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Amlogic Tv Box Help


broose

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Hi im really don't have much knowledge when it comes to stuff like this so please be patient with me. I am trying to setup several Amlogic tv boxes with armbian for my kids to use but I don't seen to be having any success in getting any of the to boot into armbian from the sd card. I have several boxes that are either s905w or s912 but I cant seem to get any to work so I must be doing something wrong.  I have followed several instruction videos and tutorials but there are a few things I just don't get. so I have downloaded this file Armbian_20.02.0-rc1.037_Aml-s9xxx_buster_current_5.5.0-rc6_desktop_20200205 and written it to the sd card fine, next is the dtb file part, I know I have to copy the name of it and then open up the uEnv file and replace the name with the new one but do I need to remove the hash tag from the start? either way if I do I still cant get it to boot from the sd card no matter what dbt I use or even if I use the press reset button or update via android method. I must be wising something so please can someone help my with an idiots guide. cheers

 

Also I can only reply to my own post on here once a day, is that normal?

Edited by broose
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5 hours ago, broose said:

next is the dtb file part, I know I have to copy the name of it and then open up the uEnv file and replace the name with the new one but do I need to remove the hash tag from the start?

You want to remove the hash tag from the lines you want and add it to the lines you don't want (that character comments out those lines).

 

What you want to end up with is an uEnv.txt file that looks like this (obviously with the dtb file appropriate for your device):


 

LINUX=/vmlinuz
INITRD=/uInitrd


# aml s9xxx
FDT=/dtb/amlogic/meson-sm1-sei610.dtb
#FTD=/dtb/amlogic/meson-sm1-sei610.dtb
APPEND=root=LABEL=ROOT_EMMC rootflags=data=writeback rw console=ttyAML0,115200n8 console=tty0 no_console_suspend consoleblank=0 fsck.fix=yes fsck.repair=yes net.ifnames=0

Notice how I removed the other sections for the other chips that you are not working with (as by default some of these other lines are active and would otherwise need to be commented out).  Also note that in addition to uncommenting (i.e. removing the hash tag) from the dtb line you want, you also need to do that for the APPEND line.

 

Also, if the first dtb file you try doesn't work, you should try all of the others for your soc, until you either find one that works or exhaust the set of provided dtbs.  Quite often there isn't an exact match for your box, and you need to find the one that works the best by trial and error (or if you can find a post in these forums that leverages the experience of someone else with the same box).  

 

As long as you are following the other steps (i.e. enabling multiboot via a method appropriate for your Amlogic device - usually, but not always pressing a hidden reset button while powering the device) you should at least get armbian booting.

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Hi thanks for your reply, just one thing do I need to remove the hash tag from this bit   "# aml s9xxx" so mine would look likr this.

 

LINUX=/zImage
INITRD=/uInitrd

aml s9xxx
FDT=/dtb/amlogic/meson-g12a-x96-max-rmii.dtb
APPEND=root=LABEL=ROOTFS rootflags=data=writeback rw console=ttyAML0,115200n8 console=tty0 no_console_suspend consoleblank=0 fsck.fix=yes fsck.repair=yes net.ifnames=0

 

I must  be missing something because I tried all the dtb files even on a box I have that is in the list and all it does is boot to the android recovery screen on all of them
 

 

 

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On 4/22/2020 at 11:13 AM, broose said:

I have several boxes that are either s905w or s912

These models need a different DTB. You need to edit this line and specify a different DTB.

 

24 minutes ago, broose said:

FDT=/dtb/amlogic/meson-g12a-x96-max-rmii.dtb

 

 

This string must either not exist, or it must start with the character #

24 minutes ago, broose said:

aml s9xxx

 

28 minutes ago, broose said:

I must  be missing something because I tried all the dtb files even on a box I have that is in the list and all it does is boot to the android recovery screen on all of them

How have you tried using other DTB ?

What systems were previously launched on these TV boxes ?

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5 hours ago, broose said:

I must  be missing something because I tried all the dtb files even on a box I have that is in the list and all it does is boot to the android recovery screen on all of them

Please provide more information for us to help you.

 1) What set of instructions you are following to get this working on your box

 2) Make/Model of the Box you are trying to get working

 3) What armbian build you are using and where you downloaded it from

 4) What method you are using to create your sd card

 5) What dtb files you are trying (and why you think they are the correct ones to try)

 6) The exact uEnv.txt file (or files if you have tried multiple) you are trying (attach file to post)

 7) The method you are using to enable booting from the sd card on your box

You probably are just missing a simple step, but it could be any number of things, and without more information it is hard for us to guess what you may be doing wrong.

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Ok I will try my best to explain what I have done so far

 

I have several boxes x96, T95kpro, tx3 mini,  H96 Max that is the same as one listed on here and a few others. 

 

I have successfully run Emuelec on all of them, would that be a problem?

 

I have tried using all the desktop versions from here https://yadi.sk/d/pHxaRAs-tZiei/20.02/20200205

 

and watched videos from this sight

 

so 

 

1/ I burn the downloaded image with Win32DiskImager

2/ I copy the name of the dtb file and replace in in the uEnv file I have tried every dtb name and still cant get anything to boot and this is an example of one I used

LINUX=/zImage
INITRD=/uInitrd

 

FDT=/dtb/amlogic/meson-g12a-x96-max-rmii.dtb
APPEND=root=LABEL=ROOTFS rootflags=data=writeback rw console=ttyAML0,115200n8 console=tty0 no_console_suspend consoleblank=0 fsck.fix=yes fsck.repair=yes net.ifnames=0

 

3/ do I leave the dtb file in the amlogic folder or copy it to the root. "I have been leaving it in the Amlogic folder"

 

4/ I put the sd card in and then use a pin to push the reset button in and then plug the power in and let go but it always boots the the android recovery, if I try the update option from with android then the same thing happens and it boots to the android recovery. 

 

I can only reply once a day for some reason is that normal?
 

 

 

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17 minutes ago, broose said:

I have successfully run Emuelec on all of them, would that be a problem?

Most likely, this is the reason. You have changed the default u-boot and the system will not be able to activate universal multi-boot. Restore the factory firmware using the USB Burn Tool and then taste it.

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On 4/24/2020 at 1:06 PM, balbes150 said:

Most likely, this is the reason. You have changed the default u-boot and the system will not be able to activate universal multi-boot. Restore the factory firmware using the USB Burn Tool and then taste it.

Thanks that seems to have been what the problem was, I can now boot to armbian. Cheers for the help. 

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