H3Droid - Android image developed specifically to work on Allwinner H3 devices

RagnerBG · Published in 2017-7-9 23:19:14

I am not into Android at all, but i decided to try new 1.2.9 version. Board is Orange Pi Plus2e, so i tried to write H3Droid to eMMC, through Armbian Linux, running on sdcard. Sdcard is too slow for Android anyway. I added OUTDEV=/dev/mmcblk1 into 00_conf file, writing went well. But after reboot i got only pink screen and no system running. So what am i missing? Is there a way to write H3Droid to eMMC? As this option is in 00_conf, i thought this is the way.

About the project, it's good and useful. But i think you really should consider your installation methods. Your target users (Android users) are not into Linux, very much. Android users are usually Windows users, or even at the lower level of knowledge (no offence, just honest observation). I think you only need simple images to write to sdcard from usual programs for that purpose, in any OS. This H3ii is something like this, but i don't see option for eMMC writing there. This H3resc, as a recovery like software, is also, a useful tool.

TheLinuxBug · Published in 2017-7-9 23:48:41

Edited by TheLinuxBug at 2017-7-10 00:07

@RagnerBG I will try to address your concerns below:

1. "after reboot i got only pink screen and no system running" <- pink screen == hung i2c, to fix this you need to poweroff both board and monitor and then restart and things will work.

2.  "Is there a way to write H3Droid to eMMC" <- Yes, you can simply dd an image from your card to the eMMc, the eMMc in these boards acts like a SDcard anyways, so make an 8GB image on an 8GB Sdcard and then dd that to PC Plus eMMc, or you can even generate a custom image using the installer to the size of the eMMc you have and then dd that image onto the eMMc. Also, you should be able to use H3ii to burn to eMMc as well, it should perform just the same as if you burnt it to an SDcard and run the installation process and when installing it will grow to the size of the media it is installed on.

3. "Your target users (Android users) are not into Linux, very much" <- Honestly this isn't our target user base at all, our target user base is tinkerers! If you take time to follow all the features of H3Droid (Changelog) and to really mess with it you would find there are MANY options that normal Android images don't supply for the Linux users and tinkerers -- using SSH you can access the board almost fully, this includes using GPIO, loading your own modules, etc.  The real point of H3Droid is to make a usable Android image for tinkerers who want to take advantage of Android's GUI for their projects. While we understand that there will be a portion of our user base who prefer to use it as a media board, that is fine, but other than making it easier to install using H3ii and our upcoming FEL installer we are not going to cater specifically to those on Windows or those with only media board purposes.  The great thing about H3Droid is it is absent all the Chinese garbage and garbage bloat apps that come standard so you can take your time and build it into anything you would like - custom launcher, gpio buttons, ir remote control, gaming, Panda3d, GPS applications, custom vehicle media system, etc.

Don't get us wrong, we are glad to have feedback from all users, including those who may fit the group you are describing, however, that is not per se our target for H3Droid in the end.  H3Droid is a lot more than just your 'average Android image' and much like the original intentions of these boards is made to be used to develop and test your own ideas and solutions.  We are just making it easier to use and work with as no vendor we could find provides a truly usable Android image for this purpose and we found this to be a huge loss for the community.

I hope this helps to answer your questions and concerns!  Thanks for your feedback and we hope you will continue to test and provide feedback for H3Droid in coming versions.

If you have any additional issues we would invite you to send us feedback on our feedback form or join our IRC channel #H3Droid on Freenode to chat with us!

Cheers!

RagnerBG · Published in 2017-7-10 05:48:36

Edited by RagnerBG at 2017-7-10 05:49

<- pink screen == hung i2c, to fix this you need to poweroff both board and monitor and then restart and things will work

Thank you for your answer. But i found out it is the same with H3ii, version 1.2.9 on sdcard. The same pink screen. I powered off the board, of course, but not the monitor (it was before reading your post). Will try this tomorrow, if you think it is the case. In the meantime i found out version 1.2.7 (i had it around), working ok. I write it directly to eMMC, the same way as before and it loads with no problems. Never thought of using H3ii directly to eMMC, thank's for the hint

. Maybe there is a way to upgrade from 1.2.7 to 1.2.9, without starting over? I have problems with Kodi, also - not installable, nor from PlayStore, nor from apk, but i read above, the second should be possible in 1.2.9?

About other thing i mentioned. I don't see on Android this way - GPIO, projects. I know it's kind of possible, but doesn't look so serious. But maybe you are right and it's just my ignorance. And you are working hard for this, as i see. For me, Android is suitable for media center, plus web browser, which is missing in OpenElec images for those boards. For the happiness to be full, i need HDMI CEC for Android, as on OpenElec, but never seen it possible. Maybe i will play around with IR.

pmpp · Published in 2017-7-10 08:34:41

@RagnerBG

both Kodi and SPMC of playstore are gone android 5 or 6 please use the kodi fork for h3droid you can find here : https://github.com/koying/SPMC/releases/tag/16.4.2-spmc/

16.1 version has been fully tested on h3droid including tvheadend frontend, 1080p won't work on boards with less than 512MB, you'll have to read the h3droid faq to trick physical screen to 720p ( NOT H3droid fault, BSP are missing source code to correct that ).
Power management and wake with IR remote are on the todo list, so stay tuned.

arcslack · Published in 2017-7-16 21:56:20

Please can you make a video of with emmc installed on orangepi2e?
It would be a great help. I think many are trying without success.

pmpp · Published in 2017-7-16 22:12:24

@arcslack , if you are on windows 7+ OS you can use https://h3droid.com/fel/ for pi+2E board. You will need only a microusb data cable. If you have any trouble contact me on h3droid.com chatbox.

DrDexter · Published in 2017-7-17 16:36:25

Is it possible with FEL installer install H3droid on USB Flash Pen Drive?
Like example i have small and slow SD cart, can i install only boot sector on it and all rest on USB Flash Pen Drive?

pmpp · Published in 2017-7-17 17:35:02

@DrDexter, my rework of fel installer will be able to install on emmc / mmc / AOE disk / usb mass storage ( key / harddisk / ssd&msata ) and hopefully will be tested on *all* xunlong boards as soon as they arrive ;)

DrDexter · Published in 2017-7-19 16:25:37

Is some one run FEL on windows 10? I stuck on moment when windows should request permision to run freeeject. FEL installer just freeze and can not even press Abort

Gabrieldxgpx3 · Published in 2017-7-19 21:35:59

Hi everyone, I have a problem with the sunxi_ir_rx module, I tried to put it to boot in the /data/rc.local file it starts but it does not work, I have to reload it with rmmod and insmod . I have also tried to put rmmod before insmod in the rc.local file but it does not work. There's another way to make it work, sorry, my English is translating.