New firmware for MiniX Plus – Januari 2013

So it seems that Pineriver finally decided to listen. Yes there is still some DRM implemented that the firmware works only on non-counterfeited boxes (specific MAC address range).

The good news is everyone FINALLY can restore his/her MiniX Plus (both versions 512/1GB) to factory state when something has gone wrong.

This is not the first available image around, I have waited some time to publish this, as there were bootloops reported in earlier versions.

Also, there is a new version of E-control app out. Download it HERE.

The changelog for this January 2013 firmware is:

1) update “base” dir of android,
2) Google TV remote is supported;
3) NAND driver updated

The image is rooted. Have fun!

Serial connection via USB

Thanks to one of the readers of this blog, I got a tip.
He connected the MiniX via a serial to usb connector to his pc.

In that way, he can see the output of the bootloader and change the behavior of uboot via console. This goes a little over my head, but I hope somebody can develop uboot further so it can boot from USB. It is possible, now only unactivated he confirmed.

Here are the pictures:

 

As you can see on the right, the ground is connected to one of the pins of the USB port.

 

Credits go to Benjamin Larsson, thanks for sending this to me.

USB peripherals – lack of power

I’ve tried numerous USB add-ons to the MiniX and MiniX plus and only some of them worked out of the box. I’m hearing different stories about USB gamepads, Webcams and so on.

The only thing that worked were a mouse/keyboard and a Huawei K3765 USB dongle (unlocked) which gave a stable 3G signal in the later firmware versions.

But, in order to have webcams working under Skype and even printers (which is possible on Samsungs) you need a bunch of things before it works out well:

-Enough power
-Drivers

So far, the driver implementation via insmod procedure didn’t work out well for me.
Also, I’m lacking a proper usb powered hub at this moment. I might have one around the house, so I can try what happens.

If you connect a webcam via a powered hub, you need the Camera ICS app from the Play store, since it is able to display from an externally connected camera.

Please post back results.

Autumn progress – 65.000 visitors

So I’m still active with the MiniX and the MiniX Plus, but unfortunately there is no such thing as a firmware for the MiniX Plus. Both Miniand.com and Pineriver (the manufacturer) promised it over and over again, and no such thing showed up.

I do have extracted the files from all partitions (it is possible when you root it) but am unable to remake it into an image that can be flashed.

In the coming weeks/months I’m planning to do these updates:

-/system/etc directory, as it may be required to get e-server app working (wireless remote)
-Gamepad and Webcam compatibility
-Maybe some custom ROM progression

Donations welcome

This site is doing very well, with 41.000 visitors in total and nearly 17,500 a month.
That is souping up between 15 and 20 gigabytes of traffic each month in downloads.
To cover the costs I can install ads, but everyone hates them.

So if you like my work on this blog, you can appreciate it by doing a donation.

There is a “Make a donation” button on the right side of the blog.

Thanks.

MiniX Plus – System App folder

As requested, the ripping of the MiniX Plus system files goes further.
Here is the system/app folder. With .odex files, can be de-odexed.

LINK

Installing custom drivers – part 1

So if you want to include other peripherals (like unsupported cameras/mouses/bluetooth dongles etcetera) see that you can mount .SO modules. Remember, those are INPUT modules, not OUTPUT.

What I did is copied them to the internal memory and started a Terminal emulator.

Then SU, then insmod rtl8187.so (my module). But unfortunately, it gave an error message. Hope you have better results.

Stay tuned for more.

Nanda dump

Nanda is the first Linux partition of the MiniX. Since Android is based on Linux, editing these files should be pretty easy. Nanda contains the bootloader, and additional boot configuration files. Also the u-boot.bin which defines how the device boots.

Click here for the nanda dump of a MiniX Plus

I’m trying to find a way to supply every rom with composite video output and stereo out, instead of only HDMI. So far I don’t have the solution yet. I implemented the full Nanda partition into several roms, but it seems that the support is hard coded into the kernel of each rom.

Additional references:

U-boot.bin compiling - http://elinux.org/Hack_A10_devices

Linux copy commands - http://www.mkssoftware.com/docs/man1/cp.1.asp

Evb.bin – enabling 1080p (upscaled in roms) - http://gangmax.me/blog/2012/07/09/hacking-mk802/

Bad audio quality – humming

So the MiniX Plus definately needs a new firmware since my boot is screwed over the past  few days, while tweaking. If anybody succesfully extracted the firmware please give me a hand and post it.

A user replied on this blog that the audio out (analog, via the composite out port) has a strange humming, while moving the mouse. When watching a movie I noticed this as well, as my audio was connected to the home cinema receiver.

It’s really bad and changes when moving from PAL to NTSC in a different frequency. Absolutely don’t know what is happening here. Maybe the Mele guys got this as well.

So far the only thing to do is mute when audio is not needed, but that is a weird solution.
My MiniX Plus comes from Miniand.com so I hope their after sales support is coming up with a solution.

Anybody else experiences this problem?

30.000 visitors – Root MiniX Plus

Last week the 30.000th visitor came to this blog! This in just 2 months.

With over 13 Gigabyte of data traffic a month, including downloads, this blog is a great success. It is one of the and most visited and updated small form factor Android blogs out there.

Most of them from Maylasia (Lowyat.net) and Russia. All I can say to them is:

Terima kasih banyak untuk 30,000 pelawat dan bersenang-senang dengan laman web ini

Большое спасибо за 30 000 посетителей и продолжайте наслаждаться сайтом

As a present, I will present the root method for the MiniX Plus, since it comes unrooted from the factory. Proceed at your own risk. The MiniX Plus firmware cannot be downloaded anywhere, so if you screw up the system files, you can only flash an older firmware with more bugs and less functionality.

Hopefully this root method will inspire many people and it can lead to more development on the newer devices

Root method

The new MiniX Plus (with cooling vents) comes semirooted from the factory, the included patch app doesn’t work, it’s a bogus. Some apps may say that root works, but you don’t have root permissions in ADB / No write permissions on system folder and no root permissions for certain key apps.

It is better to install Superuser from the market and then Busybox Installer (Jrummy). This may fail, as Busybox needs superuser to install in /system/bin or /system/xbin/.

To correct this: Root the MiniX Plus, download the zip file and run the bat file runme.bat

NEW ZIP FILE: here

Select option 4 (other) and there you go. Don’t forget that you have to plug a usb mouse in the MiniX Plus before you begin.

Have fun.