Amlogic kernel package

How’s the building of an amlogic kernel package coming on, with the extra dtbs for amlogic based TV boxes?

I’m going to try building the linux-vim kernel patched with the dts files for the X96 boxes very soon unless someone has beat me to it?

@spikerguy ?

Would these patches apply to mainline kernel or only Linux-vim?

It is better to use linux-aml
I will push it to repo tonight.

@Strit so maybe we maintain linux-aml from chewitts branch with additional patches for tv boxes.

Thanks spikerguy!

Have you tried getting the clock display to work with something like GitHub - LibreELEC/linux_openvfd: FD628 and similar compatible LED controller driver used in LibreELEC ?

Hi spikerguy!

How is the amlogic kernel coming on? Did you upload its PKGBUILD + patches or any binary packages anywhere?

I’ve checked core · GitLab but I don’t see an aml/amlogic repo yet?

Its uploaded to repo and gitlab both.
You can try it from unstable branch.

I have odroid-oled support only. I don’t have any other led display to test.

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Hi Spikerguy!

Yes I had spotted the new linux-aml repo earlier so I’m building the kernel myself under stable now. I want to see how long it takes now that I’ve bust a hole in my case and attached a fan. I only did that last night so this release was very well timed indeed! I’ll let you know if it get all my hardware working later, after I’ve installed my kernel or installed unstable.

Looking at the linux-aml PKGBUILD, you have set the pvgver to 5.12.0 but its based upon Chewitt’s 5.11 tree, which seems a bit odd. Is that an error?

I will be attempting to get my X96 LED working soon so I shall let you know if I have any success.

Are there any linux-aml install images yet?

I got the linux-aml PKGBUILD to build and install under stable. It took about 3 hours and 20 minutes to build on an X96 Air with a fan on the soc and running off a USB 3 SSD.

The good news is that, at least for me, is that with meson-sm1-x96-air-1000.dtb, ethtool confirms my box has gigabit ethernet. I have read varying reports on whether or not the X96 Air had gigabit but most sites say it only has 100 Mb.

The bad news is that I have not been able to get all three of wifi, ethernet and HDMI audio working with any of the seven dtbs I’ve tried so far. meson-sm1-sei610.dtb is the only one that gives me HDMI audio whilst none of the other dtbs give me any sound at all, none of them successfully enabling analogue audio.

It looks like I’ll have to dump the dtb from my box, decompile it then try patching it into linux-aml.

EDIT

I was checking if my Android was rooted. Its not but it tells me my box is actually an X96AIR_Q1000, which explains the gigabit working.

For anyone else wondering which dtb they should be using, you can run:

cat /proc/device-tree/amlogic-dt-id

Under an Android terminal. Now I know that I need sm1_ac213_4g.

Chewitt’s tree has meson-sm1-ac2xx.dtsi but unfortunately linux-aml seems to current lack any ac2xx dts/dtb files.

I have rooted my X96AIR_Q1000 and extracted the Android dtbs from it. I have sent them to C.Hewitt in the hope that he will add support for my box to his tree.

He may not want to support devices he can’t test or he may not find the time to add it in any time soon so I’m going to attempt to patch it in myself.

Christian replied:

“I’ll pass on the offer thanks. I have no time for kernel fiddling at the moment. The existing X96-Air and A95XF3-Air device-trees in my branch already cover the core hardware configurations SM1 boxes ship in so you should experiment with those.”

So it looks like the balls in my court now. If I’m not successful, I have got another Amlogic TV box on the way which may fully work with one of the existing dtbs. If I am successful then I’ll submit a PR to the linux-aml repo.

Hi @spikerguy

None of the dtbs included with the linux-aml kernel give me both working ethernet and HDMI audio simultaeously but I have found a dts on the Armbian forums that works with the linux-aml kernel and gives me working wifi, gigabit ethernet and HDMI audio. Analogue audio and bluetooth don’t seem to work but its still the most compatible dts/dtb for my box.

Linux-aml doesn’t currently have a dts/dtb for sm1_ac213_4g which is apparently what my box uses so could we integrate this dts as a patch into the linux-aml repo as meson-sm1_ac213_4g.dts, at least until we get a proper dts for such boxes? Save people having to hunt forums for hours.

Will the next release of Manjaro ARM have builds for linux-aml? Are there any linux-aml unstable build images anywhere?

Thanks

EDIT

I can create a patch or a PR for the dts if you want?