OpenHour Chameleon

[electronit]

Ok, so this is old, and maybe has been discussed before (but I couldn't find anything useful). I have an old OpenHour Chameleon lying around that has never really been used. I'd like to install linux on this - with nfs support (the lubuntu image doesn't seem to be available anymore - site no longer exists, and didn't have nfs support built in anyway).

So I'm trying to follow the RockChip Linux Users Guide to build a new SD card image. Unfortunately this is not a "supported" board, so no existing dts or defconfig (for uboot). I have extracted the dts from the android image, but no idea how to get the defconfig needed by uboot. There's several rk3288 boards, and I don't know which would be closest to this...

Anyone managed to build a new image for this?

Is it possible to build a defconfig from the info in the dts file ???

and if not - does anyone have the old lubuntu image for this ?

It just seems a waste to bin this nice little alu box...

Thanks

[mitchell4you]

This post:

https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/14565-popcorn-hour-chameleon/

bring me to this post:

https://www.armbian.com/miqi/

hope it helps

[electronit]

OK, so it could be similar to the MiQi. I'll try that, and keep you up to date here... Thanks!

Also interesting that it would only boot through the microSD and not the full size SD card that the android image is on... Need to find a microSD card (without leaving the house...)

[electronit]

btw - there's good pictures of the inside of the thing here: https://www.cnx-software.com/2014/11...elon-unboxing/

Need to find a serial port for the console...

[Guest]

...Need to find a serial port for the console...

GTR tag (3 pins/holes) next to IR (remote) sensor...

[electronit]

I did think it would be... but now need to find which is tx which rx. ground shouldn't be difficult to measure...

[electronit]

For info; The lubuntu firmware is actually still available on the syabas server even though all the websites no longer exist - just needed to find the right path (long live webarchive )

http://files.syabas.com/openhour/lubuntu/burn/open_hour_chameleon_lubuntu_14.04.1_20141031_8G.zip

Maybe I can get some more info on kernel config from there?

[electronit]

No luck with the serial port. I do get some sort of signal but its all garbled. For the port settings:115200 8N1 - seems to be what is used elsewhere. But I think I tried all possibilities in minicom

Also, it seems I only get output on this serial port if an SDcard is inserted. I would have expected at least some output even without the card?

Any hints on how to get this right?

[deconst]

With that Lubuntu 14.04 image you can do-release-upgrade to 18.04 fairly trivially. I am still stuck on the 3.10 kernel though.

I am not sure if the OTG port works on Linux, and anyway, mine broke off so not a useful line of enquiry. These boxes don't have firmware per se, just a simple boot the SD card.

I am looking at the dtc tool to compile a new kernel on the Openhour. I'd like to target Lubuntu 20.04 because do-release-upgrade isn't supported to this version.

[mo123]

With that Lubuntu 14.04 image you can do-release-upgrade to 18.04 fairly trivially. I am still stuck on the 3.10 kernel though.

I am not sure if the OTG port works on Linux, and anyway, mine broke off so not a useful line of enquiry. These boxes don't have firmware per se, just a simple boot the SD card.

I am looking at the dtc tool to compile a new kernel on the Openhour. I'd like to target Lubuntu 20.04 because do-release-upgrade isn't supported to this version.

Send your Android dts file to balbes150 in the LibreELEC RK3288 thread.
Maybe if he has time, LibreELEC with a 5.7 kernel would be possible on your device but I think it will be difficult if you don't have a 4.4 kernel dts file since the 3.10 are extremely old and very different.

[deconst]

No need; the miqi Armbian image https://www.armbian.com/miqi/ now boots fine from the SD card for Ubuntu 20.04. All features are supported, including the graphics chip with the Panfrost driver.

You may have to boot Armbian from a microSD card first, then do the "Install boot loader" from armbian-config, then boot from SD card.

From armbian-config you can also install IR support, configure timezone, change hostname, etc. This board runs pretty sweet with Armbian Focal.

[jzneter]

For info; The lubuntu firmware is actually still available on the syabas server even though all the websites no longer exist - just needed to find the right path (long live webarchive )

http://files.syabas.com/openhour/lubuntu/burn/open_hour_chameleon_lubuntu_14.04.1_20141031_8G.zip

Maybe I can get some more info on kernel config from there?

Image is no longer avaliable can you maybe upload it. since they dropped the entire forum from what it seems.

[electronit]

Image is no longer avaliable can you maybe upload it. since they dropped the entire forum from what it seems.

I will look for the image when I get back. currently can't access that computer.

My trials didn't lead to anything - couldn't get anything sensible out of the serial port. The Armbian above looks very interesting though!

[deconst]

I've been running Armbian for six months fine. I tried to get the GUI working but Panfrost keeps crashing on this Miqi distribution. I still have that Lubuntu image but it's a waste of time. If anyone works out how to compile the Panfrost driver for the Chameleon Hour, please share.

[EnzoM]

deconst I have now also running Armbian on my Chameleon, will sound work on yours? On my it won´t work. It seems that the soundchip are not avalible. I also can´t find any setting where i can select something.
Also Youtube videos are stuttering. For what exactly do you use the box?