[Q] Can a ROM intended for SafeStrap be used on a Developer Edition phone?

[vfnewman]

If this has been answered, I have not found that answer, and it's not for lack of trying. So apologies in advance. I HAVE searched and pored through threads and pursued all other reasonable means to find the answer to this question.

I have a Verizon Developer Edition S5. I just upgraded from a Galaxy Nexus that I unlocked, rooted and flashed many times over.

On my S5 I installed TWRP and rooted it with no difficulty thanks to the good instructions in this thread:

[GUIDE] Installing a Custom Recovery and Rooting the Developer Edition Galaxy S5
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2746586

I'm not really familiar with Safe Strap since I came from a phone with an unlocked bootloader.

I see plenty of ROMs for the VZW S5, but most of them talk about installing with SafeStrap.

So here's my question:

Is any ROM for the VZW S5 suitable for installation through BOTH SS and flashing through TWRP? Are there any restrictions or limitations regarding flasing one of these ROMs directly through TWRP on an unlocked-bootloader phone?

Thank you in advance.

 

[jpcalhoun]

Retail S5 owners can flash only TouchWiz based ROMS using Safestrap. A Dev S5 owner can flash touchwiz or AOSP AND other ROMS. Normally the developer will specify whether a ROM can be flashed with Safestrap or not. Dev S5s can flash almost any ROM using a custom recovery like TWRP.

 

[vfnewman]

Retail S5 owners can flash only TouchWiz based ROMS. A Dev S5 owner can flash touchwiz or AOSP AND other ROMS. Normally the developer will specify whether a ROM can be flashed with Safestrap or not. Dev S5s can flash almost any ROM using a custom recovery like TWRP.

Thank you very much.

 

[jpcalhoun]

Thank you very much.

To clarify my thread, a retail owner can flash only TouchWiz based ROMs with Safestrap. A Dev owner can flash any ROM ( a ROM developed for their carrier specific device most often) using a custom recovery like TWRP.

 

[vfnewman]

To clarify my thread, a retail owner can flash only TouchWiz based ROMs with Safestrap. A Dev owner can flash any ROM ( a ROM developed for their carrier specific device most often) using a custom recovery like TWRP.

Again, thanks. That really sums it up well.

 

[vfnewman]

OK, let me ask a related question: can Safestrap be used on the developer edition phone without problems? I understand it's not necessary because the DE phone has an unlocked bootloader, but Safestrap looks convenient. And will Safestrap work with a non-Touchwiz-based ROM?

Thank you