Minix Z83-4 with Linux Mint XFCE 19.3 + Kodi + RetroArch, works fine!!

zheive

New member
Hello! I am a Minix Z83-4 user and I installed yesterday Linux Mint XFCE 19.3 (latest) distro with modified boot (thanks to Isorespin).

After install this version, all work fine! No problems with WiFi, Bluetooth or Sound and no necessary install any driver.

After optimice system uninstalling programs as LibreOffice, Printers and others I installed Kodi as multimedia center and Emulators.

Kodi 18.6 works fine without streaming issues and work with spanish addons as Palantir, Alfa and others. I can watch 4K streaming without lag (I had problems with other distro in the past: Xubuntu).

Retroarch work fine with Snes, Megadrive, Arcade emulators. Work with 8bitdo gamepad vía bluetooth and PS3 controller with cable (I don't have dongle bluetooth at this moment).

Very impressed with PPSSPP performance, I can play games as Castlevania o Need for Speed with 2x resolution without lag, with God of War the framerate down to 20 fps and is necessary activate frameskip. I proved M64py for Nintendo 64 and work well. In tested Citra (3DS Emu) but emulation work at 20 FPS in Mario Kart 7.

Conclusión: Delete Windows 10, install Linux Mint XFCE and enjoy!

P.D: In can update my Linux Mint XFCE 19.3 iso if you like.
 
Looks like they have added efi32 support for it to work. I have had a tutorial on how to add efi32 support to any linux distro.

I have been using Manjaro since long time now and it have all the latest updates software's and many other things which are not directly available to normal users.
I am happy to see users requesting for linux distro for all the devices they use.

Cheers.
Yes, In home all my devices use Linux Mint. It's easy for beginners and work fine.

Manjaro is so beatifull with xfce and stock theme. I loved it.
 
Good old Linuxium! He was the first...back in the day...that came up with Linux for my Z84 but at the time sound still wasn't quite working. I'm going to give this a try as Mint is my favorite Linux flavor.
 
Good old Linuxium! He was the first...back in the day...that came up with Linux for my Z84 but at the time sound still wasn't quite working. I'm going to give this a try as Mint is my favorite Linux flavor.
Yeah, is was a old linuxian user but don't had any problem with sound an wifi drivers. With this distro is all ok. Enjoy!
 
Hello! I am a Minix Z83-4 user and I installed yesterday Linux Mint XFCE 19.3 (latest) distro with modified boot (thanks to Isorespin).

After install this version, all work fine! No problems with WiFi, Bluetooth or Sound and no necessary install any driver.

After optimice system uninstalling programs as LibreOffice, Printers and others I installed Kodi as multimedia center and Emulators.

Kodi 18.6 works fine without streaming issues and work with spanish addons as Palantir, Alfa and others. I can watch 4K streaming without lag (I had problems with other distro in the past: Xubuntu).

Retroarch work fine with Snes, Megadrive, Arcade emulators. Work with 8bitdo gamepad vía bluetooth and PS3 controller with cable (I don't have dongle bluetooth at this moment).

Very impressed with PPSSPP performance, I can play games as Castlevania o Need for Speed with 2x resolution without lag, with God of War the framerate down to 20 fps and is necessary activate frameskip. I proved M64py for Nintendo 64 and work well. In tested Citra (3DS Emu) but emulation work at 20 FPS in Mario Kart 7.

Conclusión: Delete Windows 10, install Linux Mint XFCE and enjoy!

P.D: In can update my Linux Mint XFCE 19.3 iso if you like.

Hello Zheive,
I am interested in getting Mint in my minix, Where can I find this:

Linux Mint XFCE 19.3 (latest) distro with modified boot (thanks to Isorespin).
Best regards, Jack
 
Just downloaded the iso from Mega


Hello zheive, downloaded the iso form MEGA, put it on a stick en booted my Z83. It will not start the wifi ( I have not installed mint yet, working form the usb stick)


I am the same - while I don't use the wireless, there are no versions of Linux that I have found that work out of the box with hdmi sound - especially multi channels.

This is not just the Z84, but the U9-H, Odroid C2, and Odroid N2. Part of the problem is Pulsaudio - Alsa is easier to get working though so far with my little tinkering I have only gotten 2 channels.

Even with Windows on the Z84 I could only get my surround working consistently using an EDID splitter.

At least with the AmLogic boxes my surround always works consistently with CoreElec or LibreElec. I have not tried either on the Z84. Of course with those OS one only gets Kodi, no browser or other features of a full blown OS.

I believe that my HDMI sound difficulties are due to multiple aspects - both software drivers and the fact that my surround system is relatively old and is HDMI 1.4.
 
Hi Are you able to install Kodi 18.6 directly on the box ? Can you please help me do that. I tried it on my Neo Z83-4 but I am not able to due to 32 bit EFI


I am the same - while I don't use the wireless, there are no versions of Linux that I have found that work out of the box with hdmi sound - especially multi channels.

This is not just the Z84, but the U9-H, Odroid C2, and Odroid N2. Part of the problem is Pulsaudio - Alsa is easier to get working though so far with my little tinkering I have only gotten 2 channels.

Even with Windows on the Z84 I could only get my surround working consistently using an EDID splitter.

At least with the AmLogic boxes my surround always works consistently with CoreElec or LibreElec. I have not tried either on the Z84. Of course with those OS one only gets Kodi, no browser or other features of a full blown OS.

I believe that my HDMI sound difficulties are due to multiple aspects - both software drivers and the fact that my surround system is relatively old and is HDMI 1.4.
 
Anyone try Mint 20? Multiple attempts resulted in failures.
Although I will say, the ubuntu release provided in this forum for Minix Z83-4 rocks - especially with the cinnamon desktop.
Miss my Mint though. Never had a problem with the earlier versions.
 
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Which command is best to create an ISO that can be used on a Minix Z83-4? Would I be correct to use for example:

isorespin.sh -i linuxmint-20.2-xfce-64bit.iso --atom
 
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