<cosm>
and I suspect it doesn't get correctly set up even if enabled in the kernel
<cosm>
HDMI might be working, but I don't have a mini HDMI adapter yet
<cosm>
and I didn't have time to take a closer look at what's wrong
<cosm>
regarding naobsd's comments: an Android kernel might be enough to boot a GNU/Linux userspace, but usually some feature will be missing or some android-specific stuff might be enabled which makes it less convenient
<cosm>
so I'd start with a kernel that you can be built from source
<cosm>
I've asked the manufacturer for their source, but I'm not very hopeful
<AstralixNB>
You could check the already existing distros like picuntu. These should work on the MK80x sticks and clones.
<AstralixNB>
All of the sources are available free. So you just need to concentrate on adding the board of your tablet and the HDMI/LCDC conversion chip.
<cosm>
AstralixNB: no, the GPLv2 license means that the manufacturer has to provide the source code required to build the kernel binary they're distributing
<AstralixNB>
Ok, you can insist on getting it and wait for it... See you in a hundred years...
<cosm>
I know how these fly-by-night operations work
<cosm>
which is why I've worked around it
<cosm>
I'm just saying it's not accurate to say "All of the sources are available free."
<AstralixNB>
depends
<AstralixNB>
I am pretty sure, that the sources of your tablet are either not available, not complete, not matching, outadted or any combination of these options.
<AstralixNB>
But the kernel and linux of these MK80x sticks provided by alok and others should be available completely.
<AstralixNB>
I know that as I know the guys who spent night over night to get it working and they will insist on having all sources open and available.
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<AstralixNB>
But for tablets... I have seen 50+ kernels with according sources and it costs me about 5min each to validate it in a disassembler.... only very very few where matching.
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<naobsd>
Astralix: cosm is talking about tablet, not mk* stick
<AstralixNB>
yes but there is so much to do if you start from plain tablet kernel up to working linux
<naobsd>
Astralix: cosm is the man who can understand things like source code
<AstralixNB>
If you didn't do that once or twice, you'll likely fail
<AstralixNB>
ok
<AstralixNB>
I just proposed a different approach that results in less work and probably better result
<naobsd>
he already have working kernel source for his stick. I'm not speaking such a thing
<AstralixNB>
So where is the problem?
<naobsd>
I just say he is "developer", not the man who ask dumb questions
<AstralixNB>
I hop I didn't give any dumb answer
<naobsd>
he talked about tablet and it's source
<AstralixNB>
And I told him that it will not work out
<cosm>
I think there's some confusion around, maybe I wasn't clear
<AstralixNB>
Chances to get real sources are less than 10%
<naobsd>
<cosm> I've asked the manufacturer for their source, but I'm not very hopeful
<naobsd>
''not very hopeful'
<naobsd>
there are many people "if I ask maker about source code, I must get it soon"
<AstralixNB>
May be this will change some day. If customs in here will feed their computers with large blacklists of chinese products that violate GPL
<naobsd>
we are not
<naobsd>
such a people
<naobsd>
(I'm talking about rockchip and/or similar chinese soc world)
<cosm>
I had some limited time to play with it, so I've tried a generic kernel/board config
<cosm>
most stuff is working, the major issues being the internal display
<AstralixNB>
I would never request a current and working snapshot of a GPL code and expect it in a minute. But I hav requests of GPL code running for over 1.5 years now. Have not seen any line of code.
<cosm>
when I'll get the time I'll look at fixing it myself, but in the offshot that the vendor will provide the source code, I've also sent them an email
<AstralixNB>
cosm: What I found out is, that many times almost every thing is correct, but then one or two things are simply missing
<AstralixNB>
In some cases, the single driver needed for the LCD was just deleted before putting the GPL code on the servers.
<AstralixNB>
You could see it as it was still mentioned in Kconfig and Makefile but the .c and .h files where not there
<AstralixNB>
with one tablet you just needed to exchange the not installed photo flash light GPIO with the lcd-enable GPIO and it worked
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<AstralixNB>
but cosm, If you can tell me the device, I can check if I have something working for you or a prossible matching driver for the LCDC interface.
<cosm>
naobsd: yeah, there's that driver, which I've enabled
<cosm>
but maybe it needs something else set up in the board file
<naobsd>
spi and gpio?
<cosm>
I didn't have time to look at how it's supposed to work
<AstralixNB>
As I said before. Often it is more a GPIO problem than a missing driver. Check if the EN or RESET GPIOs for display and SSD are set correctly. Check if the chip has I2C interface and if, if it is recognized at the right bus with the right address. If it doesn't work out, send me the original binary kernel image and I check some of the details via disassembler
<cosm>
naobsd: yeah, it looks like you're right
<cosm>
for some reason I thought it's i2c
<AstralixNB>
ok, spi, not I2C, so it needs a CS GPIO line
<AstralixNB>
oh my goodness... They use a GPIO based bitbanging driver... I ever wondered why they have several SPI interfaces in the SOC but never use them... So it must be true that they are buggy
<naobsd>
I sometimes like this kind of cheap thing from china
<cosm>
it looks like there's going to be a bit of guesswork involved in setting up that ssd2828_t
<naobsd>
e.g. rockchip don't change bootloader USB protocol, firmware format,
<cosm>
naobsd, yes, in a strange way they're sort of hacker friendly
<naobsd>
I can hack ASUS MeMO Pad 8 very easily ;)
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<naobsd>
it seems ASUS guys tried to hide some things, they don't make physical key to enter RK bootloader mode, they changed kernel reboot func to go fastboot mode instead of RK bootloader mode
<naobsd>
but probably they forgot to change "reboot-bootloader" in fastboot, it goes RK bootloader mode
<cosm>
haha
<cosm>
this one uses the "esc" key to enter the RK bootloader
<naobsd>
yep, most cheap products have it, sort of hacker friendly ;)
<naobsd>
I really wonder why people try to "rooting" on RK. NAND can be modified freely :)
<cosm>
maybe they use the production hardware for firmware development to reduce cost
<naobsd>
they use development hardware for production
<hramrach>
and I do not have micro HDMI so cannot connect to external screen
<hramrach>
I have sort of universal adaptor which has many connectors on it so you can figure out which one you have by trying all but it
<cosm>
naobsd: yes
<hramrach>
is so bulky it always gets in the way of other nearby connectors
<naobsd>
cosm: then, let's try GPIO_DUMP ;)
<cosm>
naobsd: yes, when I get home
<naobsd>
I didn't know that module can print label
<hramrach>
how do you take apart these tablets?
<hramrach>
it has no screws or anything
<cosm>
hramrach: mine had no screws, I just took a plastic spudger to it :)
<naobsd>
hacker friendly :)
<naobsd>
need more $$$ for screws!
<cosm>
watch out for any wires going to the back panel (e.g. for a speaker) and for things that might get stuck in the cutouts (e.g. a micro SD card)
<hramrach>
it has a serial number printed on the plastic :o
<hramrach>
but no button descriptions ..
<cosm>
hramrach: one other thing to be careful about: the battery
<cosm>
it's a soft pouch, make sure you don't damage it
<hramrach>
hmm, could be tricky when the case is not made to open easily
<hramrach>
but might need to see the chips on the board eventually
<cosm>
the case should open fairly easily
<AstralixNB>
strong fingernails or an old credit-card is needed and almost all of them open up easy
<naobsd>
btw, I have interest to CONFIG_RK_USB_UART
<naobsd>
I guess D+/- can be used as TX/RX
<hramrach>
I have an a13 tablet which opens really easily with just fingernails but this one has more tight fitting case
<naobsd>
but I have no idea about detail. clock? voltage? :(
<cosm>
naobsd: I would have thought that it configures the USB OTG port as a usb-serial device
<AstralixNB>
enter into the slit in the middle of a long side without speakers or plugs, then try to open into direction of the small side with the plugs. A second old card helps to keep the slit open
<hramrach>
ok, need to find some suitable plastic parts for that
<AstralixNB>
For this I always have a collection of old ensurance-, credit- or rebate-cards :)
<naobsd>
cosm: then it needs driver on host. I guessed it's simple function, just bypass UART signal...
<cosm>
usb-serial is supported out of the box on any modern OS
<naobsd>
I sometimes use not-old-card, and sometimes say ahhhhhhh
<hramrach>
did not need them so did not collect any
<naobsd>
cosm: there are drivers too
<AstralixNB>
Yes, I am not aware of any special hardware on any of the USB ports. So I guess it is simply a USB-CDC made by rk implementation.
<naobsd>
ftdi, profilic, etc etc
<naobsd>
ah prolific
<naobsd>
hmm
<hramrach>
but my current card is so worn that using it for opening a tablet can't possibly make any difference
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<AstralixNB>
rk wrote many drivers on their own even they implemented an IP that already has drivers in the kernel
<naobsd>
enabling that config is easy, I'll try and see what happen...
<naobsd>
I have RK2926 tablet and I still cannot find UART pads ;)
<AstralixNB>
2926? Ok... Do you have some detailed photos of it?
<AstralixNB>
But you need to buy at least 1k of them otherwise you have to pay multiple times the price and you still not get any datasheets
<AstralixNB>
not even sure if 1k is enough...
<AstralixNB>
probably 10k or more
<naobsd>
buy few cheap tablets, and unsoldering? ;)
<AstralixNB>
Just use the tablets PCB and add on your own application on a second PCB you connect via I2C or USB. So you get a display for free :)
<naobsd>
and battery (it may explode easily) :)
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<AstralixNB>
LiIon is critical to handle but easy to charge. Just keep the values. You should not leave it alone connected to your lab supply
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<AstralixNB>
There is absolutely no pinout of the 2928 or 2926 available... So you just can try with a scope or a low voltage serial probe
<AstralixNB>
naobsd: I would search the serial signals around the corner where the WiFi module is.
<cosm>
naobsd: you don't need such a steady hand
<AstralixNB>
In one tablet I found the pads hidden as a non placed resistor.
<cosm>
the surface tension of solder pulls components in place
<naobsd>
Astralix: I see, worth to try
<naobsd>
I hope I can find TX, and I really hope RX is near by TX... ;)
<AstralixNB>
I even searched my own archives of datasheets... but unfortunately no 292x
<AstralixNB>
hard to tell as the 3xxx are all in BGA and there they are almost near by
<AstralixNB>
no idea how they mapped it at the QFP packages
<AstralixNB>
simple way to try is to us a low power USB dongle and unsolder battery (+). Then put the rx to a pin and manually connect battery. Within a second the loader shows up. If not, disconnect battery, try next pin.