20USD 4GRAM RK3528 host (cheap dq08 tvbox)

[fensoft]

What you need:
- A DQ08 (got mine from aliexpress)
- An sdcard (4g if you want to use external usb3 ssd or 32g if not)

 

If you're lazy and trust my image (you shouln't, as I can bundle malwares inside):
- flash this using this - usb2serial included
- put in DQ08 and plug it in ethernet
- scan for the ip using this
- in windows terminal, using password=1234:

ssh root@BOXIP

To build the sd card, i've used this tutorial:
- install wsl on your windows
- apply this patch

 

Spoiler

sudo wget --output-document=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg https://apt-test.next.armbian.com/armbian-next.gpg
cat << EOD | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/armbian-next.list
deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg] http://apt-test.next.armbian.com armbian main
deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg] http://apt-test.next.armbian.com armbian-$(lsb_release -cs) main
EOD
sudo apt update && sudo apt list --upgradable | grep  -i armbian

- open wsl shell
- install docker on wsl:

curl -fsSL get.docker.com | sh

- run docker:

sudo /etc/init.d/docker start

- permit to use docker:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

- open a new shell (important)
- follow this

Spoiler

 

git clone https://github.com/ilyakurdyukov/rk3528-tvbox.git
cd rk3528-tvbox
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/armbian/build armbian-build
cp -R armbian-patch/* armbian-build/
cd armbian-build
./compile.sh build BOARD=rk3528-tvbox BRANCH=legacy BUILD_DESKTOP=no BUILD_MINIMAL=yes EXPERT=yes KERNEL_CONFIGURE=no KERNEL_GIT=shallow RELEASE=bookworm
cd ../..
cat <<EOF > rk3528-tvbox/build.sh
#!/bin/bash
cd /build
IMAGE=\`ls /build/armbian-build/output/images/*.img\`
losetup -D
losetup --partscan /dev/loop0 \$IMAGE
mount /dev/loop0p1 /mnt
cd devicetree
cp orig/*.dtsi .
patch -p1 -i rk3528-tvbox.patch
make NAME=rk3528-vontar-dq08 PRESET=LINUX
cp rk3528-vontar-dq08.dtb /mnt/dtb/rockchip
sed "s#fdtfile=.*#fdtfile=rockchip/rk3528-vontar-dq08.dtb#" -i /mnt/armbianEnv.txt
losetup -D
cat \$IMAGE | gzip > /build/\`basename \$IMAGE\`.gz
EOF
chmod a+x rk3528-tvbox/build.sh
docker run -it -v /dev:/dev --privileged=true -v `pwd`/rk3528-tvbox:/build --rm armbian.local.only/armbian-build:initial /build/build.sh

 

- flash the img file found in Linux/Ubuntu/home/XXX/armbian-build/output/image using this
- put in DQ08 and plug it in ethernet
- scan for the ip using this
- in windows terminal, using password=1234:

ssh root@BOXIP

 

If, like me, you want to use an USB3 SSD:
- flash the usb3 drive with the same image
- plug to the box
-

e2label /dev/sda2 ssd

- change /boot/armbianEnv.txt:

rootdev=LABEL=ssd

- reboot
- check free size with:

df -h /

- optional: remove unused boot partition:

fdisk /dev/sda

+ d + 1 + w + q
- optional: remove unused data partition:

fdisk /dev/mmcblk0

+ d + 2 + w + q

 

If, like me, you have usb2serial adapters:
- follow this but remove all parameters at the end of

./compile.sh build

and during kernel configuration, enable this: Device Drivers -> USB Support -> USB Serial Converter Support -> FTDI and PL230x

Edited April 11, 2024 by fensoft

[SteeMan]

Please do not promote forks of Armbian on these forums.  If you what to help Armbian, please submit PRs and contribute code that makes Armbian better.  It doesn't help to have yet another fork of stuff out there that never gets contributed back.

 

Your warning about using external builds applies equally well to external git sources.  No one should trust this unless they inspect all the changes you have made from genuine Armbian.  User be warned.

[fensoft]

do you want me to remove all binaries ?

 

about tvbox in the genuine armbian, i'm pretty sure that i've read somewhere armbian would not support them

Edited April 11, 2024 by fensoft

[SteeMan]

They aren't officially supported, but there are many TV boxes that are Community Maintained and available on the Armbian download page.

 

No need to remove the binaries, your warnings are good enough.

[Hqnicolas]

@fensoft congratulations for your work, please stop acting like you dont live in society. Just do it in a PR. Or Compile 30x backdoor images to US.

Edited April 12, 2024 by Hqnicolas

[Shinjin]

Is it possible to install Armbian into internal memory without jumping though hoops?

[fensoft]

On 4/12/2024 at 7:02 AM, Hqnicolas said:

please stop acting like you dont live in society. Just do it in a PR. Or Compile 30x backdoor images to US.

Toxicity level over 9000, you better keep it for yourself next time.

 

About PR, I can't and dont want. It's not my patch. Feel free to do it yourself if it's so important.

[fensoft]

22 minutes ago, Shinjin said:

Is it possible to install Armbian into internal memory

If I understand well, boot loader is at the begining of the emmc. Doing armbian-install will probably ends with system not booting anymore.

[Shinjin]

Yes, but AFAIK on other TV boxes an internal install shouldn't touch vital portions of the emmc.

And Rockchip devices should still boot from SDCARD?

 

 

 

[fensoft]

I have the original software from vendor if needed. But, as I dont trust internal emmc, I never tried.

[Hqnicolas]

57 minutes ago, fensoft said:

I dont trust internal emmc

I have done the internal EMMC armbian and I dont trust this EMMC too...

Edited April 13, 2024 by Hqnicolas

[fensoft]

I have uploaded an updated version here.

 

Also, for thoses who want to use internal emmc (boot without sdcard), you can run this script:

Spoiler

#!/bin/bash
set -e
set -x
TARGET=/dev/mmcblk2
IMAGE=Armbian-unofficial_25.05.0-trunk_Rk3528-tvbox_bookworm_legacy_5.10.160_minimal.img
sed -e 's/\s*\([\+0-9a-zA-Z]*\).*/\1/' << EOF | fdisk $TARGET
  d # delete
  3
  d # delete
  4
  d # delete
  5
  d # delete
  6
  d # delete
  7
  d # delete
  8
  d # delete
  9
  d # delete
  10
  d # delete
  11
  d # delete
  12
  d # delete
  13
  d # delete
  14
  d # delete
  2
  n # new partition
  2
  16384
  +16384
  n # new partition
  3

  +524288
  n # new partition
  4

  61071295
  n # new partition
  5
  61071296
  61071325
  x # expert mode
  n # set name
  2
  uboot
  n # set name
  3
  boot
  n # set name
  4
  rootfs
  p # print
  r # return
  w # save
  q # quit
EOF
sed -e 's/\s*\([\+0-9a-zA-Z]*\).*/\1/' << EOF | gdisk $TARGET
  x # expert mode
  a # set attribute
  3
  2

  w
  Y
EOF
LO=`losetup -f`
losetup --partscan $LO $IMAGE
dd bs=512 if=$LO of=${TARGET}p2 count=16384 skip=16384
dd if=/dev/loop0p1 of=${TARGET}p3 bs=1M status=progress
dd if=/dev/loop0p2 of=${TARGET}p4 bs=1M status=progress

 

 

You can reinstall android using this, connecting DQ08's usb2 port (using a male-male usb cable) to the computer while pushing the button in the AV connector.

Then, in the app (extracted to c:\),  choose firmware / firmware.bin / restore / run.

Edited Sunday at 11:53 PM by fensoft

[micron]

Hello I was able to build image (both debian and ubuntu) according to this instructions: https://gist.github.com/fensoft/1ff3ef81ab2bd9ed9364a564aa2cbcd5?permalink_comment_id=5576642#file-build-sh

 

image is flashed to microsd card.

 

However tvbox does not boot from sdcard - I see that it boots up regulary to android.

Also I have found that in AV jacker on board there is button, so if hold it during boot - you are into Android recovery with options (reboot system/ reboot to bootloader/ fastboot /udpates ADB /updates from SD card/ factory reset /wipe / power off)

 

The question is how to make TV box boot from sdcard? I was setting up armbian to orange pi - and it by default boots from sdcard. But with tv box according to posts and videos also should....

 

I'm trying to flash: Transpeed ATV Android 13 TV BOX RK3528 With Voice Assistant TV Apps Dual Wifi Quad Core Cortex A53 Support 8K 4K Video BT5.0 with 4G ram: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007785484949.html

 

 

 

 

[fensoft]

you don't have to. it's already trying to boot by default to sd.

you can either try to install the same android as me, change the sdcard or plug an usb2serial cable @ 1.5Mbauds to check uboot logs.

[micron]

I thought there should be any console output to hdmi, ok will try with uart. By the way @fensoft are you using armbian on it? is it stable?