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I am running the latest Armbian 21.02.3 on two NanoPCT4s. Thanks to everyone for this. I didnt think I would see this performance on this device. But here it is and I see Armbian is getting good notice for this. I dont know how they did it but these devices are running very well. I am a little tired this week so I dont have any technical details. I want to just ramble (opinionate) on how nice this is and what I like about it. I am running standard Focal Gnome Desktop from Armbian Download. I just disable the pwm-fan module and run hot. As long as I dont make -j6 I can avoid meltdowns. I run Firefox and Microsoft VSCode. I run a complex desktop and my standard install involves a day of burnin compilation. I can run Firefox videos and Microsoft Code. By the way Code can now be downloaded direct from Microsoft. I run a lot of Python and JavaScript and C++ [avoid Java and C# at the moment but really I dont have much time considering I do more and more C/C++] and use Python as scripting language for C. I compile Sage Math 9.2 and that will halt this machine at make -j6 and no fan. with fan, no problem. but make -j3 works OK with no fan. After compiling these little ARM devices run SageManifolds doing complex Jupyter Lab interactions. Pretty slick. So I think this is a wonderful desktop. I know the Gnome people own GItHub and Microsoft TypeScript backended on GitHub integrated with the wonderful Microsoft Code is a great desktop that Armbian is Smart to invest in. more later.

I downloaded and compiled current. There was a couple errors I will try again using "dev" since that is post 5.6 arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip/rk3399-nanopc-t4.dts:167.35-169.5: ERROR (phandle_references): /usb@fe800000/usb@fe800000/port/endpoint: Reference to non-existent node or label "fusb0_role_sw" arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip/rk3399-nanopc-t4.dts:146.29-148.5: ERROR (phandle_references): /syscon@ff770000/usb2-phy@e450/otg-port/port/endpoint: Reference to non-existent node or label "usbc_hs" arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip/rk3399-nanopc-t4.dts:124.29-126.5: ERROR (phandle_references): /phy@ff7c0000/dp-port/port/endpoint: Reference to non-existent node or label "usbc_dp" arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip/rk3399-nanopc-t4.dts:136.29-138.5: ERROR (phandle_references): /phy@ff7c0000/usb3-port/port/endpoint: Reference to non-existent node or label "usbc_ss" ERROR: Input tree has errors, aborting (use -f to force output) make[2]: *** [scripts/Makefile.lib:291: arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip/rk3399-nanopc-t4.dtb] Error 2 make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs.... make[1]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:500: arch/arm64/boot/dts/rockchip] Error 2 make: *** [Makefile:1246: dtbs] Error 2 Thanks. I am interested in learning this. The changes are a bit extreme. But I learn tons as I go. I dont have a DisplayPort but I have a few Anker Type-C hubs and power strips. To be frank, I bought the Metal Case and Heat-sink Fan. This has improved things. I run 4.4.213 and Ubuntu Focal Desktop. I am pretty happy now and I have decided on new programming directions. I run VSCode on my NanoPC-T4. I am excited by the Gnome3 and moving to TypeScript and Node. I mostly run Sage Math and Python Science software. This box compiles and runs some advanced software. Nonetheless I am learning ARM architecture and will keep at the RK3399 and Synopsis SoC architecture. I am going to see if the new 5.x kernel can just connect my Anker Type-C hub. I do want to thank everyone for their work on the NanoPC. NOTE: the Ubuntu NetworkManager Setting has a bug and crashes when updating. I just dont use the GUI. I am not saying running Ubuntu Gnome3 Desktop is ready to go. It is actually amazingly good though. anyhow...but it will be better under new Panfrost and friends.

Anyway I doubt anyone here expected USB PD to work. I did plug my Anker TypeC PD to both NanoPCT4 and Firefly. And they didnt work in different ways. The FireFly ignored the TypeC connection and stayed Host. When I plugged type C power into my 7-1 hub, then the hub came to life and worked. The NanoPCT4 was more sophisticated. Running "Legacy" in both cases, but Firefly is different from NanoPC. The DisplayPort on the NanocPCT4 is probably working but I dont have a DP monitor. When a TypeC connection is made, the Nano FUSB302 wakes and it configures DP with pin connection Ox8, and it sets itself up as "Downward Facing Port". OK this is interesting stuff to understand and important for embedded. but it is a hack. when I plug my 7-1 Anker into my NanoPC, the NanoPC switches to Upward Facing Port and accepts power from the Anker. OK. That is not what I want since my 7-1 hub is no longer something interesting to my Nano. anyway I will conclude by saying I may be missing something but partly did anyone expect it to work? No. I dont know what happened when my Nano "accepted power" from Anker and went into UFP mode. except I probably dont want that to happen. but the hack is if you connect a DP Monitor to the Nano it is going into DP mode. .... I am using Armbian Build and run images it creates onto local SD. My Legacy Nano build is 4.4.213 from FriendlyArm repo but FireFly I think is from kernel.org anyway I am not going to plug Anker PD into my Anker 7-1 Hub. One day it may work. I am following a path that everything will just plug into a USB4 fabric on my desktop ... compute sticks, network cards. my desktop will just be a USB4 fabric right? I hope rockchip is forking a 5.9.y SDK for their USB4 chips... I am interested. in the meantime I will stick with Legacy and not really do USB PD at the moment. I bet I can plug a DP port in and it will work. just do offer power to the nano. I am going to keep studying the TRM and DeviceTree but I will conclude now

A brief update: I read over the USB section of the RK3399 TRM. Clearly the RK3399.dtsi has been hosed in the linux 5.x.y series. But the situation is this: I am happy running the Focal Armbian Legacy Server (4.4.213) /Ubuntu Desktop. I even ditched Bionic / XFCE on my other NanoPCT4. Both are running Gnome3/Focal and that is very nice. So obviously the USB transition from linux 4.4 to 5.4 is a "learning experience" for me LOL Hey but I did buy an Anker PD brick. I am afraid to plug it in. Can someone tell me what happens? I have $50,000 insurance policy so I will try it out on my FIRELY. HA, I will get back with that experiment. USB PD is an interesting topic and the FUSB is really more concerned with that then DisplayPort. I understand that the HDMI is just a Gadget interface. I only use HDMI/DVI and have no DisplayPort. But OK this is the point: The Legacy Kernel 4.4.213 very well might work with TypeC. It appears to. I see a function PD device. USB PD appears to be active and TypeC connections are indeed handled. Its just that the software architecture from linux 4.4 to 5.4 is completely different for USB. pretty much. But the FUSB is "part of USB" in 5.4 but is just an "multi-function" device in 4.4 Well I am going to focus on how well TypeC works in Armbian Legacy.

I really like the magician who compiled Armbian Legacy Minimal Server using Focal. I then plop Ubuntu Focal Minimal Desktop and things work very, very well. I have done this for one of my NanoPCT4s and my Firefly RK3399. I can watch the kernel logs easier than using wireshark. In fact I think watching the logs and /sys is all I will probably need. Here's the thing: right now USB TYPE C is at least working properly wrt to what I can see. It correctly sets PD of my Anker Type C hub to 5V. The FUSB has to be connected to the DWC3 via setting "extcon" to the phandle of the FUSB. That will probably fix the connection issue at least. The rockchip code is probably going to handle this in the drd.c file. Armbian Build has placed me further on the #trunk and I have some X resolution problems. I dont actually have a DisplayPort. I intend to get one. I have a DVI monitor. I am going to try to switch to Dev mode on the NanoPCT4. It only supports Current.

I discovered a use for my 16GB emmc: a linux test setup. I now run Armbian Minimal Server (Legacy for "default", Current and now Dev for "testing") So I figured out how to compile all possible Focal Armbian Minimal Servers for NanoPC-T4. I also rebuilt my Firefly RK3399 for testing. What I have discovered is that Ubuntu Minimal Desktop (Gnome 3) works pretty well on Armbian Legacy Server. "Current" Servers running 5.4.y work extremely well. I am now compiling "Dev". [oh yeah extremely well not including type-c and wireless ... 5.4.y performance and sophistication overall is amazing] anyway, I know a lot more about USB. I read over my Firefly device tree for comparisons. clearly NanoPi descended from Firefly. I am aware of the EXTCON issue and DRD vs OTG. I have to get APTLY going today and then I will be able to focus again on USB 100%. Of course I am also learning linux kernel configuration in general but USB in particular.

I am working away learning type-c. I know I am in the eye of the storm here. Massive changes. I see a dozen drivers have disappeared including rockchip-dwc3 and replaced with of-simple-dwc3(sic) etc etc. But USB4 is like ARM64. a whole new level of power. literally. it is exciting and I am accumulating some insights; for example the real issue appears that OTG is not working at all. that should not be surprising. has anyone even tested OTG yet? LOL I havent. I suppose I can attach one nano to another and see what happens. I am planning nice investments to test TYPE-C throughly. In the meantime set dr_mode to host and forget about type c. ugh not really. I am thinking about changing kernel off 5.4.y trunk to 5.7 or something. but I am on this all of the time now. I want to learn 50Gbps usb/pcie integration WOW! and I am going to invest in some TYPE C Power Delivery (probably the Anker .... $100! wow)

a final update on this for now: there are issues with setting dr_mode and phys properly. the nanopi4.dtsi wants to set one usbdrd dr_mode to "host" but it sets a reference to an "otg" port phys. If I set both dr_modes (there are only two usb3 targets) to "host" then both port phys to the proper "host" phy phandles. then my type c port works correctly with both Anker C hubs: the 5 in 1 and 7 in 1. if both usb ports dr_modes are set to "otg" and phys are left pointing to "otg" phy usb ports, then it doesnt work. I am going to test that again. for some reason both ports dr_modes set to "otg" is a problem. but setting both to "host" requires changing the phys string. to point to "host" ports. that works. anyway I can trace my Hubs now and use WireShark to trace USB and understand more about, I havent tested alt-modes or power-distribution. USB4 will be awesome so I will be doing this for a while LOL

a brief update. I managed to get the Type-C to actually work in Current Focal as a hub as it did in Legacy Bionic. It involves setting dr_mode to "host". the root rk3399 config is to set dr_mode="otg". I will learn more about "dr_mode". the type-a port is set to "host" but the type-c wasnt. but I have invested in learning the /sys structures. esp. /sys/bus/platform /sys/devices/platform /sys/firmwar I also know the DT for my T4. I am learning Arm architecture so I am learning the details and know the structure of USB pretty well now. I also am on my fourth iteration of simplifying the RK3399 kernel config. I have simplified Platform selection, AV device selection, and USB configuration. the /sys/bus/platform/drivers folder is greatly reduced. The kernel is functional enough to boot a desktop so it cant be too bad. I am breaking something with ULPI and the OF_SIMPLE_ DWC3 parameters. I am going to learn more about why the driver selection uses "simple' DWC3 driver. this involves some interaction with DT so it is interesting anyway I am committed to being able to work with this "chosen" Arm platform. I noticed ASUS RK3399Pro system uses Debian 9 .... 4,4 *sigh* git werkin

I have WireShark running well. I traced USB ports. I can see my Type=A 4 port USB 3.0 hub on USBMON8. a bit of chatter when I replug. Nothing on USBMON6 except the linux root hub. I enjoy this. I did find FUSB302 in the legacy kernel. FUSB is a Multi-Function-Device. This makes sense, from SBC design that there would be quite of few of these. the Arm PMU is a power device. I see it in the DT. So the FUSB302 driver is logging in the legacy kernal and may actually be working. LOL i dunno. I will trace USB type C on my legacy 4.4.213 kernel.

two new directions. I installed Wireshark. I am trying to understand how to capture USB with Wireshark. OK that is weirder than it should be but I also want to learn PCI and Ethernet [DesignWare] so I am going to be staying with the USB - Wireshark level until I get USB tracing working. but I am looking at DeviceTree. I see this weirdness: pat@nanopct4:/proc/irq$ tree | grep usb │ ├── rockchip_usb2phy │ ├── rockchip_usb2phy_bvalid │ ├── rockchip_usb2phy │ └── xhci-hcd:usb5 │ └── xhci-hcd:usb7 │ ├── ehci_hcd:usb1 │ ├── ohci_hcd:usb3 │ ├── ehci_hcd:usb2 │ ├── ohci_hcd:usb4 No usb3phy in the DTS. I am looking at the magical "compatible" string in DTS. there are rk3399-dwc3 and dwc3 ... that is confusing. so my goal is to focus on Synopsis and Rockchip device IO platforms and I simplify and break. like replacing all rk3399-dwc3 with plain dwc3 is not a working idea.

I compiled latest Focal 5.4.46 and I stripped out a lot of strangeness in Kconfig for NanoPC-T4. I can confirm that I am running the new kernel and nothing broke. How's that? that counts. I am committed to cleaning this system up. I dont want 3 Platforms selected. And I dont want two USB frameworks activated. So IdeaChip is gone and Sun-Xi weirdness gone. Here's something weird: The Legacy image 4.4.213 has no source code for typec in the compiled kernel (I compiled it and looked) no fusb302 and tcpm. But there are messages in the log from those modules. Somehow Legacy kernel actually does have fusb302 and tcpm running. I suspect that I need to reach into the lower depths: what blobs are being inserted and how? I see the "patch ram" stuff. I dont really know what blobs I am running. I will find out. I am focused on RK3399 so I want to strip it all down to basics. I will search for fusb302 in the legacy source. more weirdness: On Current 5.4.46 focal, I can see (using USBMON) messages from fusb302 and tcpm. but nowhere in dmesg or logs are any messages at all. so legacy represents a lot of ARM historical weirdness. what else is new? I need to get comfortable with the blobs being inserted and how. I dont know that stuff. I think we are trying hard to get away from all that right?. so I need to look at the DeviceTree and PHY world.

I've made some progress. I have been building Minimal Kernel for legacy and current, Bionic and Focal (and some Buster). I now understand the differences and how 4.4.213 is from FriendlyArm. I understand the SDK lockin since I have been studying Firefly and Friendly for over a year and know the history of the Rockchip 4.4 SDK. I guess being stuck at 4.4 SDK is the lockin problem. The 4.4.213 kernel is pretty good though. My 256G workstation SD is now running legacy Focal with Ubuntu-Desktop-Minimal. That is the starting point of my desktop. I dont want the gnome evolution stuff. whatever. I know embedded people have unique interests but the RK3399 is my lowend targetted ARM platform. They call that highend I think LOL. I think Minimal installs of Server and Desktop is a good starting point. I have been munching Debian packages for a couple years. My FireFox AV1 system is working pretty well. bluetooth,pulseaudio. I need to clean that up though. I will be exploring more Armbian Deb config simplifications . I think I will specialize in Synopsys ARM SoC. I have learned enough Armbian Build to move on to KConfig analysis. I assume legacy SDK is involved but there is a ton of weird stuff in the FriendlyArm .config. For example I have just built a kernel without ChipIdea USB platform. It compiled so I will find out what breaks if I leave it out. I also leave out a couple of other strange options. Why Sunxi platform ?? I just select Rockchip platform. I am going to run my first modified kernel today. I dont think I need WireShark USB capabilities to get going. I need to keep learning Armbian Build and KConfig in a cross - compile environment. So I am managing config files and deb/img outputs. From there I need to learn more about Device Tree (I am learning u-boot and DT). I suspect there is PHY stuff going on here and I need to learn how to trace that stuff. I have gotten very familiar with the USB logging and USBMON. so I am going to learn DesignWare and keep going. I am pretty certain I should see some USBMON chatter on my channel when I attach my Anker 5-1 Type C Hub. Well what happens exactly when I plug my Hub in? I will know soon enogh. There are PHY issues here.

I have compiled Minimal Server versions of Bionic and Focal and Buster both current and legacy. RUnning Bionic-legacy allows me to use usbmon to watch when I connect an Anker 5-1 to the port C. a whole ton of talk appears. SO at least it works like we knew Bionic-legacy works. New hardware...so I can study legacy and current bionic and start looking at config variations. The USB is just an excuse to learn Armbian Build and kernel config/device tree. But I am starting to see how this process roles. and USB is fascinating usbmon on bionic-legacy does not present fusb302 and tcpm interfaces, as suspected.

I am building Buster Minimal Server to "start over from the top" and to have something to compare with Focal Minimal Server. I like trying to master the Minimal build process. It is easier to do these Buster/Focal comparisons as well. I am just working with NanoPC-T4 in both circumstances we'll see how it goes. Fun analyzing such a different process. Testing my ability to extend my understanding of Bash / Linux