CoreELEC on U8K

A

allmankind

Active member
FYI: CoreELEC nightly releases for CE-22 NE and NO builds now includes a DTB file for the Minix U8K-Ultra.

I will make a bootable SD card and give CE-NO-22 a trial run on my U8K this weekend.
 
Amlogic-no does not support Dolby Vision because of the missing `dovi.ko` kernel module for Kernel 5.15.
So Amlogic-ne will be the better choose. Doesn't matter if CE-21 (Kodi Omega) or CE-22 (Kodi Piers).
 
Portisch, nothing I have supports DV, but I would assume DV support will be added to NO as soon as the module is updated.. However I am unsure which version (NE or NO) would be the best choice for the U8K, DV notwithstanding. Since NO is the latest branch, I was assuming it would be the future of CE.
 
A brief summary of my testing on Sunday.

I started with the CE-22 NO nightly version. On initial SD startup, I noticed a message that appeared briefly that stated the dtb file was out of date. Not sure why, unless it was a mistake by CoreELEC.

Once it rebooted into CoreELEC I got a large message telling me about the lack of DV support due to the newer (I presume) Linux core.

Then everything froze.

So I prepared a CE-22 NE nightly SD card and booted it up. That went without a hitch until I tried to use the A3 BT remote. Nothing happened. I changed to the A2 RF remote and all was well. After a lot of back and forthing, I eventually got the A3 paired with CE though the CE configuration program. It was not easy and I was ready to give up on it altogether, when it suddenly paired.

Even though paired, CE would not respond to the A3. I guess that the developers have not built A3 support into CE yet. Maybe somebody from Minix could give them a nudge. I remember there was a keymap editor included with the NG version of CE on the U22XJ. I will have to look and see if it is included in the CE-22 NE on the U8K. If it is, I will have a go at seeing if I can configure the A3.

Then I hit a real problem. The latest and greatest Minix offering, the U8K-Ultra does NOT have any USB-C data input ports. All we get is one USB 3.0 type A and one USB 2.0 type A ports. I have not used type A connectors in years. Everything I have is USB-C. Even the U22XJ models had 1 USB-C port. Plus these ports are horizontal and close together. In the the older models, we usually had 3 USB type A ports, but they were vertical, not horizontal and on the U22XJ we also had a single USB-C port.

The USB-C port on the back of the U8K is for 12V power in only. As things are now, I have an SD card attached to the USB 2.0 port and the A2 remote RF dongle connected to the USB 3.0 port. That leaves me with no where to attach my USB-C data cable.

Bummer. Until I can get the A3 working, it means I will have to daisy chain 2 USB hubs to get my data cable attached. I have never daisy chained USB hubs, so I don't even know how well that would work.

That's all I have for now. I haven't even managed to watch any video on it yet. Bummer.
 
allmankind said:
A brief summary of my testing on Sunday.

I started with the CE-22 NO nightly version. On initial SD startup, I noticed a message that appeared briefly that stated the dtb file was out of date. Not sure why, unless it was a mistake by CoreELEC.

Once it rebooted into CoreELEC I got a large message telling me about the lack of DV support due to the newer (I presume) Linux core.

Then everything froze.

So I prepared a CE-22 NE nightly SD card and booted it up. That went without a hitch until I tried to use the A3 BT remote. Nothing happened. I changed to the A2 RF remote and all was well. After a lot of back and forthing, I eventually got the A3 paired with CE though the CE configuration program. It was not easy and I was ready to give up on it altogether, when it suddenly paired.

Even though paired, CE would not respond to the A3. I guess that the developers have not built A3 support into CE yet. Maybe somebody from Minix could give them a nudge. I remember there was a keymap editor included with the NG version of CE on the U22XJ. I will have to look and see if it is included in the CE-22 NE on the U8K. If it is, I will have a go at seeing if I can configure the A3.

Then I hit a real problem. The latest and greatest Minix offering, the U8K-Ultra does NOT have any USB-C data input ports. All we get is one USB 3.0 type A and one USB 2.0 type A ports. I have not used type A connectors in years. Everything I have is USB-C. Even the U22XJ models had 1 USB-C port. Plus these ports are horizontal and close together. In the the older models, we usually had 3 USB type A ports, but they were vertical, not horizontal and on the U22XJ we also had a single USB-C port.

The USB-C port on the back of the U8K is for 12V power in only. As things are now, I have an SD card attached to the USB 2.0 port and the A2 remote RF dongle connected to the USB 3.0 port. That leaves me with no where to attach my USB-C data cable.

Bummer. Until I can get the A3 working, it means I will have to daisy chain 2 USB hubs to get my data cable attached. I have never daisy chained USB hubs, so I don't even know how well that would work.

That's all I have for now. I haven't even managed to watch any video on it yet. Bummer.
Click to expand...
Hello,
thank you for testing.
There is a build in SDcard slot for booting CE, so why not use it?
Do you need the SDcard slot for storage expansion?
Or can't CE boot from this slot?
As far as i know a proper Remotecontrol .config must be placed in the root of CE / in this case (Bluetooth) ****.hwdb
github.com

Home

Repository for AmRemote & Meson IR Remote Controllers - CoreELEC/remotes
github.com github.com
But at for now there is no MinixA3.hwdb in the Bluetooth directory: https://github.com/CoreELEC/remotes
Maybe an experienced user can make one and load it up...
If the Minix A3 ist not bluetooth... (can be WIFI 2,4 Ghz...) we have to wait for CoreElec of course.
Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Unknown said:
As far as i know a proper Remotecontrol .config must be placed in the root of CE / in this case (Bluetooth) ****.hwdb
github.com

Home

Repository for AmRemote & Meson IR Remote Controllers - CoreELEC/remotes
github.com github.com
But at for now there is no MinixA3.hwdb in the Bluetooth directory: https://github.com/CoreELEC/remotes
Maybe an experienced user can make one and load it up...
If the Minix A3 ist not bluetooth... (can be WIFI 2,4 Ghz...) we have to wait for CoreElec of course.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

MINIX - Ken said:
We shall share the sources to make sure the remote is going to work with CoreELEC (if it doesn’t yet)
Click to expand...
 
Villa said:
The A3 Pro BLE does not have an IR mode!

Only the power button is IR. All the other buttons are RF.
Click to expand...
Hello,
not true, I managed to learn the IR codes to my harmony, the front side buttons of the A3 (except mouse and mic of course) are working now with my Harmony IR remote which is great.
 
Unknown said:
Hello,
not true, I managed to learn the IR codes to my harmony, the front side buttons of the A3 (except mouse and mic of course) are working now with my Harmony IR remote which is great.
Click to expand...
It is true, point the remote at your mobile with the camera on and see that when you press the Power button you will see the IR LED shine red.
All other buttons do not!

How you teach the Harmony codes exactly I do not know?!
 
Villa said:
It is true, point the remote at your mobile with the camera on and see that when you press the Power button you will see the IR LED shine red.
All other buttons do not!

How you teach the Harmony codes exactly I do not know?!
Click to expand...
Hello,
so try it by yourself if you got an learning IR remote. (let the box switched of)
On the Harmony you can learn new or not functioning codes by hold the remote transmitter (A3 which comes with the U8K box) to the back receiver of the harmony (Elite)
Portisch also can only implement IR codes (AmRemote) which are transmitted by the A3 via IR.
 
Last edited:
Unknown said:
Hello,
so try it by yourself if you got an learning IR remote. (let the box switched of)
Click to expand...
Ok, I have discovered that I have to pull the power cable from the U8K for the A3 Pro to then give IR codes!

When the U8K is connected the buttons no longer transmit IR but RF.

I don't have a learning IR remote.
I'm using my mobile camera to detect IR.
 
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