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

[scooter2014]

Ok my apologies to Magendanz. This is a Developers Thread. Everyone has posted about lots of items that are not related to his firmware. We will clean up this mess and put it back onto topic.

Any posts not firmware related will be removed shortly.

Best Regards

[mjedi7]

@Magendanz I just want to thank you for your great work with this ROM. Please keep improving it.

I’m from México, I ordered my Mecool M8S PRO+ 2Gb RAM 16GB a few days ago. Luckily my firmware was just before the ones with the faulty memory.

I just want to share my experience about this box from the few days I've been using it:

As soon as the package arrived, I downloaded your latest Nexus OTA update, formatted a SD card with exFAT, and tried to update with the original UPDATE app, doing the “wipe data” option, but didn’t work, it has to be FAT32, and rename the ZIP file (without extracting) to a short name preferably “upgrade.zip”.

Thanks to the Widevine L1 support, Netflix and YouTube play at 1080p, I have a 4K TV but I didn’t install it on that one, because this one is for a non SmartTV 1080p. And it’s connected to the Ethernet port.

My unit came with a very short AC adapter cable, so I added an extension so I can put the box over the top of the TV.

The first thing I did was install a File Manager, I love Total Commander on Windows, so I downloaded the Android version from APK Pure, at this point is very recommended to use a mouse, a wireless one worked for me.

I had trouble accessing a Windows share with Kodi. I workaround this giving the exact IP address instead of browsing for the share. This could be some kind of bug for version 17.4, IDK. I could access my Kodi shared library very easily trough UPNP.

For RetroArc, I used a Logitech USB joypad, for some reason when you start the app, If you click any button in the M8S Pro+ controller, the joypad stop working; so when RetroArch starts press any button in the joypad. If you have a fix for this, I will thank you a lot. Also before you start any ROM, go to settings, then Input, and look for the option to show the GUI, in my case I selected the L3+R3 button combination to show it, if you don’t do that you will be stuck at the loaded ROM, and you will be forced to use the regular controller to exit the App. If you use a keyboard just press F1.

To enable AirPlay for iPhones/iPads, AirPin Lite or PRO will add the functionality to the OS. This app will install a service. I have problems casting with the Youtube app in Android and iOS, never connects, no problems with iOS Airplay, even the mirror worked very good.

A big problem for me was that I installed a Kingston 4GB SD card and formatted as internal memory. After a while, Kodi stopped installing add-ons, some apps started to behave strange, or freezing. After so many frustrations I decided to remove it and reformat as external regular fat32 drive. It’s working fine now.

I found that if you click twice the home button in the controller, it brings something like a “task manager”.

Since my box is on top of the TV, I have to point the controller upwards, directly to the thing.

Speaking of the remote, to program the remote with your TV you have to press the SET button for like 5 seconds until the red light stops blinking, it's steady, then press the button you are going to program, like “VOL+”, then put the TV controller pointing to the receptor of your M8S Pro+, and then press the volume up, do the same with “VOL-“, “TV IN”, and “POWER”, finally press “SET” and you’re done. Here's a video demonstration,

The only thing this Android Box is missing is Bluetooth, that would make it almost perfect.

To stream torrents I use Ace Stream, load the torrent and then parses to an external Player like VLC, witch supports embedded subtitles, perfect for Anime lovers. I tried “PopcornTime”, “Stremio” and “Torrent Video Player”, they work great at streaming, but they lack subtitle support, if you don’t care for subtitles those are excellent streamers for torrents/magnets.

Check my Box

Great info here, mjedi7! Thanks for sharing!

[scooter2014]

Finally got this in the device. Great work. For those having freeze/studder. I dove into this box this weekend. (Typical me try to break firmware and device. )

The heat sink seemed to be attached well device heated up that i could feel heat from it during stress tests. Freezing occured and cpu load seemed to be 80 to 100 percent at idle.

software reporting 178/180 during these times.

cpu was also reattached with good thremal epoxy now no heat issues. That paste was very poor.

Opened box pulled cpu heat sink. White low level adhesive came off very easy. Re attached with premium two part adhisive clamped and when dry installed a plate left over from other projects with a small low quality pad between heat sink and plate.

Software reporting 120 during loads now and freezing and studdering gone so seems heat is a issue on some if these devices even with the heat sink looking like its properly installed.

Great job on this now tryong your other non atv. Just for chits and giggles.

Thanks again to great Dev device more enjoyable.

[clarkss12]

@Magendanz I just want to thank you for your great work with this ROM. Please keep improving it.

I’m from México, I ordered my Mecool M8S PRO+ 2Gb RAM 16GB a few days ago. Luckily my firmware was just before the ones with the faulty memory.

I just want to share my experience about this box from the few days I've been using it:

As soon as the package arrived, I downloaded your latest Nexus OTA update, formatted a SD card with exFAT, and tried to update with the original UPDATE app, doing the “wipe data” option, but didn’t work, it has to be FAT32, and rename the ZIP file (without extracting) to a short name preferably “upgrade.zip”.

Thanks to the Widevine L1 support, Netflix and YouTube play at 1080p, I have a 4K TV but I didn’t install it on that one, because this one is for a non SmartTV 1080p. And it’s connected to the Ethernet port.

My unit came with a very short AC adapter cable, so I added an extension so I can put the box over the top of the TV.

The first thing I did was install a File Manager, I love Total Commander on Windows, so I downloaded the Android version from APK Pure, at this point is very recommended to use a mouse, a wireless one worked for me.

I had trouble accessing a Windows share with Kodi. I workaround this giving the exact IP address instead of browsing for the share. This could be some kind of bug for version 17.4, IDK. I could access my Kodi shared library very easily trough UPNP.

For RetroArc, I used a Logitech USB joypad, for some reason when you start the app, If you click any button in the M8S Pro+ controller, the joypad stop working; so when RetroArch starts press any button in the joypad. If you have a fix for this, I will thank you a lot. Also before you start any ROM, go to settings, then Input, and look for the option to show the GUI, in my case I selected the L3+R3 button combination to show it, if you don’t do that you will be stuck at the loaded ROM, and you will be forced to use the regular controller to exit the App. If you use a keyboard just press F1.

To enable AirPlay for iPhones/iPads, AirPin Lite or PRO will add the functionality to the OS. This app will install a service. I have problems casting with the Youtube app in Android and iOS, never connects, no problems with iOS Airplay, even the mirror worked very good.

A big problem for me was that I installed a Kingston 4GB SD card and formatted as internal memory. After a while, Kodi stopped installing add-ons, some apps started to behave strange, or freezing. After so many frustrations I decided to remove it and reformat as external regular fat32 drive. It’s working fine now.

I found that if you click twice the home button in the controller, it brings something like a “task manager”.

Since my box is on top of the TV, I have to point the controller upwards, directly to the thing.

Speaking of the remote, to program the remote with your TV you have to press the SET button for like 5 seconds until the red light stops blinking, it's steady, then press the button you are going to program, like “VOL+”, then put the TV controller pointing to the receptor of your M8S Pro+, and then press the volume up, do the same with “VOL-“, “TV IN”, and “POWER”, finally press “SET” and you’re done. Here's a video demonstration,

The only thing this Android Box is missing is Bluetooth, that would make it almost perfect.

To stream torrents I use Ace Stream, load the torrent and then parses to an external Player like VLC, witch supports embedded subtitles, perfect for Anime lovers. I tried “PopcornTime”, “Stremio” and “Torrent Video Player”, they work great at streaming, but they lack subtitle support, if you don’t care for subtitles those are excellent streamers for torrents/magnets.

Check my Box

Thanks for the excellent review, and tips

[minixfreak]

is there anyway you can add qca9377 wifi ? im not so good at building kernels

Neither am I, since you need source to build kernels and I rarely have that. The best I've been able to do is mix and match kernels that already have the wireless drivers that I need.

[P.X]

SEC 5.1 eMMC Flash Issue - Clarification

E&OE

[P.X]

Hi,
thanks for the tips.

The chip code is 8WPD3R.
I have been looking for OEM FW but I only found update for 2gb ram/16gb rom, and I have 1gb/8gb rom box version. Is there any difference?

I'll check temperature and let you know later.

Ah ! That explains it - I had forgotten about the 1GB/8GB version.
Thanks for info.
I think it is the same FW for both versions. Expert will hopefully confirm/deny !!

The device tree partition (dtb.img) includes both 1GB (gxl_p21x_1g) and 2GB (gxl_p21x_2g) DRAM configs, so it should work fine on this SKU.

[scooter2014]

Guys stop post in the other thread this a developer thread. Is nothing to do with his work post in the stock firmware section.

Tired of this STAY ON TOPIC OF MAGENDANZ ROM or I DELETE post going forward NOT MOVE ANYMORE. Start giving infractions for posting in wrong area. Developers thread for questions concerns re his work. Not your BITCH ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM DEVICE THREAD.

[garfi]

Hello,

I installed 20171001 androitv on my Mecool M8S pro + freshly received today.

I encounter two small problem rather annoying:
- At each reboot of the case, the system starts with locales that are not the language I configured. It is on Chinese local then I asked for French ..

- I have a bluetooth dongle that I tried to plug in, but the system does not have apparently drivers.

Can you guide me on these issues?

thank you,

(ps: sorry for the imprecision of the language it's google translation)

[garfi]

By making search occurrences on bluetooth, I saw that the rom was not equipped with the modules. Confirmed?
I will move to a bluetooth jack transmitter.

Concerning the language problem, the problem is still active. The binnaire su is managed by what apk? Could the problem come from that?

At the beginning the interface throws well in my language but after a second switch on a Chinese language: /

Anyway a big thank you for the work

[jajoness65t]

By making search occurrences on bluetooth, I saw that the rom was not equipped with the modules. Confirmed?
I will move to a bluetooth jack transmitter.

Concerning the language problem, the problem is still active. The binnaire su is managed by what apk? Could the problem come from that?

At the beginning the interface throws well in my language but after a second switch on a Chinese language: /

Anyway a big thank you for the work

I did see in another thread where you should disable (Auto Change Language) In the HDMI CEC control. you could give that a go and see if it help.

[peta18]

Noobie stupid question Do I have to update original firmware to the latest and then Nexus ROM or it doesn't matter and just use the Nexus ROM?

[garfi]

I did see in another thread where you should disable (Auto Change Language) In the HDMI CEC control. you could give that a go and see if it help.

Thank you, this was problematic on the auto setting of the HDMI CEC lang.

Congratulations to the maintainer

[anthonytex]

Hello, i want to say a big thank you to Guest My box is just arrived. Seems to be the last "stock" without reset button and last firmware.. Everything works good thanks for this ROM

Glad you like it, anthonytex!

[P.X]

Noobie stupid question Do I have to update original firmware to the latest and then Nexus ROM or it doesn't matter and just use the Nexus ROM?

Magendanz or another expert will have the best answer ...

I am a bit cautious these days with these boxes !

My sequence prior to any change from OEM (i.e. warranty protection)
Check your current FW - If it is a V0321 then check date against known problematic dates (0829 especially)
Check eMMC using app
Check and test installed OEM operation fully for any issues before changes.
Use OEM Update app to install latest OEM update.zip using approved method as on say GeekBuying Blog.
Check operation of updated box fully before any Custom ROM install.

Then a Custom install will replace the previous ROM - Update should be applied with a Data Wipe. Burn includes Date Wipe (see post1)

Then ........