PhoenixA20 with ARCH linux

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PhoenixA20 with ARCH linux

Postby PLyttle » Thu May 22, 2014 5:50 pm

Hi all

studying the schematics I have to conclude that the PhoenixA20 is very similar to the Cubieboard-2, with extras from Cubieboard 3. These extras include Wifi-Bluetooth from the ap6210 combo, a VGA display and a camera connector.

To install ARCH, you need: you follow the procedure for cubieboard-2, but before you boot you need to replace the /boot/script.bin with the one for PhoenixA20

find the fex file here: https://github.com/qubir/phoenixA20_lin ... PhoenixA20

compile the sunxi-tools on your host computer (you ARE running linux right?) like so:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'git clone https://github.com/amery/sunxi-tools
cd sunxi-tools
make
')

then fex2bin sys_config.fex > script.bin

and put this file in /boot/ of the SD-card.

Now boot the Phoenix board, preferably with the debug interface connected. DO NOT CONNECT THE RED VCC WIRE! otherwise the board will try to draw all the power from the FTDI chip.

Ethernet works out of the box. so you can ssh into the board if you know the assigned IP address.

to make sata and hdmi work you need to enable these interfaces in the fex file

find and correct these lines:
mali_used =0
hdmi_used = 0
sata_used = 0

to:
mali_used = 1
hdmi_used = 1
sata_used = 1

and:
sprite_gpio0 = port:PH20<1><default><default><0>
sprite_work_delay = 500
sprite_err_delay = 200

to:
sprite_gpio0 =

You can off course do that during the earlier preparation of the SD card.

recompile the .fex file to script.bin and reboot

there is enough said already about setting the right video modes in uEnv.txt

To make Wifi and Bluetooth work, you follow the procedure for cubietruck as laid out in earlier threads on this board.

take care when you upgrade the uboot-cubieboard-2 package, as it will overwrite the script.bin file. Store a copy somewhere safe.

You now have the board up and running with ARCH

As a side note: I came upon this board, because in my neck of the woods it is cheaper than any cubie or beagle product, while it nudges the higher end of the line. 1Gb DDR, 4GB NAND SATA, RTC, WIFI and Bluetooth.
on the down side is 100Mb ethernet and audio available only on the extension bus (and HDMI off course)
The board is not wired for battery power. The specs say so, but in the schematics the battery support on the PMIC is not connected. A button cell for the RTC is not available, you need to solder one in yourself
A wireless antenna is not fitted. the board works a limited range without one. An external antenna is included, but needs to be soldered on.

All in all a nice product for little money, while, although not formally supported, very ARCHable

success LP
PLyttle
 
Posts: 120
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:52 am

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