XBMC / Kodi is now working pretty well on Android devices, and even automatic frame rate switching is available on some Android platforms such as MINIX NEO X6. But if you want a pure XBMC experience, you may consider XBMC/Kodi Linux distributions such as OpenELEC also providing support for some USB DVB tuner dongles and PVR function, both of which are currently unavailable in Kodi for Android. We’ve also seen OpenELEC released for M8 TV Box, but Kerber, a Russian developer (or at least a Russian speaking developer) has also released OpenELEC 4.97.x for MXIII (Amlogic S802), Tronsmart Vega S89 (Amlogic S802), TV110 (Amlogic S805) , and CX-S806 (Amlogic S812) media players.
The forum post is dated on August 2014, but it has been updated on December 12 with more up-to-date images:
- OpenELEC-Amlogic.MX3.arm-4.97.2.zip for MXIII (1GB)
- OpenELEC-Amlogic.S82.arm-4.97.2.zip for Tronsmart Vega S89 (2GB)
- OpenELEC-Amlogic.TV110.arm-4.97.2.zip for TV110
- OpenELEC-Amlogic.S806.arm-4.97.2.zip for CX-S806 (Amlogic S812 version)
Download is a little slow, so I haven’t checked the content of the zipped firmware, but if it is the same as OpenELEC for M8, these should be “OTA update” files where you just need to copy to an SD card or a USB flash drive, and enter recovery mode to complete the update.
Rough instructions to enable PVR in OpenELEC:
- Select and enable one of two backends from OpenELEC repository: VDR or tvheadend
- Configure VDR with pvr frontend VNSI add-on, or tvheadend with TVH / HTS client
- If you use tvheadend backend, you’ll get a Web based user interface @ ip_address:9981
Let us know if you try these, and your feedback in the comments section.
Thank to Ovidiu for the information.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Fix for TV110 Openelec 720p:
You can change 720p framebuffer to 1080p in Openelec via a script that’s run on startup:
Login through ssh, run the following command:
nano /storage/.config/autostart.sh
Copy the code below:
echo 1080p > /sys/class/display/mode
echo 1 > /sys/class/graphics/fb0/freescale_mode
echo 0 0 1919 1079 > /sys/class/graphics/fb0/free_scale_axis
echo 0 0 1919 1079 > /sys/class/video/axis
echo 0 0 1919 1079 > /sys/class/graphics/fb0/window_axis
echo 0 > /sys/class/graphics/fb0/blank
echo 1 > /sys/class/graphics/fb1/blank
New version – s802 based on Rippl-TV, supports BT, supports VLAN unlike the others, etc….
OpenELEC-Rippl-TV.802.arm-devel-20141217224013-update.zip
http://billionuploads.com/up5nl6edsi6l
i just installed it on the vega s89 and currently downloading some addons have not played back anything yet but so far so good wifi works and the system is very responsive,
ehrrrrr how do you put an SD cart in CX-S806 if it has no slot??!?!?
I have the CX-S806 (S812) from Geekbuying (2G/8G w/ bluetooth). The Openelec build listed above works, but the Context menu and Home buttons are mapped wrong. Passthru DTS-MA and Dolby Lossless don’t work. There’s also issues related to sleep and power-on/off, and the bluetooth adapter is not recognized. One thing that Openelec fixes, though, is audio and video dropouts present while streaming from PC via SMB and uPnP which are present in the stock Android firmware, as well as the latest update.
Anyone know if OpenELEC on these boxes work with those cheap RTL2832 DVB-T sticks? (If so it would be the cheapest cable-killing internet + DVB-T + PVR combo so far I think…)
It should work, but somebody must compile the drivers into modules of Openelec for Amlogic.
For example, one popular usb tuner is Astrometa DVB-T, DVB-C:
Here are some links which can help anybody to compile it(in the first link you’ll find instructions in comments):
http://blog.palosaari.fi/2014/09/naked-hardware-18-astrometa-amdvb-t2-v2.html
http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/How_to_Obtain,_Build_and_Install_V4L-DVB_Device_Drivers
Somebody already makes some builds which have extra usb tuner drivers, but only for x86 & Raspberry PI:
http://openelec.tv/forum/83-dvb-s-s2-support/70750-oe-images-for-additional-dvb-drivers?start=450
@matt
Good point! I assume it should also work with a USB flash drive.
@jumperout
I suppose that one should work on Eny/Shenzhen Tomato M8 (squared) box too, right?
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
Yes, 100%, and tested.
At this point i believe that Openelec is by far the most popular and the most apreciated Embedded Media Center of the moment.
The support and maintaince of this small but yet very usefull software is keept by Stefan Raue Leader of this project alongside with several hundred of enthusiasts which constantly keep the distro up to date.
Wetek company has become diamond contributor to the Kodi + Openelec project so the Amlogic soc’s and Freescale imx6 soc’s will start getting official support starting with next stage of the distribution aka Openelec 6.
@ovidiu
So Wetek sponsors Amlogic development, and TBS Freescale development? Or are there other companies involved?
Wetek Sponsor Openelec Project and Kodi Projects
I have a couple question.
1) can anyone confirm that S806 can update through usb key?
2) Does openelec uses X11? Wayland? What about 3d driver/GLX/GLES?
I have a the same question.
How flash img firmware if firmware single-file ?
How can unbrick box if flash bad u-boot or u-boot “frozen”?
@matt
1. older version of amlogic base devices was able to do it.
2. I think(99%) that openelec use frame-buffer directly. Mali and amlogic provide binary blobs of opengles/egl for X11 and framebuffer. There is also wayland version of drivers for samsung SOCs with wayland support
m][sko
all 2 points correct
I hope they can make a openelec version for MXQ S05 🙂
What do you mean by “Kodi is not working well on Android”?
Typo and you meant that it is working well on Android too?
@matt
S806 can flash Android firmware via USB cable to PC w/ USB Burning Tool App. S806 can flash to OpenELEC via USB thumb drive.
@Harley
Sorry, typo. I make that one quite often (not <-> now), and the problem is that one letter difference changes the meaning a lot!!
@John
Does wifi work with openelec? How is the heat?
@sc351
The Wifi chip is detected, but I haven’t used it. Just ethernet.
i dont understand why people are so interested in linux based xbmc when you have android based xbmc’s working so well.
in the past i would of understood where these boxes came with slow cpu’s and less memory but now thats not a problem xbmc on both platforms run equally fast. but with android you get the play store with thousands of apps.
@adem
Automatic refresh rate switching only works in a few Android TV boxes for now (line MINIX NEO X6), and XBMC Android currently does not support PVR, and I guess not live TV via DVB tuner dongle either.
Some (most?) Android boxes support DVB tuner dongles, but via a third party app.
So for most use XBMC Android is just as good, but it does not cover all use cases.
Hi everybody,
Does somebody know how to unbrick CX-S806 if I broke UBOOT? Via cable connection?
Thanks!
One question.
Its safe to flash MXQ S05 with TV110 (Amlogic S805) OpenELEC-Amlogic.TV110.arm-4.97.2.zip.
Same device with diferent names as vendor.
@pajo
Only one way to tell… Although the devices are not the same MXQ S85 is netxeon board. TV110, not sure. It says TV110 on it. I will try it once my device comes. I will make sure I can access OTG and usb burning tool before hand though. 🙂
@sc351
Thanks
Are you watting for a MXQ S05 ?
I have a CX-S859 and CX-S806 coming. MXQ either S85 or HD18 coming on next shipment.
@pajo
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
ok i never used dvb so and did not know the importance of it. why do people use dvb what are the main advantages of using dvb does record live tv shows is that it.
@adem
DVB should be like the tuner you have in your TV (unless you have a TV with an older analog TV tuner), so OpenELEC let you catch your country’s TV channels, use time shifting (I think), and record TV shows.
You are correct Jean Luc regarding the time shifting. With tvheadend backend also allows to prepare and schedule recordings of the favorite tv shows.
With satelitte tuner allows to watch all kind of channels .
I installed it on my CX-S806s and it worked. But it’s no more possible to have the android menu and launch game or apps, is it ? What can I do to have it again, can somebody give me the original rom or firmware ? Thanks
@Faycel
Try that: http://blog.geekbuying.com/index.php/2014/12/01/cx-s806s-s812-tv-box-latest-firmware-and-flash-method-released-20141201/
Installed Kerbers openelec 5.0.0 on CX-S806. Works well.
Installed Kerbers openelec TV110 on CX-S859. Bricked. Showing MINIX bootlogo. Interesting. Reset no longer works to boot from sdcard or recovery. Tried about 8 different recovery.img’s but no luck. Need to figure out how to corrupt Foresee eMMC like we can with NAND pin 17,18.
@sc351
Another u-boot – 99% brick.
Try to flash through USB Burning tool, should help.
if you know how, let me know please.
I can’t. Reset button won’t work and therefore windows does not see the device via otg. I’ve used USB burning tool for S89 so I know how to use it. My S89 reset button does not work and I had to short a couple of pins on an 8 pin IC chip. That caused it to go into OTG mode or flashing mode. This device does not have the same chip. I also can’t try corrupting the nand, because this one has emmc chip. No pins. All solder points are under the chip. 🙁 @Alex
I’ve unbricked my CX-S859 by shortings pins on the eMMC, plug in power, plug in OTG, run the usb burning tool with appropriate img. 🙂
@sc351
At what pins did a shorting?
If you wish, you can try this (unzip before flash), include original u-boot and recovery
http://amlinux.ru/target/OpenELEC-Amlogic.S859.arm-devel-20150108030640-r20207-g2f8bd15.zip
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
I’ve already tried 😉 (you can see that I’ve asked abouta “mutli files firmware instead of a single img file). I’m looking for the firmware that I can install in the recovery mode
@Alex
17/18. I could be off however. If I brick again, I will check again.
Who provided this build? I will try it now.
@Alex
Build works fine so far. Thank you for pointing it out. Funny enough Kerber provided a couple of patches for couple of issues on S802-S812 earlier and one was in that same target directory. I never noticed it.
@sc351
hi.
did get the mxq ????
did you tried to install tv110 openelec on it?????
xIII 1GB-8GB unit with the above OpenELEC Ver:4.97.2. I can’t change the date. Its stuck on Jan 1, 1970, and for the likes of me I an’t find anywhere to set the Time and Date.
will it work for mk12 tvbox?
@gilad
Not sure that will work.
@Aceraaa
Openelec get’s time from the internet, so connect first to the internet then the time will change.
Hi Pls I need help to install openelec on my Tronsmart Vega S89, Amologic s802,
Could any one providde link to zip file and instructions to install.
Thanks
Just download, so where is the instruction to install??
I’ve the new MX3 4K Box and Video does not play on Kodi 4.1. I’ve tried the instruction above to install openelec but I could not get it to install. Please help
How did you install openELEC on MXIII? I’ve tried to install in Recovery mode but did not work Please help
Sorry for noob question but if I want OpenElec on my S812, why would I use the firmware given on this post rather than the stock OpenElec at http://openelec.tv/get-openelec
@mameha1977, because there is no official OpenELEC build for any Amlogic device? Except Wetek Play.
how do I install to tv110? Do you just unzip the three files and reboot the box?
I’ve had lots of problems with the Amlogic boxes and their bloated Android systems. Specifically, the MXQ and the MXIII 4K 1Gs. I’m looking to try to load OpenElec on them, if possible. Haven’t tried the Raspberry pi, but of over 50 boxes tried, the only ones that have never given a single problem are running Kodi under Linux – one an old PC, and another a banana pi board without even an enclosure box.
@Ray
Get a Armada Mach 8 Pure Linus sold by Theater in a Box: http://www.theaterinabox.tv/armada-mach-8-xbmc-pure-linux.html
I have 2 and love them. Plus the remote is much better than most for kodi
There is also a vendor in the UK, I believe it’s Jarvis.
@Ray
You could also check out The Complete LINUX/OPENELEC NINJA EXTREME with custom firmware: http://www.thetv.ninja/media-streamers/ninja-extreme-tv-streaming-minipc.html
I purchased a couple of these(for my mom and 85yr old grandpa) with the new super easy to use Custom FIRMWARE, these units are ROCK SOLID!! They ship world wide as well 😉
What about an openelec version of the MXIII 2GB Version?
hello,
will it work on M8S+ Android 5.1 Amlogic S812?
Has Openelec support ended for the boxed reviewed here (Sunchip CX-S806 (aka Ugoos UG-S806))?
At one point, the amlinux.ru links above continued to publish updated firmware. It’s been about 5 months since there has been anything new, despite many new releases for other Amlogic s812 boxes?
Thank you in advance for any insight on this!