you've said it all depends on the bootloader, which as we all know by now is dependent on having the original bootloader for the board. See I'm learning, slowly!!

EDIT: Changing the governor just made my system run with CPU2 at 0%The overall CPU load still runs much higher than on 6.0.0.2 is this because of the Mali Turbo mode?

[Hercules Man]

Yes, you can switch builds by simply putting tar file in Update folder. To replace remote.conf, download the file I linked and put it in Configuration folder. To switch governor, create a file named autostart.sh with the following content:
echo hotplug > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
Put this file in Configuration folder.

Hi kszaq, I have the 2 files now, autostart.sh and remote.conf. I found a folder in the dir called Configfiles, do I update with .tar and then put these 2 files in the Configfiles dir. I notice there is a folder also called rc_keymaps within the Configfiles dir. Sorry to sound thick but I'm a bit lost at this point. Do I update with the .tar and then where exactly do I copy the 2 files to, I cannot see a folder called Configuration, just configfiles.


Thanks


H MAn

[hockeycraze]

@kzsaq is there anyway to release a version of 6.0.1.1 with the same device tree as 5.0.8.20? on my box 5.0.8.20 had excellent wifi stability but 6.0.1.1 has an issue where there is no wifi after a hard reboot... thank you very much for your hard work for this community @kzsaq, much appreciated!

[felixob]

Well I don't know if this subject has been covered before (the post is too long). I'll try to explain it briefly (I am not english, I hope you could understand it).

I have a HD18Q device with openelec running on a sd card. I've been watching hd mkv files and they play perfect. I have a USB DVB-T dongle connected to watch TV channels and they also play perfect.
Then I tried watching a xvid (avi) file and found that the image had small stops perodically. I turned on codec info and found that there were 2 or 3 frames lost always every 10 seconds. I tried with other xvid files and the result was identical.
Then I decided to use kodi in android to watch those files and they play ok. So I looked for differences in the configuration and noticed that android kodi had 3 options for hardware acceleration (amcodec, libstagefreight and MediaCodec) while openelec kodi only had one (amcodec). If I disable libstagefreight and MediaCodec in android, the video playing starts loosing frames the same way that openelec.

I don't know if libstagefreight and MediaCodec accelerations are only possible in android, but the options don't appear in openelec.
As known issue of the openelec release it's said that '29.97 progressive videos may stutter' but those avi files are 23.97, like all the mkv files I watched. Maybe it's a problem of deinterlacing?

Anyway, I'm very happy with the device and with openelec, but I'd like to know the reason of this problem, even if it's a technical limitation.

Thanks.

[diamondandroid]

@kszaq

Hi there, I was redirected from another thread who suggested you may have a better idea on this Mxq build and hopefully a stable ROM?

Would be so grateful if you can help? Many thanks

[kszaq]

I might add, as I discovered today, you need to tell kodi to display hidden folders in System / Appearance / File Lists. Yes I'm a bit thick! I worked out how to add the update tar to the .update folder!

Why bother adding hidden folders and messing with Kodi when you can copy the files using Windows Explorer?

@K
I take it these changes can be undone by simply removing the files?

Correct.

While I'm asking, is the SD card version as simple as it sounds to setup? If you boot the box without an SD card will it revert to always booting into Android or does it remember to always look for OE on the SD port?

If you boot a box without SD card, it'll boot to whatever you have on NAND - you can have either Android or another instance of OpenELEC.

Hi kszaq, I have the 2 files now, autostart.sh and remote.conf. I found a folder in the dir called Configfiles, do I update with .tar and then put these 2 files in the Configfiles dir. I notice there is a folder also called rc_keymaps within the Configfiles dir. Sorry to sound thick but I'm a bit lost at this point. Do I update with the .tar and then where exactly do I copy the 2 files to, I cannot see a folder called Configuration, just configfiles.


Thanks


H MAn

You can find appropriate folders in Windows Explorer by entering \\OpenELEC in address bar (or \\box_ip_address in case it doesn't work).

@kzsaq is there anyway to release a version of 6.0.1.1 with the same device tree as 5.0.8.20? on my box 5.0.8.20 had excellent wifi stability but 6.0.1.1 has an issue where there is no wifi after a hard reboot... thank you very much for your hard work for this community @kzsaq, much appreciated!

In 5.0.8.20 I used a different kernel version and I don't intend to revert to it as newer kernel solved some issues we had. If you post logs before and after a reboot and tell us your hardware configuration. we might be able to help.

Well I don't know if this subject has been covered before (the post is too long). I'll try to explain it briefly (I am not english, I hope you could understand it).

I have a HD18Q device with openelec running on a sd card. I've been watching hd mkv files and they play perfect. I have a USB DVB-T dongle connected to watch TV channels and they also play perfect.
Then I tried watching a xvid (avi) file and found that the image had small stops perodically. I turned on codec info and found that there were 2 or 3 frames lost always every 10 seconds. I tried with other xvid files and the result was identical.
Then I decided to use kodi in android to watch those files and they play ok. So I looked for differences in the configuration and noticed that android kodi had 3 options for hardware acceleration (amcodec, libstagefreight and MediaCodec) while openelec kodi only had one (amcodec). If I disable libstagefreight and MediaCodec in android, the video playing starts loosing frames the same way that openelec.

I don't know if libstagefreight and MediaCodec accelerations are only possible in android, but the options don't appear in openelec.
As known issue of the openelec release it's said that '29.97 progressive videos may stutter' but those avi files are 23.97, like all the mkv files I watched. Maybe it's a problem of deinterlacing?

Anyway, I'm very happy with the device and with openelec, but I'd like to know the reason of this problem, even if it's a technical limitation.

Thanks.

MediaCodec and LibStagefright are Android libraries. There is no MediaCodec nor Stagefright in other Linux distributions (except maybe for some libhybris implementations where you can use Android libs) and Kodi in OpenELEC uses amcodec directly instead. Which release are you using? In 6.0.0.2 and 6.0.1.1 a new Mali drivers are used and they solve some XviD-related issues - mostly tearing but maybe your frame drops as well?

@kszaq

Hi there, I was redirected from another thread who suggested you may have a better idea on this Mxq build and hopefully a stable ROM?

Would be so grateful if you can help? Many thanks

Sorry, I don't understand what you are asking about.

[hockeycraze]

In 5.0.8.20 I used a different kernel version and I don't intend to revert to it as newer kernel solved some issues we had. If you post logs before and after a reboot and tell us your hardware configuration. we might be able to help.

how do i extract logs kszaq? hardware config is an all black ott mxq using hd18 rom.

[hockeycraze]

how do i extract logs kszaq? hardware config is an all black ott mxq using hd18 rom.

never mind, i have found out how to extract the logs: file attached

[hockeycraze]

never mind, i have found out how to extract the logs: file attached

possibly more relevant logs attached in this post, includes several bootups where wifi works and does not work, seems to be random driver failure. removed usb wifi adaptor for clarity...

[kszaq]

hockeycraze Thank you for the logs. When you collect logs they don't include previous system runs, only a current one. Yet after comparing your first and second log I think I know what the issue may be. I'll try to make a test build for you today evening.

[jekkos]

kszaq sounds great! I'm facing similar issues and would be happy to test that new build. Will also post logs if needed.

Out of curiosity, what could be the issue here? I'm seeing following in his latest logs

[ 176.109359@3] RTL871X: rtw_set_ps_mode(wlan0) Enter 802.11 power save - WIFI-TRAFFIC_IDLE
[ 176.109376@3] RTL871X: rtl8188e_set_FwPwrMode_cmd: Mode=1 SmartPS=2 UAPSD=0
[ 196.110400@3] RTL871X: rtw_set_ps_mode(wlan0) Leave 802.11 power save - WIFI-TRAFFIC_BUSY
[ 196.110480@3] RTL871X: rtl8188e_set_FwPwrMode_cmd: Mode=0 SmartPS=2 UAPSD=0
[ 198.109346@3] RTL871X: rtw_set_ps_mode(wlan0) Enter 802.11 power save - WIFI-TRAFFIC_IDLE

wifi hardware seems to be sleeping/waking up constantly. Could this be the issue here?