[DEV] unofficial CyanogenMod 9/ClockworkMod Recovery 5 for Amlogic AML8726-M tablets

fun_ · Oct 21, 2011

this is a work-in-progress development project for porting CyanogenMod 9 (ICS/4.0.4) and ClockworkMod Recovery 5 to Amlogic AML8726-M tablets.

this is not perfect at all. and I'm very busy. progress will be very very slow. I may not be able to answer your question/request. if you have some idea for improvement, please do it freely.

there is no support from any makers/vendors. you must agree all risks by installing non-supported files, it may brick your tablet, and you may lose official support/warranty.

* YOU MUST READ CAREFULLY POST#1, #2, AND #3!
* DO NOT USE IF YOUR TABLET IS NOT LISTED BELOW. IT WILL BRICK YOUR TABLET!

* project page
http://androtab.info/cyanogenmod/amlogic/

* supported tablets
ainol NOVO8 Advanced
Digma iDx7 (a.k.a. WayteQ xPAD-70)
Digma iDx10/iDx10 3G

* CM9 current status (2012/4/12)
not work:
3G, camera, and many things which you expect to work

work:
3D, accelerometer, audio, gapps, hardware accelerated video, HDMI, internal NAND flash, remote controller, SD card, touchscreen, USB host/device, vibrator, wlan

* changelog
refer git log

* resources
http://www.cyanogenmod.com/ (What is CyanogenMod?)
http://source.android.com/source/
http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php?title=Building_from_source
http://goo-inside.me/gapps (Google Apps)
http://review.cyanogenmod.com/#q,status:merged,n,z (CyanogenMod merged changes)
https://github.com/naobsd/cm_bootable_recovery/compare/ics...ics-naobsd (placeholder to cherry-pick changes)
https://github.com/naobsd/cm_external_e2fsprogs/compare/ics...ics-naobsd (placeholder to cherry-pick changes)
https://github.com/naobsd/cm_system_core/compare/ics...ics-naobsd (placeholder to cherry-pick changes)
https://github.com/naobsd/cm_device_amlogic_aml8726m

* links
http://www.chinadigitalcomm.com/ainol-mid-f105/source-code-ainol-novo8-android-t10767.html
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1478734 (psquare's CM7/9 for NOVO8 Advanced)
http://ct704ct1002.forumgratuit.org/t711-cyanogen-9-sur-ct704-et-ct1002 (users' forum for CT704/1002)

fun_ · Oct 21, 2011

* How to boot ClockworkMod Recovery 5
1. download recovery.zip and unzip it
2. put aml_autoscript and uImage_cwm on root of SD card
3. insert SD card
4. power on

you can flash uImage_cwm directly into recovery partition. then, you can boot recovery with VOL+ + POWER.
ClockworkMod Recovery 5 can't install official update.zip. if you want to reinstall official ROM, use uImage_recovery in official ROM.

* How to control ClockworkMod Recovery 5
for ainol NOVO8 Advanced
VOL-/jogball down: down, VOL+/jogball up: up, POWER/jogball push: select, SEARCH/BACK: back

* How to install CyanogenMod 9
1. download update.zip and put it on internal NAND flash or SD card (don't unzip it)
2. reboot recovery
3. install update.zip
4. wipe data/factory reset *1
5. reboot

*1 only if you are upgrading from non-CM9 ROM (CM9 1st install)

fun_ · Oct 21, 2011

* issues

- mic input(audio record) doesn't work.
- accelerometer orientation on Digma iDx7 is wrong. please disable it for now.
- scaling and rotating are not worked for hardware accelerated video. video is always displayed as fullscreen and landscape. please use media player which has fullscreen mode (no UI parts).
- to use USB mass storage mode, /sdcard needs to be mounted. i.e. SD card need to be inserted, or, internal NAND flash need to be mounted on /sdcard (by Settings -> Storage -> Storage configuration -> Use internal storage).
- TS calibration is missing. resistive touch screen will not work.

* random notes

- external SD card and internal NAND flash
on CWM, external SD card is mounted on /sdcard. internal NAND flash is mounted on /emmc and referred as "internal SD card".
on CM9, external SD card is mounted on /mnt/sdcard. internal NAND flash is mounted on /mnt/nand.

- ubifs
no ubifs support for now. which is better, yaffs2 or ubifs?
ubifs should be supported if clockworkdmod is used as backup tool for official rom.

- rootfs
currently ramdisk in kernel is used as rootfs. modifying kernel by hand is not so smart.
should try to make initrd separately and pass it via bootm 2nd arg.

- reboot
reboot doesn't work. if power is connected, reboot will work, but power off also act as reboot

reboot recovery/bootloader doesn't work at all. use VOL+ while power on.

- memsicd
is running to use accelerometer (and magnetic field sensor). it also tweak axes by ro.sf.hwrotation and ro.sf.gsensorposition.

- magnetic field sensor
is detected but not worked/not existed. magnetic field aware apps may not work correctly.

smeexx · Oct 21, 2011

hi

hello
works great.
You are really great.
your work with the de novo 8 will be finally a good tablet.
sorry I do not speak English
good luck

Martial58 · Oct 21, 2011

Thank you very much from France for your work !!!

I will try this version as soon as possible.

Bye.

bigdee888 · Oct 21, 2011

First of all: Thank you! It looks great! ;

But, the "- no ubifs support" means I can't mount sd-card or connect internal memory to pc?
I tried, but it not works...

Thanks again!

fun_ · Oct 22, 2011

bigdee888 said:
I can't mount sd-card or connect internal memory to pc?
I tried, but it not works...

thank you confirming "not work" things.
for ubifs, please learn about it. this project/thread is for developers.

fun_ · Oct 22, 2011

smeexx said:
your work with the de novo 8 will be finally a good tablet.

I can't promise my CM7 port will be good for you. I'll do what I can do, but I can't do what you want.

fun_ · Oct 22, 2011

thank you for your cooperation!

from my personal experience, probably some non-dev people will start to complain "XXX is not working! I need it! please support it asap!". and, 1 month after, "XXX is still not working! terrible! tell me current status of your work!".

this is development project. my files are just for dev people, and non-dev people who know dev work is really difficult or need a lot of time.
my git repo are pushed to github. anyone who can build android/cyanogenmod can build my CM7 for novo8 with it. (how to build is around here and there. don't ask here)

about me(currently only 1 dev here), I'll work for this project only on my free time. I don't have enough time as usual. nothing may be changed within a month. don't ask ETA even if I say "I'll do it soon".
as a fact, on my another project, some people waited some months to get working accelerometer.

test report is always welcome from everyone. but don't expect that issues/missing featues will be fixed if you can't fix yourself without effort.
if you don't like my CM7, please use another one. I never say my CM7 is best, I don't force people to use my CM7.

fun_ · Oct 22, 2011

I'm looking ZT-280 gingerbread (it seems CM) rom. I think something can be used for us. e.g. they have latest mali modules

there is also Gadmei T720 (probably froyo) rom posted on www.chinadigitalcomm.com. I'll check it too.

if you know another rom for other AML8726-M based tablets, please tell me.

fun_ · Oct 22, 2011

USB device function, mount from PC, seems to be working.
USB host function is also working.

paths in vold.fstab are wrong so SD card and USB disk can't be accessed in CM. I'll fix it in next image.

HDMI output can be enabled via set_display_mode.sh command. it may need to connect HDMI cable before booting. screen is not scaled. 720p is shifted, probably set_display_mode.sh need to be tweaked.
I need to check how it works on stock rom.

Toshimitsu · Oct 22, 2011

Its really great to see that some initial work is being done for that niche-tablet with great hardware potential.

I really can't await for the first working GB rom on the novo 8.

@fun_ As you mentioned yourself to have less time to work on the rom, would it be possible to share the source? As it might be a good base for other people to help improving your work.

Cheers

fun_ · Oct 22, 2011

Toshimitsu said:
I really can't await for the first working GB rom on the novo 8.

"waiting" doesn't help this project at all. why you didn't try 1st?

Toshimitsu said:
@fun_ As you mentioned yourself to have less time to work on the rom, would it be possible to share the source? As it might be a good base for other people to help improving your work.

really soon unless no one prevent me by posting worthless question.
(for me, soon is one of which, within a day, within a week, within a month, within a year, or never happen)

--
I forgot to write (and did it just now) "don't ask ETA" on post#9.

fun_ · Oct 23, 2011

HDMI output is tweaked. remote controller is working properly now.

20111023 files are uploaded.
repos are pushed to github. see OP. some tips should be added (will do later).

fun_ · Oct 24, 2011

20111024 uploaded (replaced few hours ago)
fix small graphics issue

Zagdima · Oct 24, 2011

You are really cool man. Nice job.

aludal · Oct 24, 2011

Excellent development, Mr. fun_!

I plan to do a write up in my blog about this. As for your questions about Zenithink ZT280 of different form-factors, it's unclear whether they based on Android 2.3 or -- most probably for me, at least -- on Android 2.2.
Together with Ainol Novo 8 and Gadmei T820 there's another device looking like an Ainol's rebrand: Aigo M801.
Can anyone with this build make some screenshots, or better video clips and post them (link) here? Of interest are:
-- 2D (GUI rendering/video decoding and rendering) hardware acceleration/performance, preferably with some comparison to stock A2.2;
-- overal agility of the build, maybe some benchmarks;
-- what doesn't work at this point?

Thank you! Can't wait to publish this Mr fun_'s great breakthrough for my readers in English, Russian, Japanese.

fun_ · Oct 25, 2011

aludal said:
I plan to do a write up in my blog about this. As for your questions about Zenithink ZT280 of different form-factors, it's unclear whether they based on Android 2.3 or -- most probably for me, at least -- on Android 2.2.

as I wrote Zenithink released 2.3 rom. and I found Pandigital Nova has 2.3.

aludal said:
Together with Ainol Novo 8 and Gadmei T820 there's another device looking like an Ainol's rebrand: Aigo M801.

I got my novo8 few weeks ago, until then I didn't care any amlogic tablets at all. I need more time to learn about them

aludal said:
Can anyone with this build make some screenshots, or better video clips and post them (link) here? Of interest are:
-- 2D (GUI rendering/video decoding and rendering) hardware acceleration/performance, preferably with some comparison to stock A2.2;

I think 2D is not so fast due to screen size. hardware video decoding doesn't work. I didn't use stock rom well (only few days). I need to reinstall stock rom to check some things.

aludal said:
-- overal agility of the build, maybe some benchmarks;

I'm not sure benchmark is meaningful at this stage. anyway, I'll post 0xbench result soon.
(but some 2D/3D score may not be reliable because it reaches limit(refresh rate) easily on 0xbench)

is there any other good benchmark app? I don't like Quadrant.

http://www.glbenchmark.com/ looks nice but I need to register to get result.
i/o may be slow. I feel lags e.g. while installing app.

aludal said:
-- what doesn't work at this point?

I'm not sure what/how works on stock yet

"work" things are listed on OP.

please write review freely, but I don't think my CM7 port is excellent

further development is needed to get excellent one. I can't promise I can do it.

thank you for your cooperation!

aludal · Oct 25, 2011

fun_ said:
as I wrote Zenithink released 2.3 rom. and I found Pandigital Nova has 2.3.

yes, I looked up these devices myself (was actually watching Nova since August), and then there's at least 3 models of Zenithink 280.

I got my novo8 few weeks ago, until then I didn't care any amlogic tablets at all. I need more time to learn about them

Hah! I admire your speed, Sir. CM7 Team must get you as their "official" developer ASAP. (In fact, I have a vested interest in that: I run CM7 on my Nook Color since last winter, and if you ask me, they stuck on hardware acceleration for Nook)

I think 2D is not so fast due to screen size. hardware video decoding doesn't work. I didn't use stock rom well (only few days). I need to reinstall stock rom to check some things.

Screen size/pixel count, or resolution has no effect on 2D HW accelerated rendering as long as Mali400 MP's limit on pixel count is not broken. 1280x768 is well within that limit. Hardware video decoding worked quite well in stock (A2.2) for 1080p/720p quite high bitrates, so please don't lose it, LOL.

I'm not sure benchmark is meaningful at this stage. anyway, I'll post 0xbench result soon.
(but some 2D/3D score may not be reliable because it reaches limit(refresh rate) easily on 0xbench)

is there any other good benchmark app? I don't like Quadrant.

Nobody likes Quadrant. It's the Quadrant of A2.2 vs. Quadrant of CM7 that matters, on the same Ainol Novo

http://www.glbenchmark.com/ looks nice but I need to register to get result.
i/o may be slow. I feel lags e.g. while installing app.

That would be an overkill, sir.http://media.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif. Usual Neocore, Nenamark scores will be fine.

I'm not sure what/how works on stock yet "work" things are listed on OP.

please write review freely, but I don't think my CM7 port is excellent further development is needed to get excellent one. I can't promise I can do it.
You achieved a TON already, during last 2-3 days. Question is, can you do ALSA/Open GL ES/NEON/stagefright work at least no worse than in stock A.2.2? Original/stock FW coders struggle with it since this April and stay at A2.2 still. Yet Nova has it, but the quality of HW support is questionable.

thank you for your cooperation!

I will do whatever I can in support of this development. Meanwhile, you're welcome to comment on my write-up in fineoils.blogspot.com

fun_ · Oct 25, 2011

aludal said:
I will do whatever I can in support of this development. Meanwhile, you're welcome to comment on my write-up in fineoils.blogspot.com

yup. at least I need to comment about motoya font

[DEV] unofficial CyanogenMod 9/ClockworkMod Recovery 5 for Amlogic AML8726-M tablets

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