XBMC / Kodi on Linux/RK3288

[RISCy Dude]

MAC_L1's bits can run on 15.04. As per his manual install instructions, the parameter file of 15.04 will need to be modded(simple change) before flashing. MACHYBRIS AND MACKODI are installed through 15.04's native package manager after booting in to 15.04. As far as a more recent Kodi, I have not tried yet.

[MAC_L1]

ADDED 2015/10/13: JUST ANOTHER WAY TO DISABLE FBCON
C) You can also try my fbconify script on github (https://github.com/mac-l1/fbconify.git). Should be able to update both bootable SD cards and internal flash partitions. Run from a terminal started on your rockchip device. Works at least on my firefly.

[1coyote]

MAC_L1's bits can run on 15.04. As per his manual install instructions, the parameter file of 15.04 will need to be modded(simple change) before flashing. MACHYBRIS AND MACKODI are installed through 15.04's native package manager after booting in to 15.04. As far as a more recent Kodi, I have not tried yet.

I use the windows-based AndroidTool (v2.3) to install Mac's images via the parameter.linux file:

FIRMWARE_VER:4.4.2
MACHINE_MODEL:rk30sdk
MACHINE_ID:007
MANUFACTURER:RK30SDK
MAGIC: 0x5041524B
ATAG: 0x60000800
MACHINE: 3066
CHECK_MASK: 0x80
PWR_HLD: 0,0,A,0,1
#KERNEL_IMG: 0x62008000
#FDT_NAME: rk-kernel.dtb
#RECOVER_KEY: 1,1,0,20,0
CMDLINE:fbcon=vc:64-63 console=ttyFIQ0,115200 root=/dev/block/mtd/by-name/linuxroot rw rootfstype=ext4 init=/sbin/init initrd=0x62000000,0x00800000 mtdparts=rk29xxnand:0x00008000@0x00002000(resource ),0x00008000@0x0000A000(boot),0x00002000@0x0001200 0(misc),0x0001a000@0x00014000(backup),-@0x00036000(linuxroot)
#,0x00008000@0x0002e000(kernel)

So how do modify this file to get the Ubuntu 15.04 image? All the images downloaded from Mac's site (boot.img, boot_linux.img, kernel.img, linuxroot.img, etc.) are based upon 14.10 (for the UT3S). There is something I'm missing here to get the 15.04 onto the UT3S from which I can then install MACHYBRIS AND MACKOD.

I had earlier tried to update Mac's 14.10 image to 15.04 via the usual ubuntu route, but the whole thing broke and I had to reflash all Mac's origina images. I assumed the Mac_L1 kernel could not support any Ubuntu or Kodi upgrades.

[RISCy Dude]

New info...Well, from the post above, MAC_L1 has graciously created a script to do this on running 15.04, whether resident install or SD boot 15.04. I look forward to trying it tonight.
Otherwise, I'm sorry, I did not make this very clear.
You will be using the Ugoos official 15.04 package, not MAC_L1's. But before flashing, go in to the package(zip file) and mod the parameter.linux file to include the, "fbcon=vc:64-63", as the first entry after "CMDLINE:". It will look like the example you posted. Save the file and flash the box. Once booted, download MAC_L1's MACHYBRIS and MACKODI. Install MACHYBRIS and reboot. Now install MACKODI and it should work. Let us know how it goes. Good luck.

[1coyote]

Hey RISCy, thanks for the quick update and clarifications! I am trying them out as we speak and will edit this post with progress...

The 'Ugoos 3288 Devices' FreakTab site must have been changed and no longer has the stickies with the semi-official Linux images. Went to the Ugoos site and there were only the dual boot 15.04/Android images. So assuming this is where I must start and delete Android partition later.

[RISCy Dude]

Hey RISCy, thanks for the quick update and clarifications! I am trying them out as we speak and will edit this post with progress...

The 'Ugoos 3288 Devices' FreakTab site must have been changed and no longer has the stickies with the semi-official Linux images. Went to the Ugoos site and there were only the dual boot 15.04/Android images. So assuming this is where I must start and delete Android partition later.

The dual-boot package allows for 3 types of installs, Dual-boot, Android only or Linux only. While in the Android tool, 1rst screen(tab), right click anywhere in the list,and select load configuration, then select the appropriate config file.
A PDF file is included in the package, it has the details describing which configuration file to use for each type of install.
I was unaware of the missing stickies, I think we need to ask the mods what happened to those threads.

[1coyote]

The dual-boot package allows for 3 types of installs, Dual-boot, Android only or Linux only. While in the Android tool, 1rst screen(tab), right click anywhere in the list,and select load configuration, then select the appropriate config file.

Duh. So I did that and continued with manual installs per steps 2, 3. However, the mackodi wget files were only for 14.x, none for 15.04. Thus the
"sudo dpkg -i mackodi*.deb" command failed. Does this mean we must wait for Mac to update his mackod downloads for Ubuntu 15.04?

The actual error message was: "dpkg-deb (subprocess): cannot copy archive member from 'mackodi-14.04-trusty-0.1.0_armhf.deb' to decompressor pipe: unexpected end of file or stream". Perhaps the error is with the file itself?

[RISCy Dude]

Duh. So I did that and continued with manual installs per steps 2, 3. However, the mackodi wget files were only for 14.x, none for 15.04. Thus the
"sudo dpkg -i mackodi*.deb" command failed. Does this mean we must wait for Mac to update his mackod downloads for Ubuntu 15.04?

The actual error message was: "dpkg-deb (subprocess): cannot copy archive member from 'mackodi-14.04-trusty-0.1.0_armhf.deb' to decompressor pipe: unexpected end of file or stream". Perhaps the error is with the file itself?

I have had this running on 15.04, so something did not go right. Did you get the right file for MACKODI,
wget http://mac-l1.com/mackodi-14.10-utopic-0.1.0_armhf.deb # only for ubuntu 14.10/utopic! This is the file that worked on 15.04, for me. .

[RISCy Dude]

For those trying MAC_L1's new script to disable the frame buffer. First off, it works on my Ugoos UT3 on SD Boot 15.04. Brilliant work MAC_L1.

I posted this on another thread, but wanted to post it here as well.....

For those that wonder if the frame buffer was actually disabled or want to check to see before installing MAC_L1's bits.....
Excerpt from a webpage.......
"Determine if framebuffer is being used

1. Run the following command from the shell: ls -l /dev/fb*

If the frame buffer is enabled, the above command will usually return/dev/fbX (X being a number; usually 0). For example: brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 0 Jan 12 16:25 /dev/fb0

OR

1. Run the following command from the shell: grep -i "frame buffer" /var/log/syslog

If the frame buffer is enabled is enabled, it should return something such as:

Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 160x64
fb0: inteldrmfb frame buffer device"

If you see a result that contains the info "64-63", you have succeeded, and should be good to install MAC_L1's MACHYBRIS and MACKODI.

Thanks again MAC_L1 for your excellent work.

A zip with a few screenshots SD boot 15.05 running Kodi on the UT3.

[1coyote]

I have had this running on 15.04, so something did not go right. Did you get the right file for MACKODI,
wget http://mac-l1.com/mackodi-14.10-utopic-0.1.0_armhf.deb # only for ubuntu 14.10/utopic! This is the file that worked on 15.04, for me. .

Well, that did it! For whatever reason, the mackodi-14.10-utopic worked where the 14.04 did not. What tweaks did Mac make to the Kodi code for repective Ubuntu releases? Idle curiosity. My next step will be to upgrade the Kodi 14.4 to Isengard - if for no other reason that the cool name.

Oh, and thanks for nudge to the site admin to restore the Ugoos stickies!

[RISCy Dude]

Well, that did it! For whatever reason, the mackodi-14.10-utopic worked where the 14.04 did not. What tweaks did Mac make to the Kodi code for repective Ubuntu releases? Idle curiosity. My next step will be to upgrade the Kodi 14.4 to Isengard - if for no other reason that the cool name.

Oh, and thanks for nudge to the site admin to restore the Ugoos stickies!

Glad you were successful. The other 14.10 MACKODI is for a different device, I don't know what makes them different. Updating to Isengard may or may not break MAC_L1's bits. Next you may want to try MAC_L1's latest goodie to make an SD boot version that can use his bits. When you get the card where you like, you could back up the image of the card and always get back by simply burning the card again. That way, if updating Kodi breaks it, it will be quick to get back to working.
Have fun!

[1coyote]

So, upgrading Kodi from 14 to 15 Isengard does not appear possible until Mac_L1 releases another mackodi build. The standard Kodi upgrade method using sudo add-apt-repository ppa:team-xbmc/ppa results in unmet and uninstallable dependencies.

This highlights an inherent limitation of ARM hardware which has tepid support for Linux and shifts too much Linux developement on the vendor and user communities. Many kudos to Mac, yourself, and many others who fill this void, but it ought not be this way. Otherwise good products become a hassle instead of a delight they were designed to be.

[RISCy Dude]

Hello MAC_L1.
Thank you for your continuing efforts.

[scooter2014]

maybe we can get some drop box links to sd cards loaded and fixed for various devices ugoos,ricomagic,minix, That would help alot who dont even know how to start this process.....

[RISCy Dude]

maybe we can get some drop box links to sd cards loaded and fixed for various devices ugoos,ricomagic,minix, That would help alot who dont even know how to start this process.....

Hello scooter2014, that would be helpful for sure. Until then, MAC_L1 has released a new script that makes this much easier to do. It installs Kodi Isengard on Ugoos' latest Linux, it works well in my limited testing. I used it on a card that was already running his previous bits. Tonight I will try from a blank card and confirm the process.

If anyone needs assistance in getting this to work, I will do my best to help. For anyone worried that it is difficult or who have little Linux experience, I have every confidence that they can do it.

I would up an SD card image for the UT3, but we are experiencing very slow upload speeds. Something I am trying to resolve with our ISP, but so far, they have not found a solution for the problem, or so they say. They claim they will resolve it soon, when that happens, I'll try to get an image up.
Until then, I will try to help anyone who wants it.
Best wishes.