r1kaomsk

[1] Original  Z28:
Can boot from micro SD
2 USB ports (1 x USB3, 1 x OTG)
WiFi provided by rtl8188.
PCB marked as "XJH-ZY168-V00".
 
 
 
[2] Cheaper Z28:
Can boot from micro SD (not sure)
2 USB ports (1 x USB3, 1 x OTG)
WiFi provided by ssv6051.
PCB marked as "XJH-ZY168-V01".
 
 
 
[3] Original Z28 Pro (Original Alfawise Z28 Pro):
Can't boot from micro SD.
3 USB ports (1 x USB3, 1 x OTG)
WiFi + Bluetooth provided by rtl8822. (placed inside fn6222B module)
Gigabit ethernet provided by rtl8211e.
PCB marked as "XJH-RK28-V10".
 
 
[4] Cheaper Z28 Pro (Cheaper Alfawise Z28 Pro):
Can't boot from micro SD.
3 USB ports (1 x USB3, 1 x OTG)
WiFi provided by rtl8189.
PCB marked as "XJH-RK28-V10".
 
 
 
[5] Cheaper 2 Z28 Pro (Cheaper 2 Alfawise Z28 Pro):
Can't boot from micro SD. (not sure)
3 USB ports (1 x USB3, 1 x OTG) (not sure)
WiFi provided by ssv6051.
PCB marked as "XJH-Q7L-V00".

I have wrote some manuals in russian language, you can use it if you can translate it - http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=819860&st=340#entry63238627
 
xenial-mate-rock64-0.5.10-118-arm64.img

Bad news for z28 pro owners.
There is no possible way to boot from micro sd card, because internal rockchip loader can only boot from SD card port 0 btw on z28 pro sd card module soldered out on port 1...
The only way to get working linux on z28 pro is flash it directry to eMMC from android, i will write step-by-step manual in few days.
 
 
 

Bad news for z28 pro owners.
There is no possible way to boot from micro sd card, because internal rockchip loader can only boot from SD card port 0 btw on z28 pro sd card module soldered out on port 1...
The only way to get working linux on z28 pro is flash it directry to eMMC from android, i will write step-by-step manual in few days.
 
 
 

@r1kaomsk, the 4.4.x BSP kernel tried to store MACs in the GPT vendor partition on the eMMC. ayufan changed that for Rock64 images to the SPI flash since eMMC are removable here...

Some Time ago I bought a cheap Z28 TV Box fromGearbest for 27€. I was curious about this chip after I saw a Picture of the Rock64 here on Armbian.  When I first connected the Box it only comes up with 720p Resolution, far away from 4K at all.
 
Some other things happened, Rock64 was send to Devs and Developement seems to become more and more Stable, so it tried to check Ayufans Android Image on this Box. I got me the Android Tools and flashed the Image to the box on a Windows Machine . Adroid came up without Network, (as expected) but seeing this Image Booting made me thnking of trying the a Desktop Image on this Box.
The Android Image can be flashed via Android Tools, but not the Linux Image. To make the Box boot from SDCard it has to be Set to Maskrom Mode. This could be easily done with the Android Tool.
1. Start the Android Tool on Windows
2. Go to Upgrade Firmware
3. Load some Firmware for this Box (the one from Ayufan or some of the originals..)
4. Plug a Male to Male USB Cable to the OTG Port of this Box, while Pressing the Reset Button for ca. 5s
5. Now go to "Erase Flash" , Done the Box is now in MaskRom Mode..
 
Just like always prepare a SD Card with an Image and watch Ubuntu comig up on this Cheapo.
 
I am writing now from this Box and even this is an early Stage of Developement, it looks very promising. (Just found that "Take Screenshots" is not working...)
 

I found the test point for enter MASKROM mode without erasing internal memory :-)

It really works :-)
How about internal flash driver? There is no suitable device in /dev :-(