[ROM] Mecool M8S Pro TVStock Nexus ROM (Android TV 7.1)

[Novato]

Note: If you were one of the lucky folks to receive an M8S Pro with Widevine L1, I'd be interested to hear if this ROM allows you to run Netflix.

Changelog (20171116):

• Updated to latest M8S Pro L OEM firmware (20171109.180937.V0928)

Can I install this firmware stock manufacturer that you left available on the link in my M8S Pro or is this just for the M8S Pro L? Well now I have two M8S Pro and would like to put the latest firmware stock in it by the flash tool.

No, you'll need to install the one linked in the previous change log entry.

I suppose you could just pull the M8S Pro bootloader and use that with the latest M8S Pro L OEM release. That should work.

[Novato]

Sorry I did not quite understand what you said ... I would have to install an earlier version of the M8S Pro firmware, what would be the changes? Is it possible to do a mini step?

You just wanted to roll back to the latest OEM stock firmware for the M8S Pro, right? That was linked just below your quote with the M8S Pro L OEM link.

http://freaktab.org/c4497951a9afaa16

[Novato]

Thanks Guest !

[mirbg]

Magendanz, this rom just rocks! It's so far the most fluid version I've tried!
I have small question - how to activate power off icon on the home screen (the one next to app drawer , as it's shown in the first post)?

That's actually a feature of the TvSettings.apk in the underlying OEM firmware, one that VideoStrong didn't elect to implement in their latest revisions. I'm looking at porting it over from the Shiningworth All-in-One ROM, but it's a relatively low priority right now.

(Sorry, I do tend to recycle some of these screenshots just to save time.)

[mirbg]

I understand, thanks a lot for all great work you do! It will be great to see this in some of your next releases, together with working standby function (hope VS will resolve this soon)

[mirbg]

Magendanz, can you tell me where can I switch hdmi self adaption on?

You mean Settings->Display->Playback settings->HDMI self-adaption?

[mirbg]

Yes , but on your TVStock rom I can't see it...
Under Settings-Display i have only "Screen Resolution" and "Screen Position"

I am trying to figure out why I have frame skipping in 1080p videos. Like micro stuttering every 5-6- seconds - it's just not completely fluid playback.
In Netflix or Kodi I have this ptoblem. I tried booting in LibreELEC and there is no stutter at all. What could cause this issue in ATV?

Sorry, I was looking at the generic Nexus q201 ROM that I just released for the GT1, S92, Z6, TX9 and TX92. Apparently, the VideoStrong version of TvSettings.apk doesn't have this setting.

You can give this ROM a try on the M8S Pro, if you just want to test it. I've confirmed that it installs fine and functions pretty well, but I've got to tweak the device tree to restore Ethernet functionality. http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-...android-tv-7-1

[mirbg]

Thanks!
Can you give me some advise how to resolve the problem with frame skipping/stuttering on video playback?

Not really, no. In my experience, the M8S Pro and M8S Pro L are the smoothest boxes out there. I'm surprised you're seeing a video playback issue on them.

[mirbg]

Magendanz, when I play .mkv video on your TVStock V0928 rom via VLC I get terrible artifacts all over the screen until I switch from HW to SW decoding in the settings. Do you know why is this happening?

Sounds like an Amlogic codec issue, which would be present in the OEM firmware as well. If you can find updated libs from another box that don't exhibit the problem, I might be able to substitute those. I don't have source for the Amlogic codec, though, and so even if I had the time I couldn't troubleshoot and fix the root problem.

[Mindaugas]

Magendanz, when I play .mkv video on your TVStock V0928 rom via VLC I get terrible artifacts all over the screen until I switch from HW to SW decoding in the settings. Do you know why is this happening?

I found that problem on 'M8S Pro L' based firmwares, but on 'M8S Pro' firmwares video playback is smooth for me.

Have you tried the previous release or the latest OEM firmware? You should be able to find both archived here: http://freaktab.org/28~f

I haven't touched the Amlogic codecs, and so I suspect it's something that was introduced in the 20171109.180937.V0928 OEM release.

[Mindaugas]

No I haven`t. I use 20171103 TvStock firmware (based on VS M8S Pro) and i am happy with it. The only issue is that 'arrows bug', when device goes into deep sleep. Can it be, that the problem is with 'M8s Pro L' based firmwares somehow doesn`t work well in 'M8S Pro' ? Because i faced many issues (including artifacts on video playback) on 20170930 firmware as well.

[Novato]

This problem of the device turning off when activating deep sleep is quite annoying and suspicious. From what I've been checking, it's not just a device or the latest firmware. I can say that for now I have 3 Mecool of different dates, with firmwares of different dates sent by different stores, one M8S Pro from May, another from July is a M8S Pro + from September. They all have this restart problem after deep sleep, but the worst is when it turns off when I'm using the directional directional arrows.

I wonder if those ROMs that come in the devices are even stock or are "ShopROMs" and why Mecool continues to put a deep sleep option if it causes shutdown? I would also like to know from you Magendanz how you do to make flash firmware by PC since that device does not have the reset button as on my old device. Simply the button below the front does not work flash.

If a reset button isn't present on the device, I just open the case and short the pins on the PCB.

[eoquevedo]

Gonna try updating via OTA. I was one of the lucky Widevine L1 lol. Now Im running the original system and netflix mobile, wich runs HD but its interface is incompatible with the stock remote controller. I really dont care about netflix, I had a raspberry running OSMC and was happy with it, but my girlfriend watches netflix every night and nothing else. Wish me luck I'll post the results later.

Update 1: Guest , the OTA update link is broken , onedrive says its unavailable Nevermind, ive got this

Well I have tested this ROM for the last 3 days and ITS PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL AWESOME!! IPTV runs right away, Netflix in HD, every app from the store I installed worked ok. Even CEC that was not working in the factory ROM works now.

Now I can say I have Android TV

Guest as we say in Brazil "TU É O CARA" (you are the man)

Aw, shucks! Ain't nothing but a thang! :-)

[Novato]

Guest as we say in Brazil "TU É O CARA" (you are the man)

Magendanz is the Big Boss! Haha

[Novato]

About flash using the pins to be recognized by the PC, I find it somewhat laborious, so I will prefer to use the BootCardMaker, however I have a question ... The flash with MicroSD previously prepared by BootCardMaker is as effective as the one made by PRAÇA? Are all partitions re-written or just one system being played over the other?

When done correctly, using BootcardMaker should flash the same burn package (.img file) that would be flashed in USB Burning Tool. The problem is that it's not exactly as foolproof as the USB flashing method, and it can't be used for recovery in Mask ROM mode.