Z4 RK3368 Android LP5.1/MM6 Octa Core 64bit 2/16gb TV Box

[mikekuel25]

Hey Guys,

I have a couple questions about this android box I purchased that's had me somewhat puzzled.

I have been an avid android user over the past many years. I am familiar with flashing tons of roms to all the phones I have had. Except my s6, it just sucks for roms. Anyways I have purchased the android box in this link (can't post links this new) I can't seem to fine a manufacturer website, I've Google a million things about the box and searched but I can't find anything. even in the instruction book there's no website or anything.

basically I'm looking to figure out how to at least update this box. there's no option in about device. also I don't like how the flash drive on the device is split into nand flash and regular storage. I would like to merge them all into one. I am also looking for custom roms that might enable me to achieve that, however nowhere I look has this box in their forums or anywhere. maybe it's a cloned box? there are other boxes that have the exact same components (or so they say) with custom firmware, however I don't want to chance it and rich bricking this device.

anyone that can offer any help or lead me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. thank you in advance!


CPU-Rockchip*3368*Octa-Core(1.5GHZ)
GPU-Quad-Core*Mail-T6X*series
Memory-DDRIII*2GB
Flash-EMMC*16GB*(Support*32GB)
WiFi*- 2.4GB+5GBIRInfra*
Remote*control
Bluetooth4.0*
PowerDC*input**
5V/2AAccessoriesgift*box
Power*charger*adapterHDM*cableIR*remote*controlAV*cableUser*ManualI/O1*HDM*2.0Up*to*2160P(2K*4K)2*USB*HOSTHost**USB port1*SPDIFCoaxial*1*TF*CARDSUPPORT*1~32GB1*RJ451000*BaseT1*Power*input5V/2ASoftwareOSAndroid*5.1 LollipopVideoMKV,WMV/VC-1*SP/MP/AP,MPG,MPEG,dat,avi,mov,iso,mp4,rm,H.264,H.265,realVideo*8/9/10,etc.*up*to*2160PAudioMP3,AAC,WMA,RM,FLAC,OGGPicturejpg,JPEG,MJPEG,PNGAdobe*FlashAdobe*Flash*10.1*support*or*aboveSupport*languageChinese*,*English*,Germany*,Japanese,*Korea**etc.**24*languagesDLNASupports Video and Music Playback over networkGoogleTV*RemoteThrough*wi-fi*network*to*realize*control*the*productLANThrough*the*LAN,*can*check*other*devices*to*share*information3D*moiveSupport*3D*movieMotivator*air-mouseSupport*the*body*feeling*game,*such*as*playing*tennis,*paper*planes,*shooting,*etcApplicationsOnlineBrowse*all**video*websitesAppsDownload games and applications from the Google play storeMediumLocal*Media*playback,support for HDD, SD*cardTalk*onlineSupport**SKYPE*video**call*,MSN*,*facebook*,twitter etcOthersSupports Wifi, has router network extender functionsSupports KODI,*Email*and more

 

[roland deschan]

Many roms / firmwares being updated for this device:

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player...y-x6-acemax-ak838-z4-rk3368-ekb368-custom-rom

http://chinagadgetsreviews.blogspot.ro/2016/01/download-latest-android-lollipop-511.html?m=1

This 1 used by me and referred in other posts. Fast and stable. 16gb unified storage. Kodi and the works.
Make sure you use restore in FactoryTool_v1.39 from archive:

http://download1691.mediafire.com/p...dating+instruction&Drivers&Flashing+Tools.zip

http://4pda.ru/forum/lofiversion/index.php?t702783-100.html

 

[jdgesmlls]

Many roms / firmwares being updated for this device:

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player...y-x6-acemax-ak838-z4-rk3368-ekb368-custom-rom

http://chinagadgetsreviews.blogspot.ro/2016/01/download-latest-android-lollipop-511.html?m=1

This 1 used by me and referred in other posts. Fast and stable. 16gb unified storage. Kodi and the works.
Make sure you use restore in FactoryTool_v1.39 from archive:

http://download1691.mediafire.com/p...dating+instruction&Drivers&Flashing+Tools.zip

http://4pda.ru/forum/lofiversion/index.php?t702783-100.html

I just picked up one of these about a week ago and found instructions to install TWRP and update SuperSU. The box had 'root' out of the box but it was some specialized root based on an old version of SuperSU (1.93 I believe).

I have successfully installed TWRP 2.8.7.0 and updated to SuperSU 2.46.

Since this is just an android tablet essentially, does anyone know if you can flash these ROMs through TWRP?

 

[roland deschan]

Not to my knowledge, just use above tool. It will go alive once you are in bootloader with usb otg cable connected to win (of course with driver pack etc. installed). Titanium or else can do that, instead of trying to press reset button while powering on. Of course recovery will go back to default.

 

[jdgesmlls]

Not to my knowledge, just use above tool. It will go alive once you are in bootloader with usb otg cable connected to win (of course with driver pack etc. installed). Titanium or else can do that, instead of trying to press reset button while powering on. Of course recovery will go back to default.

Are you running liamstears custom ROM or the 12/22 factory firmware?

The split internal storage is something I would like to do without, but I was wondering if it was changed on the 12/22 factory firmware?

 

[roland deschan]

12/22 firmware. Fast and stable.
Havent tried liamstears yet. Feedback if you do please.

 

[mikekuel25]

awesome thanks! thats what I suspected when I was going through the firmwares for these devices. I just wasn't sure if the z4 rk3368 device would work on this one. I've seen a few brands with z4 and as I know with phones.. wrong brand and you're bricked lol. anyways.. I ended up buying a tronsmart vega s95 telos.. but it didn't come rooted. so I rooted it and now I'm getting play services force close and all sorts of bugs and errors.. maybe I'll just keep the z4. it seems to work better.

what link did you follow to get twrp installed?? same thing I'm guessing, punch z4 twrp in google and eventually come upon the right place.

 

[mikekuel25]

12/22 factory firmware? mines stuck at Nov 10 I think.. it won't let me update using the rk settings app.. which is why I was fed up with it in the first place lol.

 

[roland deschan]

12/22 firmware. Unified 16gb App storage. More available with microsd card. Fully functional Kodi with channels, etc. 4k HEVC x265 movies. Youtube 1080p.

Easiest method to update rom is to put extracted update.img from zip file
http://chinagadgetsreviews.blogspot.ro/2016/01/download-latest-android-lollipop-511.html?m=1
on a sdcard / usb and boot. After about a minute into the Android desktop, system will ask for update prompt. Only applicable to system still with default recovery.

If you have some stability issues or with different recovery, you can backup your apps / data with Titanium etc. and then use above Factory tool restore new rom.

These roms usually come with their own recovery, but some modded ones with TWRP/full root, supersu and all. But you dont really need them.

 

[mikekuel25]

thanks a lot man! I'm downloading right now and will test it on my box tomorrow after work!

 

[mikekuel25]

I've tried 100 times and it just keeps saying failed to mount /mnt/external_sd (no such device)
I'm using my USB flash drive.

this is becomming a huge pain in the just to update I'm starting to think why this company can make these products and not have any support or anything for it . and that flash tool is in mandarin and I can't even figure out how to work that. I put in the update.img and press go.. but whenever I try to boot to download mode like you mentioned in one of the posts it just turns off the box.. this thing is literally a piece of junk. and so is this tronsmart vega s95.. same thing. it's extremely frustrating. whoever developed this z4 box did a really chappy job on the firmware.. and I do not recommend it to anyone..

 

[roland deschan]

If you had gone through the instructions pdf, it clearly shows how to change into English by pressing the World icon. Remember in bootloader mode the tv screen would be black, if you are using the tool. The big red button will turn into green to show readiness.

For automatic update you dont even have to go into recovery as seen in attached image. Easiest.

 

[DriftJos]

Hi Roland,

love to see that there are already XDA-members looking at the Z4 TV box. I have just ordered one and hope to get it within a few weeks. Just some dumb questions, hoping you can provide me with some information:
- I see that there are several 'versions' of the Z4: for instance Acemax, but I have ordered the Andoer. Are those just different manufacturers?
- Are there any differences in model/content (installed app's) per manufacturer?
- If my Andoer turned out to have an older firmware than the 22/12, could I still use the Acemax 22/12 firmware you refered to in your link?
- Kodi will be preinstalled, I saw. I do not know what version of Kodi that will be, but can it just be updated to the most recent version in the Google Play Store?
- I do not know what other apps are installed, but is it possible to de-install apps you do not need, or are they part of the firmware and impossible to delete

I know, part of the answers I surely will discover once I got the Z4, but I just can't wait to start experimenting, even it is only in my mind

Thanks in advance!
Jos

 

[mikekuel25]

hi Roland

I tried that batch tool first which is the one I couldn't change languages in lol. but the other tool with the red button I changed into English. however I did not know that it would remain blank when in download mode. I will have to give it one more go tonight with it. I figured that I loaded it into bootloader and the z4 box light turned red so I thought it was off and didn't load to bootloader.

I also did the USB update and it would just fail on me every time I used it. the update prompt did come up and I pressed install. perhaps I need to check if USB debugging is on. I think it is but it wouldn't hurt to check. but I think I will have to go through the factory tool to update way for sure.

thanks for your help roland, I will write back after I give it another go tonight!

 

[prisim]

i can't find the 22/12 update ! can anybody share the link direct to firmware ?

 

[roland deschan]

@DriftJos

l have got an Andoer too. Most of these brands come from the same hardware factory and thus have the same specs/apps.

Yes you will use the same firmware https://mega.nz/#!JBBXgDgC!VSra8Hc6KR77Pvdw67eDpjeT_ku-TXdYgYaInSAfyvU (direct link @prisim) or several user dev roms. Unified 16gb app storage etc and the works.

You can uninstall bundled Kodi (by Titanium free etc.) by official Kodi Jarvis 16.0 beta 5 & such with pass-through support test builds @ http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=252852

Again you will be able to uninstall useless apps directly or through Titanium.

---------- Post added at 11:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:43 PM ----------

@mikekuel25

Always mention the firmware version you are having and which recovery? The automatic update should work if you still have the factory recovery.

Check the FactoryTool process in attached images.

 

[mikekuel25]

I'm trying to flash the firmware that I downloaded from that China gadgets site that was mentioned on this thread. I think it's the stock 12/22 for the device. and I have stock recovery.

I extracted the update.exe file and saved it to my USB drive plugged it in and restarted. relieved the update prompt. chose install update and it rebooted into recovery and tried to apply the update but it fails. I'm not ready to give up yet with this device lol. it's just another platform I have to learn. it took me a bit with smartphones to figure it out back in the day.. perhaps it's the same thing now..

 

[mikekuel25]

and I'm updated to 12/22.. awesome. those pictures really helped me man thanks.

now as for installing twrp and all that. you mentioned that it's not really needed? I'm assuming I can flash any rom given they are in .img format using factory tool. however the benefit of twrp would be an easier interface for creating nandroid backups and clearing cache/factory reset. perhaps I will install it. i might give leamstears rom a try. I will let you know how it is if I do.

thanks again!

 

[mikekuel25]

so I updated to the new 12/22.. everything works fine except with Google play store.. I keep getting a can't retrieve source error with everything I try to download. I've refreshed and factory reset the firmware 5 times now and kept trying.

so I got fed up with the stock so I tried leamstears rom and it works great.. except sometimes it just becomes completely unresponsive. I'm starting to think there is something wrong with this box. even on stock firmware from the box I've been having issues with unresponsive freezing.

what do you think of the nvidia shield?

 

[jdgesmlls]

so I updated to the new 12/22.. everything works fine except with Google play store.. I keep getting a can't retrieve source error with everything I try to download. I've refreshed and factory reset the firmware 5 times now and kept trying.

so I got fed up with the stock so I tried leamstears rom and it works great.. except sometimes it just becomes completely unresponsive. I'm starting to think there is something wrong with this box. even on stock firmware from the box I've been having issues with unresponsive freezing.

what do you think of the nvidia shield?

The PlayStore error you were seeing is because the 12/22 firmware comes with a *very* old version (5.2.x). The PlayStore will eventually update everything to the latest version by itself but if you don't want to wait, go over to apkmirror.com and download PlayStore 6.0.5 and install it manually. Once you do, it should also update the Play Services to 8.4.x and your should be good to go. I had this issue as well but I had seen it before and knew I needed to update.

So far the 12/22 version has been great, and having the unified internal storage is a huge plus.

If you feel so inclined, knowing that some of the custom builds of Kodi take up a large amount of space... there is this trick that was introduced in Helix:

http://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Change data location for Android

This will allow you to have only the Kodi app on internal storage (~125 MB) and any data from addons/programs etc. in another location (such as an external SD).

I often
1. Install Kodi on internal storage
2. Zip up the contents of org.xbmc.com directory
3. Copy it to external storage
4. Unzip it in /external_sd/kodi_data
5. Create the xbmc_env.properties file that references my Kodi data location.
6. Delete the contents of /sdcard/Android/data/org.xbmc.com/

Voila! You have freed up internal storage.... You can also persist a Kodi setup this way or run multiple custom installs. If you re-image your media box, you can re-install Kodi and as long as the xbmc_env.properties points to your external_sd with your Kodi data, it will start right up back into your setup... :good: