With HD10 (2017) unlock/TWRP available - link (thanks to @k4y0z!!!), the next natural question is a custom ROM. The subject may turn out to be slightly trickier than what appears at first sight.
Let's have a discussion thread to brainstorm on this and not wonder off-topic in other places.
I had seen @DragonFire1024 & @Rortiz2 tried to work on that, so feel free to chime in as necessary.
What we have:
HD10 (2017) chipset - MT8173 (2+2 cores), there is an beefier brother to it, MT8176 (2+4 cores). For most practical purposes both chipsets seem almost identical software-wise.
MT8173 was introduced in March 2015 (time of Lollipop domination - Android 5). MT8176 was introduced in October 2016 (getting toward Nougat - Android 7).
The efforts up to date on a custom ROM for this chipset appear to be by @Goayandi, who is still active on XDA, so his work could be used a starting point. I believe @Goayandi was working on Android 7 (Nougat). Here are some of the original links:
XDA : Mediatek MT8173 & MT8176 development
Reddit: Mediatek MT8173 & MT8176 development
Stuff from Amazon for MT8173 (both HD10 2017 and FireTV2) is Lollipop-vintage (Android 5), other devices with these chipsets seem to have reached Nougat (Android 7). It does not appear that there is any known MT8173/MT8176 device with Android 8, or 9 (or is there?). It seems that @diplomatic has an Asus like this with Nougat.
At the moment, it feels a a Nougat custom ROM might be the ceiling for the device, given the difficulties of finding proprietary pieces for MTK chipsets to get Android 8 or 9 going. Now, even Android 7 is still a bit of a challenge, given limited prior success.
More thoughts/ideas? Feel free to fill this thread with random thoughts as much as you want - that's what it's for!!!
Let's have a discussion thread to brainstorm on this and not wonder off-topic in other places.
I had seen @DragonFire1024 & @Rortiz2 tried to work on that, so feel free to chime in as necessary.
What we have:
HD10 (2017) chipset - MT8173 (2+2 cores), there is an beefier brother to it, MT8176 (2+4 cores). For most practical purposes both chipsets seem almost identical software-wise.
MT8173 was introduced in March 2015 (time of Lollipop domination - Android 5). MT8176 was introduced in October 2016 (getting toward Nougat - Android 7).
The efforts up to date on a custom ROM for this chipset appear to be by @Goayandi, who is still active on XDA, so his work could be used a starting point. I believe @Goayandi was working on Android 7 (Nougat). Here are some of the original links:
XDA : Mediatek MT8173 & MT8176 development
Reddit: Mediatek MT8173 & MT8176 development
Stuff from Amazon for MT8173 (both HD10 2017 and FireTV2) is Lollipop-vintage (Android 5), other devices with these chipsets seem to have reached Nougat (Android 7). It does not appear that there is any known MT8173/MT8176 device with Android 8, or 9 (or is there?). It seems that @diplomatic has an Asus like this with Nougat.
At the moment, it feels a a Nougat custom ROM might be the ceiling for the device, given the difficulties of finding proprietary pieces for MTK chipsets to get Android 8 or 9 going. Now, even Android 7 is still a bit of a challenge, given limited prior success.
More thoughts/ideas? Feel free to fill this thread with random thoughts as much as you want - that's what it's for!!!