Fiio M3k

[speachy]

Good news:  The code is finally cleaned up to the point where the m3k binary and bootloader compile cleanly, and it's only a few to-dos away from being ready to merge:

   https://gerrit.rockbox.org/r/#/c/2804/

The bad news is that this code remains completely untested.  We do not yet have the technical ability to generate the patched firmware update image that is necessary to install our bootloader/launcher.  Figuring that out (in a way that can be scripted) is next.

[Thew]

I’d just like to add my appreciation of your efforts. I have two M3Ks, one of which I’ve Rockboxed with Xvortex’s first version. I particular enjoy creating my own custom User Interface and the initial promise of Rockbox on the M3K is very good. If things work out OK perhaps I’ll end with Rockbox on both my players.

[speachy]

The port code has landed in the main rockbox repo, and builds are now being generated by the build farm.

Again, this can *not* be deployed on top of an existing xVortex port.  Please do not attempt to do so.

I have not started to work on inserting our loader/launcher into an existing (stock) firmware image.  I do not know how long that will take.

[fossphile]

yay! brill news. looking forward to installing it on my m3k 

[fossphile]

With regards to the seek problem, I found and fixed the underlying problem in the vortex code dump -- it was a "Fix" for the LCD not getting shut off properly, but it had some nasty side effects on all of the hosted targets too.

the m3k-specific stuff is close to being mergeable but we need to be able to patch a new bootloader/launcher into the m3k flash image before it'll be of any use to anyone.

YAY!!!!  that bug has been so annoying!

[fossphile]

I think “fossphile” is referring to the fact that the two screen buttons for track skipping forward and back don’t work in “vortex's” second Rockbox version. They also don’t work for continuous fast-forward and rewind. They both work correctly in “vortex’s” first Rockbox download.

it was fast forward/backward. i was annoyed at the compromise of losing skip back/forth in order to tap to skip x sec instead of hold down for fast forward/rewind.
Thank you for mentioning my woe. 

[diegopau]

This is great news! quite exciting, I am using the M3K heavily and it is great device even with the existing firmware limitations. Thank you speachy for working on this.

Some suggestions that I already posted in a different thread. I know it is too early, I just wanted to leave them documented since this is where the development is being reported.

- While playing any audio file, in the "While Playing" screen, there are no actions assigned to the touchpad (scrolling up / down), I think it would be a great feature to control the volumen up/down there by swipping up/down the touchpad button. That way we don't need to use the hardware buttons to control volume as long as we are seeing that screen.  even better if it is customizable, some people might prefer brightness up/down, right now there is no action assigned to scroll up/down the touchpad during playback.
- It would be good to remove the problem that efqw explained about how the firmware is constantly logging to a file and maybe wearing out the NAND.
- Is it possible to setup the M3K so it just starts directly to Rockbox without any countdown and just with a single click on the power button (instead of long press)? that's how the clip zip is setup by default: quick click to power button runs Rockbox, power button + volume down button runs Sansa firmware. This makes it quick to turn it on and it is also more gentle on the power button, it will last longer.
- Currently there doesn't seem to be a way to stop the playback, the playback can be paused, but not stopped. I think this is important for the power saving options. So if for example in the clip zip I used to be able to tap in a button that will create a bookmark and stop the playback, and if there is a automated power off setting for 5 minutes of standby, then in 5 minutes the device is off. In the M3K if I am listening to an audiobook and I can only pause the playback and then the automatic stand by power off setting is never triggered.
- It is currently a bit difficult to reach the screen that allows you to select the playback speed, i use it to slowdown a bit audiobooks. I mean this one https://www.dropbox.com/s/jnl5ddplhm6w0p7/IMG_20191112_203959.jpg?dl=0, in the clip zip I accessed it by long pressing the pause/play button, I can't find any button that takes me there in the Fiio M3K, but I did see that there is a way to access it by navigating quite a bit.


Issues that I had
- I have a big file (a long audiobook) that plays perfectly on the Sansa Clip Zip with Rockbox, and also in the Fiio M3K when using Fiio firmware. It doesn't however play when using Rockbox in Fiio M3K, it doesn't do anything. Are there any logs that I can attach? where can I find them? The file properties can be seen here https://www.dropbox.com/s/rh5u0227297uf3q/SMPlayer%20-%20File%20properties%202019-11-12%2020.38.28.png?dl=0, I can share it with you in private if that helps.
- The problems with transferring files through USB, in general this doesn't seem to work. Not a big deal to me, I just transfer them directly to the sd card.

[speachy]

Some suggestions that I already posted in a different thread. I know it is too early, I just wanted to leave them documented since this is where the development is being reported.

It is _far_ too early to talk about feature/bugrequests, especially versus an unofficial build/fork.

I can only promise you that when the "official" binaries are finally installable, they will present a different set of bugs than what you're used to.

[fossphile]

I can only promise you that when the "official" binaries are finally installable, they will present a different set of bugs than what you're used to.

Sounds like a improvement

[bahus]

Would be cool to have option to replace volume buttons with next/prev actions and move volume control to touch slider (so making control very similar to iriver h10). I believe it would make it conveniently controlled from the pocket.

[alexs]

This package generation mechanism already exists, but it relies on tooling that is Linux-specific (and also requires superuser permissions).  That said, once a suitably-patched package is generated, we can use that to generate binary patches that can be distributed from download.rockbox.org and automagically applied using rbutil.

No idea what's the current status here, so just in case, I think I have a way (or one more way) of installing pretty much anything on this device now. There's nothing really Linux-specific about it, but it does involve a valid original M3K.fw. It is however very easy to patch out once discovered, assuming anyone at FiiO cares.

This comes as a suprise; none of the other hiby-based players I've seen require signed firmware images.

Shanling M0 uses the same kind of signed update packages. With the same exact public key for signature checks.

1. The main player application is aggressively logging to /data/userfs/app.log.

A bit of trivia. Navigate to Settings -> About, and press the pause button TWELVE times. The player will copy app.log to the SD card, along with the kernel log. If there's a file named "fiio_linux_app_debug_cmd" in the root directory of the SD card, it will also attempt to capture and copy core dumps of the player application.

[speachy]

Shanling M0 uses the same kind of signed update packages. With the same exact public key for signature checks.

In other words, it's probably the default Ingenic signing key, probably hiding somewhere in the bowels of their SDK sources...

[whiskerc]

Just checked in and discovered that progress is being made on the M3K port.  This is excellent news.  Thank you!

When it comes to the point where you are looking for testers, I would be more than happy to help in any way possible.   I have an M3K currently running xvortex M3K_v1.4.3_e99db03-191013.

[bahus]

when the "official" binaries are finally installable, they will present a different set of bugs than what you're used to.

Why there is no daily builds for this target?
I got that's it's not automatically installable - but isn't it the case for other targets like Xuelin?

I think I have a way (or one more way) of installing pretty much anything on this device now. There's nothing really Linux-specific about it, but it does involve a valid original M3K.fw. It is however very easy to patch out once discovered, assuming anyone at FiiO cares.

If I understand correctly there is some way that can be used for manual installation.
So daily builds might be useful if alexs shares his manual installation method..

[saratoga]

https://build.rockbox.org/data/rockbox-fiiom3k.zip