Support for TV Boxes with Amlogic S905X4 (Armbian)

[educabox]

Hello, DEVMFC!

I’m using your minimal version [https://github.com/devmfc/debian-on-amlogic]. Additionally, I took the /boot partition and copied all the files from your Devmfc_Ubuntu-Oracular_6.12.11-meson64_Minimal-25.01.24.img.xz image. Then, I downloaded the same version available from the Armbian community, but with a graphical interface: Armbian_community_25.5.0-trunk.4_Aml-s9xx-box_noble_current_6.12.11_xfce_desktop.img.xz.

I first flashed the Armbian image onto a USB drive. Then, in the /boot partition, I moved all existing root files into a /backup folder. After that, I copied the files from your DEVMFC version into the root of the /boot partition on the USB drive.

Surprisingly, when I tried to boot this setup on a TV Box similar to the Vontar X4 with an S905X4 processor, it actually booted! The system prompted me to create a root password, a regular user, set the language, and configure the time zone. Then, it successfully launched into X for the graphical interface. However, it seems that the USB ports were disabled, or the system froze—the login screen was visible, and the keyboard cursor was blinking, but no input was possible.

I believe this could be a starting point for running Armbian images with a graphical interface on S905X4 (Meson SC2), S905W2 (Meson S4), and S905Y4 (Meson S4) processors. Even without hardware-accelerated graphics, it should still be usable for basic applications like Notepad, text editors, spreadsheets, calculators, terminal access, and other simple tasks.

Would it be possible to create a version with your boot scripts to properly run an Armbian image for the S905X4? Any help would be greatly appreciated! We're trying to get some TV boxes running a minimal graphical interface so that high school students can use these devices for educational purposes.

Once again, congratulations on your amazing work so far!

[devmfc]

Hi Educabox,

Normally I would say: my images are not Armbian and not Armbian based. So if you want support for some SoC in Armbian, you should ask the people at Armbian. And why don't you just use plain Ubuntu on which my images are based? You can just install a xfce desktop environment as well, as you can on any standard Ubuntu image.

In your case however, I know what the purpose of these boxes are and I admire your goals, so I'll make an exception.

What you tried should just work. But I guess if you run lsmod from a command line, the list is empty.
In that case, you probably forgot to also copy the /usr/lib/modules directory from my image to the Armbian image?

BTW: you don't need an exact kernel version match of Armbian and my image. Userspace should not be dependent on a specific kernel version.

[Kuceu]

I'll answer myself, everything loaded but only from USB

[Amalia-Fleur]

Sorry, yes. As Devmfc suggested i am using an USB Drive.
You can use the .dtb file from the .18 release and sd-card should work.
Copy from Boot the folders within dtb-6.12.18-meson64 to the folder dtb-6.12.17-meson64

[Kuceu]

Sorry, yes. As Devmfc suggested i am using an USB Drive. You can use the .dtb file from the .18 release and sd-card should work. Copy from Boot the folders within dtb-6.12.18-meson64 to the folder dtb-6.12.17-meson64

Have you transferred the system to eMMC?

[educabox]

Hi Educabox,

Normally I would say: my images are not Armbian and not Armbian based. So if you want support for some SoC in Armbian, you should ask the people at Armbian. And why don't you just use plain Ubuntu on which my images are based? You can just install a xfce desktop environment as well, as you can on any standard Ubuntu image.

In your case however, I know what the purpose of these boxes are and I admire your goals, so I'll make an exception.

What you tried should just work. But I guess if you run lsmod from a command line, the list is empty. In that case, you probably forgot to also copy the /usr/lib/modules directory from my image to the Armbian image?

BTW: you don't need an exact kernel version match of Armbian and my image. Userspace should not be dependent on a specific kernel version.

Thank you for your feedback, @devmfc !

I followed the procedure you outlined in your instructions and copied the /usr/lib/modules directory from you image to the Armbian image.

The boot was successful, and now, when starting the graphical interface, I am able to use my USB devices (Mouse and Keyboard). However, the system seems to be running very slowly!

It was not possible to open folders or applications through the graphical interface. It seems that even the generic drivers for video and other peripherals aren't working properly.

However, we know that it is possible to boot an Armbian image with a graphical interface on these TV Boxes (S905X4). Is there any chance, @devmfc, that you could add to your tasks the creation of an Armbian image for these devices?

Previously, you mentioned using Khadas-based OS or even native Debian and Ubuntu distributions. However, when accessing these distributions, I couldn't find any arm64 images for these processors.

If there is any possibility of helping us with this request, any effort will be greatly appreciated.

Anyway, thanks again for your help, and congratulations on the project!

[Amalia-Fleur]

@Kuceu
no, i mainly use the box with Android (Slimbox Aosp).
Linux only for testing.

@educabox
What device do you have?
On my box, its not super fast, but the stuff i tried (opening few progs, browser to test internet) was good enough.

what happens if you install a desktop on the minimal image from devmfc?

you could add to your tasks the creation of an Armbian image for these devices?
?
follwoing the steps you will have a working armbian?
i guess you need to ask a maintainer from armbian to implement the changes from devmfc

edit:
did you try the .17 release or used the one you initial had (.11)?

[jojkol]

How is your s905x4 device configured on the network? I tried wired connection and wifi link connection, but both failed.

[bemmivend325]

Which option did you choose in boot.config?
I chose box=s905x4_generic and ethernet works, doesn't work with gigabit.

[jojkol]

您在 boot.config 中选择了哪个选项？ 我选择了 box=s905x4_generic，以太网可以工作，但千兆位不工作。

Because my machine has a Gigabit port, I tried 1000M and all wifi failed. I tried to extract many wifi software packages from the Linux image and installed them, but all failed. If there is an original wifi driver package, maybe it will work.

[bemmivend325]

I'm sorry, I don't know how to fix wifi