Author Topic: Linux on the LetCool Gamestation? (Read 28247 times)

Meneer Jansen · « **on:** June 24, 2010, 02:47:56 pm »

I know there already are discussions about this. But I personally would like to see it in one single topic. Hope y'all don't mind.

darfgarf · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2010, 03:01:15 pm »

1:most probably, just needs someone to sit down with it and a few bits of equipment, hardest bit would be dissassembling the lcd controller (assuming there's no documentation to help)
2:most probably
3:most probably
4:most probably (eventually)
5:who cares, let the person who gets it running decide that

davdud101 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2010, 03:23:58 pm »

The Letcool seems to be increasing in popularity here, and maybe I should get one to not only test it out, but also to save 10 bucks. Linux on LetCool seems to be possible. Did you see the thing on Chinavasion:

■I understand similar portable handhelds can be modified to run Linux, can the Letcool N350JP run Linux?
Maybe. If you are a hobbyist and are interested in porting Linux and other software or emulators to the Letcool N350JP, then please contact us! We would be happy to provide you with support!! Contact Gareth or Daniel at [email protected]

Find a hobbyist, maybe try to get BooBoo back.

obscurehandhelds · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2010, 03:53:28 pm »

I contacted chinavasion about getting a hold of the source code for the firmware, and about possibly getting some hardware schematics and they basically can't help at all. they said they are meeting with the letcool and jxd manufacturers at some point in the future, but were doubtful they'd be able to get any info from them. perhaps they should go straight to sunplus, but i guess that would be a similar dead end. the chinese don't understand, they think giving away secrets will ruin their business... when dingoo a320 is a case for the exact opposite.

davdud, if you want to play gba/snes/megadrive games then you'd be an idiot to buy a letcool at the moment. the dingoo does these things infinitely better. let the hackers hack away at the letcool first, and then maybe get one at a later date when it works like it is supposed to work.

omgmog · « **Reply #4 on:** June 24, 2010, 03:58:21 pm »

As the device already uses RedBoot as a bootloader I think getting some version of Linux onto the device wouldn't be a problem.

Getting device drivers written is another matter though.

I'm still waiting for my breakout board to arrive so I can get a serial connection and access the RedBoot prompt, then we can see where to go from there.

Meneer Jansen · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2010, 02:16:27 pm »

Thank you all for the positive news! Wish I'd studied electrotechnics instead of chemistry.

Then I may have helped w/ reverse engineering hardware specs for drivers.

alemaxx · « **Reply #6 on:** June 26, 2010, 09:50:58 am »

Quote from: omgmog on June 24, 2010, 03:58:21 pm

As the device already uses RedBoot as a bootloader I think getting some version of Linux onto the device wouldn't be a problem.

It has Redboot but the Redboot version that is installed on the device (at least on mine) doesn't support booting linux directly but I included a little loader stub with the linux code

Quote from: omgmog on June 24, 2010, 03:58:21 pm

Getting device drivers written is another matter though.

Indeed, thats going to become a tough task.

Quote from: omgmog on June 24, 2010, 03:58:21 pm

I'm still waiting for my breakout board to arrive so I can get a serial connection and access the RedBoot prompt, then we can see where to go from there.

A good idea to get one, did you order one of these FT232x boards?

Quote from: Meneer Jansen on June 25, 2010, 02:16:27 pm

Thank you all for the positive news! Wish I'd studied electrotechnics instead of chemistry. Then I may have helped w/ reverse engineering hardware specs for drivers.

Thats not an excuse! I think Ill post a "Reverse engineering guide for chemists" soon.

omgmog · « **Reply #7 on:** June 26, 2010, 10:42:46 am »

Quote from: alemaxx on June 26, 2010, 09:50:58 am

A good idea to get one, did you order one of these FT232x boards?

Yep, ordered a "Breakout Board for FT232RL USB to Serial", still waiting for it to arrive though. Think I need to chase up the reseller.

jusme · « **Reply #8 on:** June 27, 2010, 06:27:51 pm »

i agree with gibberish on that buy dingoo does everything that you need and see if the talented people out there can get things done on letcool because at moment the letcool is far behind the dingoo in what it does but maybe one day???

renejr902 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 27, 2010, 02:51:24 am »

im interested to read more about that topic. is it the only topic about linux for the Letcool ? any update about that ?
thanks for answer

note: 2.8'' screen size is too small. prefer the 3.5'' of Letcool

Swift_Hawk · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2010, 03:28:33 am »

I feel like I'm kicking a dead dog but is there any more info on this?

Note, I'm no expert on the matter or programmer, but I'm assuming the problem is trying to find out what driver do what. If I understand correctly,which I may not, the Letcool boots from Redboot (Which is open-source) so wouldn't the image file be dumpable and violia! NAND files/folders?

Again, I'm assuming that NAND programming is like some sort of OS or is it more comparable to BiOS programming which is a horse of a different color?

1wiierdguy · « **Reply #11 on:** November 18, 2010, 02:15:14 am »

This is a response from booboo on the Dingux site about Linux on Letcool.

"No way. The device is cool, but there is no information at all on the SPMP8000 SoC, and reverse engineering all the peripheals is not an option.

Remember: with the A320 I started with a working linux port for the JZ4732, and just had to reverse engineer GPIO, some LCD stuff and little more. There were also tools to upload code via USB. Ingenic did already support linux, and later they even released datasheets and programmer's manual for the JZ4732 (it sucked a bit, but was quite complete).

So, unless we get somehing to start with, either the source code of the firmware or (better yet) the full datasheet and programmer's manual of the SPMP8000 I wouldn't even remotely hope to have linux running on it anytime."

There have been no further updates for the .bin format either since the doom and quake ports.
Is that a fat lady I hear singing for the Letcool.

alemaxx · « **Reply #12 on:** November 23, 2010, 08:24:12 pm »

Not really linux related, but I managed to write a tiny tool to upload code while in ROM boot mode (when you hold down some special key while plugging a usb cable into a turned off device). Code can be obtained from here: http://alemaxx.al.funpic.de/spmp8000/romboy.tar.bz2. It uses libusb and is similar to "frmorp" except that it fits another purpose.
If you dont own a serial adapter the only thing you can probably do with this tiny program is to resume normal booting from flash via the "-b" switch.

sunnap · « **Reply #13 on:** May 22, 2011, 05:42:48 pm »

For anyone still interested: I have just started a new linux port attempt, as a Google Summer of Code project.
See details and future updates here: http://sunnap.blogspot.com

pcercuei · « **Reply #14 on:** May 22, 2011, 07:52:11 pm »

Summer of Code, really? For which organization?

Don't hesitate to come on Freenode/#dingoonity, some kernel gurus are lying there.

MValim · « **Reply #15 on:** May 23, 2011, 05:53:35 pm »

Am i really reading this, you are trying to make a linux por for letcool?
WOW man, this is awesome!
If i can support you in something please tell me.
And keep up the good work!

booboo · « **Reply #16 on:** May 25, 2011, 03:07:16 pm »

Quote from: sunnap on May 22, 2011, 05:42:48 pm

For anyone still interested: I have just started a new linux port attempt, as a Google Summer of Code project.
See details and future updates here: http://sunnap.blogspot.com

Have you got any docs or reference code for the SPMP8000?.

Meneer Jansen · « **Reply #17 on:** May 25, 2011, 04:05:10 pm »

Wow. Booboo is here! Any luck yet in porting Dingux/Linux to any of the new batch of Chinese handheld gaming devices? Are you still actively working on it?

SilverhawkBR · « **Reply #18 on:** May 25, 2011, 07:08:49 pm »

Quote from: Meneer Jansen on May 25, 2011, 04:05:10 pm

Wow. Booboo is here! Any luck yet in porting Dingux/Linux to any of the new batch of Chinese handheld gaming devices? Are you still actively working on it?

Yea, at least answer us before disapearing in the dark depts of stuff-coding, please

booboo · « **Reply #19 on:** May 27, 2011, 11:56:00 am »

Quote from: Meneer Jansen on May 25, 2011, 04:05:10 pm

Wow. Booboo is here! Any luck yet in porting Dingux/Linux to any of the new batch of Chinese handheld gaming devices? Are you still actively working on it?

Currently doing some specific work on a JZ4755 based device. While the kernel would be specific to that SoC, the rootfs is getting a nice deal of improvements too, from which the A320 and other older machines should benefit too. As soon as I'm done with this I'll probably update the A320 work, hopefully give another shot to the x760+ (yes, I'm that stubborn and got a logic analyzer for my birthday!), and see if I can progress with the CC1800 too, but that one is though because absolutely all has to be done from scratch based on uncommented (and possibly buggy) code. No docs.

Author Topic: Linux on the LetCool Gamestation? (Read 28247 times)

Meneer Jansen (OP)

darfgarf

davdud101

Meneer Jansen (OP)

jusme

renejr902

Swift_Hawk

sunnap

Meneer Jansen (OP)