Trying to find HD18 2.22 A12 V1.1 stock firmware

[redwatty]

I recently soft bricked a HD18 2.22 box, I was given 2 of these boxes but have been unsuccessful in trying to find the original supplier to get a stock firmware. The splash logo was for media revolution but I do not think they have a website and I cant find a firmware anywhere. I wanted to try the acemax firmware but the unfortunately the links dead.

I flashed both the boxes with the J1nx 2.2 beta. One of the boxes worked perfect but the other had no wifi although the wifi had been fine previously in android.

I then (for some stupid reason I'm still kicking myself for) tried flashing the matricom 1.2 firmware which finished with a couple of errors and left me with a doorstop.

I have tried creating the magic SD with various images and also tried using the nand scrubber to no avail. Also tried a few other methods. I have tried class 10 sdcards and using the tools with them in my computer internally and also externally through a digi camera. I even went as far as changing the aml file to see if I could get it to boot off a USB instead, did not work either.

I have been through the processes again trying different things but can not seem to get the box to boot into recovery.

I noticed the board has A12 V1.1 on it as well, and a chip has what I think is M logo with a halo around it. Similar to the media revolution logo.

Any ideas for me to try or is it toast? a link to the acemax firmware that I could try would be greatly appreciated.

[fatfreddiescat]

Yours is a a different CPU memory board version compared to my MX2 but the mainboards look the same. I had a similar problem and ended up connecting via UART to debug, more here:

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?6025-Solution-for-stuck-in-Android-load-AML8726-MX-Dual-Core-TV-Box-Android-4-2-2/page30

[redwatty]

Ok that helps somewhat, guess I'm going to have to go the UART way then, looks abit complicated but I'll give it a shot.

[happygolucky]

Late to the thread, but I was looking for the stock firmware of the same box. I hope you realize that you have the older single core box, which looks like a Matricom G-Box Midnight clone. NOT the Matricom G-Box MX2 which is a newer dual core box. Flashing a dual core firmware onto a single core will only screw it up further.

To confirm you have a single core box and you're positive the 2 boxes you have are the exact same. Check this on the working box, goto the Settings>Media box Info on android and it should say F16REF(single core) or G18REF(dual core). You can also check Systems>Systems Info>Hardware on xbmc and it should say AMLOGIC MASON3 8726 for single core or look at the CPU usage %. If you only see a 'CPU 0' and no 'CPU 1' then it's a single core.

Here's a ported Linux XBMC firmware for the single core box. You won't have android anymore, but it'll run much better as a xbmc standalone.

Make sure you do a factory wipe and delete cache before flashing.

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=192034

[redwatty]

Late to the thread, but I was looking for the stock firmware of the same box. I hope you realize that you have the older single core box, which looks like a Matricom G-Box Midnight clone. NOT the Matricom G-Box MX2 which is a newer dual core box. Flashing a dual core firmware onto a single core will only screw it up further.

To confirm you have a single core box. Goto the Settings>Media box Info on android and it should say F16REF(single core) or G18REF(dual core). You can also check Systems>Systems Info>Hardware on xbmc and it should say AMLOGIC MASON3 8726 for single core or look at the CPU usage %. If you only see a 'CPU 0' and no 'CPU 1' then it's a single core.

Here's a ported Linux XBMC firmware for the single core box. You won't have android anymore, but it'll run much better as a xbmc standalone. http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=192034

Yeah its the single core version, the gbox_2.+_beta2.zip seems to work fine on it though. But yeah think I really screwed it up with the matricom image. I have contacted Acemax to see if they will put a new link up for the firmware. I still can not get into recovery, I even tried CWM but was a no go so just waiting on the UART lead to see if I can recover it or not.

Thanx for the link to them builds though, if I get the box up and running I'll try them out.

[redwatty]

Unfortunately I cannot connect through UART. The putty command window opens but when I plug in the power holding down the reset button I get nothing, just a blank command window that does nothing and that cannot be typed into. The drivers for the device installed correctly (usb to ttl) as COM5. Im presuming black is ground, red is live (not needed), white is Rx and green is Tx

I tried the Rx and Tx the opposite way around and still nothing. I'm not sure if I'm doing anything wrong or if the box is totally dead. Funny thing is the power button on the remote can still switch it to red and blue light.

Also Acemax got back to me about IPTV 18 Firmware and gave me a link to this firmware for the GBox https://mega.co.nz/#!Mg0hiKjK!JJeYAZ...ZtR1PKsdskqKPU

[fatfreddiescat]

Unfortunately I cannot connect through UART. The putty command window opens but when I plug in the power holding down the reset button I get nothing, just a blank command window that does nothing and that cannot be typed into. The drivers for the device installed correctly (usb to ttl) as COM5. Im presuming black is ground, red is live (not needed), white is Rx and green is Tx

I tried the Rx and Tx the opposite way around and still nothing. I'm not sure if I'm doing anything wrong or if the box is totally dead. Funny thing is the power button on the remote can still switch it to red and blue light.

Also Acemax got back to me about IPTV 18 Firmware and gave me a link to this firmware for the GBox https://mega.co.nz/#!Mg0hiKjK!JJeYAZ...ZtR1PKsdskqKPU

Could you upload a pic of how your making the connection to the board?

[redwatty]

Could you upload a pic of how your making the connection to the board?

I'm using the USB to TTL lead then soldering black to ground, white to Rx and green to TX (also tried switching green and white).

The drivers are installed and it shows up in device manager. I open putty enter the com number and set speed to 115200 and connect.

A command prompt window opens with a solid green cursor. You cannot type here. I then power on the device holding the reset switch and nothing happens. No feedback at all. I have a SDCard in the device with the gbox U-Boot on.

I'm about to give up on this box, I just don't understand why I'm getting nothing back using the JTag, surely there should be something, I,ve desoldered and resoldered them and the same result.

[hsia]

you can use toothpick methord to do reflah....

I'm using the USB to TTL lead then soldering black to ground, white to Rx and green to TX (also tried switching green and white).

The drivers are installed and it shows up in device manager. I open putty enter the com number and set speed to 115200 and connect.

A command prompt window opens with a solid green cursor. You cannot type here. I then power on the device holding the reset switch and nothing happens. No feedback at all. I have a SDCard in the device with the gbox U-Boot on.

I'm about to give up on this box, I just don't understand why I'm getting nothing back using the JTag, surely there should be something, I,ve desoldered and resoldered them and the same result.

[redwatty]

you can use toothpick methord to do reflah....

tried it over and over again with all different suggestions and various ways to make the card card and various firmwares etc. thats why I was trying the UART method.

Ive accidently tried flashing a dual core firmware to a single core so think it is totally dead.

[fatfreddiescat]

tried it over and over again with all different suggestions and various ways to make the card card and various firmwares etc. thats why I was trying the UART method.

Ive accidently tried flashing a dual core firmware to a single core so think it is totally dead.

I still think that you should see something from it, just to check your UART, are you connecting the black wire to the square pad, pad next to it N/C, then Rx and Tx to the other two?

Another thought is that you have a duff Serial - USB interface.

I would be happy to try on mine if you want to post it over to me, although I am away nxt week but could look at it when I get back.

[redwatty]

I still think that you should see something from it, just to check your UART, are you connecting the black wire to the square pad, pad next to it N/C, then Rx and Tx to the other two?

Another thought is that you have a duff Serial - USB interface.

I would be happy to try on mine if you want to post it over to me, although I am away nxt week but could look at it when I get back.

Yeah I'm connecting it right, think it could be the USB to TTL lead or the fact I'm using x64 which was originally giving me driver problems. Took me awhile to get the driver to install and show the device in device manager.

I think I have stuffed it up now, last time I soldered to it I accidentally knocked the pad off between Gnd and Tx (N/C) :/ I can send it accross no problems, just PM ya details and I appreciate the help. But I really think its a door stop now.