Pita Bread

Howdy y'all. (It's something people in southern USA say). hehe. I want to eventually setup a mini NAS server via Gigabit ethernet using this device. So, I recently purchased this same tv box as @Yvan P. described and I successfully installed Armbian_community_24.11.0-trunk.273_Aml-s9xx-box_oracular_edge_6.11.3 (2.64 GB img file). It was more time consuming and challenging than I originally thought. I'll explain. My box included Android firmware version PPR1.180610.11.20230208 and Kernel 4.9.113 built on 08FEB2023. Trying to boot any custom OS like Armbian via SD card in TF slot or USB flash drive in either 2.0 port or 3.0 just boot looped the H96 logo again 'n again. I had to downgrade the firmware. I followed instructions that I found on github here and on xda-developers here, but I used an alternative method in TWRP. *The following is a LONG explanation. Get ready! ☺ Download the 2022 firmware file as a zip or img, (another copy here) the Amlogic Bootcard maker and TWRP. Prepare a micro SD card with one partition, formatted as FAT32. Also prepare a USB flash drive (or USB card reader) with one partition, formatted as FAT32. Copy the 20220516 firmware file to the USB flash drive. Make the SD card bootable with Amlogic Bootcard maker or Burn card maker software. Copy recovery-twrp_x96max-20220601-1253.img to the root of the SD card and rename the file to recovery.img on the SD card. With power cord disconnected, tv box off, Insert SD card in TF slot of tv box, and insert USB flash into the USB 2.0 port. Connect a USB mouse to the blue USB 3.0 port so you can click on buttons. Use a toothpick to press and hold the reset button inside the 3.5mm AV port. Keep holding the AV button and connect the power cord. Keep holding button until TWRP appears on screen, and swipe right to allow modifications. Recommended to backup all the partitions here to the SD card or USB flash drive, and keep a the second copy somewhere safe, especially Recovery. Under "select partitions for backup" make sure they don't say "0MB". If they do, then there is a problem and you shouldn't continue - stop. Troubleshoot and fix the problem - ask questions online. Otherwise, continue... ☺ For backup of the existing firmware, click Backup, Select Storage and choose the Micro SD card or USB OTG (##MB). Select all partitions and swipe right to do the backup. No need for compression. Wait. Go back to the main menu with back (bottom left corner), and select Install. Click Select Storage then select USB OTG (##MB), and OK button. Depending on which firmware file you want to use, the "franklin-ota-eng.qmx_srv.zip" file should appear. Or click Install Image and the ""AML_user_H96MaxX3_9_20220516.1821.img" file should appear. Click on the file, and swipe right to do the install. Wait, and do not do anything until you see IMAGE FLASH COMPLETED. After you see the COMPLETED message, remove the SD card and USB flash drive and go to the main menu and click Reboot, System. Let Android boot, and check the version of Android in the settings. It should be PPR1.180610.011.20220516 and kernel 4.9.113, May 16 2022. Now we can boot Armbian from the SD card and make sure it works, updates and reboots properly. I used the standard instructions for writing an Armbian image to a SD card. I selected the server image "Armbian_community_24.11.0-trunk.273_Aml-s9xx-box_oracular_edge_6.11.3.img". Copied u-boot-s905x3 to u-boot.ext, and set /dtb/amlogic/meson-sm1-h96-max.dtb in extlinux.conf . I disconnected power cord, inserted SD card into TF, held reset button in the audio jack, and connected power cord still holding the button for 15 seconds. Armbian logo came up and I released the button. All 4GB RAM (3.69GB usable) is good, ethernet is good at 1 Gigabit, but there is no sound, no bluetooth and no wifi. That's alright because I will use this as a mini NAS server and maybe an ad blocking DNS server via Gigabit ethernet. I froze the kernel in armbian-config, ran "apt update" and rebooted. There were some error messages about initramfs but nothing bad. It rebooted and started alright. For smoother 'n faster data transfer, I should replace my cheap old cat5e cables and probably get a better and brand-name gigabit switch. I hope this helps future aml tv box enthusiasts 🐧.

T95 Max+ (plus), 4 GB RAM / 32 GB ROM, S905×3 I successfully installed the system by following this guide by @Krypton and I updated it using sudo update -y && sudo upgrade -y but keeping kernel 6.1.11. The stereo sound is working fine through the cheap USB audio dongle. I installed pi-apps.io and installed some applications like Brave and PPSSPP emulator via pi-apps. I thank everyone here for the great guides, tips, files, and overall work done. ☺♥

Okay. I am going to try the smaller Noble and Oracular server images on my amlogic s905x3 device from that link. Thanks.

@mmie4jbcu Thanks for the suggestion. I am also using that file in my amlogic S905x3 tv box. unfortunately Armbian_23.02.2_Aml-s9xx-box_jammy_current_6.1.11 is no longer available from the link you posted. so, i found it at this link https://armbian.lv.auroradev.org/archive/aml-s9xx-box/archive/

Hello all. I am following the template to write this post and I will add more details as well. My first ever message (here) was in the "Amlogic CPU Boxes" section. TV Box Name: T95 Max+ (Plus) CPU: S905x3 Armbian build file name: Armbian_23.02.2_Aml-s9xx-box_jammy_current_6.1.11.img.xz DTB file used: /dtb-6.1.11-meson64/amlogic/meson-sm1-x96-air.dtb Kernel Version: 6.1.11 Distribution Installed: jammy (Ubuntu) Working Ethernet: Yes Max Ethernet Speed that works: 100 Mbps Does wifi work: No Does bluetooth work: No Does HDMI audio work: No Additional Comments (provide any additional information you feel is important): Read below ... I ran these commands to disable some features that could break the system or cause the system to not boot. This is from my experience of installing the system twice. sudo apt-mark hold linux-image-current-meson64 armbian-bsp-cli-aml-s9xx-box armbian-firmware sudo apt-mark hold linux-dtb-current-meson64 linux-u-boot-aml-s9xx-box-current sudo systemctl disable --now systemd-networkd-wait-online.service sudo systemctl disable --now unattended-upgrades I wanted to get sound out of the box. So, I purchased a generic USB audio dongle from Aliexpress for $3 USD. (see attached photo). The USB audio device is described in Linux as a Texas Instruments PCM2902 Audio Codec (USB PnP Sound Device device 0 USB Audio), and when you run “lsusb” you will see the id numbers 08bb:2902. I updated the databases for repositories by running “sudo apt update -y” and installed necessary packages to support the USB audio device and to use the XFCE4 graphical desktop. Here are the commands I ran for XFCE4 and for some additional nice bits: sudo apt update -y; sudo apt install -y xfdesktop4 xfce4 xfce4-power-manager xfce4-goodies xinit xdm xorg xserver-xorg; sudo apt install -y arandr greybird-gtk-theme numix-gtk-theme numix-icon-theme epiphany-browser; sudo apt install -y elementary-xfce-icon-theme xscreensaver xscreensaver-data xcvt firefox mesa-utils; sudo apt install -y gvfs gvfs-fuse gvfs-common xubuntu-icon-theme at-spi2-core smplayer; sudo apt install -y alsa-base alsa-oss alsa-tools alsa-utils alsamixergui pulseaudio pavucontrol pavumeter; Edit the file /etc/modules with the “nano” command and write “snd-usb-audio” at the end of the file. Also, edit the file /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and change a few things, but make a backup copy first: sudo cp /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf ~/alsa-base.conf.backup Put a # symbol in front of every “options snd-usb-audio index=-2” that you see in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf . I found two of them. Add these two lines of text to the bottom of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf . alias snd-card-0 snd-usb-audio options snd-usb-audio index=0 Make sure that you are in the 'audio' group. Run the “usermod” command against a regular user (not root) that you want to use often. And reboot. sudo usermod -a G audio {username here} sudo reboot After reboot, the graphical X Display Manager (xdm) should greet you with a simple gray prompt and you can login to XFCE4. You should see a red LED light blinking on the USB audio dongle. You may want to change the display resolution to 1280x720 or 1920x1080 (whichever is available to you) by clicking on the panel (start menu), Applications, Settings, and Display. The Arandr tool in Settings can also help you adjust the display resolution. Open the volume control program by clicking on the panel Applications, Multimedia, PulseAudio Volume Control. Click the Configuration tab at the far right of the volume control and change the profile to Analog Stereo. * Important – now connect a headset, earphone, or amplifier to the 3.5mm (⅛’’) black 🎧 receptacle on the USB audio dongle and play some sounds, music or youtube.

Hello everyone. I will write a short message here to ensure the that moderator will approve this message. Thanks to @adrian0541 here, and thanks to others in the S905 forums threads. I have a T95 Max+ (plus) Amlogic S905x3 4GB RAM / 32 GB ROM tv box. I successfully installed a similar Armbian onto a USB thumb/flash drive that he mentioned in his message #171678 on September 16 2023, but I used the server file "Armbian_23.02.2_Aml-s9xx-box_bullseye_current_6.1.11.img.gz" instead of the xfce desktop file. I edited the extlinux.conf file and set "FDT /dtb-6.1.11-meson64/amlogic/meson-sm1-x96-air.dtb" and added "video=HDMI-A-1:1920x1080@60e monitor=hdmi" to the end of the append line. The tv box boots nicely, gives 1080p resolution, and ethernet 100 MB works, USB 2.0/3.0 works but there is no bluetooth, no wifi and no sound. I can test playing wav and mp3 files by using aplay and mpg123 commands. I really want to make the sound work! In Emuelec ng 4.0, the sound works, and the "aplay -l" Emuelec describes the audio device as AML-AUGESOUND device 1 TDM-B-T9015-audio-hifi. Here is an excerpt of the dtb (dts) file that correclty describes the audio device: aml-audio-card,name = "AML-AUGESOUND"; compatible = "amlogic, aml_codec_T9015"; I don't know how, but I want to make a new and compatible dtb file for Armbian 23.02.02 / 6.1.11 so that the sound could work. I ordered that box S905x3, 4GB / 64GB and I am waiting for it to arrive. I will write a new message after I try Armbian and test it. Cheers mates.