Werner changed the topic of #armbian to: armbian - Linux for ARM development boards | www.armbian.com | Github: github.com/armbian | Commits: #armbian-commits | Forums Feed: #armbian-rss | Type 'help' for help | Logs: -> irc.armbian.com
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<lanefu>
is the only s905x3 that i think we have builds for
<emOne>
my device is similiar enough to the droid c4
<emOne>
apart from the wifi and bluetooth I think
<emOne>
can I just try the odroid c4 image?
<lanefu>
yes.. but we really won't be able to assist
<[TheBug]>
do you have a valid dtb file for it?
<[TheBug]>
if so you can probably swap the dtb for your device and its likely to at least boot
<lanefu>
man we really need to add an introduction to devicetree in armbian docs
<[TheBug]>
or link to linux-sunxi wiki or something
<Werner>
Or wikipedia
<emOne>
lanefu: yes please
<emOne>
I don't understand device tree at all
<emOne>
[TheBug]: the answer is yes and no
<lanefu>
yeah... but still need something to distill the implications of device tree and its relationship to the boards and how it's not magic, and what its neded ot make thigns work
<emOne>
I have a dtb which is said to work ... minus the wifi and bluetooth
<emOne>
but it is said to work with the armbian images that the user "balbes" publishes on the forums
<emOne>
Are dtb files tethered to the exact kernel version or are they agnostic?
<emOne>
lanefu: to me they kinda seem like special magic that arm boards use
<[TheBug]>
u-boot is like bios, dtb (mainline) or fex (legacy) is the configuration for u-boot to use for your board -- think of it like setting up the bios but you have to do it in advance in a file
<Werner>
Trying to make it easy: ARM devices do not have something called a bus which attendee introduce themselves to the kernel. You know you plug in a whatever sata raid controller pcie card into your x86 computer, boot and it is just there. This is because the system is asking 'hey whois there?' and the card raises their hand and say "hi". On ARM you have to tell the system exactly what components are where to find and how to address. If the values are not
<Werner>
there or incorrect it simply does not work because the kernel has no clue what to do.
<Werner>
The device tree is the system map provided to the kernel so it knows what to do. how to talk to each component like memory, hdmi, gpio, whatever...
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<emOne>
got disconnected 5 minutes ago
<emOne>
18:41 emOne: Are dtb files tethered to the exact kernel version or are they agnostic?
<emOne>
18:42 emOne: lanefu: to me they kinda seem like special magic that arm boards use
<Werner>
Check irc.armbian.com for irc logs and stuff you missed :P
<emOne>
awesome I caught up
<emOne>
so arm devices are a bit like emOne when he disconnects and doesn't read the messages before Werner tells him the location of the chat log address
<emOne>
correct? :)
<emOne>
Could I take a DTB from an image that someone made for a 4.9 kernel based OS?
<emOne>
I heard that dtb looks a bit like xml or html
<emOne>
can I just change the kernel to whatever kernel I want to put it on and keep the rest of the dtb file as is?
<Werner>
Not necessarily. Sometimes there are syntax changes which require manual adjustments.
<emOne>
I don't understand why the bootloader would need to care about the kernel version
<emOne>
Is there no magic DTB maker tool?
<emOne>
that asks for all the variables ?
<emOne>
and you hit enter and automagically it gives you a working file?
<Werner>
No. It is a mixure between try'n'error, reverse engineering and actually receiving proper docs from manufacturers
<Werner>
If there were such a tool nobody would need Armbian, because any OS could support any board
<emOne>
with the case of chinese board / box manufacturers it is sometimes hard to receive documentation or source code
<Werner>
Correct. You pay for the hardware, not for the guy that writes documentation
<Werner>
But without docs you cannot use it properly and buy twice
<emOne>
I bought my box just before the lockdown
<emOne>
I asked the seller to provide me with source code for the wifi chipset
<emOne>
he said he would write to the manufacturer
<emOne>
long story short ,,, he never replied with the code
<emOne>
Werner either way .. some guy did manage to make a DTB with even wifi working on the box I have
<emOne>
but for the 4.9 kernel
<Werner>
4.9 is still supported so you could use it.
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<HerculeP>
werner didnt sound aggressive to me at all
<Werner>
I dont get it...
<HerculeP>
on the contrary, very patient & helpful
<emOne_>
researches have found that gen Z people find the full stop intimidating at the end of a message.
<HerculeP>
BS
<emOne_>
I linked the article hah
<emOne_>
I don't find Werner offensive myself
<emOne_>
I am really thankful for his insights
<emOne_>
I am just pointing out that new generations see the full stop, which is the grammatically correct thing to do in the english language ofc, as rude
<emOne_>
it is a very strange world we live in
<Werner>
I think there are other things that should be worried about rather than trailing dots in sentences..
<emOne_>
agreed
<emOne_>
.
<emOne_>
;D
<emOne_>
It honestly never occurred to me that u-boot is so finicky about arm devices
<emOne_>
and that each arm device/board/box needs its own dtb
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<emOne>
Werner: what's the best way to start making dtb files?
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<emOne>
I gather that I can decompile dtb files with dtc?
<emOne>
if the android OS already ships with the dtb file ,,, why can't we just use that file?
<Werner>
Probably different syntax. I don't know
<Werner>
Android is a very weird abstract Linux "thing"
<Werner>
I dont know much about the internals either. Just some basic stuff. I do more contribution by collecting and forwarding information to the right people, managing all the IRC stuff for Armbian or nagging people in forums to provide logs with their complains.
<emOne>
I am going to start by unpacking the android image
<emOne>
taking a look at the dtb
<emOne>
and comparing it to the dtb that the elec guys use
<emOne>
because like I said they have a working dtb for the 4.9 kernel and the board I am using
<emOne>
after that I am going to compare it to the 5.x kernel dtb that someone posted in the armbian forum
<emOne>
their dtb works with my box but the wifi is broken
<emOne>
by comparing all three I should be able to figure out what line I need to add to the 5.x dtb to make it work
<emOne>
Werner: solid plan?
<Werner>
And you are sure that it is an issue with the dtb and not missing firmware blob or drivers in kernel?
<emOne>
it is an issue with both
<archetech>
have you burned the latest armbian for c4 and tried it?
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<thebigfrog>
Does anyone know what the blinking red light next to the power jack on an olimex lime2 means ? I got a board from a friend. When I plug in the power jack, the red led light starts blinking. Is it a dud?
<thebigfrog>
Same power supply and microsd works on another lime2 board
<IgorPec>
and nothing else?
<IgorPec>
that ain't normal
<scope>
anything special attached to the board?
<thebigfrog>
I tried with and without HDMI, same blinking red light
<[TheBug]>
you have bootable sd card in it?
<thebigfrog>
Yeah, the sd card boots in another lime2 board I have. Using the same power supply
<thebigfrog>
The blinking red light happens with or without the microsd card. And with or without hdmi connected
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<[TheBug]>
you have UART connected?
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<thebigfrog>
nope
<[TheBug]>
that would be my next step, see if anything being reported to console by uboot or kernel
<thebigfrog>
Ok, I have a usb to serial I ordered ages ago. Never used it though. I'll try it out
<[TheBug]>
most if you have linux system is very easy will show up as a ttyUSB device in dmesg when plugged in
<[TheBug]>
you can then do
<[TheBug]>
screen /dev/ttyUSBX 152000
<[TheBug]>
or similar
<thebigfrog>
On the functioning lime2 board, the red led next to the power jack is continuously on.
<thebigfrog>
But no one has seen the flashing red light here ? I'm wondering the capacitor or something else is broken
<thebigfrog>
[TheBug] thanks, I'll try that out
<[TheBug]>
well usually if its how you are saying something is erroring, but only way to know what is to see console if it has an output
<IgorPec>
IIRC i think one led is lit when you have battery attached ...