Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

MVS wrote:
  1. Go here and download the file mentioned directly under "updating with a USB flash drive".

  2. Copy the file you downloaded (update.zip) to a clean USB flash drive.  Do not rename it, extract it, or put it inside any folders.

  3. Turn your Infocast off using the power button on the back.

  4. Plug the USB flash drive into one of the USB ports on the back of the Infocast.

  5. Press and hold your finger on the screen, and without releasing it, press the power button to turn the Infocast on again.

  6. Keep your finger on the screen until you are asked to calibrate the Infocast.  Finish that process, and you should see the Special Options screen.

  7. Press the Install Updates button.

  8. Press the Install From USB Drive button.

  9. The firmware installation will now begin (the Infocast will reboot halfway through the process).  Be sure not to turn the power off or remove the USB drive until the installation is completely finished.

  10. Your Infocast will now be running the Chumby 8 firmware, software, and control panel.

Thanks! This is very helpful.

Does the Infocast fully think it's a Chumby8? What control panel is on it? Does the browser work, and do all the apps work?

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

MVS (and anyone else who did this Chumby 8 s/w switch):

Do you have a "My Streams" slection under music? I see a lot references to it on the wiki and the forums, but it's not listed on my device. 

Running CP 5.0.29

103

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

Nogard wrote:

Does the Infocast fully think it's a Chumby8? What control panel is on it? Does the browser work, and do all the apps work?

Yes, once you install that update, your Infocast will act just like a Chumby8.  The control panel is currently version 5.0.29 (same as the Chumby8).  The browser and all apps I've tried work.

tomzim315 wrote:

MVS (and anyone else who did this Chumby 8 s/w switch):

Do you have a "My Streams" slection under music? I see a lot references to it on the wiki and the forums, but it's not listed on my device. 

Running CP 5.0.29

No, I don't have it.  However, judging by the screenshot on this page, it doesn't look like the Chumby8 has it, either.  Hopefully it will be added in a future update.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

The other thing missing is the SRS Surround sound feature.  Maybe it can be added back in with some hacking and a kernal module.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

MVS wrote:

Yes, once you install that update, your Infocast will act just like a Chumby8.  The control panel is currently version 5.0.29 (same as the Chumby8).  The browser and all apps I've tried work.

Interesting... I have not bought my 8" yet, but I'm wondering what the best process is. Should I:

Start up the infocast and register the device on the website THEN flash to Chumby8 FW?
Or
Flash to Chumby8 firmware immediately the first boot.

I'm not sure if doing it the first boot makes any difference, but I'm wondering if I can still register the device after it's faked as a Chumby8.

Thanks for all your help.

106

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

I'd recommend getting your Infocast up and running first before flashing the firmware.  It would probably work the other way as well, but I don't think anyone has tested it yet.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

MVS wrote:

I'd recommend getting your Infocast up and running first before flashing the firmware.  It would probably work the other way as well, but I don't think anyone has tested it yet.

Great! Thanks for the help MVS and everyone trying to do this.

I just need to keep checking Best Buy for the big model to go on clearance. The 3.5 is currently on clearance, so I'm hoping the 8" will follow shortly.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

Raddle wrote:

Thanks, eastpole, that gives me some perspective.  I will check which version of CP, software and firmware I have when I get home.  I will probably stick with upgrading only the control panel, or control panel plus software for now.  Maybe one day when a new I understand better how to flash my Infocast with new firmware I will try that.

My Infocast is running the following.  Have I gone as far as I need to?

CONTROL PANEL:    5.0.29
SOFTWARE:             1.0.5
FIRMWARE:             1.0.3548

109

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

As of May 16, my versions are:
5.0.29 control panel
1.8.1 software
1.8.3785 firmware

110 (edited by pete_c 2011-05-16 13:03:30)

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

Here are some pics:

This picture is info with just the CP updated to the C8 CP; nothing else.

PunBB bbcode I8C8CP

This picture is info on the I8 with the C8 CP and the development C8 FW on it.

PunBB bbcode I8C8CPFWDEV

This picture is info on the I8 with the C8 CP and production C8 FW on it.

PunBB bbcode I8C8CPFWDEV

I did notice that my "imageURL" internal cam pictures are working now with the new production FW.  The Insignia logo still is seen though when you do a cold boot of the I8 with the C8 production firmware.

111 (edited by kwadguy 2011-05-16 21:26:53)

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

I just took a Infocast that I hadn't registered, flashed it with the software as described by MVS and let it do its thing...It updated the control panel, etc. and all is well. I registered it directly through Chumby.com--I bypassed Infocast/Insignia entirely.

All is good.

One thing I noticed: the alarms on the Chumby 8 don't have a fallback option if you don't respond to the alarm. That is, if you don't turn off the alarm within N minutes, on the Chumby One, it will sound an internal alarm (if you activate that option). This protects you from either your internet going down, or from setting an alarm to wake from a channel that is down when your alarm goes off. This is a nice feature (though kind of poorly implemented on the Chumby One, in that it can't be set for more than 5 minutes after the first alarm).

I don't see this feature at all on the Chumby 8, however...

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

After updating to Chumby8, I found that the music function no longer allows user to set a play time period.
We used to be able to set up Infocast8 to stop playing the music after x minutes (useful for bed time music control so you don't have to wake up to turn off the music), that function is gone.  How do we do that with the new Chumby8 fw/sw?

I also notice the Chumbylite browser does not consistently give user a keyboard when click on a text input entry box such as the address entry boxes in Google Maps.  Do we have any workaround?  In gmail, to reply to email, one can switch to basic html mode and then you can trigger the browser's keyboard for text entry.  However, there is no <Enter> key in the keyboard so the reply can only be one line long.  The browser keyboard is inconsistent, sometime a <submit> button is there, sometime it is missing.  Is there a way to manually force the browser keyboard to come up with the version that includes the <submit> button?

Thanks MVS for the great instructions.  It worked very well here except for the above missing features.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

Hi ChumbyFly!

You have to go to Settings > Pi > BCon for the button on top to pop up the keyboard.  There's probably a way to set this up in debugchumby but I haven't seen anything on this.

As far as I can see, the Chumby8 firmware works better than the Infocast FW with the exception of the Sound panel being much better on the Infocast 8.

Has anyone swapped out the microsdhc card on the Infocast for a 32gb one and had access to the extra 30gbs, or some thing like that, maybe with a 4gb, 8g, or 16gb card?

114 (edited by pete_c 2011-05-19 07:59:34)

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

I removed my microSD card before the first time I turned it on.  I backed it up; DD'd to a 4Gb microSD card.  Easiest way to expand the /mnt/storage partition is to let the Chumby do it with its first boot; IE: after you DD it; delete partition #4.  Chumby will see no 4th partition and create a new one.  I currently do auto start ups in the PSP directory versus the debugchumby file on a memory stick.  I have a bit more than 3Gb of space in the 4th parition.  I've also expanded partitions 2 and 3 with no issues.  IE: with this you can install the new Lenny bootstrap (mentioned) in a separate subdirectory without the need for an external memory stick/SD card.

I would advise to do this anyways if you want to "play" and save your original setup microSD card.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

Last week, I updated to the latest 1.8.1 software release following the instructions in this post.  Thank you for the help!

Now I have noticed a problem with several of the apps which are day-specific.  It appears that the apps think the day is the same day as when the Infocast was last turned on.  Some apps that I have seen this behavior with are "Yahoo! Weather", "This Day In History", and "SuperClock". These apps get "stuck" on the day the device was last rebooted. I have seen the same Day In History for several days now.  When I reboot, I see today In History correctly.

I had not seen this issue before I upgraded to the v.1.8.1 software. So I am wondering if the 'real' 8" Chumby has the same problem with these apps, or if it is specific to installing the software on the 8" Infocast. Any ideas? I'm considering reverting to the Infocast software, but not sure if that would fix the problem, or if I should simply delete those problematic apps and ignore the issue.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

ryoohki wrote:

The other thing missing is the SRS Surround sound feature.  Maybe it can be added back in with some hacking and a kernal module.

I was looking back in the source code for the chumby 8 and I found that it does have SRS surrond (srs-wowhd-1.0.tgz ). Maybe you can activate it through SSH or modify the PSP file or after installing chumby 8 on the infocast, put the infocast on a usb drive and load it up, then go in the settings and check mark the srs feature.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

I noticed the same problem with my music alarm pointing to a Mon-Fri daily news channel in mediafly, it is always play the same news in days.  You may want to make this problem a new topic to get more attentions.


terrencegf wrote:

Last week, I updated to the latest 1.8.1 software release following the instructions in this post.  Thank you for the help!

Now I have noticed a problem with several of the apps which are day-specific.  It appears that the apps think the day is the same day as when the Infocast was last turned on.  Some apps that I have seen this behavior with are "Yahoo! Weather", "This Day In History", and "SuperClock". These apps get "stuck" on the day the device was last rebooted. I have seen the same Day In History for several days now.  When I reboot, I see today In History correctly.

I had not seen this issue before I upgraded to the v.1.8.1 software. So I am wondering if the 'real' 8" Chumby has the same problem with these apps, or if it is specific to installing the software on the 8" Infocast. Any ideas? I'm considering reverting to the Infocast software, but not sure if that would fix the problem, or if I should simply delete those problematic apps and ignore the issue.

118

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

I use Mediafly news channel on the Chumby One as a weekly alarm with no problems. Maybe a bug in the 8 software?

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

If you deactivate your infocast & then load the chumby 8 firmware etc, (Saw someone mentioned they registered a infocast through the chumby site ) Does it take you to the chumby website for apps instead of insignia?

Will it update automatically when new chumby firmware is out for the?

Thanks

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

chumbyfly wrote:

I noticed the same problem with my music alarm pointing to a Mon-Fri daily news channel in mediafly, it is always play the same news in days.  You may want to make this problem a new topic to get more attentions.

Good idea about a new topic. However, I got tired of the problems with the apps showing the old day and reverted to the last Infocast firmware. The apps are now acting as they should. Perhaps the next Chumby 8" firmware update will fix the problem. I looked briefly to see if anyone with a real Chumby 8" reported something similar, but I didn't find anything.

121 (edited by rjstone 2011-05-31 16:43:41)

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

MVS wrote:
  1. Go here and download the file mentioned directly under "updating with a USB flash drive".

  2. Copy the file you downloaded (update.zip) to a clean USB flash drive.  Do not rename it, extract it, or put it inside any folders.

  3. Turn your Infocast off using the power button on the back.

  4. Plug the USB flash drive into one of the USB ports on the back of the Infocast.

  5. Press and hold your finger on the screen, and without releasing it, press the power button to turn the Infocast on again.

  6. Keep your finger on the screen until you are asked to calibrate the Infocast.  Finish that process, and you should see the Special Options screen.

  7. Press the Install Updates button.

  8. Press the Install From USB Drive button.

  9. The firmware installation will now begin (the Infocast will reboot halfway through the process).  Be sure not to turn the power off or remove the USB drive until the installation is completely finished.

  10. Your Infocast will now be running the Chumby 8 firmware, software, and control panel.

Thanks. I'm glad that this open box infocast I got at best buy for something like $90 worked out. Your procedure worked perfectly for me, except that I managed to remove the USB drive too early, thinking that it was done after the second reboot. All I can really add to this is don't remove the USB drive until the control panel appears no matter how many times the thing reboots. (Actually I think it stalled trying to download the control panel, at which point I rebooted it and removed the USB drive, but simply putting the drive back in and rebooting it again seems to have fixed the problem.)

122 (edited by pete_c 2011-06-01 08:58:05)

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

I noticed with the new C8 firmware in place that the I8 now "sees" an Apple (Mac) looking USB to NIC device. 

Before purchasing the "Trendnet" USB to NIC device I purchased a "few" of the Apple style USB to NIC devices.  They did not work on the original I8 firmware; where as they work now with the new C8 firmware; plug n play like.  BTW I have "most" of the I8's now connected to the LAN via a Trendnet USB to NIC device.

Another notable was that with the I8 FW the devices would consistently drop off the wireless network (even with a Wireless access point 25 feet away) .  That was one of the reasons I switched over to using the Trendnet USB to NIC devices.

The new C8 firmware wireless connectivity doesn't drop on and off the network like the legacy I8 wireless connectivity.

Initially I though it might have been related to the wireless WAN link.  I tested the scernario just with wireless LAN links and it would continously drop off the network. 

Yesterday I tested the same wireless network with the new C8 firmware installed on the Infocast 8 and it doesn't drop off the network.

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

I am finding that my I8 is much more stable as well with the C8 system on it. It used to reboot about once per day or sometimes freeze. Nothing like this now.

Brian, #1 Joan Jett Fan

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

Maybe its a dumb question, but is there a possibility to put the Sony Dash firmware onto the infocast?

Re: Running Chumby8 ControlPanel on the Infocast 8" - UPDATED

gmauto wrote:

Maybe its a dumb question, but is there a possibility to put the Sony Dash firmware onto the infocast?

It's not a dumb question, but the answer is likely "No" and there are really good reasons that aren't obvious.

See this post: http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?pid=35928#p35928

I think the reasons involve some of the Sony's unique abilities -- can't it stream movies from one of the IPTV companies? That sort of thing doesn't come without a bunch of licensing and locks, IMO.

eastpole