Posts by RayW

Quote from The Coolest

I can't guarantee it would work on any of the LE builds, since I don't do LE builds, and don't keep track of what they include. I *think* that the latest wrxtasy build includes a relatively recent version of the driver, you'll also need the right DTBs to go along with it, though.

On the last post of page 7 I posted a "how to" with the files necessary to get things working on older builds that don't have the vfd driver built in, it's also a relatively old version, but is better than nothing. I don't provide any active support for it, I simply posted it as courtesy for anyone who wishes to give it a try.

Okay thanks for this Coolest to the Page 7 post of yours. Okay I have downloaded the FD628 Display.zip and the 8.2-vfd-dtbs.zip.

First I have changed the dtb.img on my 8.2.2.3 S912 3G SD boot card for the replacement one from your dtbs.zip file and the box boots and works fine with this modded dtb. BUT now I do not understand what you mean when you say " Extract the FD628 Display.zip file in your box, then run" So I assumes you meant run the Install from Zip function in my box and then run the installed service addon, but it will not install and just fails. So clearly it is not a normal addon service install ??? So where do I put the zip file in my box folders, or do I extract this zip file first on my PC and then install the extracted files to my box to some specific folder in the /storage area ?? .

Also do I now not need the Openvfd service so should I uninstall it now ?? What is the Openvfd service used for then ?? Does FD628 replace it ??

Appreciate the help you are giving us all here especailly with these older 8.2.2.3 S912 builds.

I also have on another SD card a working LibreELEC-S912.arm-8.2.5-Chroma.422.10bit.img.gz build. Whcih is good news. SO are you saying with this later firmware build it has teh vfd drivers already built in ?? If so assume I do not need to change to one of your modified dtb files and just somehow install the FD628 Display.zip and the Z6 vfd.conf file into the /storage/configs folder as usual.

Sorry for so many questions but I am gfetting very confused here as it all seems a little vague to me. I really do though appreciate your free time and help, very kind of you mate.

Quote from The Coolest

RayW

That build probably doesn't have the vfd driver, so it won't work.

Thanks for the help Coolest. Ah so I am wasting my and your time with getting vfd to work with the 8.2.2.3. S912 build. Okay so I have to go to 8.2.4.x builds then yes ?? And then try again ?? So you are saying that there is no way I can fix the display problem unless I go up to these latest 4.x builds ?? Shame as I am very happy with 8.2.2.3 for now. Is there no way the vfd driver can be easily manually added with this build ??

Only confusion is if I can get the 8.2.4.x builds running stable on my TX9 Pro box, do I then need this FD628 service (which I cannot find in the LE repo so any ideas where I get it from ??) or do I need this opendvf service V1.0.1.0 which I do have, or do I need both ??

I gather I must have not found the correct DTB file for the 8.2.4.x S912 builds and thus the stability problems. So if anyone else has this TX9 Pro box or the almost identical Voork Z6 box, then which DTB are they using with these 8.2.4.x builds ?? I am also a little reticent on upgrading to this 8.2.4.x series yet because of the subtitle problems too.

If I can get 8.2.4.1 and upwards S912 builds working okay then I can sort this display problem out whcih I want to fix if possible.

Quote from doggyofone

RayW, I'm curious to see if you have resolved this issue, as i am looking to purchase the same box. Any update?

It is cracked doggyofone as it was simply one of my stock old Ethernet patch cables I was usign was only a Cat 5 cable form the box to my Gigabit switch. Changed it for a Cat 5e (or a Cat 6 of course) patch cabel adn now bingo up comes the gigabit light on the switch and I see my full internet connection speed of 150 mbps download now on my box Arnu Speedtest utility. I did post about this fix I think. Anyway hope that helps but I find 8.2.2.3 is still the more stable build as of yet. Will switch to 8.2.4.x when it is more stable on these S912 boxes but do support the good work they are doing especially with the 4K HDR 10 bit switching.

Well The Coolest, very many thanks for your help here but as suggested I have tried the Voork Z6 vfd.conf file and the openvfd service is installed and confirmed as running. I have added that Z6 vfd.conf into the /storage/.config folder as instructed and rebooted. Absolutely no change still stuck with boot showing on the display. Tried configuring that openvfd service, and even tried disabling the display option but still it shows "boot" after each reboot, even tried powering down. Left the openvfd settings as default now so no matter what I tryh I cannto get aby change to the static "boot" showign on the display.

Of course it is likely I am dong something wrong here as i am getting quite confused now as to what I need to do? All very complicated. And now I see something about a FD638 service ?? So do I now need this service inmsatlaled an drunnign as well as the OpenVFD 1.0.1.0 service
??. I would love to be able to either have the dispaay totally blank or better still to be able to control it with say the current system time as I see many options in the openvfd service add-on. But all seems to be incredibly vague as to what I now need to do.

BTW I am using the S912 LE 8.2.2.3 with appropriate 3G and Gigabit device tree gxm_200_3g.dtb which is the only dtb that worked with this TX9 Pro box and still giving me the gigabit port and all ports and devices working okay. I got that device tree from the DTB folder in these forums that referred to boxes with 1 Gigabit Ethernet ports but th e title shoudl clarify which one I am using.

I have given up on 8.2.4.x builds with the Tanix TX9 Pro S912 box as the box then runs unstable with all of the various device trees I have tried, but as I am happy with Kszaqs 8.2.2.3 S912 build I want to stick with that until the 8.2.4.x series S912 builds are sorted and stable. LE 8.2.2.3 is stable and works OK though amazingly my TX7 S905X box wiht this same build is still faster and smoother when running big 4K 10 bit HDR files off of my NAS drive despite the TX7 only having a standard 100mbps port and a quad core cpu ?? Probably because the S905 LE 8.2 builds use pucker Amlogic kernel firmware which I understand is unavalable for s912 devices, goodness knows why Amlopgic do not release it for Linux use.

I think it would be very helpful to most folk for a step by step instruction as to how to get this VFD service up and running and how to change the display output to what is requried, would be very welcomed indeed as all very vague and confusing right now.

Quote from The Coolest

RayW

I extracted the DTB from the TX9 Pro firmware. You should use the Vorke Z6 vfd conf file.

Thanks so much Coolest. However I am sure it was one of the vfd conf files I tried already with no success. I willl try later on tonight when I get a moment though. So have you now got yourself a Tanix TX9 Pro box then ???

Will let you know how I get on my friend.

BTW do you know why the /dev/dtb file is shown as zero bytes using the X-Plore File Manager app ? Seems weird.

Quote from Sholander

??? It is as simple as it gets

Use a mouse, and use Xplore in 2 pane mode; on left open (single left button click) root/dev folder and on the right open your disk.

Long left button press on dtb.img brings up a menu in which you choose what to do with the file. Choose copy and it will send it to the right pane...

Well how the hell would anyone know to hold the remote OK button or mouse button for a long press ??? Not intuitive in any way. Usually you use the Menu button or right mouse button for such contextual menus. Anyway thanks for that vital piece of information and your help mate. Oh and BTW many folk do not have a separate keyboard or mouse with these boxes and rely on the remote as supplied but it is unfit for purpose with Android and a PITA to keep switching from nav keys to mouse pointer

Although I now get teh contextual menu options up it still will not copy as it starts to copy anbd then just fails everytime. Tried a different file in the /dev folder as the DTB one is shown as zero bytes, but still the same result. Tried also copying it to the storage partition on the LibreELEC SD card but same as trying to copy to my USB stick as it fails everytime. Also when I go back from the right pane to the left I lose the file I have selected as it returns to the root folder selection and have to scroll down again to find the file I want to copy... Terribly non user firendly.

Sorry just underlines my opinion that Android is total crap and needs avoiding at all costs if possible. I try to stick with Windows and Linux based OS's and Apple OS which although I am less familiar with it is at least more logical and user freindly than the bloody Android bloatware.

Quote from The Coolest

RayW

Sadly that didn't work right, the output didn't contain the DTB.

You may have to follow Sholander 's suggestion.

Well I have to give up now. Bloody Android is a heap of crap and cannot understand how anyone likes using it to be honest.

Anyhow installed that XPlore File Manager and spent 30 minutes trying to copy the /dev/dtb file across to my USB stick. Gave up in the end as the XPlore app is virtually unusable and IMHO is truly not fit for the purpose. Why oh why can they not learn in Android how to run a decent File Manager feature (and any other feature too) properly like they do in KODI with their easy to use intuitive File Manager facility ?? Literally everything is a pain in Android and a complete mess, difficult to configue and messy to use. Everythjing we usually need is always far better implemented in Linux KODI !!!

Anyway I could at least look at that DTB file in XPlore and it is shown as 0 bytes. So go figure, I cant. I just go around and around in circles and get nowhere in Android and the remote is next to useless. How the hell can you use this Xplore app to simply copy a file from one place to another ?? I have been a PC power user for several decades now and been on Unix detailed tech courses etc etc and have little probelm with Linux based KODI. But I repeat Android I find is a real PITA. As I said before I stick with Apple phones and tablets (worth the extra cost or get an older second hand one), and LE Linux based KODI streaming boxes. Just wish I could find a non zero byte DTB file in the Andorid system files and copy it to my USB stick so I can post it here for The Coolest.

Hey Coolest thanks a lot man for trying to help here, much appreciated and Sholander too. Sadly I just cannot see how he can use that XPlore app ???????? Beats me for sure.

Quote from Sholander

If your box i rooted, boot to Android, and from Play Store instal "X-plore File Manager". Open X-plore, go to root//dev/ folder and find there the needed dtb.img file. Copy it to your favorite location...

Thanks Sholander. But already sorted it if you see my response to The Coolest. Had to create a /storage/downloads folder manually first. Now got the file but cannot seem to upload it here by using simple attachments and adding a .zip extension for compatiobility with this forum. Anyway I really dont want to play much with Android and adding any more apps to it is something I try to avoid. I detest Android I have to say and I am fully a long time Linux based man and love LE for KODI.

Everytime I do try to use Andorid on these boxes I find it is not fit for purpose and so difficutl to navigate using the remote a real PITA which KODI is not. Gets me quite irritable I have to say but maybe put some of that down to old age. I dont even like Android based smart phones much either and far prefer my awesome iPhone, but I appreciate that is subjective of course as at least Android does work ok with a smart phone unlike with these boxes, clearly needs a keyboard attached whcih should not be essential as it is not in LE KODI.

Quote from The Coolest

RayW

This is *ELEC basics, LE creates a few shared folders, one of them is `downloads` and it's normally stored in /storage, together with a lot of other folders.

Linux is case sensitive, so make sure you don't use caps when you type in commands.

Try to run these commands and post the URL you get in return.

Code

cd /storage
ls | paste

No I looked in File Manager and run the above commands in SSH but neither show a Downloads folder at all and I have two boxes one a s905x and the other my latest S912 and neither have a downloads folder. Cannto remember ever seeing one and do play around a lot with files in teh storage area so confused now ?? I can create a downloads folder but a bit odd that I should have to to be frank.

I do know there is a downloads folder in Android as that is where you install APKs from after downloading them. This is not as straightforward as the instructions implied to be honest.

Ahh forgot The url I get is http:://http://sprunge.us/31IMjz

PS I have created a downloads folder in the /storage directory now and running the command from SSH now works okay. The DTB.IMG.GX file is now there in my newly created folder. But it should be noted that this folder is not created automatically as I have two boxes both with virgin LS 8.2.2.3 installs on SD card and as I say neither have this downloads folder created, so surely this is going to be a problem for everyone trying to run that ssh command line. I have to assume thsi is the Android DTB file and not the LE one but I will now try to attach it to this post if I can. Have to put it on a USB stick first úsing File Manager as dont know how to copy it from my box 'direct to a Windows folder usign SSH.

Cannot attach the file as it says the extension is invalid ??? Weird . SO do I simply remove the extension and leave it as dtb.img . Tried it and also invalid ??? so how can I send you this dtb file ?? Ah maybe add the extemsion .zip. That worked but the file shows as 0 Byte ?? Let me know if that is okay please Coolest. Doesnt look right '. So how do I attach files here, seems non intuitive ??? Ah it was 0 bytes somethign wrong with my USB stick as keeps changing to 0 bytes form about 38K Now used a differfent stick and now okay so re attached it.

Very much appreciate if you can help here with the display conf file for these really nice TX9 Pro boxes.

Okay I give up. In LE that ssh command says there is no such directory as /storage/downloads whcih is of course correct as a quick look in FIle Manager will show. So clearly I can see no way of gettign this Android original DTB file either from an Android boot up with ssh or TE, and not in LE KODI either of course. Please help somebody !!!

An update I thought hey must be that I have to use Android Terminal Emulator app but that command line does not work in the TE either as reports no such file or directory and also I get a Permission denied on the /dev/dtb bit too ?? So still stuck. Clearly cannot run it in LE as Android OS will not be running but maybe it does simply then look at internal memory and copies it from there to the LE /storage/dowmloads folder. Will try it in LE then. Be back later.

Quote from The Coolest

ndroid

Quote from The Coolest

I think he's saying that the display is stuck at "boot", which normally means the vfd driver has not been started or the wrong vfd.conf was used.

Just lost a detailed reply to you grrr Anyway thanks Coolest and sorry for long delay in replying but been too busy to get time to look into until now.

Anyway trying to get the internet default Andriid 7 DTB file so I can send it to you and ask you if would kindly help get a suitable conf file to get my front display panel workign in LE 8.2.3.3. and 8.4.2.1 on my Tanix TX9 Pro S912 3/32 Gb with gigabit port box. Have the servcice needed running and checked that it is working, but cannot find a suitable conf file for it having tried several similar box type ones availble here on this site all to no avail 9yes I know to reboot too after copying into the KODi correct config folder.

Problem is I cannot get the Android 7 DTB file following Kszaq's instruactions as shown below. How the heck can I get to send the command as Putty connection to teh box running default Android will not happen using SSH like it does with LE ?? Help ?? I know little about Android as really dislike it so dont use it much if at all. I do have the original default Andorid 7 firmnware as run LE off of a fast SD card as usual.

• Yes but only if you have original Android firmware on internal storage, otherwise dtb might be incorrect. You can execute dd if=/dev/dtb | gzip > /storage/downloads/dtb.img.gz and you'll find compressed device tree in Downloads share.

Quote from wrxtasy

S912 hardware, when using FFMPEG CPU Software decoding like 720p Netflix and Kodi Leia, needs at a minimum Kodi Dirty Regions disabled ie, OFF:

HOW-TO:Modify dirty regions - Official Kodi Wiki

However you then need good chipset cooling, because the CPU and GPU gets a real workout.

Even then I’m not sure it works properly due to the Hybrid GPU drivers used.

In the end it is far simpler to dual boot and run an Android TV ROM with its easy to use 1080p Netflix App on MECOOL, WeTek Play2 or MINIX U9 hardware.

I even have 1080p (HEVC) 5.1 DD+ Audio - Amazon Prime video working with an ATV ROM on the U9.

Like Shoog, I have no problems with LE streaming, either local or IPTV with S912 hardware.

(I do not use LE / CE Netflix)

Display More

Yep I also would not use Netflix streaming using KODI OR Android as it is so well implemented on most Smart TVs now and on my LG in UHD with even Dolby Vision HDR on many moveis and TV series. See no point in struggling with KODI unless you only have an older or non smart TV of course. But UHD TVs are so cheap nowadays even the Super UHD smartr TVs are superbly cheap prices especially if you buy on promotions last years models instead of the very latest. So for Netflix strongly recommend everyone with a Smart TV to run Netflix that way, it is excellently implemented adn far less hassle too than struggling with KODI implementation. Better i feel to keep concentrating on other more useful KODI CE/LE developments that are more useful to most.

Quote from White

Here in Australia, I am getting 4~7Mbps from Telstra ADSL2+ with a package of $99/month (Unlimited Data)... There is no NBN, fibre, etc... available. Could not register with other providers as there is no infrastructure. Where I live is about 10 minutes to the central business district (CBD) in Sydney. So SAD for Australia internet users.

Yes I have heard as I have many relatives and freinds living in Australia and feel very sorry for you guys over there. I pay Thai Baht 963 per month (£22.30 but no idea what that is in Ozzie $ but certainly a lot less than that rip off $99 per month I am sure) and that is for 150/50 Down/Up Mbps fibre optic link and unlimited so no quota either. It is very reliable and very rare that it goes down. If there is any problem they fix it wihtin 24 hours even with a cable break. And here we are in Thailand whcih although not quite a thrid World cournty is certainly not a 1st World one for sure

You guys need to get your Government to renationaile those rip off comms companies you have over there and in the USA, or if not at least control them severely so they meet the requirements of the people, as indeed the Thai Governmetn here does. If they don't do that then just threaten to not vote for them again, that will make them sit up and pay attention for sure

Dioes anyone here know which vfd conf file I need to fix the front display showing "boot" when running LE 8.2.4.1 with my Tanix TX9 Pro box (looks the same spec as the TX92) using the latest gxm_q200_k3_pro.dtb file (that is the only dtb that works 100% with this TX9 box) . I would dearly love to have either the display blanked or better just diplaying dots so you can see the box is powered on, or even saying "kodi" would be nice, whenever booted into LE.

I dont want to reinvent the wheel if there is a suitable file already available. Else I would have to go through a steep learning curve to try to write my own vfd conf file and then find the spare time. I may well try this if there is no suitable file availabel already

Quote from Sholander

Setting "DirtyRegions" in advancedsetting.xml to 0 makes sense only to avoid known "Subtitle Stutter" on S912 boxes.

For help on seting Front Display ask in this thread.

Okay good news is I have cured the freezing problem with 8.2.4.1 by changing device tree. Took some finding but the one I used in the end for my Tanix TX9 Pro S912 box was not as expected the new generic gxm_q201_3g_1gbit.dtb which would not even boot. However the gxm_q200_k3_pro.dtb one I used and bingo everything checks out with it. USB ports, WiFi, BT and Audio all good too. Do not know what the k3-Pro box is but it works with the TX9 Pro box so sounds like a copy of the Tanix maybe. The only other 1 GBit DTB that seems to be for 3G RAM too is the gxm_kvim2.dtb and although this booted okay and seemed to work I quickly found that the top USB port on the box was not working, did not check furhter for things like BT etc.

So for those with the Tanix TX92 box I assume they must be using this same gxm_q200_k3_pro.dtb withthe 8.2.4.1 build as the specs for the TX92 are the same as for the TX9 Pro except the better ventilated less good looking case with a power button on top. So I see no point in paying what I see as a large 20 to 30% more for the TX92 than the I believe newer TX9 Pro ????

All the 3G 1 Gbit Kszaq device trees for S912 either would not boot at all or would work with freezes though one was good except for no WiFi. But for the Kszaq 8.2.2.3 S912 build then I found a good working DTB in his device tree collection that did work very well with the TX9 Pro.

Thanks for all the help guys. Yep I decide not to bother with the DirtyRegions settings as I don't get any subtitle stutters and anyway as you see above I have now fixed my freezes problem :-)) Hope the above will be of some help to others with these Tanix S912 boxes.

Quote from Sholander

Yes, cable can be the bottleneck, use Cat6...

Yes indeed Sholander my suspicion was correct regarding the Ethernet patch lead I was using from my Gigbit switch to the TX9 Pro box, which was indeed an old unmarked cable, so almost certainly a legacy basic Cat 5 lead. Now changed that for a Cat 5e patch lead and bingo up comes the gigbiit indicator on the swtich, the ssh speed check command now returns 1000, and on the box the Arnu Speedtest add-on returns a download of 151 Mbps, which is in line with my ISP 150 Mb fibre package ( we often get slightly more speed than we pay for here which is nice). Also that Hisense 4K 2.2GB GB file from my NAS Drive now streams to my box and plays almost perfectly with only one small buffer in the same place every time I run it (so probably a file corruption) but now fully watchable with no longer the constant buffering and sound sync losses I was getting before. Yay

I would have thought a simple CAT 5 lead would support up to my internet speed of 150 Mbps but clearly it seems that without the full gigabit connection to the gigabit LAN becuase of the old patch lead cable type then it seems that the box simply does not switch the port to gigabit mode, and that is probably normal behaviour. Also CAT 5e is also a perfectly suitable spec for Gigabit use and even possibly a little more speed too, and will thus exhibit no perfoprmance difference to Cat 6 in general use even with a full gigabit stream. However as you would know Cat 6 cable is much stronger and rugged being more armoured, and it probably will support even much higher speeds and throughput than 5e, but speeds which are curretnly not utilised. So maybe ready for next generation multi gigabuit LAN speeds maybe in the not too distant future. I do use Cat 6 cable which runs from my Computer / Comms room where the fibre optic gateway is with a big 8 port distribution gigabit switch, where it then runs outside the houese and back into my TV lounge where the main AV cabinet is and into a Gigabit 5 port swtich and then via patch leads to my TV, BluRay player, and my main and test Android boxes liek this TX9 Pro at the moment Anyway thanks for all your help and encouragement Sholander.

So I still need some help with the freezes using 8.2.4.1 with the TX9 Pro box which happens mainly when scrolling through lists in the GUI, but I have still got to find time today hopefully to try that Advance xml file DirtyRegions setting that wrxtasy suggested to see if that helps. Now I know what DirtyRegions is from the link he gave me, but just did not know of this probablty relatively recent terminolgy for such a system. Many years ago now I was aware of such a basic system of only updating small data changes with most new video frames and this continued for so many consecutive similar frames until sending a new full frame resfresh after no more than every x frames, and whenever big frame changes were detected like an entire change of scene for example or fast moving grahics. That was many years ago in the early days of digital video systems. I think even before the new millenium started and before I retired.

Oh yes and still wondering if anyone knows about switching off the front panel display which permanently shows "boot" when running LE ?? Not that important but would be nice to fix this. Anybody ??

Quote from wrxtasy

Are you sure you have not actually been sold a Fake device with 100M LAN only ?

We see this occasionally with 3GB RAM devices actually having only 2GB RAM.

As already mention by Sholander ...

Code

cat /sys/class/net/eth0/speed

Thank you so much for the feedback Sholander and wrxtasy, very much appreciated..

I am logged into this TX9 Pro box with ssh and tried that command twice and both times it gives the result "not found" ?? So why is this ? This is using the 8.2.2.3 S912 build by the way so assume that should still work for this ssh command.

The reasons I think this has to be a real TX9 Tanix box is that only the 3G RAM with 1G LAN device trees work with it. 3G or 2G RAM with 100 M LAN versions just wont boot. KODI 17 system info does show it has 3GB RAM too btw. Secondly I get my boxes always from my China supplier whom I have known quite well for many years now and he gets them driect from the local Shenzhen factories. He has never let me down and is very reliable and helpful too. So although it is maybe possible, I feel it is highly unlikely that it is a 100M port lower spec cloned box.

I will take a look probably later today at this subtitle Dirty Regions fix but I have never as yet heard of it. But as always time permitting I am always willing to learn and then see if it such a fix helps the freezes with 8.2.4.1 My subtitles are set to use both English and the local Thai language and as such I have to install and use a special Arialuni font for the Thai sandscript character set. I have used this font successfully since way back with much earlier Linux based KODI versions from I think KODI 12 onwards.

Oh one other small issue question. Do you know if it is possible to switch off the front panel display ?? This only works in Android boot up and simply just stays fixed with the word "boot" showing when running LE. Somewhere in the past , but cannot find it now, I am sure I read on these forum threads a suggestion to make it possible on some previous box to turn off this display panel via an ssh command.

At the moment I have enough on my plate and thus I am not doing any work playing with CoreELEC KODI 18 as yet. I will most likely wait until much later when we get the full release of Leia, or at the very least near to when that is truly imminent and the system is stable.

UPDATE

The speed check ssh command I typed in was wrong. A basic unforgiveable mistake as I omitted the space after teh cat command. Duh. Anyway now works and returns a speed on 100. Strange indeed. I wonder if maybe the ehternet patch cable form my gigabit switch to the box is maybe an old Cat 5 lead rather than a Cat5e or Cat6 cable. Will take a look later as could that be a possible cause this 100 Mb result reported or does that prove the hardware is only a 100Mb port in the TX9 Pro box. Maybe possible the decvice tree is still not with needed correct driver ??