Re: infocast 8 freezes up

gordonmd wrote:

Oops just noticed we are talking I8. Not C8

You can run C8 firmware on an I8.

Tar, feathers, congress. Some assembly required.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

Welp... I retract the oops then.
You can't run an I3.5 image in a C1.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

I am open to any help and willing to reimburse postage if necessary to have chance to recover this unit. You can PM me and I will give you my mailing address. Or I can mail my sd card to you if you give me your address. Does if matter what size the sd card is? I have 2gb, 8gb and 16gb. The big guy is just sitting in the window sill waiting for help. Maybe we can cancel his funeral after all.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

29 (edited by dusk 2014-04-24 10:47:13)

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

BoloMKXXVIII wrote:
gordonmd wrote:

Oops just noticed we are talking I8. Not C8

You can run C8 firmware on an I8.

Depends on what you mean by "firmware".

The I8 used a slightly buggy version of the PXA168 SoC which can't boot directly from the SD card, so it uses a custom bootloader (stored on a serial flash chip) which roughly emulates the IMX233 bootloader. The C8 used a later revision of the PXA168 which could handle direct SD boot. The boot layouts for the two systems are quite different, so a firmware image from the I8 will not boot on the C8, and vice versa.

You can create a "hybrid" firmware by copying the root partition from one firmware image to the other. But they aren't direct substitutes for each other.

That being said, the C1 and I3.5 should be entirely compatible with each other. I haven't played with a C1 myself, but I've used a CHB firmware image on my I3.5 and it worked just fine, and the hardware platform is identical.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

Sounds like demarks51 will have to test the I8/ C8 theory. Just 2 weeks ago I tested an original I3.5 sdcard in a C1 and it didn't boot. The C1 had been Zurked and I now have it de-Zurked. I copied a C1 image on to the SD an the C1 booted ok.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

Matt from Tx is receiving a sd card from me to make sure the imaging is done correct. He says he has a work around that he has used before. Something about crypto processor errors and need to fake the id so it will work when the basic service comes back. I am not very chumbyspeak literate. But again I appreciate all the help I can get. Actually another chum from Australia offered to send me a ready sd card, but I said maybe we can wait to see what Matt can do first. This a crazy nice world centered around a rather unique gadget. Long live chumbyland!

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

Matt seems to having problems loading the image on the sd card. Said it didn't work on his unit. I contacted the gordonmd and maybe he has an sd card that will work.
In the meantime, I just got a package today replacing the I3 that was broke a while back. The one that was broke, Matt bought and fixed it and is using it now. SOOO I had to get one to replace that one. I thought my daughter would want it but she is getting a new Kindle Fire HD soon. Well we will find a place for the new chum.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

demarks51 wrote:

I thought my daughter would want it but she is getting a new Kindle Fire HD soon.

Which she will soon learn may have many merits, but nevertheless is not a Chumby (or Infocast) replacement wink

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

I agree. And she loves to tinker with the chumby. It is her go-to device for Pandora and the like. But the Kindle has a lot of the bells and whistles that many younger ones are looking for. Carry it around. Email. Music. Games. Take it on the long trip. Watch vids. I really appreciate what Kindle Fire can do. BUT I also like to have my little chum by the bed and still has a niche in my lifestyle. I just bought another I3 for $23 delivered. It is in great shape. I will find a place for it. What I really want/need is a genuine Chumby8. I think that would put the finishing touch on my collection. Hopefully I can get one from someone selling them on Amazon. I thought I could get one for a really good deal but he said he was out of stock.

Now if Blue Octy could put a much more portable Chumby in the market maybe like a tablet but focused on what Chumby does best, there may be a segment of the population that may just go for it. Altaz had a unit for a while that seemed promising but they discontinued production. Create a portable, propable device to be an internet clock and weather device with some very choice internet apps to be able to scroll throughout the day but also be used to check email, ebay auctions and the like.

Update: I kept saying Matt but it is Michael (sorry). He is working on loading an altered I8 image to an sd card so I can get my sick Infocast back in action. He has successfully done that with his. My guess is that other I8s or other models may have a problem with crypoprocessor failure.  It may be helpful to consolidate the info on this problem (when remedied) so that others may benefit from this. Just like the power supply failure that messed up many units, the crypoprocessor problem may be another problem surfacing to deal with across chumbyland.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

35 (edited by diamaunt 2014-05-02 07:25:47)

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

demarks51 wrote:

My guess is that other I8s or other models may have a problem with crypoprocessor failure.  It may be helpful to consolidate the info on this problem (when remedied) so that others may benefit from this. Just like the power supply failure that messed up many units, the crypoprocessor problem may be another problem surfacing to deal with across chumbyland.

you're right it being a problem that some I8s have, it's not so much of an issue now, but will be in the future (you can't register one with a failed crypto, for instance)

Duane and I are working on a patch smile

well, more of a band-aid, or should I say "adhesive bandage".... lol

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

materdaddy sent me a formatted sd card that has the work around in it. My only problem now is trying to force a touchscreen calibration so I can get it to sense touch again. MD sent me debug file I am going to try today to see if it will be fixed. I can't wait to see this I8 up and running again. I will let know what happens. This may be the fix a lot will need in the future if the cryptoprocessor becomes a problem for some units.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

demarks51 wrote:

materdaddy sent me a formatted sd card that has the work around in it. My only problem now is trying to force a touchscreen calibration so I can get it to sense touch again. MD sent me debug file I am going to try today to see if it will be fixed. I can't wait to see this I8 up and running again. I will let know what happens. This may be the fix a lot will need in the future if the cryptoprocessor becomes a problem for some units.

You're mixing me up with somebody else, or I've been drinking too much craft beer.  I offered to send you an SD card or other options, but it wasn't me that did!

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

Sorry for the confusion. I stand corrected. It was Michael who is helping me. Just blame old age.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

39 (edited by demarks51 2014-07-02 14:33:33)

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

Now that things are back up and running...I would like to try and see if I can get this I8 running or liquidate it to a good home. It is just collecting dust. Could it be that the unit has the wrong ID number on the SD card when diamaunt tried to fix the sd card? Just wondering.

Duane, Could I trade a fixable unit for subscription time?

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?pid=50533#p50533

the unit actually generates it's ID.  the fixes I put on the new SD card generate a valid, usable ID, however, it's a DIFFERENT ID than the device had before it's crypto failed.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

Okay thanks for responding. There must be a greater problem. I really appreciate you taking the time to try to fix this.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: infocast 8 freezes up

when the crypto failed, it would no longer register as itself, in fact, when the crypto fails, it won't even recognize, during bootup, that it's a I8, so it tries to load chumby classic/chumby1 configs, and hangs.

with the fix I did, it knows it's an I8, and will try and load the right configs, however, you'll still need the touchscreen to be able to activate it with the service.

so, that's the situation with that unit, if someone can get the touchscreen working, it will work. (that sd card worked in my crytpocompromised I8.)

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.