buy cheap, buy twice.
2 Likes
Since your G1 boots from SD/USB it is not locked, if it was it would boot immediately into Recovery Screen. So you must be doing something wrong…
Use good quality 32 GB SD Card or USB, and make sure that your dtb.img does not have any addition like dtb.img.txt. You can also put dovi.ko.
Btw, you can boot into Android without any worries now that mandatory update is stopped and replaced with voluntary System update. First it will need Google account, but after that it’s like any other Android box. Install apps that you need, (X-Plore is a mast) and then install “Reboot to Coreelec.5.0” With this app choose “First Boot” and it should initialize CE installation from SD Card or USB stick.
I was able to boot with an NE image using the X4 dtb. Obviously no P7FEL here so I will go back to NG and try the suggestions.
Thank you all.
i did that yes.
You mean I should have bought 2 G1 boxes instead of one?
Don’t see why since my one works OK, it does perfectly everything I expected it to do, no more no less. For coins invested a good deal…
3 Likes
maybe your G1 is a batch without ethernet chip inside, resulting in dtb 1g not booting
like here .
My updated G1 will boot to the “Make your life colorful” screen and freezes too, I don’t think that means it is booting from SD.
I tried the X4 and kinhank dtbs (renamed to dtb.img) with ng from 16th september. It just doesn’t boot.
Switch to NE (from the 16th), it boots does the setup then I can use CE.
I am puzzled.
I guess i could check this under NE with SSH, right ? This way I don’t need to disassemble the box
Post your dmesg log coreelec:debuglogs [CoreELEC Wiki]
under Android it does get IP and does FDX (100 Mbit/sec).Under NE no IP.
I confirmed in the about box that Firmware version is 11.1.4.
If I remove the dtb altogether (no DTB at all) and add DOVI.ko, will I be able to watch DV movies locally at least ? (USB connected HDD).
just tried and it’s in a boot loop
That looks like mine but it’s puzzling how it can boot from an NE image without issues (no Ethernet in NE though but that could be an actually missing chip as suggested by @hungphutho
I convinced my friend to send it back so this is the end of it. Hopefully he will know better and buy the homatics box.
Thanks everyone for your insights.
Removed by author
Looks like returned box
Has no ethernet transceiver chip likely
NE is the correct kernel to use and the dtb file is mandatory for CE to boot / function. Is the reason for you choosing the NG kernel because you require FEL?
Do you really need to say things like this 
. Some people do not have much too spend and get what they can afford at the time.
i am in that situation. Mine works ok. I used sd card and reset button option.
4 Likes
until it’s working almost 100% of the time like yours, buying this as sunseeker2k5 friend did meant he has lost some funds, so you end up paying more in terms of time invested, frustration and financial loss.
Until then I would not recommend a box for a lottery. and most importantly I rather save up and pay more knowing that CoreElec are fully supporting the box and will have nice updates in future. currently as things stand, CoreElec don’t want anything to do with a locked bootloader and different hardware revisions on a box. The next one up isn’t so much more money, it costs like an extra $30, what’s that spread over 5 years of owning a box?
I like this box, but they need to fix bootloader and they need to have one hardware for everyone
No, models without ethernet chip only get 100Mbits ethernet speed, same as in Android. Models with ethernet chip get full 1000Mbits in CE.
Good you got rid of it, as it was for you too big riddle to solve.
You referring to the X96 X10?
I was going of this list
also it has the same number one spot as the list in kodi forums
https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=376035
the box I was referring to is the
Homatics Box R 4k Plus
someone said at the big sales in aliexpress they go for $80 tax included, so you literally are paying only $20 - $25 more than this KinHank G1
I love a bargain but if I had to put my own money down , I would not consider the G1 currently.
but
I’m hearing the X96 X10 has the faster SOC that can do everything Homatics Box R 4k Plus can do, the CoreElec team are actually working to get everything working so it seems the X96 X10 will be the more future proof, it cost more than the Homatics Box R 4k Plus
which is why I said the Homatics Box R 4k Plus is the next one up for $30 more.
The x96 x10 is probably another $20 more.
But from what I learnt buying the Odroid N2+ 5 years ago, I would go for the best box with the most future proof. I can sell my Odroid for like 90% of the value I paid for it 5 years down the line. Good high end boxes that cost good money retain their price longer. I’m not interested in troubleshooting for days to get a box working anymore.
Get the Homatics Box R 4k Plus from aliexpress in the next big sale for around $80 or wait for the x96 x10 to get all the features the Homatics box has then it’s a no brainer in my book, the x96 will last 5 years+
1 Like