Alfawise A8 TV BOX Rockchip 3229 Android 8.1 - 2/16GB 2.4G WiFi 100Mbps Support 4K H.265

[dimkonst]

How to flash firmware to a rockchip TV box Alfawise A8 using the FactoryTool
(to fix the problem with the loss of wifi when we press the power button on the remote)

Download Firmware link from Gearbest: https://www.gearbest.com/blog/downlo...ware-pack-2965

1.Unzip 2713799 Alfawise A8 TV box upgrade firmware ROM pack.rar

2.Unzip them all their folders and files

3.Move the original folder and subfolders under C: \ or D:\

4.Rename folders and files that have Chinese characters in English characters (with a name you like)

5.Install "DriverAssitant_v4.5" driver on windows 10-8-7. Wait until the install says "install ok"

6.Open "Factory Tool" software
click the Firmware button find and upload the image file
click the Restore button and after the Run button (the button image on the right turns green)

7.Disconnect everything from the TV box (even the power transformer electric current)

8.Behind the TV box is one reset button, this is inside the AV jack, You need to take a toothpick or any non metalic will to press and at the same time conect the usb 4 (near the AV jack) with usb to your pc (A USB male-male cable is needed for this)
then left the reset button free.

The Factory Tool recognizes the TV box downloads the firmware and then checks it (if the drivers are installed correctly)

If everything goes well the Factory Tool writes to us right (under word "success") the result and the time it passed with green letters.

(Τhank you friends from the forum that helped me solve my problem)

[Lapis]

What is the version of this new firmware? I bought the box at Dresslily and it arrived with build "rk322x_box-userdebug 8.1.0 OPM5.171019.019 eng.qiahoy.20181105.194655 release--keys".

Does HDMI-CEC work for you? It seems that it doesn't work with my Samsung TV

[mrlaugh01]

Root access could be achieved by:

shell commands

adb connect IP adb root adb connect IP adb disable-verity adb reboot

then reconnect once booted:

shell commands

adb connect IP adb root adb connect IP adb remount # same as mount -o remount,rw /system

Done! You'll only need to disable-verity once.

[Vienna]

I don't know, but I guess probably not. All the powerbutton-apps I have seen so far require root access (which we don't have on the Alfawise A8).

[daniels21]

No changes there, as before the box only goes in sleep-mode when you press the power-button on the remote. There are still no options (as with lots of other boxes) in the menu to configure a real shutdown via power-button.

What do you think about downloading a sort of power button app? would that do the trick?

[Vienna]

No changes there, as before the box only goes in sleep-mode when you press the power-button on the remote. There are still no options (as with lots of other boxes) in the menu to configure a real shutdown via power-button.

[daniels21]

Yes, the annoying wifi-issue should be fixed with this firmware. Nonetheless if you have the possibility to connect the box via LAN, it is the much better option. The wifi-performance of the A8 is pretty poor and somehow slows down the box. Meanwhile there's also a new A8 Pro 5G available. It offers additional 5Ghz-wlan but otherwise it seems to be pretty much the same box with mostly the same hardware.

PS: One more difference: The A8 Pro 5G comes with 2 USB-ports and not with 4 as the A8

Wow Thanks Vienna! now all thats left to figure out is how to shut down this box... because when i hit the red power button on the remote, it goes to sleep instead. does the new firmware fix that as well?

[mrlaugh01]

I?ve tried many times to side load all Android TVStock apps, libs, and permissions and have got very close. Google Play Store leanback I?ve got working, it?s just the TV Launcher and/or Leanback launcher I can?t get to load. When opening, It crashes or display black screen. Anyone know any tricks to manually install the Leanback launcher?... Or have an updated FW Modding tool for Oreo roms? I can?t seem to locate the file_context to rebuild image.

[Vienna]

Yes, the annoying wifi-issue should be fixed with this firmware. Nonetheless if you have the possibility to connect the box via LAN, it is the much better option. The wifi-performance of the A8 is pretty poor and somehow slows down the box. Meanwhile there's also a new A8 Pro 5G available. It offers additional 5Ghz-wlan but otherwise it seems to be pretty much the same box with mostly the same hardware.

PS: One more difference: The A8 Pro 5G comes with 2 USB-ports and not with 4 as the A8

[daniels21]

Hello everybody,

new firmware with hopefully some bugfixes for the Alfawise A8 from the Gearbest-support:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19559L94ASoa8qXI7lHZxNYsqvjdiZR7-

Nice to see people trying to get this box to work. Thanks Vienna. Do you know if this firmware fixes the WiFi disabling every time the box sleeps with the power button?

[mrlaugh01]

Hello everybody,

new firmware with hopefully some bugfixes for the Alfawise A8 from the Gearbest-support:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...ZxNYsqvjdiZR7-

thanks for this!

If anyone finds a ROM or a way to install the 'TVStock' flavor of OpenGapps, please , please post here!! Thank you

[bkc2]

Used this ROM to flash Scishion Model S. No problem here. Shame that this firmware is without traditional Android settings and navigation bar (got this one via play store app).

[Vienna]

Hello everybody,

new firmware with hopefully some bugfixes for the Alfawise A8 from the Gearbest-support:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19559L94ASoa8qXI7lHZxNYsqvjdiZR7-

[juesus]

Yes , I orders 3 Alfawise A8 (RK3229) and 3 Mecool (S905W) , 2/16GB both.
Mecool working fine
Alfawise really s**k )(&(*&%$&^%$%^&^

[Vienna]

I ordered a different box (Amlogic) hopefully it produces better results... ll hold onto the box and see what Alfawise says about a warranty

Don't expect too much from the Alfawise-support. In my case it was just wasted time, but I guess I was lucky because I got at least two (useless) answers to my emails from them before they ignored me ;-) If possible I'd say contact the seller and hopefully he is more interested than Alfawise to keep his customers happy...

I did the same, gave up on the Alfawise A8 TV Box, too much hassle and ordered a box with an Amlogic 905W. It is indeed a much better choice imho and now I'm fully aware of how "underpowered" RK3229 devices are. Everything feels snappier, apps like youtube start a lot faster and the soc produces less heat. No compatibility issues so far as with the RK3229. Amlogic powered devices run a lot cooler - in every sense ;-)

Hope you are happy with your new box, although it seems to me every box has issues, especially in this price range...