mini pc

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 24 Comments on XBMC MX Linux v1.00 RC1 for AMLogic AML8726-MX Devices

XBMC MX Linux v1.00 RC1 for AMLogic AML8726-MX Devices

Developer “croniccorey” has recently announced the release of MX Linux v1.00 RC1, an XBMC Linux image for media players based on AMLogic AML8726-MX, on XDA Developers’ Forums. This release supports G18REF and MX2REF devices (See build.prop in Android) such as Matricom G-Box Midnight MX2, and a test image has also been released for g02refDongle devices such as Droid Stick A2. Checking the MTD layout Before starting the installation, you may want to check your flash partitions in order to avoid bricking your device: Install and run Terminal Emulator Run the command below to make sure your partition table is compatible with the image:

If your partition table is different, do not install the default image for MX2REF / G18REF. However, If you’ve got Matricom Android firmware version 1.1.6 or greater or WJB’s Linux builds from November 21 2013 onwards, the MTD layout will be different, and you’ll need to […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 15 Comments on International Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals for Chinese Gadgets

International Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals for Chinese Gadgets

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving in the US, and starts the Christmas shopping season with very deep discount. The next Monday is called Cyber Monday is supposed to be the day for Online deals. This is mainly a US “tradition”, but Chinese retailers have joined in to try to boost their end-f year sales, and the good thing is that their discount are available to (almost?) anyone around the world. DealExtreme has not started deals yet, but a lottery is taking place between the 21st of November and the 1st of December. People who have purchased from them can spin the wheel using their order number in order to win prizes ranging from $3 coupons to iPhone 5s phones. “Black Friday Shopping Carnival” with discounts up to 50% for consumers electronics, tablets, smartphones, etc.. will begin on Friday 29th. Pandawill will have Thanksgiving deals for twelve items on […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 12 Comments on How to Flash Rockchip RK3066 / RK3188 Firmware in Linux

How to Flash Rockchip RK3066 / RK3188 Firmware in Linux

Rockchip provides 2 tools to update the flash: RkBatchTool – Used to upgrade firmware with a single file RkAndroidTool – Used to flash the NAND flash with image corresponding to particular partition, e.g. system.img. kernel.img, boot.img. recovery.img. etc… One problem is that the company only provides these tools for Windows, so if you’re using a Linux based operating systems, you’d have to run a Windows XP or 7 virtual machine in VirtualBox or VMWare, which is an inconvenience, and requires a license in theory. To work around this issue, I’ve tried to use ReactOS, an open source operating systems compatible with Windows XP, but although the USB drivers appeared to install properly, RKAndroidTool failed to recognized my device (MK908). But a member of Mini PCs community informed me about a tool called RkFlashKit, written in Python and using GTK, that can flash firmware to Rockchip RK3066 and RK3188 devices in […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 12 Comments on PicUntu 4.5 Brings Ubuntu 13.04 to RK3188 mini PCs

PicUntu 4.5 Brings Ubuntu 13.04 to RK3188 mini PCs

At the beginning of the year, PicUntu had been released for Rk3066 HDMI TV sticks, but as quad core devices  based on RK3188 became popular, work started as soon as the source code was available, and a preliminary version of Linux ran on some RK3188 devices in June.  After 4 more months  of development an installer for PicUntu 4.5 has been released to allow users to run a customized version of Ubuntu 13.04 on RK3188 HDMI TV sticks or set-top boxes such as T428 or Rikomagic MK802 IV. The installation procedure appears to be easier than earlier version, as there’s only one installer file (247 MB), and you can complete the installation to the NAND flash of your device with just 4 clicks. PicUnutu runs xfce4 desktop environment,  supports more than 200 drivers,  multiple file systems (nfs, ntfs, cramfs, cifsutils, smb…), lots of different USB devices, serial devices, GPS devices, […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments on GOsingGO GSG-TB06 Android TV Stick Features an Ethernet Port

GOsingGO GSG-TB06 Android TV Stick Features an Ethernet Port

There’s a plethora of Android HDMI TV dongles, but all of them only provide Wi-Fi connectivity, and if you need better network performance you need to add Ethernet via an USB to Ethernet dongle. There’s now another solution, that may not be very new, with GOsingGO GSG-TB06 a mini PC based on AllWinner A10 that includes an Ethernet Port. Here are the specifications of the device: SoC – Allwinners A10 @  1.0GHz System Memory – 1GB RAM Storage -4 to 32 GB flash + micro SD card slot Video output – HDMI & AV USB – 1x USB 2.0, 1x micro USB for power Connectivity – Ethernet (RJ45) + Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (AR6103) Dimensions – 105L x 37W x 15.6Hmm The device comes with a USB power adapter, an RCA (AV) cable, and a user’s manual. The manufacturer says it’s running Android 4.1. The specs are not that great, but […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 18 Comments on iPazzPort NC-812-19A Rockchip RK3066 mini PC Temporary Discounted to About $30

iPazzPort NC-812-19A Rockchip RK3066 mini PC Temporary Discounted to About $30

I’ve just been informed about a special offer (for 2 more days) on Aliexpress for a mini PC based on Rockchip RK3066 called iPazzPort NC-812-19A, but it looks very much like CX803-II. You can get a dual core HDMI TV stick with 1GB RAM, 4GB Flash and an external antenna for about $30 including shipping here or here. Here are the specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3066 @ 1.6 GHz + Mali-400 MP4 GPU System Memory – 1GB DDR3 RAM Storage – 4GB NAND flash + micro SD slot (up to 32GB) Video Output – HDMI 1.4 Connectivity – Wi-Fi – 802.11 b/g/n USB – 2x micro USB port (OTG + power) + 1x USB host port Power – 5V Dimensions – 101.2 x 48 x 9.5 mm Weight – 36g The device is said to come with a USB cable, and a user’s manual (No power supply). Aliexpress listings do not […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 12 Comments on Rockchip RK3066 Android 4.2.2 HDMI TV Stick SDK Leaked

Rockchip RK3066 Android 4.2.2 HDMI TV Stick SDK Leaked

About 10 days ago, Android 4.2.2 SDK for MK908 (RK3188) HDMI TV Stick was leaked, and now, I’m reporting another leak, this time for the Android 4.2.2 SDK for the Android TV Boxes based on the older Rockchip RK3066 dual core processor. The files were first found on an FTP server, but one of Freaktab members uploaded a compressed image of all files, RK3066_R-BOX.7z (3.2GB) to MEGA.co.nz. The content of the SDK directory comes with a bit of documentation, AVC and VP8 encoding and decoding demos, and the SDK itself as a 3.2GB tar. I’ve haven’t download the file yet. If you switch to the parent directory, you’ll find more documentation such as several datasheets and RK3066 technical reference manual, hardware files (Schematics, PCB layout, BoM), and some manufacturing files. If you go up to the parent directory, you’ll also find an A20 directory with AllWinner A20 Android SDK (homlet […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 19 Comments on Ugoos UM2 Android TV Stick Features Two Full Size USB Ports

Ugoos UM2 Android TV Stick Features Two Full Size USB Ports

Most Android HDMI TV dongles come with only one full size USB port, as well as some micro or mini USB ports. The user then has to use an external USB hub if he or she wants to connect standard USB keyboard and mouse, and ends up with some kind of cable mess. Ugoos UM2 mini PC does not have this issue as it comes with 2 full size USB ports. The rest of the specifications are standard for a quad core HDMI TV Stick: SoC – Rockchip RK3188 Quad core Cortex-A9 +  Mali 400 MP4 GPU System Memory – 2GB DDR3 Storage – 8GB NAND Flash (Option for 16G/32G) + micro SD card slot (Up to 32GB) Connectivity – WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth (Version 4.0 TBC) Video Output – HDMI 1.3 Male USB – 2x USB Host ports + 1x micro USB port for power Power Supply – 5V/2A Dimension – […]

Exit mobile version