Jump to content

Armbian for tv box Z28


Da Alchemist

Recommended Posts

Some Time ago I bought a cheap Z28 TV Box fromGearbest for 27€. I was curious about this chip after I saw a Picture of the Rock64 here on Armbian.  When I first connected the Box it only comes up with 720p Resolution, far away from 4K at all.

 

Some other things happened, Rock64 was send to Devs and Developement seems to become more and more Stable, so it tried to check Ayufans Android Image on this Box. I got me the Android Tools and flashed the Image to the box on a Windows Machine . Adroid came up without Network, (as expected) but seeing this Image Booting made me thnking of trying the a Desktop Image on this Box.

The Android Image can be flashed via Android Tools, but not the Linux Image. To make the Box boot from SDCard it has to be Set to Maskrom Mode. This could be easily done with the Android Tool.

1. Start the Android Tool on Windows

2. Go to Upgrade Firmware

3. Load some Firmware for this Box (the one from Ayufan or some of the originals..)

4. Plug a Male to Male USB Cable to the OTG Port of this Box, while Pressing the Reset Button for ca. 5s

5. Now go to "Erase Flash" , Done the Box is now in MaskRom Mode..

 

Just like always prepare a SD Card with an Image and watch Ubuntu comig up on this Cheapo.

 

I am writing now from this Box and even this is an early Stage of Developement, it looks very promising. (Just found that "Take Screenshots" is not working...)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, ayufan said:

Haha. Amazing. Great to hear that it also works here :) I wonder if I should also not adapt Android to work too.

Porting Android to this is Box would be fine, since the upcoming the Rockbox would be the same Hardware. I saw Widevine on your Android Image :)

 

@r1kaomsk, good work I am going to solder a Switch to this Points, so i will have a Dual Boot Box!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PCB looks similar,  i think the trick is to shorten it only for a short time....

 

I have crashed the eMMC on my board by trying to write an Image to it via DD.  On RKDev Tools the Samsung Chip is recognized, but shows O MB Capacity...so perhaps some Voltage settings are not quite right. ( Board is permanent in Maskrom Mode now)

The Booting Issue had something to do with my Serial-USB connector, when it is unplugged everything works.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Da Alchemist said:

PCB looks similar,  i think the trick is to shorten it only for a short time....

 

I am afraid that I'll damage those pins. My soldering skills and equipment are on the level to solder serial header :) And first I have to make USB male A - male A cable since I can't find any.

 

So if I erase eMMC within RKTools it should always boot from SD?

 

Quote

The Booting Issue had something to do with my Serial-USB connector, when it is unplugged everything works.


OK, will pay attention to that too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of my findings. By using AndroidTool v2.38 I could enter maskrom by pressing button and plugging A-A USB to USB2.0 port, the one most distant from USB3.0 I could upgrade Android firmware to the latest, but when erasing flash, the box stays in maskrom mode and refuses to boot from SD card. There is nothing on serial.

 

BTW: I can't read any information about flash or chip. It always gives error.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems the Box is different to the z28, z28 is not in Maskrom Mode after pressing the Button and I think we do not have to talk about SDcard Issues...;)

Did you try to start up with Flash erased, SDcard in and serial Adapter disconnected from serial header? (you certainly have to plug in a Monitor)

I got only Information about flash, right after starting AndroidTool but because of the broken eMMC i can only start from Sdcard now..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12.08.2017 at 10:30 PM, Da Alchemist said:

because of the broken eMMC i can only start from Sdcard now..

You can't damage eMMC via software, just get FULL STOCK firmware and flash it from maskrom mode (do not forget to eject SD card) with AndroidTool ("upgrade" tab)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Da Alchemist said:

@r1kaomsk, I have already tried to flash a stock rom with android tool.   I can not check it now ( holiday) but i remember the message i got was something like " idb prepare fail"

This bug described on russian forum 4pda (http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=819860&view=findpost&p=64310568), the solution is to shorten your usba-usba cable to 30cm (http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=819860&st=1160#entry64312087)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use - Privacy Policy - Guidelines