[Arm-netbook] Allwinner A10 Android Box (not tablet) and some experiment of run Ubuntu.

Mon Mar 5 08:39:51 GMT 2012

Hi, Tom:

    So great!!  How about the graphic performance?
The mouse moving is so slow in my test.
I guest that it could set ubuntu to use the mali 400 for improve the
graphic performance.
But I don't know how to start try it.

My first issue for run Ubuntu on A10 is hardware decode of media file.
Although nova 7 has opensource package of android 2.3.4.
But It only has hardware decode library (CedarX) for android.
No any thing for Ubuntu/Linux, just only a static test program
(CedarXPlayerTest).

Yesterday, I have a idea that may be use the CedarX (Android version) in
Ubuntu/Linux.
Of Course it is Impossible.. but I still try and write a simple program to
link the
static library (CedarX-Projects\CedarAndroidLib\LIB_F23).
Haha .. Link it is fail..

Do you know how to solve the issue of hardware decode in the Ubuntu/Linux?
Is need contact with Allwinner?

Best regards,
Matt.

2012/3/5 Tom Cubie <mr.hipboi at gmail.com>

> Hi matt,
>
>     with your instruction i got ubuntu 10.04 running on my A10-evb.
> i can get the USB mouse and keyboard working. It's a small pc!
>
> On Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 11:35 AM, matt <mattli.tw at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi, all:
>>
>>      Share my experiment of hack of A10 TV-Box device.
>> For someone also want use A10 as your need.
>> *Note: *
>> *1. It is only for reference not finish yet.*
>> *2. Maybe I lost sometime of step..:P*
>> *3. Thank's Rhombus Tech web site, it's give me a lot of information.*
>>
>> I am looking forward with HTPC tvbox hardware device.
>> For run linux and XBMC, A10 device is cheaper but must of A10 device is
>> tablet.
>> Finally, I found a MELE A1000 android tv-box that it is A10 device.
>> http://www.mele.cn/en/web/pro_show.aspx?cid=46&pid=60
>>
>> Buy from taobao in the china and the price is RMB$469.
>> http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=15051860754&prt=1329962623036
>>
>> The box SPEC.
>> 1. Video output - HDMI, CVBS, VGA .
>> 2. Audio output - R+L, SPDIF
>> 3. 3 usb host port + SDCard slot.
>> 4. External SATA port (real SATA not from usb)
>> 5. Ethernet.
>> 6. ...
>>
>> Internal board has
>> 1. UART port connector.
>> 2. USB device port connector
>> 3. MIC pin
>> 4. CVBS-IN pin.
>> Inside picture :
>> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9959499/a10/A10_device_a1000_inside.jpg
>>
>> The A1000's sys_config1.fex
>> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9959499/a10/sys_config1.fex
>>
>>
>> Below steps are my test for boot A10 tvbox to Ubuntu desktop.
>> But it only see the welcome screen, couldn't login...:(
>>
>> ============================================
>> You need another hardware to connect internal connector.
>> ============================================
>> 1. connect to internal UART port. (for see the console)
>> 2. connect to internal USB device port. (for use adb)
>> Pin define see the inside picture.
>>
>> ==============================
>> Change the u-boot in the device.
>> to support boot from MMC
>> ==============================
>> 1. build the u-boot that support boot from MMC.
>>
>> *git clone http://git.hands.com/u-boot.git*
>> *cd u-boot*
>> *git checkout lichee-dev*
>> *vi include/configs/suni4.h*
>> search mmc config
>> a. #if 0 => #if 1  (enable u-boot support mmc)
>> b. change #define CONFIG_MMC_SUNXI_SLOT 0
>>
>> *make sun4i CROSS_COMPILE=arm-none-linux-gnueabi-*
>> got the u-boot.bin  (my build of u-boot.bin<http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9959499/a10/u-boot.bin>
>> )
>>
>> 2. ref the http://elinux.org/Hack_A10_devices
>>     use adb push the new u-boot.bin to tv-box.
>>
>> =====================================
>> Build linux kernel and use SATA HDD as rootfs.
>> =====================================
>> ref the http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10/kernel_compile/
>> The change of kernel config.
>> 1. Change "Default kernel command string" to see the kernel boot log.
>>     This is workaround method, I don't know why kernel could not use the
>> u-boot env.
>>
>> *CONFIG_CMDLINE="console=ttyS0,115200 root=/dev/sda1 rw rootfstype=ext4
>> init=/init loglevel=8 rootwait mac_addr=00:CE:39:*
>> *B6:5D:B4"*
>> *CONFIG_CMDLINE_FORCE=y*
>>
>> 2. Disable initrd.
>> 3. got the kernel image and copy it to SD Card partition 1 (FAT 16
>> filesystem)
>>     (my build of uImage<http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9959499/a10/uImage_git_root_sda1>
>> )
>>
>> ======================================
>> Build ubuntu 10.04 rootfs
>> ======================================
>> Thank's rootstock. It has easy way to get the prebuild arm version of
>> ubuntu.
>> *
>> *
>> *sudo rootstock \*
>> *        --fqdn ubuntu \*
>> *        --login ubuntu \*
>> *        --password ubuntu \*
>> *        --imagesize 3G \*
>> *        --seed ubuntu-desktop,openssh-server \*
>> * --serial ttyS0*
>> * --dist lucid*
>>
>> got armel-rootfs-xxxxxxx.tgz.
>> 1. extract it to SATA HDD partition 1 that is format as ext4 filesystem.
>> 2. copy A10 display kernel module to rootfs
>>     *disp.ko, lcd.ko, hdmi.ko  *copy to *lib/module/xxxx/*
>> 3. vi etc/init.d/rcS  to add insmod of diplay kernel module.
>> *   (cd $MODULES_DIR;insmod disp.ko;insmod lcd.ko;insmod hdmi.ko)*
>>
>> ======================================
>> Boot up
>> ======================================
>> 1. plug SATA HDD to SATA port.
>> 2. plug the SDCard that has kernel image.
>> 3. UART connect to board press any key when power on the device.
>>     you will see the u-boot command.
>> 4. Type below command to load kernel image from SD Card.
>>     *mmcinfo; fatload mmc 0 50000000 uImage_git_root_sda1 ;bootm 50000000
>> *
>> 5. You will see kernel boot message from UART and use SATA HDD as rootfs.
>>
>> =============================
>> Another rootfs -- minimal ubuntu 10.04
>> =============================
>> sudo rootstock --fqdn ubuntu --login ubuntu --password ubuntu --imagesize
>> 2G --dist lucid --serial ttyS0 --seed  ubuntu-minimal,vim,openssh,apt
>>
>> boot log of console
>> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9959499/a10/bootlog_sata_ubuntu_mini_log.txt
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> Matt.
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Keep simple, stay foolish.
>
>
>
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