Tag Archives: openelec

Openelec addon building for Orange PI PC

In the article about the OpenELEC build for Orange PI PC

Openelec building for Orange PI PC

we created the environment and compiled the OpenELEC image for our development board. We integrate what it has been said in the previous article showing how to build  the Openelec addons for our Orange PI PC board.

As stated in the linked article we have to open a shell command window in the  OPENELEC-OPIPC folder

Using the  graphical interface in Debian we can verify the availabilty of the official addons structure. To add the unofficial ones we have to run from the  OpenELEC-OPIPC folder

Now we proceed to build an official addon and an unofficial one. The packages that you can build ara available in the official folder as shown below

official Addonsand in the unofficial folder

unofficial Addons

We build the  official pvr.iptvsimple addon with the command

For the unofficial we build the p7zip module

The compiled addons are availablein the following folder

addons

In the case of errors in the compliation check the logs and proceed consequently. For example in the case of trasmission the system was not able to download the source package using the link in the package.mk file

To overcome this unexpected error we added another link to the package, i.e.  we  changed the package.mk file from

to

In this way, the transmission addon has been compiled correctly, always with the command

Remote control configuration for Libreelec on Amlogic Socs

In the previous article we installed on a microsd card Libreelec and started the device with this image

Libreelec Image for Amlogic socs

The remote control of the Beelink Minimx III is basic, so to have more keys  we decided to associate another remote control to the box.

We chose the following remote control that has more buttons included

remote control

According to this document on Amlogic site, although prepared in Chinese, through the use of online translators

How to change IR codes

It shows that the soc Amlogic natively manages the NEC protocol for remote controls and through remote.conf file we can associate the remote control code to the Linux system events. The map of the codes for the Linux system events is available in the header files of the Linux kernel

Input Event Codes

As a first step we log on Libreelec in ssh with root/libreelec. Copy the  /etc/amremote/libreelec.conf file as remote.conf in /storage/.config folder

and edit it as follows

Load the new codes of the remote file with the command

Press some button of the new remote control and run

In the case of compatible remote control we should see messages as shown below

The format is as follows: 0xAABBCCCC. Following Amlogic document linked above, the remote control code for a specific key is 0xBB; while defining the remote control code we have to use 0xCCCC0001. AA corresponds to the inverse logic of the command. In the case of the above example

BB = 0x51 = 01010001 in binary. The logical inverse = 10101110 in binary, which is just 0xAE.

AA = 0xAE. Binary = 10101110

The AA code is not used for our remote control configuration.

Press all the buttons on remote control and run the dmesg -c command. In our case we have the following codes

The mapping of the remote control in kodi is  in the /usr/share/kodi/system/keymaps/remote.xml file.

We mapped the remote control codes to the Linux input events. As an example let’s consider the Power button. The remote control code is

The KEY_POWER  event in the input-event-codes.h file is

We  created a link between the remote control code and the event in Linux in the  key_begin, key_end section of  the remote.conf file

Between the two data

insert a space, as indicated in Amlogic document linked above . The file used in this case is available at the following link

remote.conf

At the restart of the box Libreleelc reads the new configuration in /storage/.config/remote.conf  allowing so the use of the new remote control.

Libreelec Image for Amlogic socs

In the market there are several TV boxes equipped with Android. Among the most common there are those based on soc Amlogic. For devices with this module there is the way to run, even in parallel without removing the Android image, a media center system based on Linux and Kodi, which is Libreelec. It is a fork of the mediacenter OpenELEC system

Libreelec

The supported platforms are similar to those already available for OpenELEC, but the community is carrying out the development of other images besides the official ones; this is the case for the Amlogic platform.

In Libreelec forum developers have developed unofficial images for tv boxes with soc Amlogic S802 / S905 / S905X

Amlogic Libreelec Forum

We’ll install a Libreelec image for an Amlogic S905 box, in our case the box is Android Beelink MiniMX III. The box comes with on board an Android firmware on the internal flash. The next steps allow to keep the Android firmware of the internal flash and Libreelec on the micro sd card. These instructions can be repeated at least in part with other boxes with soc Amlogic. Refer to Libreelec forum for more insights.

The first operation is to download the image from the link given on Libreelec forum

Amlogic S905 Libreelec Images

We download the version 7.0.2.007

Libreelec S905 7.0.2.007

At the link above there also the dtb files, device tree file, file containing the specifications of the hardware system, for different boxes already  tested.

We unzip the file and load it on a micro sd card in a similar way to what was done for the creation of OpenELEC image for the Orange IP PC

Openelec installation on Orange PI PC

Again we launch Win32DiskImager and after unpacking the LibreELEC-S905.aarch64-7.0.2.007.img.gz file we proceed to the writing on the micro sd card.

At this point,we insert the micro sd card into the box  that we start holding down, in the case of this model, the reset button on the bottom of the box. This is a one-time process; to subsequent reboots the system starts Libreelec, if there is the Micro SD card, or Android system, present on the internal flash, in the absence of micro sd card.

The image automatically uses the remote.conf file for the remote control  from the Android image intalled in the internal flash.

The configuration steps are quite similar to what was done for OpenELEC Orange PI PC, such as to enable the ssh daemon, etc; in this case the remote control, being a box supported by the image, is already working.

libreelec

 WARNING: The image installation on the device is at your own risk. We accept no responsibility if the installation leads to  malfunction or block of the device. Before performing any operation, make sure that you have the original image of the box so you can recover the Android system in case of issues.

In the next article we will see how to configure an infrared remote control with NEC protocol on a system based on soc Amlogic

Remote control configuration for Libreelec on Amlogic socs

Openelec compilation for Orange PI PC

In this article we describe how to proceed to compile the Openelec image for the Orange PI PC card.

From the Orange PI PC forum, in the Openelec section the developers describe the steps to compile the image

Openelec Orange PI PC FAQ

In previous blogs we described how to install debian and how to modify the script.bin file to adapt the hdmi output to our television

Debian installation

Output resolution change

The compilation takes a long time; it is advisable to use multicore processors to speed up the compilation process.

Create a folder, openelec, under orangepi folder and move into it

Install the following packages

With git download the github sources in the local  OPENELEC-OPIPC folder

After the above operation access to OPENELEC-OPIPC folder

Execute the following command

The process check prerequisities and installs additional packages

Insert the root password when required; after the prerequisites installation the compilation begins.

At the end of the compilation in the target folder we find the files to install or update Openelec

  1. The file having the .img.gz extension is to upack and tranfer to a micro sd card as described in previous posts.target
  2. The file with .tar extension is to be copied in the update folder on the Openelec system; this file updates the system when rebooting the Orange PI PC cardupdate

Resolution change of the video output in Openelec on Orange PI PC (Part2)

After the installation and compilation of the sunxi tools we are able to manage the script.bin file

http://www.microdev.it/wp/en/2016/07/29/resolution-change-of-the-video-output-in-openelec-on-orange-pi-pc-part1/

Copy into scriptfile folder our script.bin file.

From th sunxi link it is possible to view the guide about the parameters of the fex file

Fex Guide

Using the tool, compiled in part1 article, let’s convert the file from binary into a text one, executing the following command

Now we can work on the script.fex file. Edit it with a text tool software, for example pluma in Debian

script.fex

In this file we have to find the parameters to modify the video output; here are the parameters to modify

In our test file we found the following settings

According to the fex guide, for the HDMI output (screen_output_type=3) and a setting of 720p60 we have to change the 10 value into 5 in the screen0_output_mode parameter

WARNING: This file contains all the main parameters for the correct operation of the card. Don’t  change anything if you are not sure  waht the change of parameters entails.

After the parameters change convert the text file into a binary format with the following command, generating a .bin file

Move this file into the micro sd card; rename the original script.bin file into script.bin.back and move the  script720p60.bin into script.bin.

In the  Fex Guide we find all the parameters settings according to the various output resolutions.

Inserting the sd card into the Orange PI PC we can test the new output resolution connecting the hdmi to our television and powering on the card.

Resolution change of the video output in Openelec on Orange PI PC (Part1)

In the Orange PI Openelec image the default video output resolution is 1080p60. If our tv works with a different resolution we’ll have no image on the television.

To overcome this problem it is possible to change the resolution and fps  for the video output.

The micro sd has two partitions. We have to work in the vfat partition

schedasd

We have to modify the script.bin file.

contenutoschedasd

In the home partition of the debian user (sviluppo in our case) create a folder orangepi; inside this folder create another folder called  sunxi. Go into sunxi folder

Follow the instructions available from linux-sunxi site in order to modify the script.bin file. As first step install the required tools

Sunxi Tools

We have to install the libusb package, as described below

Install git and pkg-config

Now using git download the tool sources

Go into sunxi.tools folder

Execute the tools compilation

We are now able to modify the Orange PI PC parameters available in the script.bin file.

Create a folder under sunxi, for example scriptfile

Add to th ePATH variable the sunxi tools folders executables

Now in next article we can modify the parameters of video output in the script.bin file

http://www.microdev.it/wp/en/2016/07/29/resolution-change-of-the-video-output-in-openelec-on-orange-pi-pc-part2/

Remote control configuration for Openelec in Orange PI PC

In this page we describe how to setup a remote control to control Kodi on our Openelec distribution on Orange PI PC board. We connect an USB keyboard,  an ethernet cable  and an HDMI cable to the Orange PI PC to manage the system, connect to the network and connect to the TV respectively.

First we have to check the IP Address assigned to Openelec by the network router; we access in System->System Info

screenshot009

In Summary  we can read the Ip address (eg:192.168.1.125)

screenshot010

Now we are able to logon in ssh in Openelec. In Windows systems we have to download and execute putty, available at the following address

Putty

In  Linux ed Osx systems we use a shell command and execute (where IP_OPENELEC is eg.:192.168.1.125)

The logon password is:openelec

In windows we configure Putty using the Orange Pi PC IP address obtained above, check SSH; after saving with a name to this connection we connect with the Open button

PuTTY Configuration

To connect into the Openelec system we have to use the following values:

Login as: root

password:openelec

Now we are able to setup our remote control

shell

Execute the following commands

Follow the instrucions on the screen. In particular push all the buttons; in the second part of the configuration we have to map the remote controlo buttons with the operating system codes (eg: KEY_OK, KEY_PLAY, KEY_RED, etc). We have the main codes in the file

In the remote.xml file

we have the mapping among Kodi actions and the operating system events .

The command

shows all the events available in our system.

At the end of the procedure we reboot the system with the command

Now we can control Openelec with our remote control.

Here is the lircd.conf generated by the procedure described above

 lircd.conf

If you need to relaunch the procedure, remove the lircd.conf file and execute again the above commands.

You are able to access the configuration directory using also the windows samba protocol

Configfiles

First start of Openelec on Orange PI PC

After the micro sd setup, we insert it into the Orange PI PC slot; we connect the board to the TV using an HDMI cable,  then we connect to the board an USB keyboard, an USB mouse, an ethernet cable linked to a router and turn on the device.

At the startup Openelec extends the micro sd available space and at the next start  we have

PrimoAvvioOE1

Choose Next to proceed to the next screen in which eventually modify the hostname

PrimoAvvioOE2

With Next we are able now to view the IP address assigned to the board

PrimoAvvioOE3

At the next screen the system presents the available network services

PrimoAvvioOE4

Enable the SSH service

PrimoAvvioOE5

At the next step we have the final screen

PrimoAvvioOE6

And finally we access the Openelec interface

PrimoAvvioOE7

SD card setup for Orange PI PC Openelec in OSX

First operation to do in order to use Openelec on Orange PI PC is the micro sd preparation.

It is advisable to use a micro SD class 10 to gain better performances.

As first step  we proceed to the Openelec image download from the link specified in Orange PI PC forum

Openelec Images

paying attention to choose the opipc version.

We choose the latest image in .gz format. After the file download  in a directory, we open a shell command window in this directory and  unzip the content

Then we plug the micro sd card and find this device

In our case we have the following output

We proceed to the device unmout; in our case the command is

WARNING: Be sure that the device is the micro sd card and not the internal disk. The next operation imply the complete rewriting of the device with the loss of all data on it.

We can now write the image into the micro sd card, using the correct device, that in our case is /dev/disk2

WARNING: This operation wipes all data on the micro sd card.

After a while we have the micro sd card ready to be used in the Orange PI PC board.

SD card setup for Orange PI PC Openelec in Linux

First operation to do in order to use Openelec on Orange PI PC is the micro sd preparation.

It is advisable to use a micro SD class 10 to gain better performances.

As first step  we proceed to the Openelec image download from the link specified in Orange PI PC forum

Openelec Images

paying attention to choose the opipc version.

We choose the latest image in .gz format. After the file download  in a directory, we open a shell command window in this directory and  unzip the content

Then we plug the micro sd card and check this device

In our case we have the following output

We check if this device is umounted

In the case we have the device in the output response, as in our case

we proceed to the unmount

WARNING: Be sure that the device is the micro sd card and not the internal disk. The next operation imply the complete rewriting of the device with the loss of all data on it.

We can now write the image into the micro sd card, using the correct device, that in our case is /dev/sdb

WARNING: This operation wipes all data on the micro sd card.

After a while we have the micro sd card ready to be used in the Orange PI PC board.