[8.2.4.1] LibreELEC Kodi Krypton - S905 & S912 devices

    I've used for the last months a LibreELEC-S905.arm-8.2.4.2-Test2.wetekdvb.img.gz installed on a Samsung MicroSD EVO Plus 16gb SD card put in a Minix U1 (S905X) connected to a 2009 Sony TV.

    I had to add an autostart.sh file because I had the pink screen problem and "Force RGB" setting in Amlogic section of the configuration didn't work.

    Every 30-40 days the SD card has to be reflashed because LE stop booting.

    To avoid the procedure of creating an autostart file each time, I made an image of the SD card after I've added autostart file, and I use that to reflash the card when I need to.

    My problem is that reflashing take about 30 minutes, while using the original LE version it takes 5 minutes or so.

    I don't understand why there's a difference and I'd like to know if it's possible to put an autostart file into the original image to shorten the times of reflashing.

    Anybody can help me?

    Thank you

    • Official Post

    If you image a working SD card you are creating a file that matches the 16GB? of the card, even if the card only has 1GB of actual data on it. It would be faster to create a backup (in LE settings) that you restore after installing the default LE image, as this will only be the actual data. The difference in time is simply the difference in how long it takes to write 1GB vs 16GB (or whatever capacity the SD card is).

    Quote from chewitt

    If you image a working SD card you are creating a file that matches the 16GB? of the card, even if the card only has 1GB of actual data on it. It would be faster to create a backup (in LE settings) that you restore after installing the default LE image, as this will only be the actual data. The difference in time is simply the difference in how long it takes to write 1GB vs 16GB (or whatever capacity the SD card is).

    I have found this is not the case as not only does the 16GB image include my data and setting too (yes I can use LE backup and restore) but also it has the right DTB, which also would otherwise needs writing to the SD card manually, and then it is all set up for special needs like TX9 front panel display drivers and settings. The time it takes to simply restore the image to a matching 16GB SD card is really no problem as I just leave it copying on the PC whilst I get on with other things and anyway it does not take that long. I am dubious that it would take any less time doing it all from scratch and restoring a user backup, and also remember when first booted the SD card needs its data partition configuring by the system too and that all also takes time. Alluneeded using the image restore of course.

    I have used both methods and personally far more recommend a full SD card image restoral using say Win32DiskImager.

    Quote from chewitt

    If you image a working SD card you are creating a file that matches the 16GB? of the card, even if the card only has 1GB of actual data on it. It would be faster to create a backup (in LE settings) that you restore after installing the default LE image, as this will only be the actual data. The difference in time is simply the difference in how long it takes to write 1GB vs 16GB (or whatever capacity the SD card is).

    Do the backup contain the autostart.sh file too?

    I have been trying to locate the img.gz file for the latest LE for my Minix U9-H but have only found the .LibreELEC-S912.arm-8.2.4.2-fix-lost-audio-v2.tar file. Where are the img files? The sd creator tool does not seem to work with tar files.

    I searched the downloads section for MINIX and got 0 results. What's the haps with LE and Minix U9-H?

    Please advise.

    michael

    Quote from Ezriderz

    I have been trying to locate the img.gz file for the latest LE for my Minix U9-H but have only found the .LibreELEC-S912.arm-8.2.4.2-fix-lost-audio-v2.tar file. Where are the img files? The sd creator tool does not seem to work with tar files.

    I searched the downloads section for MINIX and got 0 results. What's the haps with LE and Minix U9-H?

    Please advise.

    michael

    The 8.2.5 versions are the latest for LE, and they are all here:-

    MEGA

    (You can always get wrxtasy's initial 8.2.4.1 img.gz file from here Release LibreELEC 8.2.4.1 - S912 release · wrxtasy/LibreELEC.tv · GitHub,

    install that, then if you only have '.tar' upgrade files , just place them in the kodi '.update' folder and reboot.)

    Edited 2 times, last by ukmark62 (March 17, 2019 at 8:32 PM).

    ukmark62, Thank you for pointing me to Mega for the LE image file. I found the device tree from Mega yesterday, but could not find any LE image files on the LE download page.

    It seems that the Minix U9-H has been abandoned as it does not appear as a device on this site, and all references to LE for that device seem to be redirected to discussion about CoreElec instead of LibreElec.

    I tried CoreElec and found it was so visually unstable with flickering images dupicated on the home screen. However, I was able to connect to my Windows 10 shared media drive with CE, and LE has failed to connect ever since I changed to Windows 10; I keep getting "Operation not Permitted" when I try to connect. But that was not enough for me to quit using CE and I returned to LE. Now, with the new version, perhaps it will connect to my W10 shares too. Fingers crossed.

    Hey, I feel you on the Minix U9-H, but I've been using the 8.2.5.1 1000nits build for about 5 months now without any issue. I tried to make the jump to CoreElec last week but ran into a lot of problems, namely crashes and weird graphical bugs. I'm wondering if other people had issues with this device on CoreElec as well, but as far as stability goes, LE has been very satisfactory, with thanks to wrxtasy. Based on this I'll probably stay put for another couple months if there's no further LE development and I'll give CE a try again.

    Hi guys,

    I've been mucking around with various versions of Kodi, and XBMC back in the day and on different media players over the years, ATV1 with CrystalHD, RPi1, and Intel NUC so have been in the weeds a bit with this sort of thing and assumed I'd have no issue making the change to an Amlogic device. I bought the S912 H96 Pro+ (Plus) 3G/32G 1G Ethernet as I wanted to be able to watch 4K HEVC encoded movies, and the faster CPU means better GUI performance and hopefully a bit of future proofing. I've since read there are other issues with S912, and the S905's seem to be more reliable. Anyway, this is what I have for now.

    I've run into an issue at the first hurdle of booting up. I can't even get the device to boot off the SD Card. I just get a black screen (monitor does not detect a signal) when I power up using the toothpick method and I see no logos or anything at all.

    The SD Card is a 32GB Sandisk Ultra which I've been using for general movie storage on my Android tablet without issue. I did read somewhere that Sandisk isn't ideal, so I've already ordered a 64gb Samsung Evo+ SD Card just to be sure. Unfortunately I don't have any other microSD card to try for now.

    I have tried LE versions 8.2.4 SubtitlesFF up to the latest 8.2.5 Chroma 422 10bit, I've used the LE flash too, Rufus v3.4 and USB Image Tool v 1.7. Tried with the DTB's of gxm_201_3g_1gbit.dtb,gxm_201_3g.dtb, gxm_200_3g.dtb, and q912_otg.dtb that someone posted, also tried with no DTB as someone suggested under the kszaq thread. Each time I copied the dtb file to the root of the SD card and renamed it to "dtb.img".

    Can't for the life of me figure it out. If I take the SD Card out, the toothpick method gets me to the recovery boot menu as expected so I know the button is working, and I can boot up to the normal Android OS without issue as well. If I install the SD Card into the device with Android booted, it will detect the card and I can browse the file system, so I know that the SD Card is readable by the device. I've then tried from an "su" command line to "reboot update" but that doesn't work either, seems to power off the device altogether.

    I've searched this thread and people seem to have been able to get the H96 Pro+ (Plus) to run LE, but no one with the same issue I have after trying all that, most people have found a solution.

    What else should I try?

    Kudos to wrxtasy/kszaq and other devs for all the hard work they put into these builds for the community to use.

    Thanks in advance!

    I've also been using the 1000nits build on my Minix since last fall and it's been pretty solid on most everything I throw at it. I tried CoreElec a few times, but I had problems with it interfering with my Flirc inputs, and some videos didn't run well. I may switch over and try it again as it's been awhile.


    Quote from Klarth

    Hey, I feel you on the Minix U9-H, but I've been using the 8.2.5.1 1000nits build for about 5 months now without any issue. I tried to make the jump to CoreElec last week but ran into a lot of problems, namely crashes and weird graphical bugs. I'm wondering if other people had issues with this device on CoreElec as well, but as far as stability goes, LE has been very satisfactory, with thanks to wrxtasy. Based on this I'll probably stay put for another couple months if there's no further LE development and I'll give CE a try again.