[DISCUSSION] Active Nexus 7 (2012) users - how's it going?

[sara.ramli]

I am thinking that mine is just wearing out. It hangs more than I would like in things such as play store.

What would be a good suggestion for a newer device with similar form factor? Given that I don't really want to change from an nexus 7, like the ASOP experience without preloaded apps, etc.

Sent from my OnePlus 6 using XDA Labs

Am not sure you say "similar form factor" because you have it installed in your car or for some other reason.
Anyway the MiPad4 is the closest in terms of similar dimensions with a bonus of 8" screen to boot.
I just happened to replace the Nexus 7 in my car with this tab.

 

[Cydras]

Am not sure you say "similar form factor" because you have it installed in your car or for some other reason.
Anyway the MiPad4 is the closest in terms of similar dimensions with a bonus of 8" screen to boot.
I just happened to replace the Nexus 7 in my car with this tab.

Hi,
I use also a Nexus 7 in my car.
I am thinking to buy a MiPad4. So you know if the MiPad 4 Supports USB OTG with Charging?
How do you Output Sound in your car?

 

[sara.ramli]

Hi,
I use also a Nexus 7 in my car.
I am thinking to buy a MiPad4. So you know if the MiPad 4 Supports USB OTG with Charging?
How do you Output Sound in your car?

Yes it does. I am using the HavocOS 2.8 available in XDA.
Using a type-c powered hub and have connected 3 USB devices - a USB DAC, a SDR FM Tuner, an easycap device for reverse cam. Will shortly be posting a video of the working setup.

Sent from my Asus Nexus 7 using XDA Labs

 

[Cydras]

Yes it does. I am using the HavocOS 2.8 available in XDA.
Using a type-c powered hub and have connected 3 USB devices - a USB DAC, a SDR FM Tuner, an easycap device for reverse cam. Will shortly be posting a video of the working setup.

Sent from my Asus Nexus 7 using XDA Labs

This sounds awesome! Sounds that i must buy the MiPad 4
I want to use the iBasso DC01 USB C DAC with Spotify.

What for a Car Dashboard are u using? I am using AutoMate.

Thank you very much for your information! Can you please post your using USB C Hub?

 

[sara.ramli]

This sounds awesome! Sounds that i must buy the MiPad 4
I want to use the iBasso DC01 USB C DAC with Spotify.

What for a Car Dashboard are u using? I am using AutoMate.

Thank you very much for your information! Can you please post your using USB C Hub?

Sure good luck with your upgrade. Mine is a Behringer. If you haven't already tried the USB audio player, you should. The proprietary driver they use takes output quality to a different level, compared to the stock android driver.

Built a dashboard to my liking using KLWP and Tasker.

This is the hub:
https://pibox.in/product/usb-hubs/
Given that getting the right hub is important to make this work, glad that the first hub I tried worked. Was planning to order a spare as backup, but it has gone out of stock
Has written to the seller asking if and when it'll be back in stock.

I'll see if I can post the hub's controller vendor and model information from the kernel logs, after going home. Can serve as a reference for comparison.

 

[TNSMANI]

drakenabarion: Certainly disabling GApps will give a big performance boost to everyone here but of course you lose a lot of functionality. You might be able to switch to F-Droid and Aurura store and do what you need to do.

I've literally just bought a Grouper in Nov 2019 and a 12" extremely cheap Chinese tablet to compare. The Chinese tablet can't run GApps so I want to run GApps on the Nexus Grouper as a test. Unfortunately I've now found that I need to repartition to make space for GApps and I'm spooked by that.
I'm hoping going back down to 7.1 will help this. I'm going to install this as it's the only thing left updated:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-7/development/rom-android-7-aosp-grouper-t3467514

By the way, there's also the FSFS filesystem to try, which is suppose to be faster. I'm going to give that a go too.

edit:

I've gone back down to Android 5.1.1 and the app I need to run crashes during certain operations! I'm not sure if it's worth the risk of repartitioning to upgrade or whether ooting could help investigate further in some way:

----
I just need to run a single app on my Nexus called Word Wizard. I bought the tablet just for that because it's the cheapest thing that can run Google Services.

The Nexus 7 2012 (Grouper) has:

950mb RAM available
452-520mb taked up with OS related services needed to run the app.
Android 5.1.1 (without the memory leak I think)
ARM not arm64 like my phones that can run the app without crashing

The app:
- uses 13mb memory
- data size = 51mb
- needs Google Play services for the paid part I need
- runs but crashes at a part in the menu that, I think, requests filesystem access or maybe requires slightly more memory.
- worked fine on Android 8,9,10 on my other phone(s)

Upgrading to Android 7 is risky and difficult. I'd need to repartition to keep GApps. Does it even help? ( https://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-7/development/rom-android-7-aosp-grouper-t3467514/page392 )

Would rooting allow me to investigate this further?

Who said that unless you repartition you can't run Android 7? I am using THIS ROM on my tab and it is running very well. No repartitioning required. Read the instructions carefully and use only the linked Gapps. Anything else needed can be downloaded from Play Store and installed as private app.

EDIT: Just noticed that it is the same ROM you are referring to. Go ahead. No repartitioning.

 

[dookie23]

Has anyone tried this (PostMarketOS)? I read about it in one of the XDA posts and it looks pretty interesting.
https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Google_Nexus_7_2012_(asus-grouper)

 

[CamoGeko]

Has anyone tried this (PostMarketOS)? I read about it in one of the XDA posts and it looks pretty interesting.
https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Google_Nexus_7_2012_(asus-grouper)

That looks to be in a super infancy stage atm.

Definitely interesting though.

 

[Vasishta Reddy]

Hi! My nexus 7 buttons are broken and sadly my tab is struck on boot logo.. any Idea how I can force into boot loader mode with out buttons ?

I some how managed to fix my Nexus 7 , buttons where broken and was pain in the ass to flash twrp on it ...I completely removed my buttons module from motherboard for now ,waiting for spares to arrive. I think I am only guy who owns a 8gb nexus 7 wifi model,lol.

edit: Currently I am running 7.1.2 NZH54D. After installing Fera Droid Engine magisk module my Nexus 7 is super smooth .

 

[greeneyez15o]

I some how managed to fix my Nexus 7 , buttons where broken and was pain in the ass to flash twrp on it ...I completely removed my buttons module from motherboard for now ,waiting for spares to arrive. I think I am only guy who owns a 8gb nexus 7 wifi model,lol.

edit: Currently I am running 7.1.2 NZH54D. After installing Fera Droid Engine magisk module my Nexus 7 is super smooth .

Plus me lol
Also Nexus 7 wifi 2012
I'm going to give the module a go

 

[EternalSeekerX]

Great thread!

I use my Nexus 7 (2012) Grouper time to time. Mainly for just music, sometimes gba emulator (DS works but can slow down) or tweaking inside LinuxDeploy. I am running a 7.1.1 Lineage OS, SuperSu (Systemless) and using fstrim for trimming, though I might need to change the setup, any recommended roms? I would love to try Maru OS but thats only on the 2013 models. I am hoping to either turn my nexus 7 into a youtube/music/emulators/linux machine in my car with AA mirror (if possible) or just update it and use it as a regular beside tablet. IDK.

 

[TNSMANI]

Great thread!

I use my Nexus 7 (2012) Grouper time to time. Mainly for just music, sometimes gba emulator (DS works but can slow down) or tweaking inside LinuxDeploy. I am running a 7.1.1 Lineage OS, SuperSu (Systemless) and using fstrim for trimming, though I might need to change the setup, any recommended roms? I would love to try Maru OS but thats only on the 2013 models. I am hoping to either turn my nexus 7 into a youtube/music/emulators/linux machine in my car with AA mirror (if possible) or just update it and use it as a regular beside tablet. IDK.

Happy to hear that it remains useful. I am using THIS ROM and I find it quite good. You can try.

 

[b3nji27]

Use as Car Play/AA headunit

I was also running Andisa's 7.1 ROM for a time on my 2012 N7. But with 3 or 4 other tablets about (upgraded a few times since owning the N7) I am now repurposing to go in a car as a head unit. Found a dongle on Amazon that when used with a usb otg y cable, will bring up Apple car play or Android Auto as if it is a proper head unit. So downloaded a super old ROM (4.1 I think) that was built for this purpose, as has a super deep sleep mode when power is switched off, and proper USB adapter recognition. Works like a dream. Just need to pursuade my GF to let me put it in her car now, once I whip up a sensible bracket for it. I did plan to install and completely replace head unit wiring to fully install, but will likely install with current Bluetooth head unit, to save having to wire in a volume control etc.

 

[CamoGeko]

Happy to hear that it remains useful. I am using THIS ROM and I find it quite good. You can try.

Thats a very good ROM indeed, used it for a while myself.

However, for stability reasons I flashed back to an LOS build from last year and I found it doesnt slow down as much.

 

[okias]

That looks to be in a super infancy stage atm.

Definitely interesting though.

Tegra has very goodsupport for its chipset in mainline. My grouper runs very good with Phosh (except 3D, where driver isn't supporting GL > 1.4 - but contribution is welcome).

We have Wi-Fi,Bluetooth,GPU,Touchscreen, light sensor, orientation sensor working out-of-box It runs regular Linux (GNOME in case of Phosh shell). In case you'll have question, come to our Matrix room

 

[evo4ger]

I brought mine back from the dead... literally...had to trick it into charging, updated to 5.1.1, rooted, then installed nougat 7.1 ?? going to use as a car head unit