TX95 Max - Allwinner H618 Quadcore Cortex - A53

[Mark Waples]

Hi there,

 

Forgive me but I am a novice in Armbian.

 

What I would like to do is install armbian on the T95Max box I have purchased.

 

I have attached a pic of the Box and it's specs.

 

I have tried to "upgrade" using the SD method but couldn't make that recognise the SD card even with the original firmware "T95max-H618-A9.img" that I sourced using Google.

 

I have also tried to get the T95 Max recognised via the USB method but the box wasn't even recognised using that method either.

 

I used the "Universal_ADB_Driver_v6.0" drivers but that made no difference.

 

If I could get the correct method sorted and an upgradeable firmware for Ambian that would be a great help.

 

I can compile the firmware if needed but I am unsure of what Ambian image would be the best starting point.

 

Any help would be gratefully received.

 

TIA

 

[Nick A]

Hi Mark,

Try this image. First extract the image. Then use balenaEtcher software to write the image onto your SD card.

 

A toothpick can be used to trigger FEL mode on an TX95 Max by pressing the FEL button on the PCB with the non-conductive tool. The FEL button is located inside the 3.5 mm headphone socket. To trigger FEL mode, press the button while the device is booting.

 

https://etcher.balena.io/#download-etcher

https://github.com/NickAlilovic/build/releases/download/20241125/Armbian-20241125-unofficial_24.11.0-trunk_Transpeed-8k618-t_bookworm_edge_6.10.10_xfce_desktop.tar.gz

 

 

Edited 23 hours ago by Nick A

[Mark Waples]

Hi Nick,

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

I have tried the image and have successfully loaded ARMBIAN from the SD so thank you for that! A lifesaver!

 

It hasn't overwritten the EMMC and currently only runs just from the SD which at the moment is not a bad thing while testing.

 

I guess at some point I would want the box to boot armbian from the EMCC - I am not sure If that's possible.

 

I was wondering if the Armbian image could support the boxes inbuilt WIFI?

 

It works on ethernet and a USB Wifi Dongle but not the inbuilt wifi.

 

Lastly I only want to run one software package when the box boots, is it a case of just adding the package by the normal means (Curl)?

 

And then If I wish to repeat the exercise for another box I can just image the SD and use that to create a new box?

 

Kind regards,

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Mark Waples
updated info

[Nick A]

To get wifi working we need to figure out which wifi chip your box has. The kernel might have already detected your wifi chip but you need to install the proper firmware. Can you post a copy of your dmesg. 

 

[Mark Waples]

1 hour ago, Nick A said:

To get wifi working we need to figure out which wifi chip your box has. The kernel might have already detected your wifi chip but you need to install the proper firmware. Can you post a copy of your dmesg. 

 

Hi Nick,

 

I have attached the dsmeg file as requested:

 

dmesg.txt

 

I guess its all the following that are not working

 

Wifi

HDMI Audio & SPDIF

IR Remote

 

Not sure about the following: (Untested)

 

Ethernet

Bluetooth

OpenGL & Hardware Video Decoding

 

Kind regards,

 

Mark

 

ps: I forgot to say:

 

is it safe to 

 

sudo apt update ; sudo apt upgrade -y

 

As I am not sure if this will break the custom image??

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Mark Waples

[Nick A]

Wifi:

 

I don't see anything in your dmesg that helps. You need to open your box and take a picture of the wifi chip.

 

HDMI audio:

 

I think you need to switch the pulseaudio output device. It's probably set to your AV port right now. 

 

IR remote:

 

sudo apt update ; sudo apt upgrade -y

 

Yes it will break the custom kernel. You need to block kernel updates with the armbian config tool.

 

 

 

You should read this thread. You'll find a lot of infomation here.

https://forum.armbian.com/topic/29794-how-to-install-armbian-in-h618/page/18/

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Nick A

[Mark Waples]

Hi Nick,

 

the wifi Chip is as follows:

 

SV6256P

Single-Chip Dual Band 802.11 a/b/g/n MAC/BB/Radio with USB/SDIO Interface
Supports calibration algorithm to handle no-idealities effects from CMOS RF block
WFA features: WEP/TKIP/WPA/WPA2; WMM/WMM PS
STBC in RX mode
A-MPDU Tx & Rx
Support immediate Block-Ack
AP/STA mode: Soft-AP
Single power supply,type 3.3V

 

and the Bluetooth Chip is as follows:

BR8052A01

 

And the LED driver chip is a 

AIP650E0

 

If it helps others I will post some images of both sides of the PCB

 

Mark

Edited 3 hours ago by Mark Waples

[Mark Waples]

Hi Nick,

 

Images of PCB

 

Mark

[Nick A]

I haven't seen any mainline linux drivers for SV6256P chip. 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Nick A

[Mark Waples]

Nick,

 

appreciated - seems this box is not well supported in linux  well the wi-fi anyway.

 

Until linux drivers come along in the future, there must be a better box that has full linux/Armbian support?

 

Any recomendations please?

 

Mark