Tanix TX7 (Amlogic s905x, 2GB RAM, 32GB ROM) for LibreElec

kszabo · February 6, 2018 at 11:16 PM

Hey guys,

I thought I create a thread for the Tanix TX7 Android TV box to share our experiences.

Here is a good review of this ~40€ box.

I bought the TX7 to replace a RPi3 because of its serious disadvantages. The TX7 does a significant better job as a LibreElec platform (much better WiFi, much better HW decoding, enough power over USB for a DVD drive, fanless, 32GB internal storage vs 0, more RAM, remote included...). Even the price point is better, if you consider the costs of heat sinks, case, power adapter etc.

Specs:

- CPU: S905X

- GPU: Mali-450

- RAM: DDR3: 2G

- ROM: eMMC Flash: 32G

- Radio: Broadcomm AP6255 chip with Blutooth 4.0 and Wifi b/g/n/ac dual band (2,4 and 5 GHz)

- LAN: 100 mbit ethernet only could be too slow for 4K HDR remuxes

- Android 7.1.2

- Widevine security level L3 only

Using on Libreelec:

I could boot the latest Libreelec 8.2 with Kodi 17.6 (kszaq´s build with 2g device tree) and latest 9.0 mit Kodi 18 alpha (from GDPR-2 here, choose LibreELEC-S905.arm-8.90.3.img.gz) without any problems (Toothpick method, it has a small hole on its buttom with reset switch). Everything works out of the box like Bluetooth and WiFi, thanx to kszaq . Tested some h265 1080p files without any stress on the system (CPU <15%), with flawless HW-acceleration. ~~I still have to test native Netflix on Kodi 18.~~

- IR remote works

- CEC works

- Temperature sensor works

- HW acceleration for h.264 and h.265 works

- WiFi works (dual band ac)

- Bluetooth works

- Install LE with reset switch and boot works

Netflix + InputStream adaptive Addon:

i tested Netflix a bit with the latest Leia Build for s905x. I can login and browse without any issues. ~~Unfortunately I get SD streams only (480p top) at a very choppy quality at <1000kb/s only. Interestingly if I boot to Android, the Netflix plugin there gets only SD too.~~

The box has widevine security level L3 certification (checked with DRM Info on ANdroid) and gets max. 720p stream from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video under LibreElec with that, no 1080p or 4K. The video is software encoded only of course (early stage Leia limitation), at 720p CPU usage is ~30% at 55°C temp.

Amazon Prime video plugin works too (after a widevine update)

IR Remote:

quite usable, works with Libreelec out of the box. It can wake the box out of standby.

CEC:

it works. It is listed as libCEC 4.0.2 firmware v5 inside Libreelec. I can use the TV remote for basic navigation in Libreelec. It can switch TV off too (but not on, tested on a cheap Philips LCD with the HDMI cable provided).

USB Power:

The TX7 delivers enough power over one single USB port to use an external DVD slim drive without own power supply! Amazing... My RPi3 could not do that. DVDs work flawless.

Firmware / TWRP
Tanix offers Firmware downloads on its website but unfortunetly the one for TX7 is not listed Tanix website

An another option would be to do my own backup with TWRP but as writing I could not find a version that works with this p212 board and Android 7 Nougat

kostaman · February 7, 2018 at 12:21 PM

warez ~~what firmware is that ?~~

~~Nougat ????~~

Just looked at the date of this firmware and it is Marshmallow.

This is not the up to date Nougat 7.1 that kszabo is referring to as not available.

kostaman · February 7, 2018 at 1:09 PM

Quote from kostaman
Interesting as my TX7 runs 6.0.1 see pic.

Also i think Wifi chip may be different ??
Code
##############################################
#                  LibreELEC                 #
#            https://libreelec.tv            #
##############################################

LibreELEC (community): 8.2.3.1 (S905.arm)
LibreELEC:~ # udevadm info /sys/bus/sdio/devices/sdio*
P: /devices/d0070000.sdio/mmc_host/sdio/sdio:0001/sdio:0001:1
E: DEVPATH=/devices/d0070000.sdio/mmc_host/sdio/sdio:0001/sdio:0001:1
E: DRIVER=bcmsdh_sdmmc
E: MODALIAS=sdio:c00v02D0dA9BF
E: SDIO_CLASS=00
E: SDIO_ID=02D0:A9BF
E: SUBSYSTEM=sdio
E: SYSTEMD_WANTS=brcmfmac_sdio-firmware-aml.service
E: TAGS=:systemd:
E: USEC_INITIALIZED=19967603
Display More
Can you compare my findings to yours ??

Edit: Just saw this TX7 Android 7.1 Amlogic S905X Quad Core 2/32gb Dual Band WiFi 2.4GHz + 5GHz Bluetooth 4.0 - FreakTab.com

Looks like the TX7 has Android 7.1 now.

I am pretty sure the Hardware is the same as mine or older stock.

No idea where the Firmware download is.

I asked Tanix for it 2 weeks ago with NO REPLY.
Display More

kszabo · February 7, 2018 at 6:22 PM

I can do a full TWRP backup and share if I find a version that works with Nougat... but I doubt that you could upgrade a 6.0 box to Nougat as Nougat uses different partitions (the same reason why TWRP for Android 6 does not work for 7).

kostaman · February 8, 2018 at 6:41 AM

Thanks kszabo

I think Full Image from Tanix would be ideal.

That is not much to ask for.

But once again these Box Manufacturers in China have NO IDEA on customer service.

Put up a Website and with no Firmware for this box.

Contacted them 3 times in the last 3 weeks.

No response.

It's like they are having Chinese New Year for 12 Months of the year.

vaksa · February 15, 2018 at 9:46 AM

Just got my TX7 in the mail this morning. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

Any luck getting firmware from Tanix? Or extracting it? I'm planning to make a backup and then flash LibreELEC to internal memory.

I think there was a Tanix guy somewhere on the forum, perhaps he could assist in getting the stock image.

kszabo · February 15, 2018 at 6:49 PM

I had the same plan and abandoned it. There is really no need to flash LibreElec to the internal memory.

It boots fast from the SD-card without problems, the performance is also good. You can leave Android on the box, it does not disturb too much.

I did not find any TWRP that works with Tx7 and Android 7 (tried several versions) so no backup of the firmware till now.

kuzbx · February 18, 2018 at 9:50 AM

same one: i need the dtb from the stock android image to wipe LE and go back to android. please help me guys!

kostaman · February 18, 2018 at 9:56 AM

Quote from kuzbx

same one: i need the dtb from the stock android image to wipe LE and go back to android. please help me guys!

Were you on Marshmallow ? If "yes" I can give you the device tree.

If you were on Nougat 7. "Happy Chinese New Year". I can't help you.

kuzbx · February 18, 2018 at 11:57 AM

Quote from kostaman

Were you on Marshmallow ? If "yes" I can give you the device tree.

If you were on Nougat 7. "Happy Chinese New Year". I can't help you.

thank you for your tempestive answer. to be more accurate, the device is the z11 pro (zenoplige) but inside is litterally the same (or tx3/tx5).

marshmallow is ok.

kostaman · February 19, 2018 at 2:46 AM

Quote from kuzbx

marshmallow is ok.

Attached: tx7 Android device tree.zip

kuzbx · February 19, 2018 at 5:44 PM

Quote from kostaman

Attached: tx7 Android device tree.zip

thank you but it doesn't boot man.

maybe it's because i don't have the right recovery?

warez · February 19, 2018 at 8:27 PM

just made firmware 7.1.2 for the tx5 pro... it is running the 9377 wifi chip... i think it will run on the tx7 but so far android 6 is runnning a lot betther

kostaman · February 19, 2018 at 10:08 PM

Quote from warez

just made firmware 7.1.2 for the tx5 pro... it is running the 9377 wifi chip... i think it will run on the tx7 but so far android 6 is runnning a lot betther

Who made the firmware ??

The TX7 has 32gb internal memory so not sure what partitions will be created using TX5 Firmware.

I'm sure eventually Tanix will release their TX7 Firmware.

Quote from kuzbx

same one: i need the dtb from the stock android image to wipe LE and go back to android. please help me guys!

You will have to use Amlogic burning tool and flash Android firmware.

Your wifi chip and remote control may be an issue if you use Tanix Firmware on a non Tanix box.

kostaman · March 3, 2018 at 11:53 AM

Quote from kszabo

I can do a full TWRP backup and share if I find a version that works with Nougat..

Quote from vaksa

Any luck getting firmware from Tanix?

Quote from kuzbx

same one: i need the dtb from the stock android image to wipe LE and go back to android. please help me guys!

I've received a reply from a member over at Freaktab with the link for a TX7 Nougat image. ( No Reply From Tanix )

~~Not tried it yet. Not verified. So i won't post the image link here.~~

~~I can't try it until tomorrow so knock yourselves out.~~ Report back please.

TX7 Android 7.1 Amlogic S905X Quad Core 2/32gb Dual Band WiFi 2.4GHz + 5GHz Bluetooth 4.0 - FreakTab.com

kostaman · March 4, 2018 at 12:40 AM

Quote from kostaman

~~Not tried it yet. Not verified. So i won't post the image link here.~~

Hi again,

Glad to report that image worked perfect. using Amlogic USB Burning Tool v2.0.8

I can Verify this image is Legitimate and it works.

No Chinese Hacked Kodi installed and no Bloatware.

Youtube 1080p and i haven't installed any apps from Playstore as yet. Too Busy.

MEGA

k4yl0rd · April 9, 2018 at 10:08 PM

Hi guys, I bought this device some days ago reading your good reviews. I unboxed it today and everything works out of the box with the latest GDPR-2 build, thanks!

I noticed however that from the system panel the build does not see the internal memory; I have two partitions active, a system one (smaller, 512Mb) and a storage partition of 31.something Gb. Seems to me it's the Samsung microSD I use to boot LE, but the device should have 32Gb of internal eMMC...
Can anybody hel me out troubleshooting the issue? Thanks

Edit: found another issue. Sometimes, e.g. In YouTube plugin, if I click on a video it seems the tv goes out of sync (no hdmi signal) for a fraction of a seconda, then everything goes fine & smooth. It might depend on the hdmi cable ( i use the crappy one that came with the tv box), I'll try another one but if The issue tells something familiar to you, kindly suggest me how to solve

Thanks!

kostaman · April 10, 2018 at 12:15 AM

Quote from k4yl0rd

I noticed however that from the system panel the build does not see the internal memory;

Have a read [HOWTO] Boot from SD card, use internal memory for data

Quote from k4yl0rd

Edit: found another issue. Sometimes, e.g. In YouTube plugin, if I click on a video it seems the tv goes out of sync (no hdmi signal) for a fraction of a seconda, then everything goes fine & smooth.

That may well be adjust display refresh rate changing to match video. Not an issue.

Tanix TX7 (Amlogic s905x, 2GB RAM, 32GB ROM) for LibreElec

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