NexLight Firmware

[cyber7]

This Firmware Topic is purely for the NexLight releases.
I you have any other release, please either (1)Create a new topic or (2)Post it on the changed Firmware topic.

I am looking into re-compiling the entire kernel and to do so, need some assistance in the steps to do so. So, please anyone with some advance knowledge regarding the steps to get a new firmware compiled, where to get the sources and tools needed, please be so kind as to assist.

Changelog NexLightV3b - 06/05/2016 - Download from Mega (258.6MB) :
Removed from /system/priv-app:

• Removed Contacts
• Removed cloudtv
• Removed Facebook
• Removed kodi152
• Removed netflix
• Removed Skype
• Removed Twitter
• Removed zhucongapk2 (ES File Explore - older releaser)

Removed from /system/app:

• Removed HoloSpiralWallpaper
• Removed AllApp
• Removed Calculator.
• Removed Calendar.
• Removed DualScreenApk.
• Removed RkApkinstaller
• Removed RkBoxVideoPlayer
• Removed RkExplorer
• Removed RKGameControlSettingV1.0.1
• Removed RkMusic
• Removed RKUpdateService
• Removed SoundRecorder
• Removed eHomeMediaCenter_box
• Removed GoogleEmail
• Removed Maps
• Removed Settings2
• Removed Youtube
• Removed SuperUser.
• Removed Camera2.
• Added ES File Explorer File Manager_v4.0.5

Removed from /system/bin:

• Removed copy_video.sh (/system/bin)
• kodi_copy_folder.sh (/system/bin)

CODE REMOVAL:

Removed installation of Kodi /boot/boot.img.unkrnl.dump/init.rk30board.rc

on property:init.svc.bootanim=stopped
start video_testcopy
start kodi_install

Removed after "on property:sys.boot_completed=1" in "/boot/boot.img.unkrnl.dump/init.rk30board.rc"

#preinstall kodi
service kodi_install /system/bin/kodi....sh
user root
group root
disable
oneshot
service video_install /system/bin/video....sh
user root
group root
disable
oneshot

Removed at end of file "/boot/boot.img.unkrnl.dump/init.rk30board.rc"

service video_testcopy /system/bin/copy_video.sh
user root
group root
disabled
oneshot

TWEAKS:

1. Tweaked the build.prop file to see if I can get Streaming improved.
2. Changed the System folder size from 1.5GB to 1GB.

Installation Notes:

• Install your own release/flavor of KODI

KODI guidelines:

• Please set your video display settings to your country's hertz. For example, if your country uses 50Hz, use HDMi mode of -50. This will get your video and audio to have a greater chance of being in-sync.
• Try to use LAN 1Gb/s or LOCAL media to minimise sync problems.
• If you messed up your KODI/SPMC/ZDMC settings reset with: Settings/App/SPMC/Clear Data
• KODI - Video Settings/Acceleration/(Surface) - Uncheck.
• To get KODI in sync, add 100ms delay on all audio.

Debugging notes:

• To clear logcat: "logcat -c"
• a. logcat = log display in realtime
• b. http://developer.android.com/tools/help/logcat.html
• To clear dmesg: "dmesg -c"
• a. dmesg = Driver Messages
• b. http://www.codeproject.com/Tips/8261...eless-Hardware

Firewall Settings using abd:
Get settings with:
/system/bin/getenforce

This will change the selinux to run in Permissive mode:

    echo "#!/system/bin/sh" > /system/su.d/permissive.sh
    echo "echo 0 > /sys/fs/selinux/enforce" >> /system/su.d/permissive.sh
    chmod 755 > /system/su.d/permissive.sh

reboot or run /system/su.d/permissive.sh to apply.

END OF CHANGELOG

I hope this first real light release will give you the same satisfaction you deserve running a TV Box. Yes, at this stage you are going to have to install your own software and yes, you are going to have to tweak it yourself, but YES, you will have a box deserving your data media streaming!
kind regards
cyber7 (aka Aubrey Kloppers; Cape Town; South Africa

[cyber7]

=== Placemark ===

This will be used to describe step-by-step how to build a complete new OS on this platform.

[cyber7]

=== Placemark 2 ===

This will be used to answer any questions arising from this, and subsequent OS builds.

[cyber7]

Step-by-step installation guide to flash new firmware. (Windows 10)

What you need:

1. A USB2USB cable - Some printers use these and they have 2 USB-A connectors on them. Have a look at step 2 how to make your own here: www.cyber7.co.za
2. DriverAssistant_v3.4 - Extract with 7zip and run DriverInstall.exe - Get it from HERE.
3. Rockchip Batch Tools - Extract with 7zip (on desktop for example) - Get it from HERE.
4. A workable flash image - Use the original 20160315 firmware, make sure you extract the archive and put is somewhere you can find it later, or use my image above for the fastest possible device.

Steps:

1. Connect your USB2USB cable to your PC.
2. Unplug EVERYTHING from your Z68. You could leave ONLY your HDMI cable plugged into your Z68.
3. Flip your Z68 over and insert a paperclip or a toothpick into the reset hole (a tiny hole in the bottom of the Z68) and hold it in.
4. Connect your USB2USB cable into the Z68 USB/OTG USB slot.

Now if you did everything as I specified, you will hear a "ti-ding" sound on your PC and if you open your Device Manager you will see a "Android ADB Interface" listed:

Here follows the actual flashing steps:

1. Open the Rockchip Batch Tool executable extracted on your desktop.
2. Click the "..." option at "FW Path:" and choose the firmware you downloaded and extracted. (In this case "update_zx_20160309.img") The program will say "Loading firmware" and after a while "Loading firmware Finished."
3. Click on "Upgrade" and you will see the green "Connected Devices" start flashing yellow and some stuff happens in the center of the screen:
4. Once completed, the program will show a green line in the display with the words "Upgrade Done Success". The "Connected Devices will turn grey and the Z68 will start initializing.

I hope you find this helpful. If you get a failure of any kind, check your steps. If the driver fails, use the DriverAssistant Tool, uninstall the driver and re-install. Start all over again.

Example of failure:




kind regards
cyber7

[ghanashyaml]

One of the best instructions and descriptions of changes!! Will help many folks out here...👍

[Stzo]

Hi Cyber7,

I guess, you mean Z68 in the upgrade instructions, and Z64 is written accidentally only. If so, please correct it. For others: if accidentally pressing "Restore" instead of "Upgrade", only the Android system will be replaced, kernel and other resources remain the same.
Regards, STZO

[cyber7]

Hi Cyber7,

I guess, you mean Z68 in the upgrade instructions, and Z64 is written accidentally only. If so, please correct it. For others: if accidentally pressing "Restore" instead of "Upgrade", only the Android system will be replaced, kernel and other resources remain the same.
Regards, STZO

Thanx Stzo! Done and done

I see you are quite active all over the RK3368 devices. Have you compiled a Firmware from fresh? If so, what were the steps? Maybe mo123 can answer this?

[Stzo]

Thanx Stzo! Done and done

I see you are quite active all over the RK3368 devices. Have you compiled a Firmware from fresh? If so, what were the steps? Maybe mo123 can answer this?

Compiling a firmware from source code needs a lot of pre-studies, you have to get familiar with both the Linux and the Android software development skills, so this job is beyond a softwre fan's capabilities. That's why neither I did try to do that.
Regards, STZO

[grok]

cyber did you include any Launcher in this build? I am using your's Zidoo box build you posted a few weeks ago and pretty much happy with that. NO heat issues also.. Are you planning to continue zidoo builds?

[ontherocks]

This is the fastest, cleanest & most stable Z68 ROM. Anyone who doesn't care about bitstreaming, this is the ROM to use.

[jmatteis]

Quick question, you mention settings for KODI and TV hertz settings. If I install the latest Kodi from the Play store (is that included in the 3b release still), will this all be set up automatically? Also, with all the stuff you removed, if there are certain items that we wish to have still, can we install them separately, like Netflix, browser, etc? I am assuming by you stripping down the ROM, it was to get rid of all the unnecessary Android PHONE type apps, and things we'd never need for a TV experience, correct?
Also, with any of these releases, is it possible to get the MBOX type home launcher to work? I like the look of the 5.1 launcher for the MBOX, but when I have tried to install the APK via ES File Explorer, it fails, assuming, because it wasn't designed for this Rockchip processor?
Sorry for all the questions, still learning, and there are some skilled and knowledgeable people in here!

This is the fastest, cleanest & most stable Z68 ROM. Anyone who doesn't care about bitstreaming, this is the ROM to use.

Again, sorry, NOOB question, but what is the takeaway, bitstreaming in relation to audio? What would I be missing with this?

[Stzo]

This is the fastest, cleanest & most stable Z68 ROM. Anyone who doesn't care about bitstreaming, this is the ROM to use.

Hi ontherocks,

Actually, the latest nagrace derivative (v4) is still stable, and supprts both framerate changing and encoded 5.1 audio (DD, DTS) passthrough. The only "drawback" (besides the stock wallpaper) is the strange splash screen of that KODI, but it can also be replaced to your own one very easy.

[ontherocks]

Again, sorry, NOOB question, but what is the takeaway, bitstreaming in relation to audio? What would I be missing with this?

Explaining the NOOB way, don't get worked up....yeh yeh I know all this stuff.

Movies have multichannel compressed audio in them (DTS/DD/DD+/DTS HDMA/DD THD). Each channel has different data/information (i.e. audio) to give a immersive three dimensional audio experience.That's the way its intended to be watched.
If you don't have a 5.1/7.1 audio system, for e.g. you just have a TV that has two speakers (stereo system) or an audio system that has two speakers (stereo system) or two speakers plus a subwoofer (2.1 system), what would you do? No worries, the software player (e.g. Kodi) can downmix (i.e. convert) multichannel audio to 2 channels (i.e. stereo), so you can listen multichannel audio in the 2 or 2.1 system. No points for guessing that this comes at the cost of loss in audio data/information. If you have been watching movies this way, you are a happy man.

If you have a multichannel audio system, there are two possibilities.
1. The software player decodes the compressed multichannel audio and sends the audio signals to the audio receiver. The audio receiver just amplifies it and sends the signals to the speakers. This is lame, not much work for the audio system to do.
2. The software player sends the compressed audio as it is to the audio receiver. This process is called bitstreaming. The audio receiver then decodes the compressed audio, amplifies it, and sends the signals to the speakers. This is where the audio system is put to full use, the way it was designed to function.

Whats wrong with option #1? Well, the software player's decoder may "color" (i.e. alter/adulterate) the audio. So if you have OCD, you are doomed.
Option #2 just says, "Kodi, don't you dare touch the audio, just send the God damn thing to my receiver". My OCD alter ego smiles and says, this is pure bliss.

[Daximus]

Hi cyber7, I tried your Nexlight3a firmware on my Z68 box and it was nice and fast etc... but I could not enable the "users" option for Android (added the two lines to the build.prop file?).
Is there a way to have the Android Lollipop "users" option under settings with your firmware? (I have put STZO'a Nagrace v4 on the box and it does have users enabled... bitstreaming etc do not really matter for my particular use case as a mini PC for the kids running office/web and printing service etc)... Thanks in advance. Daximus

[cyber7]

Hi cyber7, I tried your Nexlight3a firmware on my Z68 box and it was nice and fast etc... but I could not enable the "users" option for Android (added the two lines to the build.prop file?).
Is there a way to have the Android Lollipop "users" option under settings with your firmware? (I have put STZO'a Nagrace v4 on the box and it does have users enabled... bitstreaming etc do not really matter for my particular use case as a mini PC for the kids running office/web and printing service etc)... Thanks in advance. Daximus

Hi Daximus I believe this to be a difference between 5.1 and 5.1.1 Maybe Stzo can shed more light on this (the differences)?