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[HOW TO] KODI Linux on Amlogic TV Boxes
Allso i run Openelec on Asrock Ion 3D and i must say it runs pretty hot to, it does not freez but if left idle the menu starts to lagg and i have to reboot it. So maybe its not the linux but XBMC, but im not an expert.
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I don't think the freezing on idle is anything to do 13.2. My box used to lock up on Corey's v1.0 Frodo build just as frequently. I have also noticed that if I leave a video on pause the box doesn't freeze. J1nx seemed to think it was something to do with network library shares, and if you just use addons and don't define any library sources then it doesn't lock up. I never confirmed this. I think the devs are well aware of this issue and Corey has intimated that the next release will hopefully address the random lockups. It really is the one issue that stops MX Linux from being perfect on the ATV1200.

(Edit: maybe it is something to do with heat)
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(2014-11-21, 14:21)bobones Wrote: I don't think the freezing on idle is anything to do with heat or 13.2. My box used to lock up on Corey's v1.0 Frodo build just as frequently. I have also noticed that if I leave a video on pause the box doesn't freeze. J1nx seemed to think it was something to do with network library shares, and if you just use addons and don't define any library sources then it doesn't lock up. I never confirmed this. I think the devs are well aware of this issue and Corey has intimated that the next release will hopefully address the random lockups. It really is the one issue that stops MX Linux from being perfect on the ATV1200.

thx for the feedback bobones!!!
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(2014-11-20, 22:19)bobones Wrote: You need to add them as part of the build process so they go into the usr.sqsh filesystem before it's set in stone. The only way round it I can think of is if you manage to mount another directory on top of the /usr/share/splash folder - I am not even sure that is possible with MX Linux. Alternatively you can ask someone here to do a custom build for you.

Damned...it was tyoo easy to be true lol
A custom build would mean bothering someone just for me, and i would have to setup my XBMC again, which i'm not in the mood to do lol.
Thanks for your answer though, really helpful.
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(2014-11-21, 07:40)raymw Wrote: I noticed in System Info, and just by touch too, that they get very hot with Linux Gotham 13.2 which they certainly did not do with Linux Frodo 12.3 and earlier. I believe these boxes may crash in idle because of too much heat being built up.

So the question is, is there something running in the background not easy to see that is causing the cpu to continue working hard, rather than ticking over idle?? As that would of course almost certainly cause this overheating problem that likely causes the occasional crashes As I say this is only a theory, so AuxBox, or anyone else here in the know, can I ask whether you have you any ideas if this indeed could be the case ? If it is so then maybe it is an easy fix.

- 1080p vs 720p Upscale:

Not the only reason but a good amount of the heat is generated from the XDA's build (kernel) being build on 1080p (no upscale). The Geniatech linux build is a 720p upscale to 1080p (even in linux). I tested both the builds (Geniatech and XDA's side by side). More heat is generated on the XDA build but not an issue due to the better picture to me.

- My opinions only: To me the engineering of the hardware is the problem. The boxes don't dispense heat efficiently. A few notes below.

ATV520
Due to the design of the box heat doesn't dispense correctly. The ATV520 have small heat plates on the bottom with a rubber transfer between the SoC and the plate. Rubber is a poor conductor and works more like a insulator. But it allows the box to be serviced. Replacing the rubber with thermal paste helps but do not attempt unless you know how much to apply (also opening the box after can damage the chip).

Tip: Place the box upside-down. That way the CPU points up and since hot raise rises it will help dispense the heat. Moreover, cooler air can cool the plate.
OR place a laptop usb cooler fan under the ATV520. The fan blows air over the plate and helps a lot. The ATV400, build after the ATV520, uses a bigger heat plate to transfer more heat out of the SoC.

ATV1200
This version has a heatsink similar to the gbox mx2. It helps greatly in transferring the heat off the SoC. One flaw in my opinion is the closed box (no vents other than the bottom ones). Hot air has no where to escape making the box an oven. If you find issues with heat place a laptop usb cooler under it.

Overkill mod (voids warranty): On my ATV1200 Linux build I placed a 40mm 5v CPU 2-pin fan on top of the heatsink. The ATV1200 has a fan 5v 2-pin port on the motherboard. I then removed the top cover and made a 3" hole using a hole saw & added a 80mm fan grill with filter. After reinstalling the top plate the box now has a way for heat to escape. As mentioned above, heat rises. The box still doesn't take-in enough air as the sides have no vents and the bottom vents are rather small to allow enough air in but it does help.

- Idle:
Turn the device off when not in use. Unlike android the device is not set to go to sleep. The SoC won't cool down in idle.
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Hi,

I have been running the first post version "Version 1. XDA Developers Gotham Build" flashed with this file "MX_LINUX-G02REF-update-28-06-14.zip" for quite some time. I'd like to update to the latest linux build from the first page (build 13-11-14).

Can I flash this directly overtop of my existing mx linux or should I go back to geniatech firmware first and then go to the newest mx linux build?
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(2014-11-22, 18:59)teefer22 Wrote: Hi,

I have been running the first post version "Version 1. XDA Developers Gotham Build" flashed with this file "MX_LINUX-G02REF-update-28-06-14.zip" for quite some time. I'd like to update to the latest linux build from the first page (build 13-11-14).

Can I flash this directly overtop of my existing mx linux or should I go back to geniatech firmware first and then go to the newest mx linux build?

Yes you can
You can try this new build if you like
https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/XBMC/MX_L...2J7ow&dl=1
Press THANK USER if I Help
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Thanks all for the feedback as to the heat problem. I must say it seems as though the hardware CPU temperature sensor must be overstating things as I am seeing temperatures of like 120C to 140C which normally with PC CPUs we would expect more like 70C at tops normally. Sure much better cooling in a PC case and big cpu heat-sink and fans too. But normally 140C would be frying a CPU if this temperature was correct and the PC would have locked up way before such a high temperatures..

As I say I think it is the sensor is way inaccurate surely and borne out by two sample ATV1200 boxes both running for same amount of time with similar add-ons and one shows 71C and the other 124C. Actually the cooler one was a Sumvision X2 and the other a MyGica ATV1200 but both really are the same box with different badges and both running Linux Gotham 13.2 with Auxbox's excellent 29 Oct 2014 compile, and both running with 1080i true res configured in the settings though running only SD streaming content when I took these temperatures.

A friend of mine has indeed got himself a small USB fan cooler which he places underneath his old single core Sumvision Nano Slim= box an this has a marvellous cooling effect especially here in very hot Thailand. Going to get a couple of these very cheap fan coolers one each for my ATV1200 and ATV520 boxes.

As to the freezes well thanks for the input too from Bobones. Yes I could try then disabling the boxes network shares I have permanently set up with my NAS Drives to see if that stops the freezes. You are right those freezes do not seem to occur when I am actively streaming, even with HD content, which if it were a heat problem then indeed it would be more prevalent of course at those times.
Cheers
Raymw
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For what its worth, I to have been having freeze ups on my Sumvision X2 box running the latest Gotham builds but since using the XBMC backup addon set to run every hour , just backing up the minimum amount and only keeping 2 copies, to my NAS, I have haven't had any freezes at all.

Only been doing this for 3 or 4 days but so far so good.
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(2014-11-23, 02:24)AuXBoX Wrote:
(2014-11-22, 18:59)teefer22 Wrote: Hi,

I have been running the first post version "Version 1. XDA Developers Gotham Build" flashed with this file "MX_LINUX-G02REF-update-28-06-14.zip" for quite some time. I'd like to update to the latest linux build from the first page (build 13-11-14).

Can I flash this directly overtop of my existing mx linux or should I go back to geniatech firmware first and then go to the newest mx linux build?

Yes you can
You can try this new build if you like
https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/XBMC/MX_L...2J7ow&dl=1

Link is dead
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(2014-11-23, 18:48)bodgit Wrote: For what its worth, I to have been having freeze ups on my Sumvision X2 box running the latest Gotham builds but since using the XBMC backup addon set to run every hour , just backing up the minimum amount and only keeping 2 copies, to my NAS, I have haven't had any freezes at all.

Only been doing this for 3 or 4 days but so far so good.

Interesting. I wonder why this works ?? Anyone have any ideas??

I use XBMC Backup for a weekly full backup and retain just the last 3. Have to say that seems overkill backing up every hour, albeit only a minimum one. Strange that it works though. I want to keep my full weekly backup and AFAIK you cannot have two different schedules running, so personally would rather just put up with the idle state freezes when they happen than do that. Great input though bodgit, thanks for that..
Cheers
Raymw
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Hi, well this weekend i hade problem with my ISP and had no internet connection for two days and guess what, no freezing occured... and after my connection to the internet came up... after couple of hours it froze again in idle... (maybe not related to internet connection)
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As a separate subject here, has anyone have any clues as to when Linux KODI 13.0 builds will be fully released and compiled for our ATV1200 and 520 boxes ?? And also interested to know when we are likely to see Linux builds released and compiled for the new generation of quad core Geniatech produced boxes now being pushed with the latest Android OS bloat-ware??

Finally does anyone know if the Weather Underground Add-on is going to be updated and reawakened any time soon?? Seems strange such a big name as Weather Underground would have let this even happen let alone remain unfixed for so long. Yahoo! Weather is good but Underground is quite a lot better I think.

Back on the current freezes topic, it is interesting with the no internet connection no freezes input that fallen83 mentioned.
Cheers
Raymw
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(2014-11-24, 11:29)raymw Wrote: As a separate subject here, has anyone have any clues as to when Linux KODI 13.0 builds will be fully released and compiled for our ATV1200 and 520 boxes ?? And also interested to know when we are likely to see Linux builds released and compiled for the new generation of quad core Geniatech produced boxes now being pushed with the latest Android OS bloat-ware??

Hey raymw, see my other post asking AuXBoX on a quad core box doing Linux. The Armada Mach 8 has a pure linux out of the box that is Quad core with 2GB ram. Check that unit out.
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@raymw The old Weather Underground addon will not be fixed because API key used to access the service was revoked. You can WU back by installing this forked version https://github.com/uNiversaI/weather.wun...rsonal_api (download zip and install from zip) and obtain an API key from the Weather Underground website.

I'm guessing Corey will update his code base to use Helix once 14.0 is officially released.

There are ports available of OpenELEC which work on some of the newer AMLogic devices, but only for specific devices and boards.
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