Custom built Intel Mini PC, considering android, but have questions.

[sawbones999]

Ok, so I have some experience now with android tv boxes. I've worked with a couple of different RK3188 devices, a couple of RK3288 devices(one of which I own), and Google's ADT-1(which I own). And now I have built an Intel Mini PC and am considering android as the OS.

First let me explain the setup. I was in a computer shop that sometimes has random parts laying around with no price and I found this mini itx board laying there and asked about the price. It is a D525MW (I looked up the specs before asking). It has onboard an atom d525 which is dual core plus hyper threading at 1.8ghz, has 2 laptop size DDR3 memory slots(which i had some extra 1gb sticks from a previous laptop upgrade), 2 SATA ports, graphics GMA3150, 2x ps/2 ports, serial, parallel ports, plenty of USB, air cooled(no fans), Ethernet onboard, 1 regular PCI slot, 1 mini PCI-E slot.

All said and done a pretty feature rich mini-itx board! So I asked the old man running the place and he says $10. Sounds like a great price to me because I have all the parts i need at home except a case(ram, hard drive, very small size PSU, etc).

I got it home and at first it didn't work. Turned on and got a grey screen. So i turned it off and cleared the BIOS and tried again and it worked! Only downside was only one SATA port worked. For $10 I can live with that.


What I didn't mention before is that I had recently found a Broadcom mini PCI-E Crystal HD decoder. So I put this into the box as well, because the idea was to use it for XBMC with the tv. I got Debian installed on it and everything is working except I need to recompile XBMC to support the Crystal HD decoder(model BCM700012). I found that in a box that was in storage and honestly forgot even ordering it. I suppose I ordered it for one of my old netbooks.

Really, I think I'd rather run android on the thing but I have a couple of important questions. First are there android drivers for GMA3150 graphics? Second are there android drivers for the Broadcom Crystal HD decoder. Third, does android support hyper threading? Number three is less important than the first two.

Currently it's setup with 2GB RAM, 120GB SATA HDD, and since I don't have a proper case for the thing I stuck it all into a box for a linksys e2500, cut some holes on each end for air flow for the PSU fan, and for access to all the cable for power, USB, VGA, etc. And taped the top shut. Thus I have created the poor man's mini pc in a cardboard box.

I also tested it with a card I have which turns 1 vertical PCI slot into 2 horizontal ones(a riser card). This works, but seems slow, and a card in the bottom horizontal slot would be directly on top of the CPU heatsink. So, not currently planning to use this.

If anyone has information or experience of my 3 questions, I'd love to hear the answers! Thanks, all, and cheers!

-SB

[sawbones999]

Also, about the non working SATA port, I plan to try reflashing the BIOS or updating it. I've had good luck with fixes like that in the past. If there is no physical damage then issue may lie in BIOS corruption. I've seen it work before.

Cheers,
-SB

[sawbones999]

I can't seem to find specific reference to Crystal HD support in android, but does anyone think that the open source driver could be compiled against android kernel sources and used in that way? With ffmpeg and/or XBMC compiled on android with Crystal HD support enabled?

Cheers,
-SB

[TerryH]

Third, does android support hyper threading?

-SB

Hyperthreading is SMP (Symetric Multi-processor), which is supported in the Android kernel (since 3.0).

[sawbones999]

Thanks. I spent some time trying the androidx86 projects 4.4-r2 release earlier. Runs well, but I went ahead and installed Windows 7 so that I could definitely use the Crystal HD decoder. Now I just need to find a copy of kodi-helix-14.0-alpha2, which would be the last helix release which included Crystal HD support.

The latest compiled binaries on their site are betas :-/

Cheers,
-SB

[sawbones999]

Turns out the one SATA port isn't the only thing not working on that board. A couple USB ports are also out and the onboard audio, too. Luckily I had an extra USB sound blaster live 24 bit laying around, not in use.

I already installed the Crystal HD drivers and tested it with flash on YouTube. Looks pretty decent. I just hope I can get my hands on one of the early helix alphas. I don't really want to go back to Gotham, but i suppose I will if it's absolutely necessary.

Cheers,
-SB

[grant2258]

Check the fuses on board it will probably be that or a regulator that's gone south. Google should find you the kodi alpha your after

[sawbones999]

That's a good suggestion. I will look around on the board for voltage regulators. I'm worried that it's possibly something a little harder to find like a bad diode, a fried chip, bad board trace, or a capacitor which had gone bad but isn't visibly leaking or swollen.

When you say fuses do you mean something tiny and surface mount. I'm not sure what that would look like. I'm pretty sure that there aren't any obvious fuses like the mini ones inside glass.

And if it's a capacitor, I can check continuity, but I'm not even sure how to check capacitance.

If it's a trace that burnt out, I know that sometimes they are visible. I have replaced visibly burnt traces before by following them from point to point and soldering in a tiny wire to replace it.

I'll look around on the board for any brown spots or solder joints that look like there been hot or loose(maybe cold joint).

It's still usable as is, so if I can't figure out the hardware issues it's not a huge deal. It was only a $10 piece of hardware that I bought as a toy for myself.

About XBMC, I have googled and googled but haven't turned up any actual installable packages yet. I've found pages about it which link to the kodi source tree where the alpha build no longer exists. I've also found a video about how to install that specific version but without links.

I may have to join the kodi forum to beg and plead there. Surely one of the devs would have an archive of the builds. At least i hope

Cheers,
-SB

[scooter2014]

That's the fun fixing old boards had a main board no keyboard would work trial error finally found a back capacitor was able to use it for my daughter's pc 😆

But man I really have to get rid of all my spare parts. Some day I may die and they may never find my body😂

[sawbones999]

That's the fun fixing old boards had a main board no keyboard would work trial error finally found a back capacitor was able to use it for my daughter's pc 😆

But man I really have to get rid of all my spare parts. Some day I may die and they may never find my body😂

Lol, I'm in the same boat. I have a basement full of old computers, old electronics, and spare parts, yet I can't stop myself from accepting free old hardware and buying more when I find a good deal, or if I find something unique that would be fun to play with.

Lately I really want to buy an ultrasparc t1 based server, just because of the novelty and unique qualities of the architecture. Right now the prices are really low, too.

All of my older sparc stations, which I probably paid less than $50 for 10 years ago are going for over $200 on ****. Original MSRP over $5K.

Game systems, too. I bought my dreamcast for like $20 and now the price is up again. Even more so my original NES and Atari 2600.

It's a curse and a gift at the same time, because i learn so much, but how much is applicable in everyday life?

Cheers,
-SB

[cappybob]

That's the fun fixing old boards had a main board no keyboard would work trial error finally found a back capacitor was able to use it for my daughter's pc ��

But man I really have to get rid of all my spare parts. Some day I may die and they may never find my body��

Like this another person with the same problem, except I changed over to mini's, set tops and dongles to save space. I have an all in one which may need a rockchip update....

----cappybob