CSC Armbian for RK3318/RK3328 TV box boards

[Dripz]

4 hours ago, jock said:

Since you're in maskrom mode (perhaps you erased the internal emmc), and you did not mention what board you have, the first thing you can try is to take a fresh armbian image (see first page, take a nightly build based upon kernel 6.6), burn it on sdcard, plug the sdcard in the box see if it boots

 

@jock hey man thanks for responding, the board I have is the RK3318 and I do not have a SD card. just a USB drive would it still work? and am I burning it with multitool or just the .img file 

[jock]

3 hours ago, Dripz said:

hey man thanks for responding, the board I have is the RK3318 and I do not have a SD card. just a USB drive would it still work? and am I burning it with multitool or just the .img file 

no, USB won't work. rk3318 does not support boot from USB.

rkdeveloptool is available or compilable for windows too, you should use that to write the armbian image using and usb male-to-male directly on the emmc then.

These instructions may help you: https://forum.armbian.com/topic/26978-csc-armbian-for-rk3318rk3328-tv-box-boards/page/19/#comment-130453

 

[Dripz]

23 minutes ago, jock said:

rkdeveloptool is available or compilable for windows too, you should use that to write the armbian image using and usb male-to-male directly on the emmc then

So using the same program I used to flash the emmc it's possible to write the armbian image? I've tried following the steps from: https://forum.armbian.com/topic/26978-csc-armbian-for-rk3318rk3328-tv-box-boards/page/19/#comment-130453 But I'm a bit confused.

 

 

Try these steps:
1) push the little switch inside the hole while inserting a male-male cable into the otg
2) on another linux machine you should have now a new device (lsusb will help you) and you can run rkdeveloptool
3) rkdeveloptool ld should List Device
4) rkdeveloptool rd 3 should Reset Device into mode 3  ( maskrom )
5) rkdeveloptool db MiniLoaderAll.bin ( of course from your path) should upload a temporary loader to recognize the internal emmc
6) if all is successfull until now you can rkdeveloptool wl 0X0 yourimage.img . This should flash the internal emmc .

 

from what I understand I need to:

1. Run the device in Maskroom mode (seems to already be in that state)
2. get MiniLoaderALL.bin onto the device (I'm assuming using the upgrade firmware tab in rkdeveloptool) 
3. rkdeveloptool wl 0X0 yourimage.img (I believe this means to write the image onto the emmc, not sure if I do this on the download image tab or the advanced functions tab) 

 

 

[TechVNC]

https://imola.armbian.com/dl/rk3318-box/archive/
https://users.armbian.com/jock/rk3318/multitool.img.xz

 

The download page links seem to be broken. Could you please share with me a link to the alternative download page?

[jock]

9 hours ago, Dripz said:

from what I understand I need to:

1. Run the device in Maskroom mode (seems to already be in that state)
2. get MiniLoaderALL.bin onto the device (I'm assuming using the upgrade firmware tab in rkdeveloptool) 
3. rkdeveloptool wl 0X0 yourimage.img (I believe this means to write the image onto the emmc, not sure if I do this on the download image tab or the advanced functions tab) 

 

1. yes, the device seems already in maskrom mode

2. no, you're not "upgrading the bootloader" with that command, but you are just uploading a bootloader into the board memory and booting it to gain minimal management functionality. Nothing is written on the emmc in this step: if you power cycle the board, you have to do again this step

3. yes, this step writes the raw image onto the emmc.

 

Unfortunately I don't know exactly how this translates against AndroidTool/rkdevtool for windows, but my best guess is that you don't need step 2 because AndroidTool/rkdevtool already does that for you. Perhaps the "download image" tab is what you need, and there you should upload only the raw image starting at 0x00000000, because the raw image already contains all the necessary booting code, but I don't know if it is the right step. Perhaps @fabiobassa is more experienced with that tool and could lend a hand.

[jock]

6 hours ago, TechVNC said:

The download page links seem to be broken. Could you please share with me a link to the alternative download page?

I guess there is no alternative download page, but you can download a nightly image following the link in first page

[jock]

@TechVNC imola.armbian.com and users.armbian.com are back online, thanks for reporting!

[Dripz]

14 hours ago, jock said:

Unfortunately I don't know exactly how this translates against AndroidTool/rkdevtool for windows, but my best guess is that you don't need step 2 because AndroidTool/rkdevtool already does that for you. Perhaps the "download image" tab is what you need, and there you should upload only the raw image starting at 0x00000000, because the raw image already contains all the necessary booting code, but I don't know if it is the right step. Perhaps @fabiobassa is more experienced with that tool and could lend a hand.

Aha okay, I will attempt to use the "download image" tab with a fresh armbian image like you said, I'll provide updates on my progress, hopefully, @fabiobassa will be able to guide me also. 

[Dripz]

@jock @fabiobassa Okay so I've been trying to write the premade community armbian img (Armbian_community_24.2.0-trunk.540_Clockworkpi-a06_bookworm_current_6.6.16) onto the chip using the "download image tab"  but I've run into a couple of errors.

what I did:

1. in the first line (Loader line) I selected Multitool img (with storage set to blank)
2. in the second line (Image line) I selected the Armbian img (with storage set to SPINOR)
3. Checked write by Address box and clicked Run
4. Some code runs in the side panel (screenshotted below) runs for about 6 seconds and the app closes/crashes. 
5. At this point I reopen the rkdevtool app (device is still in maskroom mode) I can now read chip information, flashID etc. which I could not do before step 3 (thought I made some progress here. 
6. When I attempt to switch storage I get an error, preventing me from leaving maskroom mode. 

 

Log file for reference: https://file.io/1oqx0Bwf3Ggb

 

 

[jock]

@pakos96 attached to this message there is a script that does the trick to change the ddrbin frequency.

Can be used on the boot block device directly on the board, or on a file to modify a ddrbin binary or an armbian image before sdcard burn.

 

Usage and examples are in-built with the script, so launching it without arguments provides all the help that could be needed.

 

Some notes:

• THIS IS AN EXPERT THING. If you're not an expert, do not do this; do not come here later sobbing you made a mistake, or you will receive more insults that will make you cry even more 🫣
• always always always test the ddrbin frequency change on a system booting from sdcard
• if there is a bootloader installed in eMMC, it has priority: changing the ddrbin on sdcard won't have any effect until you clean the eMMC (or the bootloader)
• some boards (notably X88 Pro) do not like ddr frequencies above 330MHz: they won't boot
• changing the ddrbin frequency of the bootloader in the eMMC is very dangerous! You may brick the board (only way out: maskrom via eMMC clock pin gating)

 

ddrbin-switch-freq.sh

[Dripz]

Hey @jock i got it working after some trial and error, selected the wrong storage for the image. BUT now i have a new issue

 i managed to install Armbian onto the eMMc and booted successfully.
 

After setting up my root password and using sudo armbian-root first thing i tried was updating armbian, when the update finished. The device failed to show any image after rebooting.

 

I power cycled, unpluged keyboard etc. no luck so i went back to rkdevtool and tried entering maskrom mode to reinstall armbian but the device cannot be detected somehow.

 

Even using clock pin method. Red and Blue lights flash after some time.

No idea what went wrong.. maybe im not supposed to update? Rk3318 cant run latest firmware or something i have no clue.

 

Still confused as to why rkdevtool cant read the device anymore even though im using clockpin method as i did previously

[Ben N Voutour]

i set my ddrbin to 666 and it works fine so far...

thanks @jock

can i push it higher?

 

[jock]

19 hours ago, Dripz said:

Even using clock pin method. Red and Blue lights flash after some time.

 

if the red and blue light are flashing, perhaps the new kernel has some issues with HDMI. The board is running fine, but recently some kernel adjustments broke HDMI output in some cases.

You may login via ssh to fix the issue (install and older 6.1 kernel) or erase the eMMC and reinstall armbian, or boot a new armbian installation from USB (now you can, because the bootloader coming with armbian allows USB boot)

[jock]

19 hours ago, Ben N Voutour said:

can i push it higher?

The script allows you to go up to 800mhz, but I would not go further than 660MHz for a number of reasons

[Ben N Voutour]

28 minutes ago, jock said:

The script allows you to go up to 800mhz, but I would not go further than 660MHz for a number of reasons

what exactly could happen if ddrbin is at 800MHz?

i have mine at 666MHz instead of 660MHz

and so far, at 666 it seems fairly stable.

[Ben N Voutour]

i clocked it to 800 MHz and it is still working...
here is the dmesg from the 800 MHz ddrbin tweak
 

dmesg-800-ddrbin.txt

[jock]

2 hours ago, Ben N Voutour said:

i clocked it to 800 MHz and it is still working...

Mmmh, dmesg does not tell anything. You need to post the serial output of the ddrbin, or do:

sudo cat /sys/kernel/debug/clk/dpll/clk_rate

that will tell you the effective frequency of the memory in DDR mode (ie: should be 1600000000 for 800 mhz memory, 1320000000 for 660 mhz memory, 660000000 for 330 mhz memory)

 

[Ben N Voutour]

then what is 1596000000 ?

that is what it returned for me as root #

"cat /sys/kernel/debug/clk/dpll/clk_rate"

should i try 1333? or 1600?
i'm gonna try 1066 first.
unless i'm missing something , some of these boxes can sort of handle the higher ddrbin, we might have to play a bit with it.

these boxes are a dime a dozen from most online stores....
 

Edited February 14 by Ben N Voutour
more detail + Little Bits

[inode]

11 часов назад, jock сказал:

if the red and blue light are flashing, perhaps the new kernel has some issues with HDMI. The board is running fine, but recently some kernel adjustments broke HDMI output in some cases.

You may login via ssh to fix the issue (install and older 6.1 kernel) or erase the eMMC and reinstall armbian, or boot a new armbian installation from USB (now you can, because the bootloader coming with armbian allows USB boot)

Hello. I bought H96 Max RK3318 and flashed it with 

Armbian_23.11.1_Rk3318-box_bookworm_current_6.1.63_xfce_desktop.img.xz. Everything works fine, but red and blue LEDs flashing. The one disadvantage is that xfce's "display properties" windows appears automatically. The box is connected to Lenovo FullHD monitor via HDMI.

[Dripz]

18 hours ago, jock said:

You may login via ssh to fix the issue (install and older 6.1 kernel) or erase the eMMC and reinstall armbian, or boot a new armbian installation from USB (now you can, because the bootloader coming with armbian allows USB boot)

Interesting, i have access to ssh and logged in to the device successfully, how do i go about reinstalling or booting from usb 

[jock]

15 hours ago, inode said:

Everything works fine, but red and blue LEDs flashing.

It's ok if they are flashing. That is default configuration, so users can understand if the board is running fine or if it is frozen or crashed.

 

[pakos96]

@jock I just used the script to change the DDR frequency and everything works perfectly at 660mhz. As per your advice I don't go any further to avoid bricking everything. Thanks!

P.S. no crying (yet)  

[Ben N Voutour]

i'm running "Linux rk3318-box 6.7.4-edge-rockchip64 #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Feb  5 20:17:12 UTC 2024 aarch64 aarch64 aarch64 GNU/Linux" (Ubuntu Noble ARM64)

(That was from "uname -a [as root]")

mine is at 800 MHz and no brick so far.

i'm using microsd card (256GB) (Legit) and it runs pretty nice except for the non flathub version of kodi (it hangs with no errors)

XFCE 4 desktop is normal fwiw and i'm experimenting with other desktop environments and window managers and compositing but hardware video acceleration does not work (Software Render only?)

P.S. (I'm Not Crying, You're Crying.)
#RK3318 #RockChip #Armbian #beta 

[DieMitchell]

On 2/1/2024 at 10:07 AM, DieMitchell said:

hey, i tried following this and the tutorial mentioned in this to flash it to my x88 pro 10 but i just cant get it to boot
i tried building an image and i tried using prebuilt images but it just doesnt want to boot basically what i did:
erase emmc
flash img to emmc
(no signal)
restore emmc from backup

rinse and repeat for like 5 different images

does any1 know how to fix this? im still strugling with it 😞

[jock]

20 hours ago, pakos96 said:

I just used the script to change the DDR frequency and everything works perfectly at 660mhz. As per your advice I don't go any further to avoid bricking everything. Thanks!

P.S. no crying (yet)  

👍 (of course the "crying user" was not intended to you but to the average guy who stumbles upon the post and does not spend one minute to read the disclaimers!)

[jock]

1 hour ago, DieMitchell said:

does any1 know how to fix this? im still strugling with it 😞

Too much missing information. Are you sure the board boots but there is no HDMI? Are the leds blinking or steady?

Serial output is essential to give any help.

[DieMitchell]

14 hours ago, jock said:

Are you sure the board boots but there is no HDMI? Are the leds blinking or steady?

i dont see any leds lighting up.
i dont have a serial to usb cable rn so cant give serial output.

[pakos96]

17 hours ago, jock said:

👍 (of course the "crying user" was not intended to you but to the average guy who stumbles upon the post and does not spend one minute to read the disclaimers!)

No problem! I was intentionally being ironic  thanks again

[Antonin Thomas]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to this, and I want to install ARMBIAN (& Home Assistant after that) on an X88 Pro 10, containing an LG642 WIFI chip.

The entire first part of the procedure (MULTITOOL and image burning) is OK.

But then it gets very confusing...
I follow the instructions, but I still come across faults...
I first encountered WIFI faults, probably due to the LG642 chip. (Armbian 5.15.16 and 5.13.15)

I upgraded to version 6.3.13, and the wifi fault seems to have disappeared, but I find myself with numerous error codes, and as I am not a specialist, I am stuck.

I hesitate to give up, I can't find any solutions...

[Ben N Voutour]

i'm on Edge Kernel 6.7.4 XFCE Ubuntu Noble 25.5.x ARM64 (RockChip64) (Armbian Beta Channel)
and so far, at 800 MHz DDRbin on an sd card with 1296 MHz CPU OC and it is rock solid stable.

 

All I need is to have the led display with FD6551(A) and cvbs out working in newer builds
and where do i add an optical port on my board since other rk3318/3328 have the port but mine doesn't
@jock

is having earlykprintf in my boot config correct?
what else should i test on my box?