Cubietruck Armbian Bionic Desktop black screen

[rom 1]

Armbianmonitor:

http://ix.io/2gec

Hello,

 

on Cubietruck, until I upgrade my ARMBIAN server from Jessie to Stretch with kernel 4.13.16-sunxi, I could use the VGA output for display. After the upgrade, I don't have any display from VGA.

 

In /boot/boot.cmd, I have the following kernel bootargs : "console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p1 rootwait rootfstype=ext4 sunxi_ve_mem_reserve=0 sunxi_g2d_mem_reserve=0 sunxi_no_mali_mem_reserve sunxi_fb_mem_reserve=16 hdmi.audio=EDID:0 disp.screen0_output_mode=1920x1080p60 panic=10 consoleblank=0 enforcing=0 loglevel=1"

 

Any advice ?

 

Thanks in advance,

Romain

[Helmar 0]

Same problem here. Reverting linux-u-boot-cubietruck-next from version 5.38 to 5.35 helped, VGA is back again.

# apt-get install linux-u-boot-cubietruck-next=5.35
# apt-mark hold linux-u-boot-cubietruck-next

Regards,     Helmar.

[I'mTO1 1]

On 2/22/2018 at 10:32 PM, Helmar said:

Same problem here. Reverting linux-u-boot-cubietruck-next from version 5.38 to 5.35 helped, VGA is back again.

# apt-get install linux-u-boot-cubietruck-next=5.35
# apt-mark hold linux-u-boot-cubietruck-next

Regards,     Helmar.

Yes, it works for me!
Thanks a lot.

[sky_khan 0]

I've noticed this thread after that

 

I've tried downgrading u-boot as written here but unfortunately my cubietruck still outputs to HDMI no matter whatever I tried :/

What else I need to do ? Could you give me a correct configuration for this please?

[sky_khan 0]

( after a few dozens of trials and errors)  replying my own question for future reference :

All changes at armbianEnv.txt and boot.cmd  was not enough. I needed to enter u-boot console at startup and write those:

 

setenv video-mode sunxi:1360x768-24@60,monitor=vga,edid=1

saveenv

reset

 

then it worked.

[Igor 1949]

13 hours ago, sky_khan said:

after a few dozens of trials and errors

Perhaps peeking into the documentation first would save some time

https://docs.armbian.com/Hardware_Allwinner/#how-to-reconfigure-video-output

[sky_khan 0]

1 hour ago, Igor said:

Perhaps peeking into the documentation first would save some time

https://docs.armbian.com/Hardware_Allwinner/#how-to-reconfigure-video-output

Well, yes ... I found this after I've tried a few things on my own.

"You can do this by adding saveenv command at the end of boot script (boot.cmd)".  I did this! I wrote "saveenv" as a last line of boot.cmd, didnt work.

I tried different resolutions with edid=0 and 1 for each. I've compiled boot.cmd and rebooted twice for each to be sure... Nope.

Somewhere in progress I've noticed I do make a (common, I  guess) mistake by using "="  instead of <space> between videomode and sunxi:...

Repeated above all over again :/

Nothing.

Even I've tried replacing u-boot with some custom builds from random bloggers. None of them worked of course.

 

Then I had to  read several pages about what is u-boot and how it works and I discovered u-boot console, finally.

[Giunti 0]

Thanx a lot, sky_khan,

for the description of your experience with trying to get VGA resolution to work on mainline kernel for Cubietruck.

 

However, there are more unexperienced CT owners out there (like myself) who would be grateful to receive a failsafe step-by-step HOW-TO. At least there should be a hint on how to enter the u-boot console at startup while there's a VGA monitor plugged into CT's VGA-socket and a keyboard connected to USB.  Pressing the ESC button while pre-kernel boot-up procedure is visible on the screen won't work.

 

None of this is explained in the Armbian docs linked to by Igor above. 

 

Many thanx in advance for any hints on this.

[I'mTO1 1]

Hi.

I've used Armbian_5.86_Cubietruck_Debian_stretch_next_4.19.38 && Armbian_5.86_Cubietruck_Ubuntu_bionic_next_4.19.38 last night but I wasn't able to get VGA output. I followed

Quote

@Igor

Perhaps peeking into the documentation first would save some time

https://docs.armbian.com/Hardware_Allwinner/#how-to-reconfigure-video-output

 

and

Quote

@sky_khan

( after a few dozens of trials and errors)  replying my own question for future reference :

All changes at armbianEnv.txt and boot.cmd  was not enough. I needed to enter u-boot console at startup and write those:

 

setenv video-mode sunxi:1360x768-24@60,monitor=vga,edid=1

saveenv

reset

 

then it worked.

 

but non of them worked for me! I'm not experienced enough and I don't know whats wrong!

Please give me some details or an example...

 

Thank you!

[I'mTO1 1]

@Igor

I know you're busy, But please help me. I'm tired of  breaking my ct stability with every update!

at least please tel me what packages are making this side effect to mark them hold and prevent updating.

[ironmantis7x 1]

On 5/28/2018 at 6:38 AM, Igor said:

Perhaps peeking into the documentation first would save some time

https://docs.armbian.com/Hardware_Allwinner/#how-to-reconfigure-video-output

@Igor

I looked at the docs and I am confused on what files need to be changed after I update with the two apt install commands listed above. I tried to enable VGA on my CubieTruck and when I rebooted, the I was getting a device not found error and VGA wouldn't turn on and there was a wifi error (I read about cross talk with VGA and Wifi with some VGA modes so I expected this somewhat).

 

I reformatted the microSD card and reinstalled the OS and I am starting over from scratch again.

 

Can you help me navigate through what I need to change?

The Documentation is quite confusing at best.

 

Thanks Igor.

You are always a great help to me and the community.

 

 

[golvellius 1]

Hi to all ...

 

I have installed a vga monitor, cubietruck with vga i  have image, also logo. After 5 seconds, logo dissappears and i can get message in the monitor that there is no signal ...

I have installed also X11 and same problem... I only have boot screen messages and logo ..

 

What is the problem ... ?

I am using .. Armbian Linux 4.19.62-sunxi

 

Thanks in advance ...

 

[sky_khan 0]

Well, I have bad news.

After 17 months, I had to reinstall because of sdcard corruption .

I reflashed Armbian_5.90_Cubietruck_Debian_buster_next_4.19.57

So, installed version of linux-u-boot-cubietruck-next still doesnt work with VGA and version 5.35 is not in repositories anymore.

I dont know what to do either. I'll keep using my cubie as a headless server but Its a shame, VGA output was an important factor why I bought cubietruck in the first place.

Now my old VGA monitor became pretty useless.

[Igor 1949]

2 hours ago, sky_khan said:

I dont know what to do either.

I don't know neither and since I don't have time to dig this up I can give you some tips -> Its probably just a matter of proper u-boot config, check sunxi related readme files, do some find on the source code ... so start your exploration there. 

[artizirk 1]

Cubietrucks A20 chip needs some Device Tree patches from here to make VGA work on 4.15+ mainline kernel

 

https://github.com/wens/linux/commits/sun4i-drm-tve-vga-wip

[artizirk 1]

Those commits don't apply cleanly but i got it working on my Cubietruck!

 

[Igor 1949]

On 12/13/2019 at 9:54 PM, artizirk said:

Those commits don't apply cleanly but i got it working on my Cubietruck!

You are welcome to make a PR with aligned patches. https://github.com/armbian/build/pulls Thanks.

[Wolfgang Husen 0]

Hi guys,

 

i installed the current "Armbian Bionic, mainline based kernel 5.4.y" image to my Cubietruck. Armbian was installed succesfully (from what I could see), all worked well, I could start the Cubietruck. I am connecting the Cubietruck HDMI to VGA input of the monitor.

Everything worked until I enabled (via armbian-config) the Desktop. Afterwards the Screen remained black (even though my monitor says to get video input signal). I can also login via SSH, means Cubietruck is running.

I studied: https://docs.armbian.com/Hardware_Allwinner/#how-to-reconfigure-video-output.

With my little understanding, I:

• changed the bootenv entry (via the armbian-config):
  • changed variable disp_mode=1024x768p60
  • added video-mode=sunxi:1024x768-24@60,monitor=dvi,hpd=0,edid=0
    • -> this changed the armbianEnv.txt
•  I added to boot.cmd the lines
  • setenv video-mode sunxi:1024x768-24@60,monitor=hdmi,hpd=0,edid=0

  • at the end of the file: saveenv

• I compiled it: mkimage -C none -A arm -T script -d /boot/boot.cmd /boot/boot.scr

 

All had no affect: still when i enable Desktop the screen is black, when i disable Desktop I can see the console on the sceen.

 

Any ideas from somebody what I could do - or what I am doing wrong?

 

Thanks,

Wolfgang

 

 

[artizirk 1]

I still haven't had time to push proper patches to the kernel or Armbian build repo, but here is a working user devicetree overlay that works for me.

 

https://gist.github.com/artizirk/636e3fe9320bb0f6af9c419a79157346

 

/dts-v1/;
/plugin/;

/* Based on https://github.com/wens/linux/commits/sun4i-drm-tve-vga-wip */
/* Tested with Cubetruck */
/* save it somewhere and run sudo armbian-add-overlay vga.dts */

/ {
	compatible = "allwinner,sun4i-a10", "allwinner,sun7i-a20", "allwinner,sun8i-h3", "allwinner,sun50i-a64", "allwinner,sun50i-h5";

	fragment@0 {
		target-path = "/soc";
		__overlay__ {
			tve0: tv-encoder@1c0a000 {
				compatible = "allwinner,sun4i-a10-tv-encoder";
				reg = <0x01c0a000 0x1000>;
				clocks = <&ccu 54>;  /* #define CLK_AHB_TVE0	54 */

				ports {
					#address-cells = <1>;
					#size-cells = <0>;

					port@0 {
						reg = <0>;

						tve0_in_tcon0: endpoint {
							remote-endpoint = <&tcon0_out_tve0>;
						};
					};

					tve0_out: port@1 {
						reg = <1>;
						#address-cells = <1>;
						#size-cells = <0>;
						/* endpoint number denotes the TVOUT on the SoC used */
						tve0_out_g: endpoint@0 {
							reg = <0>; /* TVOUT 0 */
							allwinner,tve-source = <4>; /* Y/G */
							remote-endpoint = <&vga_connector_in_g>;
						};

						tve0_out_b: endpoint@1 {
							reg = <1>; /* TVOUT 1 */
							allwinner,tve-source = <5>; /* U/Pb/B */
							remote-endpoint = <&vga_connector_in_b>;
						};

						tve0_out_r: endpoint@2 {
							reg = <2>; /* TVOUT 2 */
							allwinner,tve-source = <6>; /* V/Pr/R */
							remote-endpoint = <&vga_connector_in_r>;
						};
					};
				};
			};

		};
	};

	fragment@1 {
		target-path = "/soc/lcd-controller@1c0c000/ports/port@1";
		__overlay__ {
			tcon0_out_tve0: endpoint@2 {
				reg = <2>;
				remote-endpoint = <&tve0_in_tcon0>;
				allwinner,tcon-channel = <1>;
			};
		};
	};


	fragment@2 {
		target-path = "/";
		__overlay__ {
			vga-connector {
				compatible = "vga-connector";
				label = "vga";
				ddc-i2c-bus = <&i2c2>;

				port {
					#address-cells = <1>;
					#size-cells = <0>;

					vga_connector_in_r: endpoint@0 {
						reg = <0>;
						remote-endpoint = <&tve0_out_r>;
					};

					vga_connector_in_g: endpoint@1 {
						reg = <1>;
						remote-endpoint = <&tve0_out_g>;
					};

					vga_connector_in_b: endpoint@2 {
						reg = <2>;
						remote-endpoint = <&tve0_out_r>;
					};

					/* usage of tve0 implies h/v sync from tcon0 */
				};
			};
		};
	};
};