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RK2918 Android TV Box with 4x USB - ROOTED firmware + manual!

I have absolut the same TV box with 4 USB. I did upgrade according to the writing. But after upgrade I could not turn on the set top box. No any sign of power. What can I do now? Please help me!!!
 
sphp said:
Hello guys,

this is a manual how to upgrade your Android TV Box RK2918 with 4x USB looking like this with a rooted Firmware:


There are some versions of this Box in blue and black color as well as with and without android tv logo. Important is that you have the Box with 4x USB (NOT 2x or 3x USB).

I rooted my 4x USB RK2918 Android TV Box. Upgrading the Box is just a few steps away:


2) Copy update.img on SD Card root folder, insert SD Card into Box
3) Start Box and wait for upgrade dialog, confirm update
4) Wait while Box restarts and update performs
5) You're finished and have a fully rooted box


Content of Firmware
-Made from original firmware, Android 2.3.1
-Removed default homescreen, replaced by ADW Launcher (regular phone homescreen)
-Added Superuser + full root
-Removed Youtube App (old non working version, can be replaced by new one)
-Full support of upgrading via SD Card, like in the origin firmware


I got some root apps like droid VNC server running well.

Enjoy the freedom and homescreen of this rooted firmware.


Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damages resulting in this upgrade. I tested with my box and everthing works fine, as it is made from origin firmware. You may loose your warranty if you do the steps above.
Click to expand...



I am attempting to play with the FW but cannot seem to unpack it, I am using Ubuntu 11.10 and have tried unpack-bootimg.pl as well as unyaffs and the mount method. could you please share the method you used to unpack and pack this firmware as well as post a link to the stock FW?
 
has anyone experienced using 16gb or 32gb sd card and noticing over certain file numbers, the rest are scrambled or deleted and become useless when insert SD card or USB of that sizes!

My issue is, i copy video files on my 16gh sd card and insert it into box and i can only access 10 or 14 files out of all the videos i have copied and when i go on other video files they don't play, and when i put the SD card back in my PC i notice all those files are deleted by themselves!
 
i tested with 8gb sd card and the problem is gone. conclusion, this box seems to read sd card upto 8gb despite what the seller mentioned to me that upto 32gb!
 
i've flashed the firmware and the device works fine for about a month. Now it's shutdown itself randomly, even in the main screen. The device remains ON for about 3~15 min.

I've installed few things:
MX Player
Angry Birds Rio

The device did not get hot at all, it's cold all the time.

I don't think that is a firmware issue, but did anyone noticed unexpected shutdowns?

Any advice?

BTW, Thx for the firmware sphp!

Edit: Just switched the power supply and now it's apparently stable.
Original power supply provided 5.35 v and the new one just 5.1 v. Dunno if it was the reason, but i will post more results after a while.

Edit 2: Definitely it was the power supply. It never shutdown again, more than 10 hours solid ON.
 
One minor issue is that display scale is not working after boot

Go to Settings-> Display -> Screen Scale Settings -> 100% -> OK

Scale works ok in the session, but when i boot, the scale backs to original. I went to Settings... above described and it's already set to 100% like i configured before. Only when i press OK the screen scale correctly.

Im so noobie in Android, but not at all in linux. Is there any init, rc.local scripts that i can edit to force the scale upon boot?

Thx

Edit: Nevermind, i've found these links and i'll try
http://androidforums.com/google-tv/413090-r-box-rockchip-2918-google-tv-2.html#post3725458
http://clamel.netai.net/android/customrom#rom_di_riferimento
for scale i'll look for https://developers.google.com/tv/android/docs/gtv_displayguide#DisplayResolution
 
sphp said:
Wifi works fine with stock and this rooted version. You might open your TV Box and look if antenna is build in and connected correctly to the Wifi module. This is no software issue and it won't be solved by a firmware update!

There'll be an ICS-update, according to a Chinese seller. But it will take one month or longer to release and I don't know if it's true or they just want to sell more boxes by refering to some update. So, we'll see...
Click to expand...
Hi sphp, thx for the firmware.

Do you know the site/manufacturer of this device?
Where or how did you get the original rom?

I'm looking for some updates form the manufacturer, but didn't find any info. If you point me some link directions for my questions, i'll appreciate

Thx!

Edit: Nevermind, i've found these links and i'll try
http://androidforums.com/google-tv/413090-r-box-rockchip-2918-google-tv-2.html#post3725458
http://clamel.netai.net/android/customrom#rom_di_riferimento
 
bluetthompson said:
Thank you for all the work with rooting the box. It is a most excellent job.

Is it possible to change the /system directory from cramfs to ext3? Also it would be nice to have uinput module enabled so we can use the droidmote server application from google play.

For some reason I cannot get my box connected to windows 7 via USB for flashing with RkTools. I have tried all the combinations using USB male-male(A-A) , windows simply does not see my device.

Once again, thanks for all the great work.

Cheers,
Trev
Click to expand...
hi, bluetthompson, look ath this post:

RK2918 set-top box linux installation

I only could connect through linux, using the above method.
Please pay attention to rkutils, rkflashtool. It's very dangerous if you do not pay attention because you can brick device.
 
ez2kal said:
Hi folks,

I have the same RK2918 tv box 4 port USB.

I have these issues:

1- I connected the wireless mouse to the box and it worked for 10 minutes and then stopped and now doesn't show it at all , i tried 2 different wireless mice (both on original and the rooted one) but doesn't seem working at all!
Answer: problem was the type of mouse used)

2- In rooted version, Google Play can NOT connect to internet!
Answer: I got the solution for this. After updating the dat and time, you MUST put it back on Automatic. (otherwise at the next boot the date goes back and that confuses the Google Play and wont work)


Thanks
Click to expand...
Hi ez2kal, how are you?

For the 2 issue, even if you set/unset Automatic Time, upon boot the clock will not be updated, confusing Play Store (even Sync/Gmail)

Solution: Install ClockSync apk: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.org.amip.ClockSync

In the preferences of ClockSync you can check "Sync On Boot". Then your internal clock will be up to date on boot and Play Store will work fine
 
danivn said:
I have absolut the same TV box with 4 USB. I did upgrade according to the writing. But after upgrade I could not turn on the set top box. No any sign of power. What can I do now? Please help me!!!
Click to expand...
Hi danivn, how are you?

I think you have half-bricked your device. Look at this post and tell me if your board is the same: RK2918 set-top box linux installation

If you could connect through linux following the above link instructions, then there's a chance to unbrick your device.
 
Kasbert said:
I tried using ext3 for /system, but the filesystem got corrupted immediately after mounting it read/write. My theory is that because the internal flash has 16kb erase size block and the file system has 1kb block size, the flash driver implements the writing by read-modify-write cycle. I guess this is error prone even without bugs in the driver. The kernel ext3 fs won't allow 16kb block size.

The tv box has a modified /init which automatically runs e2fsck for /data and /cache. It also runs mke2fs and creates a fresh filesystem if mount fails. I guess this is to overcome the unstability of the system.

Someone said that ext2 would be better for flash devices, because ext3 journaling will cause more writes to the device. Unfortunately this tv box supports only ext3. So I tried using fuse-ext2 and I even had some luck using 16kB block ext2 for /cache. /cache is not used for anything so it is good for trying things out. I tried using it for /data too but it a bit too unstable. The system boots but the Android animation starts over and over.

When using rktools, did you follow these instructions http://androidforums.com/google-tv/505559-flashing-android-tv-box-one-four-usb.html ?
Click to expand...
Hi Kasbert, how are you? I think i have a solution for corrupted FS.

I was in same trouble as you, mounting /system as ext3, rw and got FS corrupted just after installing a few apps and reboot. Sometimes it never boots again.

Look at this thread: G-Box RK2918 (2 USB Ports) Rooting (read & write))

Despite the fact the boards aren't the same, i've used the parameter and RK29xxLoader(L)_V2.05.bin from the files attached in that thread. If you look closely, you will find that system address is different, located at end of FS:

Code: 
FIRMWARE_VER:0.2.3
MACHINE_MODEL:G-BOX
MACHINE_ID:007
MANUFACTURER:RK29SDK
MAGIC: 0x5041524B
ATAG: 0x60000800
MACHINE: 2929
CHECK_MASK: 0x80
KERNEL_IMG: 0x60408000
CMDLINE: console=ttyS1,115200n8n androidboot.console=ttyS1 init=/init initrd=0x62000000,0x00500000 mtdparts=rk29xxnand:0x00002000@0x00002000(misc),0x00004000@0x00004000(kernel),0x00002000@0x00008000(boot),0x00004000@0x0000A000(recovery),0x00082000@0x0000E000(backup),0x0003a000@0x00090000(cache),0x00100000@0x000ca000(userdata),0x00002000@0x001ca000(kpanic),0x00080000@0x001cc000(system),-@0x0024c000(user)

I've flashed my imgs with above parameter and RK29xxLoader(L)_V2.05.bin and it works!
 
Hello.
I have put this firmware in me box. After the update my box switch off but don't restart. I have cut the power and after that we can't switch on my box. The power light is always off. Somebody can help me? Thanks.
 
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