Develop Bugs

Sata header on 16GB model for internal HDD [nVidia Shield Android TV]

So, barring software compatibility, it seems possible to put an internal laptop HDD into the shield non pro-model.
The biggest issue is that the shield pro has a ribbon cable and mounting point soldered onto the secondary board that the regular 16gb model does not.
16GB model:
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500GB PRO model (image credit user takitoes ):

if you're trying to effectively solder to sata point on the board, better break out the fume hood. i fancy myself pretty handy with a soldering iron - i've pulled off a few JTAG and RGH installations in 360's, but that's not something i think i could do.

Part sourcing
I'm going to actually attempt this when I get my system finished with it's setup.
The parts I'm working with will be a 20pin FFC lobsterclaw from mouser:
<can't do outside links yet, search for: XF2M-2015-1A on mouser.com>
And from ebay an FFC to female sata header, although all I'm seeing now are male and I'm not sure how much clearance I've got inside since I didn't open mine yet.
Other than that, since it looks like there are no pitfalls to be encountered in proprietary pinout or extra circuitry, I'll toss my hat in and give it a try and post the results
Since the pro 500's pic is small there, can anyone tell which orientation pin 1 is, or maybe a larger picture of the adapter.

edit: can delete.

still need the photo
Puglife said:
I'm going to actually attempt this when I get my system finished with it's setup.
The parts I'm working with will be a 20pin FFC lobsterclaw from mouser:
<can't do outside links yet, search for: XF2M-2015-1A on mouser.com>
And from ebay an FFC to female sata header, although all I'm seeing now are male and I'm not sure how much clearance I've got inside since I didn't open mine yet.
Other than that, since it looks like there are no pitfalls to be encountered in proprietary pinout or extra circuitry, I'll toss my hat in and give it a try and post the results
Since the pro 500's pic is small there, can anyone tell which orientation pin 1 is, or maybe a larger picture of the adapter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
still need the photo

photo of adapter
I can't seem to find a close up photo of the adapter anywhere at all.
Since I bought the 16GB, and I don't know anyone else with a 500, it'd be great if someone could share a nice high res photo of the adapter cable.
I can put the ffc connector on there, and assume that the orientation is correct since I'm sourcing the same type of ffc connector with the claw to the back, but since I'm not keen on burning out a hdd by doing a reverse sata hookup and sending power into the data port, I'd rather not move forward without a picture.
I suppose I can probe out the pins once I have an ffc cable in there.... ugh.

Just for informations, nothing special. I appreciate your work.
From Android M every external HD or external sd card can expand your real internal storage. And it work very very well. We also have usb 3 so it can be also better.
I already tested this functionality on the Nexus Player and i assure you that will solve all your problems also with a bad read / write external storage.
For the moment i use the app foldermount that can save all my apps and games on an external sd card.

I have no doubt Google has the storage situation addressed in M, but who knows if M will ever make it to the shield outside of a custom rom. I like the way the device works now, that's the only reason I'm investing time into it, when I ignored all the other devices.
So far, this device alone is reducing my electric bill by replacing a noisy full desktop that I was using to run XBMC, I found the Pi to be too underpowered for my needs.
Shame that each new android revision is snubbed by most manufacturers in order to sell new hardware, but that's the lifecycle of electronics.

Puglife said:
Shame that each new android revision is snubbed by most manufacturers in order to sell new hardware, but that's the lifecycle of electronics.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm hoping NVIDIA continues their method from the past as they're currently about to release an update to lollipop for the shield portable which was released on July 31rd, 2013 and shipped with Android Jellybean 4.2.1. If they continue this trend for the shield android tv, I expect we'll see android M on it

Puglife said:
I have no doubt Google has the storage situation addressed in M, but who knows if M will ever make it to the shield outside of a custom rom. I like the way the device works now, that's the only reason I'm investing time into it, when I ignored all the other devices.
So far, this device alone is reducing my electric bill by replacing a noisy full desktop that I was using to run XBMC, I found the Pi to be too underpowered for my needs.
Shame that each new android revision is snubbed by most manufacturers in order to sell new hardware, but that's the lifecycle of electronics.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Considering how good nvidia has been about bringing updates so far and the fact that they keep their systems almost fully stock, I have faith we'll have M before the end of the year (within a month or two of M being released)
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

Im in to see progress of this mod
:good:

Something I'm curious about here. Can someone on the 16GB model boot my twrp build and see if /sys/devices/platform/tegra-sata.0 exists? I expect it will be and that means that this mod is possible. Though, it would be somewhat of a hack to chainload the boot to a sata hdd.
I've been doing some research on the opposite. On the pro model, the emmc is actually there, but is flat zeros (like binary diffing a dd of it and a dd of the same size from /dev/zero returns no differences). So it appears to me that the bootloaders (like pre fastboot bootloader) are looking at the internal media specific to the model. Like I said above, it should be possible to chainload back and forth. But for me, I'll likely just format and mount the unused emmc for extra storage (and likely faster r/w). Also, standard disclaimer that I haven't tried this yet, so don't blame me if you try something and it perma-bricks your device.

Puglife said:
I can't seem to find a close up photo of the adapter anywhere at all.
Since I bought the 16GB, and I don't know anyone else with a 500, it'd be great if someone could share a nice high res photo of the adapter cable.
I can put the ffc connector on there, and assume that the orientation is correct since I'm sourcing the same type of ffc connector with the claw to the back, but since I'm not keen on burning out a hdd by doing a reverse sata hookup and sending power into the data port, I'd rather not move forward without a picture.
I suppose I can probe out the pins once I have an ffc cable in there.... ugh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pics attached. Hope it helps

r3zon8 said:
Pics attached. Hope it helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn, the entire cable is matte black, I was hoping I could figure out the orientation of the pins. I suppose I can guess based on that if the pins are straight through, but it looks like there's 22 total pins in a sata connection and 20 in the FFC connector.
Any chance you can give me a really close zoom of the conductive end of the FFC cable that plugs into the board so I can see if they skip pins or combine pins to isolate the signal?
Status update: I'm still waiting for the SATA board from china/ebay to assemble this, in theory I can just use a soldered off header from a junk board like ps3, or something to do this, but I wanted a clean solution with as few parts/wires as possible so it fits neatly inside.
More than likely by the time I assemble something, Ebayers will probably be posting a "replacement" cable for it.
I did already get the FFC connector installed, that was a piece of cake. I'll take pictures of it as soon as my wife stops watching Mad Men on netflix.
My hopes for this are just more addressable internal storage, not necessarily being able to boot off the hard drive.

let me know, with a closer look at the board, i think i could handle that soldering job

Did that project go anywhere? I'm very interested in doing this also if is worked.

I might be super lazy but is this cheaper and easier than just buying the pro model? What benefit does this have over going pro?

You can add in an ssd potentially that's bigger than 16gb and therefor better performance. It would also cost less if you were me and have a 120gb ssd laying around.

Has anyone addressed the issues with getting the hard drive partitions to be recognized by any software/OS and cloning the drive? This would seem to me to be the first step required before figuring out solder points, etc.
Sent from my SM-G900H using Tapatalk

Seeing as I and the OP have the non pro, would be harder for us. That being said, I don't want it to replace the 16gb is possible, so even if it's not bootable no biggy as long as it sees it and I can put files an there.

Tronsmart Ara X5 Plus - Windows 10 Mini PC | Intel x5-z8300

Introduction​
Tronsmart is a well known brand specialized in TV Boxes/Sticks, and this time they decided to release an Intel Cherry Trail (x5-z8300) based Mini PC (or TV Box/HTPC, choose the word that you prefer). Precisely this is an upgrade of their previous, and now discontinued, device named Tronsmart Ara X5, which shares almost the same hardware except WiFi Adapter & Antenna, Sound Card, and some minor components.
This is the Tronsmart Ara X5 Plus Mini PC
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Unboxing
Packaging comes with an HDMI Cable, a Power Supply (5V/3A), a Wi-Fi Antenna (pretty nice design), an English Quick Start Guide and the Mini PC (of course).
No Air Mouse/Keyboard is included, neither the device has an IR Receiver so it can be only powered on using the physical power button, located on the front side.
Device
Tronsmart has focused its attention on the design. Its chassis is plastic made (good quality) but if you are worried about heat dissipation, just take a look at my tests in the next paragraph.
It is just 11.5x11.0x2.5cm, pretty compact and it is also lightweight enough (probably because it is made of plastic).
There is a Matte Surface on the upper side where the Brand Logo and the White Power LED are located while all the rest is black-grey. This makes the device look Premium, and I find it pretty nice.
There are 2x Plastic Films already applied.
As you can see, there is a second Plastic Film. It is a fingerprint magnet so I recommend to remove it.
This is the Matte Surface without any Plastic Film applied.
It attracts dust pretty easily but it seems to have some kind of Oleophobic coating so, if you prefer dust (or if you live in a dust-free room) then remove both films, if you prefer fingerprints then remove only the first plastic film.
On the front side there are 2x Standard USB 2.0 ports, 1x Headphone/Microphone Jack (just like smartphones) and a physical Power Button.
USB Ports doesn’t have too much space between each other, so you might experience issues (like me) with the usage of not-so-small USB Stick or Accessories. Compact USB Sticks fit just fine.
On the left, there is just 1x Wi-Fi Antenna Connector because the Wi-Fi card is only 1x1 (TX/RX). The right side is completely clean.
The rear features 1x 5.5mm DC in, 1x LAN 10/100 port, 1x HDMI port, 1x Standard USB 3.0 port and 1x micro SD card slot.
Unfortunately also the rear USB Port doesn’t have too much available space, so I recommend you to use an HDMI Cable that has compact plugs or use an USB Extension.
On the lower side there is just a Reset Button that has been added to this upgraded version.
Testing
First of all, it boots pretty fast (ready in ~ 20 sec) considering that it doesn’t have a SSD but just an eMMC, usually just a bit faster than conventional HDDs. This is something that I have really appreciated because it means that the BIOS has been properly optimized.
On first boot, you’ll be asked to configure the OS with your own language, keyboard layout, Microsoft Account settings...similar to a clean installation of Windows 10.
After the whole configuration process, the desktop will be completely empty, without any third-party software installed except one (THD Controller) probably made to be used with Tronsmart’s Air Mouse/Keyboard (not included).
It comes with Windows 10 Home, properly Activated (no KMS or any other hack used). If yours isn’t activated, just reboot and be sure that it is connected to the internet otherwise it won’t be able to verify activation.
Unlike previous version, this one comes with a decent Wi-Fi card (Intel Dual Band AC-3160) that supports 2.4/5GHz Networks at a maximum speed of 433 Mbps.
Also, instead of the standard Realtek Sound Card that isn’t compatible yet with Linux, there is a C-Media HS-100B Sound Card that doesn’t create any kind of compatibility issue.
Intel VM-x has been enabled by default, useful if you plan to use any kind of Virtual Machine.
Benchmarks
Comparing some other Intel x5-z8300 devices, it seems that this is one of the fastest ones.​
I have used Passmark PerformanceTest, FutureMark 3DMark (Sky Diver) & PCMark 8 (Home, Creative & Work), GeekBench 3 Pro (64-bit) and CrystalDiskMark x64 to stress the device in the most complete way. I won’t test Games or Video Playback because there are already some related tests included in these Benchmark suites.
CrystalDiskMark - Internal eMMC is fast enough for daily tasks, better than HDDs, but worse than SSDs.
PassMark’s average score is pretty low, in every single test except Storage so this benchmark is probably poorly optimized to work on Atom CPUs.
GeekBench - CPU performance seems to be mediocre, but in line with other x5-z8300 CPUs. Focusing on temperatures, you can see that it doesn’t overheat at all under heavy usage. This means that Tronsmart did a good job regarding heat dissipation.
https://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench3/6011299
I managed to get the highest MultiCore score with this CPU. Well done Tronsmart!
Nothing to say about 3DMark Sky Diver test.
PCMark 8
Home: http://www.3dmark.com/pcm8/11585069
Creative: http://www.3dmark.com/pcm8/11592443
Work: http://www.3dmark.com/pcm8/11593416
PCMark tests are the most complete ones, and their score is pretty high. Especially the “Work” test score left me impressed. This means that this device can be used for daily tasks without any issue at all.
Summarazing all Benchmark Results, I can say that this is one of the fastest Intel Atom x5-z8300 Mini PC available on the market.
About Wi-Fi/LAN Networks tests, it highly depends on your router and internet connection so I can just say that i’m able to obtain the same performance that I get using my Workstation. No lags at all neither I have noticed any kind of performance drop.
Compatibility​
Linux doesn’t like a lot Cherry Trail CPUs, especially because their additional hardware is usually poorly designed or unsupported by the Linux Kernel. Tronsmart, on this upgraded version, decided to avoid all issues by introducing a different Wi-Fi card, that is now connected to the PCI-Ex bus (instead of the slow SDIO bus) and a different Sound Card, that is connected to the USB bus and is well supported by the Linux Kernel.
This is the Result
Everything is working on Linux. I have tested BBQLinux with Linux Kernel 4.1.6. I find it much faster than Windows, even if used from a USB Stick, so I really recommend it if you are familiar with the Linux Environment.
About Android, (Android-x86 6.0 Testing) it is a whole different story. It doesn’t support Intel Wi-Fi cards, neither it supports this Sound Card, so you’ll need to wait a new update if you plan to use Android on this device.
Conclusions​
Thanks to its well choosen hardware, this Mini PC makes every single task possible. This is a great upgrade to the previous Ara X5, I just don’t like that it can’t be turned on with a Remote Control. In my opinion, almost eveything else is perfect. LAN is limited to 100MBps, all USB Ports aren’t well designed and CPU isn’t extremely powerful, but it can be used without any issue as a Media Center or even as an Office Mini PC.
So, if you need a complete Mini PC that is able to handle basic daily tasks and that can be used without any issue for Multimedia stuff, then this is the right choice.
Official Specs
Rating: 8.8
Packaging and Accessories: 7.5
Design and Materials: 9
Performance and Heat Dissipation: 8.5
Software: 10
Price: 9 (based on Amazon.com price)
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: http://imgur.com/a/SPuNq
Official Website: http://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-ara-x5-plus
You can buy it on many online shops.​

Reserved

Thanks for you detailed review, very cool!
I got a Tronsmart X5 plus too, perform well. And I also had Tronsmart Android TV box MXIII plus and S95 telos, all good quality.

Added Official Website & Store links.
Updated Driver Packs coming soon.
Full-Working Android-x86 WIP.

v UPDATES about Android-x86 v
It seems that there is a conflict with the USB Audio Card. The Kernel recognizes it, but also recognizes (of course this is a bug) the standard Intel SST Sound Card with Realtek Chip, i don't know why. This is probably something standard that has been enabled on Atom CPUs. Also, the WiFi Driver gets loaded correctly (support is here), but it doesn't work. This is another bug that needs to be fixed. Everything else is working.
I'll keep you updated.
Android-x86 - Issues:
- Sound Card recognized but in conflict with the Intel SST Driver
- WiFi (unknown issue for now)
- Power Button doesn't work at all

Android x86 (Lollipop): http://www.fosshub.com/Android-x86.html/android-x86_64-5.1-rc1.img
All is working except Sound Card and Power Button.
Do not try Marshmallow build yet because it is more buggy than this one.

+5,super job.i must doe sothing with tablet arxhos 97 b titanium,sugestens?danks for rewiuv

Hi Alberto,
First of all thanks for these informations. I have also one Transmart Ara X5 Plus device. And I would like to install android firmware on it. And I downloded Android-x86 64-bit ISO file 8.1-R2 version from your link. I think i could load this firmware from a different PC via USB cable. Am I right? Do I find an installation manual from somewhere? And I think I should use a USB flashing tool software for PC. Could I use MXIII Android TV Box USB flashing Tool software and installation instruction? Is it same prosedure?
Thanks for your support by now.

digiman22003 said:
Hi Alberto,
First of all thanks for these informations. I have also one Transmart Ara X5 Plus device. And I would like to install android firmware on it. And I downloded Android-x86 64-bit ISO file 8.1-R2 version from your link. I think i could load this firmware from a different PC via USB cable. Am I right? Do I find an installation manual from somewhere? And I think I should use a USB flashing tool software for PC. Could I use MXIII Android TV Box USB flashing Tool software and installation instruction? Is it same prosedure?
Thanks for your support by now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, Android-x86 is treated like Windows Installation Disks, you can use "Rufus" on Windows, or an image writer like "dd" on Linux, to create a bootable USB stick to install the OS.

Alberto96 said:
No, Android-x86 is treated like Windows Installation Disks, you can use "Rufus" on Windows, or an image writer like "dd" on Linux, to create a bootable USB stick to install the OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything works? Is there a guide on how to do it?

Does anyone own this: Pumpkin Quad Core 32GB Inand and 2GB DDR3 memory?

HI, does anyone own this unit?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/182051526612
If so, what is your impression of it so far?
I am going to place an order for it to replace my broken Toghai unit.
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Specs:
Unit Size: Double Din in-Dash
CPU: RK3188 Cortex A9 Quad Core
NAND FLASH：: 32GB
Model: 12-RQ0253-US1-A
Screen Size: 7-inch 1024*600 Touchscreen
RAM: DDR3 2GB
Operate System: Android 4.4
If any of you do own it, are there any modifications available for it?

I have it.
big mistake.
the CPU is 3188T that actually run at 1.2ghz.
unknown rom version that not support nothing.
bad launcher. and no 5.1.1 update.
i will replace it with joying.

Damn. Ordered it on Thursday. Should artive next week :/

you can send it back..
i post here several questions about this system with no ensures.

I thought Pumpkin were just rebranded Joyings? If so I would think joying would have a higher horsepower unit under their name first. I wonder who actually produced this and why isn't joying using 2gb of RAM already then?

This product is not from joying. It's an unknown Chinese company.fineyea.
http://www.fineyea.com/
I guess that pumpkin wanted to build a new brand.

cmeyal said:
This product is not from joying. It's an unknown Chinese company.fineyea.
http://www.fineyea.com/
I guess that pumpkin wanted to build a new brand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pumpkin is just a reseller... http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/Hui_Fei_Type#Manufacturers

Well, I ordered it on a Thursday afternoon and it arrived on Monday.
Four days is not bad at all, when you figure it is coming from China and having to clear customs.
It came in a box, delivered by DHL. It was packed very nicely.
(See the first attached pic.)
Take out the box that is inside the box and you have the exterior of the Android box (2nd pic)
Opening the lid, everything looked packed very secure.
We can see a few things on top of the stereo (3rd pic)
The stuff on top (4th pic) consists of a front plate, a thank you car with contact info, a warranty card and a user manual!
Wow, I didn't get any of that with my previous Android radio.
Taking the radio out of the box, it is packed nice for shipping in its foam and plastic protection
There were a few cables under the radio in a plastic bag . Here's another view
At first I was really happy because this head unit uses the same plug as my previous head unit, which would save me the time of resoldering a bunch of new connections, but as I compared the pin outs, other than the power and ground, the pin configuration is different.
This isn't a problem of the radio or the manufacturer, this is just something that would have been nice (consistency). Then again, I remember Alpine and Kenwood having consistency issues backs in the 80s.
The black plug (ISO?) is already connected to the other end, unfortunately my 2002 Camaro plug is different and I will have to cut off the ISO and solder mine on. Once again, not a problem and something I was already planning on doing.
Once thing that I did like, is how the wires are covered or coated for the wires not in the ISO plug.
The manual is pretty decent and I do like how the SWC wires are labeled "KEY1 -5V" and "KEY2-5V".
My other Android never mentioned what the maximum voltage was, so I didn't know if I needed a voltage divider for my SWC.
I do know that I will need one now, as my SWC puts out .1-11VDC:
2002 Camaro Steering Wheel Schematic
The other nice thing so far is Pumpkin Cool has responded to all four of my emails within 24 hours.
I'm going to try and install the stereo tomorrow, and take plenty of pics and provide feedback on its operation.
More pics here

interested to see how that turns out, if I'm not mistaken, only in-dash and ownice have 2GB of RAM before this

CadillacMike said:
interested to see how that turns out, if I'm not mistaken, only in-dash and ownice have 2GB of RAM before this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
were you able to see my pics?
I couldn't (they appeared as broken links), so I changed them to links

I could not see the pics. As links the first one works, but the other 2 do not. But that could be due to me being on mobile.
Sent from my SM-G935V using XDA-Developers mobile app

Well, I did a semi quick install over the weekend as I had no time this weekend.
I will try to finish it up this coming weekend, but here are some pics of the initial install.
I forgot to post a pic of the top of the radio (wiring diagram) on the first thread
My Camaro stereo harness is all soldered and ready to install
I love how they gave the audio jacks their own connector
It bothers me when the manufacturer doesn't provide a plug for them and they take up space behind the unit (if they're not being used).
Here's the initial boot up screen
And the main screen (launcher?)
Wifi is included (internally) and is not a separate dongle, like my previous unit.
The radio / tuner screen is also much better than my previous radio, but I wish they would also give more real estate to station and/or song title rather than the little space it is given. I really also wish we could hide the genre that shows up like "Educate". KROQ is not an educational station :silly:
I do love how you can rename the station to your liking. I also love the fact that you can tune by punching in the station numbers (such as 1-0-6-.-7). I never understood why my previous Android or my Alpine couldn't do that.
The last three pics are the three "desktop" screens/pages:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
I didn't take a pic of the OS or software, I'll try to remember to do that tonight.
I did install Waze and RocketPlayer and they work great.
The previous stereo I had would "scratch" a song every now and then, but I never experienced that sound on my laptop or Galaxy phone. I haven't heard the sound yet on this player, so I guess that extra core or memory is doing something
Another positive thing that I've noticed so far is if playing Rocket Player and I shut off my car, rocket player will start back up when I restart my car.
You don't know how bad I wanted that option on my last unit.
I still have to hook up my rear camera, SWC and fix my bezel. I'll give more updates and pics as I get them in the next day or two.

That looks just like the joying JY-UL124 in front and a bit like the S160 with the individual plugs in the back.
UL124
Dave

ROCNDAV said:
Well, I ordered it on a Thursday afternoon and it arrived on Monday.
Four days is not bad at all, when you figure it is coming from China and having to clear customs.
It came in a box, delivered by DHL. It was packed very nicely.
(See the first attached pic.)
Take out the box that is inside the box and you have the exterior of the Android box (2nd pic)
Opening the lid, everything looked packed very secure.
We can see a few things on top of the stereo (3rd pic)
The stuff on top (4th pic) consists of a front plate, a thank you car with contact info, a warranty card and a user manual!
Wow, I didn't get any of that with my previous Android radio.
Taking the radio out of the box, it is packed nice for shipping in its foam and plastic protection
There were a few cables under the radio in a plastic bag . Here's another view
At first I was really happy because this head unit uses the same plug as my previous head unit, which would save me the time of resoldering a bunch of new connections, but as I compared the pin outs, other than the power and ground, the pin configuration is different.
This isn't a problem of the radio or the manufacturer, this is just something that would have been nice (consistency). Then again, I remember Alpine and Kenwood having consistency issues backs in the 80s.
The black plug (ISO?) is already connected to the other end, unfortunately my 2002 Camaro plug is different and I will have to cut off the ISO and solder mine on. Once again, not a problem and something I was already planning on doing.
Once thing that I did like, is how the wires are covered or coated for the wires not in the ISO plug.
The manual is pretty decent and I do like how the SWC wires are labeled "KEY1 -5V" and "KEY2-5V".
My other Android never mentioned what the maximum voltage was, so I didn't know if I needed a voltage divider for my SWC.
I do know that I will need one now, as my SWC puts out .1-11VDC:
2002 Camaro Steering Wheel Schematic
The other nice thing so far is Pumpkin Cool has responded to all four of my emails within 24 hours.
I'm going to try and install the stereo tomorrow, and take plenty of pics and provide feedback on its operation.
More pics here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that was comprehensive.Finally know how it exactly works.:good:

That is pretty cool looking. I may have to reconsider this one.
Sent from my SM-G935V using XDA-Developers mobile app

is there a way to look in the settings and confirm it has 2GB of ram? and 32 gig of memory? Also let us know any issues you find and your overall impression. How are you connecting your SWC? Why did you order from eBay vs the regular Pumpkin site?
I might order one this weekend

any updates on how this unit is doing?

CadillacMike said:
is there a way to look in the settings and confirm it has 2GB of ram? and 32 gig of memory? Also let us know any issues you find and your overall impression. How are you connecting your SWC? Why did you order from eBay vs the regular Pumpkin site?
I might order one this weekend
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would also like to know this.
And does the CPU actually only run at 1.2GHz as the first reply claimed?

Any updates on this? I'm considering getting the 2gb ram model, but with the different butting configuration up front (revealed SD/navi slots and front USB port)
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 10:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:50 PM ----------
And @ROCNDAV, it seems you didn't end up buying the one you linked in the first post, but rather went with a different model (different fascia, different connections on rear, different depth of unit). Did you try out the model you originally linked to? Interested to know if it's any good.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

CadillacMike said:
is there a way to look in the settings and confirm it has 2GB of ram? and 32 gig of memory? Also let us know any issues you find and your overall impression. How are you connecting your SWC? Why did you order from eBay vs the regular Pumpkin site?
I might order one this weekend
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry. I didn't get any emails informing me of replies.
I took some more pics, but i guess they're too big to upload, so I'll have to resize on my laptop.
I still havent done more to the install, so swc isnt hooked up.
I timed the boot up and it takes 26 seconds to boot up, but the reverse camera is pretty instant, even during boot.
I did order the radio on the link on the first post. I just clicked it and it took me to ebays page where it showed i bought it already. I just realized that it does look different from the one on the first page.
I like mine better, as it is nice to click the physoval Navi button to switch to Waze.
I wish there was a physical music button and or radio button too.

RAVPower RP-WD03 FileHub Plus - Unboxing & Review

RAVPower RP-WD03 FileHub Plus - Portable NAS and 6000mAh Power Bank
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Unboxing
Presented as a thicker than usual power bank, it does not come with many accessories: 1x Micro-USB Cable and 1x User Manual. A compact LAN cable should have been included.
It is completely made of Plastic and it feels solid enough, but the glossy border is slightly useless in my opinion since, as you can notice, it looks already scratched/used.
As regards the size, it is as big as an old-style Power Bank, being 9.79x5.48x2.82mm, with a weight of 157g.
On the front, there is the Power/Mode button with an Activity LED (for SDCard R/W status) underneath, the usual Power LEDs required to check how much battery is left, and a Wireless LED that indicates whether LAN or Wireless mode is on (Wireless = Blue, Wired = Green).
Just like all Power Banks, also this one features all specs on the back about the USB Rating and Battery Capacity.
Underneath the rubber-made cover, there is the LAN port (10/100) required to use the Access Point feature and a standard USB port to charge other devices.
On one side there is a Micro-USB port to recharge the internal battery.
And finally, on the rear, there is a SD Card reader, fundamental for the NAS/File Sharing feature.
Efficiency and Battery Capacity
My USB Tester confirms that the battery capacity is correct, even slightly higher than what is declared by the manufacturer. (real ~6160mAh, declared 6000mAh)
It's a pity that the internal board has been capped to only 1A of USB Output. As soon as i switch from 1A to 2A, it stops providing power via the USB port. Anyway, at 1A, its efficiency is pretty good, with a stable 4.97V of output voltage.
NAS - Network Attached Storage / File Access
The most interesting feature about this "evolved" power bank is the possibility to share files between an SD Card and other devices, basically a Portable NAS running on a removable storage.
First of all, it doesn't necessarily require an ad-hoc app, since it is possible to access to the NAS even using a browser (10.10.10.254 address, no password by default), but using the app it is possible to get a more optimized experience.
The app is available on the Play Store (for Android of course), and is really well-made, polished and with no noticeable design flaws. RAVPower also made an app for Windows and Mac OS, but, considering that this is meant for portable usage, i will focus on Android only.
It is possible to access any file directly from the SD Card without downloading it locally on the device. It takes a bit to load, but it is still better than nothing.
Networking
Starting from the Wireless Access, the FileHub provides by default a WiFi connection, that can be configured later in the Settings. Even though it is only 2.4GHz, it is good enough for this usage, since it supports up to 300MBps in WiFi N mode (2x2).
In order to use the Bridge mode instead, it is necessary to connect the FileHub to another Wireless Network. Basically what you get is a WiFi repeater or extender, with the extra possibility to access all files. Just consider that this mode will cut down wireless performance, in my case more than half speed disappeared.
The Wired Access instead is more limited, since it doesn't give access to the FileHub but it works directly as an Access Point for a Wired Connection, disabling the Web Interface or any NAS feature. It works pretty good though, with no performance loss compared to my primary WiFi 2.4GHz connection.
Conclusions
For a reviewer, it is nice to have a way to access all Camera Photos without having to use an OTG Adapter, and the possibility to use the same device for multiple usages is an huge bonus, at least for me.
This is a great product and considering the quality of the firmware, as well as the software's quality, it is clear that RAVPower is supporting this device more than what i would have expected.
So, do i recommend? Yes, but consider that this is not a super-cheap product so, before choosing it, be sure that this is the right product for you, as a sort of niche product.
P.S.: Battery Life can vary based on the usage, thus i can't provide some reliable data about it.
Pros:
- Multiple Features in such a small device
- Well-Made firmware and apps
- Excellent WiFi Performance
Cons:
- No LAN Cable included in the box
- Useless Glossy Frame
- Limited USB Power Output (5V/1A)
Rating: 8.4
Packaging and Accessories: 7
Design and Materials: 7
Performance: 8
Features: 9.5
Software Quality: 10
Power Efficiency: 9
Price: 8 (based on Amazon price)
Official Product page: https://www.ravpower.com/rp-wd03-filehub-6000mah-power-bank-portable-wireless-router.html
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: https://imgur.com/a/mYMz6​

Alberto96 said:
RAVPower RP-WD03 FileHub Plus - Portable NAS and 6000mAh Power Bank
Unboxing
Presented as a thicker than usual power bank, it does not come with many accessories: 1x Micro-USB Cable and 1x User Manual. A compact LAN cable should have been included.
It is completely made of Plastic and it feels solid enough, but the glossy border is slightly useless in my opinion since, as you can notice, it looks already scratched/used.
As regards the size, it is as big as an old-style Power Bank, being 9.79x5.48x2.82mm, with a weight of 157g.
On the front, there is the Power/Mode button with an Activity LED (for SDCard R/W status) underneath, the usual Power LEDs required to check how much battery is left, and a Wireless LED that indicates whether LAN or Wireless mode is on (Wireless = Blue, Wired = Green).
Just like all Power Banks, also this one features all specs on the back about the USB Rating and Battery Capacity.
Underneath the rubber-made cover, there is the LAN port (10/100) required to use the Access Point feature and a standard USB port to charge other devices.
On one side there is a Micro-USB port to recharge the internal battery.
And finally, on the rear, there is a SD Card reader, fundamental for the NAS/File Sharing feature.
Efficiency and Battery Capacity
My USB Tester confirms that the battery capacity is correct, even slightly higher than what is declared by the manufacturer. (real ~6160mAh, declared 6000mAh)
It's a pity that the internal board has been capped to only 1A of USB Output. As soon as i switch from 1A to 2A, it stops providing power via the USB port. Anyway, at 1A, its efficiency is pretty good, with a stable 4.97V of output voltage.
NAS - Network Attached Storage / File Access
The most interesting feature about this "evolved" power bank is the possibility to share files between an SD Card and other devices, basically a Portable NAS running on a removable storage.
First of all, it doesn't necessarily require an ad-hoc app, since it is possible to access to the NAS even using a browser (10.10.10.254 address, no password by default), but using the app it is possible to get a more optimized experience.
The app is available on the Play Store (for Android of course), and is really well-made, polished and with no noticeable design flaws. RAVPower also made an app for Windows and Mac OS, but, considering that this is meant for portable usage, i will focus on Android only.
It is possible to access any file directly from the SD Card without downloading it locally on the device. It takes a bit to load, but it is still better than nothing.
Networking
Starting from the Wireless Access, the FileHub provides by default a WiFi connection, that can be configured later in the Settings. Even though it is only 2.4GHz, it is good enough for this usage, since it supports up to 300MBps in WiFi N mode (2x2).
In order to use the Bridge mode instead, it is necessary to connect the FileHub to another Wireless Network. Basically what you get is a WiFi repeater or extender, with the extra possibility to access all files. Just consider that this mode will cut down wireless performance, in my case more than half speed disappeared.
The Wired Access instead is more limited, since it doesn't give access to the FileHub but it works directly as an Access Point for a Wired Connection, disabling the Web Interface or any NAS feature. It works pretty good though, with no performance loss compared to my primary WiFi 2.4GHz connection.
Conclusions
For a reviewer, it is nice to have a way to access all Camera Photos without having to use an OTG Adapter, and the possibility to use the same device for multiple usages is an huge bonus, at least for me.
This is a great product and considering the quality of the firmware, as well as the software's quality, it is clear that RAVPower is supporting this device more than what i would have expected.
So, do i recommend? Yes, but consider that this is not a super-cheap product so, before choosing it, be sure that this is the right product for you, as a sort of niche product.
P.S.: Battery Life can vary based on the usage, thus i can't provide some reliable data about it.
Pros:
- Multiple Features in such a small device
- Well-Made firmware and apps
- Excellent WiFi Performance
Cons:
- No LAN Cable included in the box
- Useless Glossy Frame
- Limited USB Power Output (5V/1A)
Rating: 8.4
Packaging and Accessories: 7
Design and Materials: 7
Performance: 8
Features: 9.5
Software Quality: 10
Power Efficiency: 9
Price: 8 (based on Amazon price)
Official Product page: https://www.ravpower.com/rp-wd03-filehub-6000mah-power-bank-portable-wireless-router.html
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: https://imgur.com/a/mYMz6​
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised to read about the WD03 in 2017 - afaict it's four years old now and firmware support has long ceased. I would have loved to read about the fw version that came installed with the device, and whether the gaping security holes still exist (well-known root password plus telnet access, to name some).
Nevertheless, the device (and it's predecessor, the WD02) is, if properly hardened, still useful (search for filehub-config on github). To expect a fix for the wpa2 issue would be very optimistic though.
Thanks for the review.

Hi - latest firmware for the RP-WD03 is not sooo old, it's 2.000.056 from 2017-09-01...

Rofor said:
Hi - latest firmware for the RP-WD03 is not sooo old, it's 2.000.056 from 2017-09-01...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised to see that downloads are back (after two years or so) - but only for the WD03 (guess which model I have). Will have a closer look when back home from travelling. Thanks!

I don't know if the last fw is very bad, or my wd is almost broken...
Anyway in the new fw if you see the new web interface under services you can find a very useful tool! Sd backup button!!! It is very useful!

020 firmware
steve8x8 said:
I'm surprised to read about the WD03 in 2017 - afaict it's four years old now and firmware support has long ceased. I would have loved to read about the fw version that came installed with the device, and whether the gaping security holes still exist (well-known root password plus telnet access, to name some).
Nevertheless, the device (and it's predecessor, the WD02) is, if properly hardened, still useful (search for filehub-config on github). To expect a fix for the wpa2 issue would be very optimistic though.
Thanks for the review.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes not much written in a while but the devices are still available, as is support and now so are the firmware updates. Looks like the 'factory' build has firmware 020 fitted (from a poll of 2 !) which has a few glitches but mainly when reconfiguring which I wouldn't expect to happen normally. Some may confuse if you expect to just plug and play. In answer to your query for 020 ;
EnterRouterMode.sh is still available
Root is not available (until you address using above)
Telnet (port 23) is still open and available
Other open ports are 80, 81, 85, 135 and 445
That's ok for the savvy who realise and can address but not so good for the plug and play user.
I am interested in upgrading to 056 but not so sure after comment from dettofatto. Anyone else care to comment on its 'stability'. Also any one checked is EnterRouterMode sill available on 056, easy to test just use your favourite search engine. I suspect telnet will be closed. Finally if 056 is unstable what recommendations are there for earlier versions.
A lot has already been written about the previous versions (01 and 02) and some about this version (03), I will be exploring further and if I find anything I think hasn't been written up I will.

Sorry for my english...
I think that my ravpower is broken, now amazon are sending me a new copy.
The new firmware has telnet closed, but has introduced the new backup button (under 10.10.10.254/app/services/sdbackup.html ).
Anyway You can restore an old firmware for restoring telnet.
Can you give us your fw, if <.20?
FW:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4AhwoH61-dkWDFXUkZZZUlSYkU from https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66322258&postcount=70
I've used this hack, you have used which of these?
https://github.com/digidem/filehub-config
https://github.com/derfrankie/RAVPower-FileHub-SD-Backup
https://github.com/steve8x8/filehub-config

dettofatto said:
Sorry for my english...
I think that my ravpower is broken, now amazon are sending me a new copy.
The new firmware has telnet closed, but has introduced the new backup button (under 10.10.10.254/app/services/sdbackup.html ).
Anyway You can restore an old firmware for restoring telnet.
Can you give us your fw, if <.20?
FW:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4AhwoH61-dkWDFXUkZZZUlSYkU from https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66322258&postcount=70
I've used this hack, you have used which of these?
https://github.com/digidem/filehub-config
https://github.com/derfrankie/RAVPower-FileHub-SD-Backup
https://github.com/steve8x8/filehub-config
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully when you get the replacement ravpower all will be much better and you can confirm that 056 is stable.
I assume enterroutermode is still available in 056 because you reference hacks which require it
I have not tried any other versions of firmware other than 020 which is what it came with.
For that hacks I am aware of all of these and think these are all I have seen. So far I have only used a simple one line command to re-enable the root password which you can find elsewhere on this forum. This is all I needed because telnet is already enabled In 020.

Mine was broken...
Now the new copy is almost perfect.
This is the new option:

Thanks for the info. I also notice there is an ADMIN and GUEST user account. But seems only Admin user can ever see the files. I was hoping Guest account could see all and be given Read-only access. But no good. Makes hard to share, anyone can delete.

Admin/Guest account and Read-only guest access
Got it working, so 'Guest' account only has read access. At least it seems to work. You need to read detail PDF on RAV website. Talks about Admin & Guest accounts, and that the device automatically creates a directory called 'Share' and that 'Guest' account can only see inside here.
Further the 'delete' is grayed out for everything I put in 'Share' from Admin, so Guest can't delete stuff. Although Guest can create new directories and copy new stuff in. Maybe it knows what stuff Guest created.
Regardless this is perfect as it allows Guest users with no password to share move files for a long drive. They can all log in a Guest.
One other odd note (below) in manual about charging. Not really sure this is true, that it would hurt battery. I thought with amps a device pulls what it needs, its just an issue if you don't have enough amps. As in a 2a charger does not PUSH 2a, the device only sucks 1a. Anyone know for sure?
"Using a charger with an output higher than 1.0 A will damage the internal battery more or less"

Hello RavPower gang! I have my SanDisk formatted to exfat and can see the files when it is connected to my Windows 10 PC. I cannot see them when connecting through the FileHub app on my phone. I also tried reformatting the card with my Note 8. I've tried formatting 2 cards on my PC and on my Note 8 and no dice! All I can see is a "Safely Remove" notification, but it won't let me do anything from that screen except go back or home. What do I need to do?
Thanks All!

Is it possible to use the filehub as a simple smb/cifs fileserver on a 192.168.0.n network?

Yup.
I prefer Gl.inet.
I know that they missing the powerbank feature, but they are customizable as hell, quite affordable and very nice as VPN/TOR/NAS/Pineapple clone or whatever you can build resp. program with OpenWRT/lede.
Highly recommended.
PS
Very detailed and elaborate review.y
Kudos.

Firefly Station P2 hands-on: an open-source mini PC with great versatility

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ARM-based open-source computers, which often come in the form of SBCs (Single Board Computers), are designed for tech geeks rather than average consumers. However, the Firefly Station P2, which employs the form factor of a mini PC, doesn’t seem all that out of reach. With a Rockchip RK3568 quad-core processor, 2 Ethernet jacks, WiFi6, plenty of storage extension options, and the ability to boot several operating systems, it can be just as fun for ordinary people as it is for tech enthusiasts.
Main Specs
Operating System: Android 11 / Ubuntu / Android TV / OpenWRT / LEDE
Processor: Rockchip RK3568
CPU: Quad Core (4*[email protected])
GPU: Arm Mali-G52MP2
RAM: 2/4/8GB LPDDR4
Internal Storage: 32/64/128GB eMMc
Storage Expansion: 1x 2.5’’ HDD/SSD, 1x m.2 2232 SSD, 1x MicroSD card.
HDMI: HDMI 2.0 Output up to 3840*[email protected]
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0
Internet Access: WiFi 6, 2x Gigabit Ethernet
Ports: Gigabyte Ethernet*2, DC-in*1, Control*1, MicroSD card slot*1, USB-A 3.0 port*1, USB-A 2.0*2, HDMI 2.0*1, 3.5mm Audio*1.
Dimension: 142*89*31.5mm
Power Supply: 12V DC/2A
Weight: 450g
Chassis: black, aluminum
Retail Package: mini PC*1, remote*1, HDMI cable*1, power adapter*1, user manual*1, USB A-C cable*1, 2.5'' HDD/SDD lid *1, Screw driver*3.
Packaging and accessories​​
​
The Firefly Station P2 comes with very simple retail packaging, there’s nothing much on the white box besides the branding, the model name and some specs. Inside the box you will find a Station P2 mini PC, two WiFi Antennas, a remote, a 12V-2A power adapter, a USB A-C cable, a tool kit, an HDMI cable as well as a user manual.
Design and build​
The Station P2 mini PC employs an aluminum alloy chassis measuring 142 mm x 89 mm x 31.5 mm, so it has a footprint smaller than most mainstream smartphones. The high-precision CNC machining and matte black finish give the machine a rather premium look. Because the Station P2 doesn’t come with an active cooling fan under the hood, it relies on the toothed top panel and various ports for passive heat dissipation.
The front panel plays host to a Gigabyte Ethernet jack, a USB-C port (OTG Only), 3 USB-A ports (2x USB2.0, 1x USB3.0)，a 3.5mm audio jack (with mic support), a MicroSD card slot and a power button. The rear side hosts two more Ethernet jacks, an HDMI 2.0, a DC-in. There is also an opening for users to insert a 2.5-inch SATA HDD/SSD, but you will need to unscrew and remove the lid first.
The connectivity doesn’t just stop here. With the included screwdriver, you can get easy access to the internals of the mini PC. Besides the 2.5-inch hard-drive tray, you will also get a M.2 2242 PCle SSD slot.
But if you only want to add a 2.5-inch hard drive to the Station P2, it will take you even less effort. After removing two screws on the back side, a metal lid will fall off, and then you can insert the hard drive.
The Station P2 comes with 32GB/64GB/128GB eMMc onboard storage. With two SSDs and a MicroSD card, you can install as many as 4 operating systems on the mini PC, and that could be “dream come true” for any tech geek.
The build quality of the Firefly Station P2 is extremely nice. The metal chassis feels perfectly robust and won’t flex even under a lot of pressure. Also, everything on the motherboard is neatly arranged.
Station OS​
The Station PC runs Station OS out of the box. Being called an OS, it is in fact a TV box skin on top of Android 11. The Station OS skin is clearly built around media playback. The UI is simple and easy to navigate with the included remote or the Station Control app on an Android phone.
The Movie Library App, which has a widget on the UI’s homescreen, will automatically detect all the videos in the chosen directory and find matching covers, posters, and information for them. I think everyone will grow to love this feature, because when you are navigating through your collection of movies and TV shows, you are not just looking at the titles, there is a lot more information to help you decide which one you are going to watch.
The Station P2 scored 889 in the Antutu Video Tester benchmark. Making it a solid, better than average TV box for media consumption.
There are only a limited number of pre-installed applications. Since this is Android, you can also install any app you want on the Station P2, including apps designed for TV, tablets, and smartphones. Some phone apps, such as Facebook and Instagram, don’t have support for landscape mode, and that can be tricky if your display isn’t rotatable. Fortunately, Station OS allows you to activate “ForceLand” in the settings, which will force the app to show vertically in the middle of a screen, making it easier for you to use the app with a mouse and keyboard.
Station OS might not be the right answer for people who want to use the Station P2 as a mini PC. It is nowhere near the experiences you can have with desktop UIs which allow you to run apps in resizable windows, such as Remix OS, Phoenix OS and Samsung’s Dex Mode UI. Also, there is no navigation bar for you to quickly switch between apps. Fortunately, Firefly has made stock Android 11 OS firmware available for those who want to use the Station P2 as an Android PC.

Other Software​
However, you are probably not buying the Station P2 as a TV box or an Android PC, as there are lots of cheaper alternatives out there. What makes this mini PC special is its capability of booting multiple operating systems, and Station OS gives you a portal to do that. Yes, I am talking about the OS Assistant App, which makes installing operating systems as simple as eating a piece of cake. Firefly offers six operating systems tailor-made for the Station P2 right now, including Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 18.04, LEDE, OpenWRT and the aforementioned Android 11. Just choose the OS you intend to install, and the drive you want it installed on, and you are good to go. The Operating system will be automatically downloaded from Firefly’s server and then installed on your local hard drive. When you have multiple operating systems installed on your Station P2, a boot screen will show up every time you power up the mini PC, from which you can choose the OS to boot into.
I have Ubuntu 20.04 installed on a 2.5-inch hard drive, and OPenWRT installed on a TF card. So the Firefly Station P2 can serve as my TV box, my desktop computer, or my router, depending on the OS I choose to boot into.
Ubuntu is a very much liked operating system for tech geeks, and a welcomed addition for average users. But unfortunately, the Rockchip RK3568 quad-core CPU is by no means a powerhouse, scores in Geekbench 5.4.4 told the story.
Also, Ubuntu for ARM has very limited number of apps available. As a result, most people won’t be able to use the Station P2 as their main computer, unless you care very little about efficiency.
With that said, if you want to handle some of the basics, you can. And if you are using the Station P2 to learn about Ubuntu and Linux, and some of the codings, it does provide you with an opportunity here.
The Station P2 also comes with superb networking capabilities. With two Gigabyte Ethernet jacks, and WiFi6, it is an ideal device for soft routing as well as streaming PC games. If you are new to these ideas, there are lots of tutorials online to help you set things up.
I streamed my favorite game “Fortnite”, and enjoyed fairly smooth gameplay, with only a few hiccups in my one-hour session.
You can also run PSP and XBOX games on the Station P2 via emulations, there are quite a lot of tutorials to help you do that in Firefly’s very own forum. But limited by the performance of the Mali-G52MP2 GPU, only those simpler, less intense games can run smoothly on the Station P2, heavier titles will very likely show up like slideshows.
Verdict​
With rich interfaces, great expansibility, and superb networking, the Firefly Station P2 is surely an interesting device with a ton potential. Besides a decent collection of official firmware based on different operating systems, you can also find many other third-party firmware in Firefly’s forum, giving you more ways to play with this mini PC.
Some potentials of the Station P2 can be limited by the performance of the relatively old Rockchip RK3568 processor, and some features in Firefly’s very own software may feel a little bit undercooked. But with a sensible price tag that starts from $189 (2+32GB), and a fast-growing Firefly community, the Station P2 is still one of the best open-source computers you can buy right now.

I've been looking into these Firefly/Station PCs and I'm having mixed feelings about them. While they're touted as "open-source", the default OS they come with, "Station OS", is not open source.
I was initially excited about the fact they come with a multiboot-supporting bootloader that (it appears) supports display on a HDMI monitor. That's a step up from most of the other ARM-based pocket-sized computers I've looked at, which usually seem to require a serial terminal for bootloader interactions. However, I'm starting to expect that the bootloader is not open source either. And there seems to be relatively little documentation for it, perhaps because "it's so simple it doesn't need documentation". I would hope that it's fully configurable via config-file like GRUB or U-Boot, but I'm getting the impression that it may be a "it's supposed to auto-detect everything automatically, but if it doesn't you're out of luck" system.
As far as "fast-growing community" goes, I like Firefly has a forum for these computers, but it doesn't seem to have nearly the community of the Pine64 forums or the ODroid forums, let alone the thriving Raspberry Pi community.