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PlayThing 0.1.0-beta.2

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@tatujan tatujan released this 18 Oct 04:22
· 7 commits to main since this release
v0.1.0-beta.2
2568c21

Beta. I tested it on one Car Thing only (S905D2, 512 MiB RAM, ST7701S panel). Known issues: docs/known-issues.md. Use it at your own risk: read the warning in the README.

New in 0.1.0-beta.2

  • The flash tool now works on Car Things with the newer Spotify U-Boot (with fip_a/fip_b in the partition table). Version 0.1.0-beta stopped on them with "STOPPED: the partition table is still the superbird-tool one". If that happened to you: keep your backups/ folder, hold preset 4 while you connect the Car Thing directly, and run python3 flash.py install from this version. The tool asks for one more connection with preset 4, checks the partition table, and then writes the image.
  • The tool writes only when the partition table of the Car Thing's own U-Boot has system_b where the tool writes. It detects the unplug by USB presence, and python3 flash.py check shows the full partition table.
  • The images are the same as in 0.1.0-beta.

Android 9 on the Spotify Car Thing as a wired Apple CarPlay receiver, with DiPlay.

What you need

  • A Spotify Car Thing whose stock software runs from slot A
  • A USB-C hub with Power Delivery input and USB-A ports (tested: Anker 6-in-1), and a PD charger
  • A USB-C cable, and a Mac or a Linux computer with Python 3.8 or later, git, and libusb (macOS: brew install libusb). Windows is not supported.

First install

  1. Download plaything-0.1.0-beta.2.zip below, unzip it, and open a terminal in the folder plaything-0.1.0-beta.2.
  2. Disconnect the Car Thing. Hold presets 1 and 4 (the left and right ends of the top row), connect it directly to the computer, and release after about 3 seconds.
  3. Run python3 flash.py install, and push Enter at each question. The tool backs up the full eMMC first (about 6 minutes; keep the backups/ folder), and it tells you when to connect again with preset 4.
  4. When the tool says DONE, connect the Car Thing to the hub with the charger. PlayThing starts in about 1 minute.

If PlayThing or superbird-android is already installed: hold preset 4 while you connect, then run python3 flash.py install. On a Car Thing with the newer Spotify U-Boot, the tool asks for one more connection with preset 4.

Hold preset 1 while you connect to start the stock software at any time. The README in the folder has all the steps, the buttons, and what to do if something goes wrong.

In the zip

File Content
system.raw.xz, boot-area.img, manifest.json The image, with placeholders
flash.py, blobs.py The flash tool. It downloads the Mali GPU driver, the video decoder firmware, and DiPlay 0.2.20 from their public sources, and checks their SHA-256.
kernel-source.tar.xz, aosp-gpl-source.tar.xz The source code of the GPL and LGPL parts
README.md, SHA256SUMS

SHA-256 of the zip: 34ddff744094a2e6a5bd22ca7c5a640d9fe7db1fca3fe3b088e567a9d0838d3b
SHA-256 of the finished image (after the tool adds the downloaded files): 283ed927abe91ea458a28106f57bb88d2c3a9a0d71873b6856976e62ef2e1cd6

Thanks to DiPlay by shihabal3amri, which does the CarPlay work.

Assets 3
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