Lost usb after update to LE10.0.1 on Z28 RK3328 (4G)

The Z28 RK3328 (4GB ram) LE 10.0.0 was plain sailing - it works (near) flawlessly. ( Despite the Z28 lacking specific LE support and using the Bee-link A1 build). However the problem I have is with the update to LE 10.0.1 - the Z28 loses ability to communicate. The install completes fine and everything appears to be able to load, ssh is working, but the K400 Logitech keyboard is seeming not able to communicate with its USB dongle. When I try with wired USB keyboard or mouse, it seems that there is no longer power from the Z28's internal USB hub. (I can say this because the light on the bottom of the wired mouse is off when I plug it in).

Here is the situation before on LE 10.0.0:

http://ix.io/3Ha9

and after upgrade to LE 10.0.01

http://ix.io/3HqU

attached is a pdf of the LE 10.0.01 dmesg output. dmesg_091221.pdf

From the attached log it can be seen that the Logitech dongle is recognised, hence my theory about something to do with the internal USB hubs power supply?

I realise support for the Z28 architecture is limited, however in LE 10.0.0 the Z28 worked near flawlessly, despite the lack of a LE distro specific to its name. When I retry this time with a clean install of the A1 RK3328 LE 10.0.01 build, it seems to load fine: boots into the Welcome screen, but on this install there no longer any ability to ssh: and it has the same dead USB problem. (the A1 keymap does not match the Z28 IR controller, so no joy utilising this alternative method of control).

I have re-attempted to upgrade from LE 10.0.0 to LE 10.0.1 and one clean install direct to LE 10.0.1 the result is always the same no recognition of the dongle.

Thank you David

I though that I would test the hypothesis that the problem outlined above: was caused by USB not being powered up. To reiterate the Z28 works fine on LE 10.0.0: but after update to 10.0.1 the USB keyboard dongle can no longer communicate with the keyboard.

To test this I used a powered USB hub, but no joy. So although the Logitech dongle is recognised on install of LE 10.0.1 (see log above), despite the inclusion of a separate power source, it still lacks the ability to communicate with the keyboard. I also tested the lack of power supply hypothesis just with a USB mouse but this is still not recognised either.

I now believe that somewhere along the install process from 10.0.0 to 10.0.1 the addressing of the internal USB ports must get screwed up.

Now whether this is specifically a LE problem or more particularly a problem with the Linux Kernel upgrade from 5.4 and 5.10, I can not say? But, I will now also pursue the problem in Linux kernel forums as well.

Currently on this version of the Z28 (LE 9 or LE 10) there is (no power button), no wifi or bluetooth, so communication is via ethernet. From LE 10.0.1 now no USB. No doubt the problem is in the unique (not conforming to known agreed standards) architecture of the Z28.

However the Z28 works fine in 10.0.1 (and even 10.0.2): if I do an upgrade (rather than clean install), after enabling control by the 'Official Kodi Remote iOS" app in the settings prior to the upgrade. This allows full use of the LE and Kodi on the Z28 using the app (on an ipad connected wirelessly to the same network the the Z28 is connected to via ethernet cable). So if the USB problem is not fixed in future versions of LE and I am forced to update to a later version - a pathway to using the LE on the Z28 does exist...

But for now I can see no real advantage to the upgrade of the Z28 past 10.0.0, so I will downgrade and keep using the keyboard via USB dongle.

[SOLVED] (a note to fellow Z28 Rockchip RK3328 LibreELEC users)

I will mark this as solved, the Z28 is back working with USB using the Rockchip A1 Nightlies.

The Z28 is currently providing excellent performance using:

LibreELEC-RK3328.arm-11.0-nightly-20220727-fcc8f2f-a1.img.gz.

I currently am using the Z28 with a (Logitech K400) wireless keyboard, 4k monitor (AOC G4309VX/D) with a 2.1 soundbar (Yamaha 209). Both seem to be delivering good performance. (Using HDMI passthrough - I link the HDMI cable first to the soundbar then the monitor. (Optical connecting through a SPDIF cable also works, but not as good as HDMI - it experiences small dropouts).

Sound and picture quality have improved immensely with this nighty. Rich colours and much better sound quality than with LE 10.0.0.

Using IPTV from the Slyguy Repository and can recommend this to all AU/NZ LibreElec users. (I also use a modified version Bossanova88 Confluence Skin and weather app.)

Connecting to a router through Ethernet, no working WiFi - ( : but WiFi has not worked since I upgraded the box's firmware from Nougat to Oreo).

Also with this version subtitles are working correctly playing foreign language MKV files something it could not do with LE 10.0.0.

In short I don't expect there to be a proprietary system out there that works as well or is as versatile as the one I have. If there is I would not be able to afford it!

Kudos and thank you to all of the many contributors of this system.

I understand that saying that the problem is fixed in a later version of LibreELEC does not provide much explanation of why the problem occurred in the first place.

I recently came across a forum post from Foreuser that suggests a reason.

https://forum.libreelec.tv/core/user/29974-forenuser

Forenuser points to the changes with the LE10.0.1 a1.dtb file as the cause of the problem.

When looking at the differences between LE10.0.1 and the LE 11 nightly, 20220727-fcc8f2f-a1: a different phandle node is used for USB3: while usb2 phy becomes usb2phy: there are also several other changes to the dtb file used in this development version of LE 11, that may explain why USB is now working, and performance has improved.

Attached is a file tracking the changes between the dtb file used in the current LE 11 nightly and the problematic 10.0.1 a1-dtb.

a1_dtb_comparison.pdf