A95X F3 Air - did i buy the wrong box?

[iz3m4n]

New to Amerlogic boxes I read a lot and thought all that would matter was the SOC so I looked for a a905x3 and, as the Tanix FX3 is on backlog, I ordered the A95X F3 Air Amlogic S905x3 Android 9.0 8K Video Decode TV Box RGB Light 4GB/32GB 2.4G+5G MIMO WiFi Bluetooth.

A95X F3 Air Amlogic S905x3 Android 9 8K Video Decode TV Box 4GB/32GB

And now, that I looked for an install procedure it looks like it‘s not the best box to get with locked bootloader. Did i get the wrong one?
I‘m overwhelmed with all those slightly different boxes and versions.

Thanks!

[freddy]

A95X F3 Air Feedback Install CE

I’ve just bought this A95x F3 with 4Gb RAM & 32Gb ROM does anyone know which device tree would suit this box. I’ve looked at all the devices listed but only see the Nexbox A95 X3 in a couple of instances but not for this F3 model with4Gb RAM? Any help would very much appreciated as I’m running another 2 boxes on CoreElec entirely satisfactorily and hate Android!

[iz3m4n]

Sorry. What exactly do you want to tell me?
Is this an answer to my post? Or a general statement? Thanks.

[swiggy]

I don’t know anything about that device, but a locked bootloader just means you can’t put it on the emmc.

I would assume you would use the sm1_s905x3_4g_1gbit dtb.

[iz3m4n]

Ok. So locked bootloader just blocks installing to emmc? And it boots and works fine w/o any quirks from sd card? And performance penalties booting from sd card? Or sd card wear issues to expect?

[freddy]

Follow the link
Read the whole Thread

Or at least the condensed version

Happy Testing

[iz3m4n]

There is not a single question answered in this thread. My question are more of a general type it seems. The thread covers install mostly and that is answered already.

[Tim_Taylor]

@iz3m4n

There is not a single question answered in this thread.

You bought a little piece of crap.
Send it back and buy any of the supported devices.
Otherwise You have to live with this cheap thing.

Don´t be afraid about performance penalties booting from sd card, the performance running CE from sd card is no problem.

[iz3m4n]

@Tim_Taylor thanks for the straight & honest words. That what I was expecting having done too little research before buying. Like always you pay your education money
Any recommendations other than a Tanix TX3 (if I don’t want to spend too much money)?
Btw: I bought a BananaPi M5 as well as it was mentioned under supported devices. The A95 was just to see if/how different those two work as the BananaPi is more than double the price and still needs a power supply and remote.

[clarkss12]

Thanks to CoreELEC, I love my HK1 Rbox X4. I am running CE on the internal eMMC. I have many different media players, but I use this one 98% of the time.
The CE devs, always seem to get these low priced devices to perform flawlessly.

[freddy]

Well
Thats unfortunate you did not learn anything from
Thread.
It is a great reference for other’s have allready
Tested your Box.

Some good info about passing cooling

I have A95XF4 S905X4
Next generation after F3

I have removed RGB Light assembly
Which allows heat to escape from Top

Happy Testing

[iz3m4n]

@freddy i appreciate you‘re trying to help but i never asked about cooling?!
I learned from that thread (which led me to open this thread) that the box seems to have a locked bootloader and therefore you can install coreelec to emmc.
But there also have been speculation that newer version may have unlocked bootloaders and some ppl experimented with decrypting parts it.
That’s why I open that thread. And some folks already answered my questions whereas you still insist that I will find my answer in this thread. Which just is not true.
Maybe I should have been more specific with my question but some where just not there when I started asking. I will try to be more precise.

[freddy]

All Good
Iam insisting nothing

The objective was to point you in a direction where you could learn more about your Box

To find answers to your questions?
Does not mean they were in that Thread

Happy Testing

[clarkss12]

I personally do NOT know what you are asking.

I am guessing that you have this particular device and are NOT able to run CE from microSD card??

I seriously doubt that it has a locked bootloader (from my understanding, only the Google Certified Android devices have a locked bootloader). A locked bootloader keeps you from running a different OS from a pen drive or microSD card.

So, my question to you!! Have you tried to run CE from a pen drive or microSC card?? If so, what happened?

[iz3m4n]

No idea why my posts are so misleading.
I have NOT received it yet but want to determine if i will try make it run or return it.
I have never asked for installation support or anything like that. I read the thread which was posted here as well. And THERE was stated that it’s got a locked bootloader and you can not install to emmc.
That was what made me think it may not be the best box to keep.

These have been my latest questions:

„Ok. So locked bootloader just blocks installing to emmc? And it boots and works fine w/o any quirks from sd card? And performance penalties booting from sd card? Or sd card wear issues to expect“

And even in this thread one says it‘s locked, another says he doubts it.
Other questions have been answered.

I will close the thread.
Edit: seems i can’t.

[intelmorino]

For peace of mind.
I have an A95X F3 Air s905x3 4/64G. It runs CE just fine from SD card. I am running CE20 but it was also ok with previous versions. Bluetooth and wifi are ok. There are no issues as far as I am aware.
Bootloader is encrypted. Ceemmc tool cannot be used.