[chrisk2305]

thanks, will give it a shot in a few hours.

Edit: Just tested it now as I was curious but unfortunately the issue persists with Kernel 4.10.

[fritsch]

Jep - another build based on DRM-TIP (the latest and greatest) ist currently uploading - let's see if the issue also is still there.

If it is (what I expect), please post a message to the bugreport here: https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98797 mentioning you were running drm-tip @ revision: 0be4ca1aff160a0abfcb2047d487799e420be6b5 namely: drm-tip: 2017y-02m-25d-19h-02m-26s UTC integration manifest

Thanks much in advance - upload needs another 25 minutes - will have LibreELEC-Generic.x86_64-8.0.0-drm-tip.tar as filename: 183,04 MB

[chrisk2305]

will do!

[fritsch]

Thx - it's up!

[dricky]

My ASRock J4205 never had any issue. It always powers up without an issue.

PowerSupply / Memory Issue?

Tried 3 different PSUs that have been working flawlessly in other systems for many years as well.
Is memory incompatibility still an actual thing? Of all the various systems I've assembled the last 5 years, RAM incompatibility never occurred when using unlisted RAM. For this system I'm using Kingston HX321LS11IB2K2/8, which is part of the same line as the HX318LS11IBK2/16 that is on ASRock's J4205-ITX Memory Support List.

2133 is higher than the board will run, I know it should run... But I would still try known working 1866, 1600, 1333

What means "now you read"? Did you read or didn't you read. Cause if you read -> no need for that question!

What a great answer! Unnecessary and rude posting!

I think this post was right on... I have been following this thread since finding the j4205-itx to be a perfect fit for a NAS, Media Server, and HTPC setup. Ended up ordering a j3455-itx knowing the problems and that they were fixed on windows because of this thread.

Now I get to replace my p4ht with a pci gt610 (yes pci) thats been running Kodi almost perfectly for years, should be a nice upgrade.

Still following hoping everything starts working in Linux.

[PauleFoul]

@dricky

THX for information. I canceld my J3455 Board. Don´t know before that J4205 works fine with HD-Audio passthrough, thought that would be exactly the same chip set...

[dricky]

They are the same (only difference between the 4205 or the 3455 is the cpu and the integrated graphics, more EUs and intel hd graphics 500 vs 505). Also think you took my answer wrong, as I didnt find the response rude. If you are going to run linux on anything thats this new you have to do your research and read, not everything is going to work perfectly in linux (or even windows) when it first comes out, but with windows there is usually a higher chance that it will be fixed sooner.

[chrisk2305]

@fritsch: does not work as expected. Will post on the bug report.

[Xwire]

I'm so fed up with this sh*tty product called ASRock J4205-ITX! Its behaviour is so sporadic that it's almost hilarious.

• Sometimes it POSTs in 8s; sometimes it requires 42s!
  
• Most of the time it only needs to boot once; sometimes it boots twice from cold before successful POST (while mains power has never been interrupted from last cold shutdown).
  
• J4205-ITX has got problems with some power switches of some enclosures, while the switches of those enclosures work perfectly fine with the motherboards from all my other systems.
  

The above is under BIOS v1.20 (not that the former was any better).

Going to contact ASRock customer support. Not going to burden the webshop I've bought the board from again. I probably shouldn't hope for too much, but hoping to get any of the following out of it:

• A new BIOS version at the hands of my complaints that removes all POST issues.
  
• RMA for replacement if software update can't apologize for (probably) sh*tty hardware, and I get lucky that my replacement has got 0 POST issues.
  
• RMA for refund if none of the above are able to solve and I'm stuck with a defective product.
  

I completely regret having bought into Intel's Atom platform. Would've been better off if I just went with an LGA system along with a RX 460. It would've only had an additional net cost of 111€ for the GFXcard, but it would've allowed me to have a way vaster selection of OEMs and SKUs, lower upgrade cost for new future codecs that require a new GPU, more features (the Atom platform still hasn't got HDR10 support, while GFXcards have had it for quite a while now, and it still doesn't support DDR4, which is outrageous for a Q4 2016 product), and proper implemented HDMI 2.0 (instead of a janky ghetto DP to HDMI 2.0 converter).

[fritsch]

Sorry that it does not work for you. I never had a single issue with it. Running daily ... Be careful with the rx460, it only has pseudo HDR support, e.g. dithered 8 bit.

[Dr.Feelgood]

I've been also using the J4205-itx daily for 3 months without single issue. Some boot problems where there in the beginning but fixed with 1.20 bios.
On the "audio passthru" and 4K, besides the test files there is still no mainstream 4K with HD-Audio material that i use and even so the DVI audio out is working without issues. The development for Apollo Lake platform backed up by Intel and other developers will continue so i'm not worried that all minor issues will be fixed in near future.
For a completely fanless and silent system with so low power consumption that can run both Linux and Windows there are no better alternatives on the market ...
There is the standalone GTX 1050 that is now LP and fanless for ~130 USD but you will still need MB, CPU & Memory for complete system and another 170 USD.

[Xwire]

Sorry that it does not work for you. I never had a single issue with it. Running daily ... Be careful with the rx460, it only has pseudo HDR support, e.g. dithered 8 bit.

Yeah I just read that. That's not good. People on the web are saying that it is a HDMI 2.0 bandwidth limitation, but iirc, as long as chroma 4:2:0 is used (which of course, because Bluray), there should be bandwidth left for 10bit. So this should be a RX 400 problem right? If so, hope that the RX 500 solves. Coincidentally GeForce 1000 has the same issue.

But I believe (though correct me please if you know otherwise) Kaby Lake supports HDR 10bit. Unfortunately HDMI 2.0 boards are expensive and spread thin.

I've been also using the J4205-itx daily for 3 months without single issue. Some boot problems where there in the beginning but fixed with 1.20 bios.
On the "audio passthru" and 4K, besides the test files there is still no mainstream 4K with HD-Audio material that i use and even so the DVI audio out is working without issues. The development for Apollo Lake platform backed up by Intel and other developers will continue so i'm not worried that all minor issues will be fixed in near future.
For a completely fanless and silent system with so low power consumption that can run both Linux and Windows there are no better alternatives on the market ...
There is the standalone GTX 1050 that is now LP and fanless for ~130 USD but you will still need MB, CPU & Memory for complete system and another 170 USD.

Memory should be taken out of your equation, as the J4205-ITX doesn't come with it either.
The below are all lowest prices in my country.
The J4205-ITX costs 126.51€ for me.
For 100.50€ I've got a new 1151 board (56.30€) and a Kaby Lake Celeron (44,20€).
So there's a price difference of 26€.
An RX 460 can be had for 111€.
Meaning you'd save 85€ going for the J4205-ITX.
Not to forget that DDR4 is generally less expensive than DDR3 SODIMM. Haven't got the time to scour the market, but the price difference between DDR4 and DRR3 SODIMM is quite large by the looks of it. Mainly because DDR3 SODIMM stock is running very dry.

Long story short: a system with a separate GPU, CPU and motherboard is at the end of the day costing quite close to the J4205-ITX. And the difference in power efficiency is not significant. Sure on paper it is significant if you run it 24/7/365, but if you're using it as a media player, and only for the occasional movie or TV episode, it won't run enough hours a day for me to let the difference in power efficiency be a relevant factor.

Edit:
But since the J4205-ITX along with 8GB of expensive DDR3 SODIMM is already in my possession, I'll try to RMA it and in return hope to get a proper functioning board like yours. But at this point, it feels like a lottery (which it most likely is).

[Dr.Feelgood]

Memory should be taken out of your equation, as the J4205-ITX doesn't come with it either.
The below are all lowest prices in my country.
The J4205-ITX costs 126.51€ for me.
For 100.50€ I've got a new 1151 board (56.30€) and a Kaby Lake Celeron (44,20€).
So there's a price difference of 26€.
An RX 460 can be had for 111€.
Meaning you'd save 85€ going for the J4205-ITX.
Not to forget that DDR4 is generally less expensive than DDR3 SODIMM. Haven't got the time to scour the market, but the price difference between DDR4 and DRR3 SODIMM is quite large by the looks of it. Mainly because DDR3 SODIMM stock is running very dry.

Long story short: a system with a separate GPU, CPU and motherboard is at the end of the day costing quite close to the J4205-ITX. And the difference in power efficiency is not significant. Sure on paper it is significant if you run it 24/7/365, but if you're using it as a media player, and only for the occasional movie or TV episode, it won't run enough hours a day for me to let the difference in power efficiency be a relevant factor.

Edit:
But since the J4205-ITX along with 8GB of expensive DDR3 SODIMM is already in my possession, I'll try to RMA it and in return hope to get a proper functioning board like yours. But at this point, it feels like a lottery (which it most likely is).

I agree that there are many different options and there is no "one size fits all" solution and no "black or white" statement with reference to working or not working.
However as this tread is about Apollo Lake i would say that as platform Apollo Lake is very good solution. It's fanless, low power consumption, manages all video/audio formats with ~25% CPU usage, have both Linux, Android and Windows support and is delivered by Intel. As such it will only grow in applications and support for the future.
Same goes for Kaby Lake Celeron/Pentiums but unfortunately currently there are no B250 or H270 motherboards with HDMI 2.0, while the Z170/270 HDMI 2.0 boards are way more expensive than alternatives. As soon as there is cheap B250 chipset motherboard with HDMI 2.0 you can scrap the separate GPU as there will be no need for it anymore ...

[honcho]

I have similar boot problems, i just don't ever turn mine off anymore. It's silent, why not!


I do have some 4k stuttering in windows. I think the windows software needs to catch up, everything is new and buggy right now.

[Xwire]

I agree that there are many different options and there is no "one size fits all" solution and no "black or white" statement with reference to working or not working.
However as this tread is about Apollo Lake i would say that as platform Apollo Lake is very good solution. It's fanless, low power consumption, manages all video/audio formats with ~25% CPU usage, have both Linux, Android and Windows support and is delivered by Intel. As such it will only grow in applications and support for the future.
Same goes for Kaby Lake Celeron/Pentiums but unfortunately currently there are no B250 or H270 motherboards with HDMI 2.0, while the Z170/270 HDMI 2.0 boards are way more expensive than alternatives. As soon as there is cheap B250 chipset motherboard with HDMI 2.0 you can scrap the separate GPU as there will be no need for it anymore ...

You can however purchase a Club3D adapter and convert DP1.2 to HDMI 2.0, just like is done on the Apollo Lake platform. The downside is that boards with DP 1.2 start at around 80€, and the adapter is around ~30€. Another downside is that despite Kaby Lake supports HDR, the adapter doesn't (hardware support in the adapter is apparently there, but firmware isn't). So the way things currently are, you'd spend roughly 30€ more on a system that has got as much A/V support as one with a J4205.

That said, the reason of my frustration about Intel's Atom platform is the way Intel has managed it. I've been waiting since the first stepping of Braswell to buy into the platform. When Braswell initially launched (C stepping), it had serious thermal issues that hindered video playback. You can search the complaints. Then the D stepping launched, promising to fix the issues of C. It did. But then news of Apollo Lake came out of the woodwork, and considering it was going to have better hardware support for HEVC 10bit, I thought it was worth the wait. I also expected that it would support HDR and DDR4. Then the release happened, and no HDR nor DDR4. Especially absence of DDR4 pissed me off, because it would mean I would have to purchase DDR3 kit, but couldn't transfer that over to the generations succeeding Apollo Lake, because Gemini Lake and beyond will in no doubt not support DDR3. Nevertheless, I needed a a media player now, and couldn't wait any longer. So I took the plunge despite the shortcomings of Apollo Lake. But how could I know if ASRock's quality issues could've become yet another pitfall. Compound that with the fact that ASRock is the only Apollo Lake board partner, and you have one frustrating mess.

In my opinion, Intel has managed their LGA platform much better. Why is it for Intel so difficult to treat the Atom platform equally? Why must their Atom platform be a generation behind in terms of feature support? Or in terms of not supporting DDR4, it's a full two generations behind. You could argue that that is done to keep the price of Atom boards as low as possible, but look at the current market price of DDR3 vs DDR4, and it makes Apollo Lake very expensive. It feels like Atom customers are treated like suckers, used to soak up the leftovers of former generation(s) of tech.

That's all from me for now. Anyway, still hoping that after RMA I at least have got a not-defective product.