Solved, thanks
Continuing the discussion from [S905X3] X96Air_P2/P3 4/32GB 1Gbit Lan (How to config):
Hey Guys, I have installed latest Coreelec -ng nightly build on this box. and front power indicator light/clock doesnt work, so there is no way to find out if box is ON or OFF… is there anything we need to do to make it work?
Appreciate your help !
Have you read the VFD part of the first post? That’s what you need to do to get things working.
Got it… Thank you so much 
I bought a second 4/32 X96 Air, same marketplace, same seller… but this one doesn‘t have a reset button.
Not a huge issue but I suggest everyone getting such a device to install dual boot if you want to copy coreelec to emmc. Without that button the original Android is a fail safe if something ever goes wrong.
Regardless that issue, the box works as fine as the first one.
Edit: After looking again, this box too has a reset button but it is slightly unaligned with the hole in the back, so my toothpick didn‘t hir anything. So just ignore my post 
Has anyone have any success configuring a Harmony remote to work with the X96Air? I tried adding it as Mecool KIII Pro, but that didn’t work.
I programmed all commands by hand, using the IR learn function of my Harmony One. Took me a lot of time while the result isn’t too good either…
The remote works but commands are sent way too slow. This can’t be corrected using the Myharmony software.
In the end I decided to use my android phone with Yatze to remotely operate my X96 air.
I can’t remember exactly. But you select Mecool KIII pro from the Harmony database. Note this is for IR 650, 600 etc NOT bluetooth.
You then copy the Meson version of the Mecool KIII files to the correct locations in the X96 OR the meson version of the X96 (sorry can’t remember)
You can also select Pivos XDIOS? from the harmony database & use the conf files See attachment X96 Max Harmony conf.zip (3.7 KB)
Note Pivos has pretty much the same buttons as the Mecool, ie play pause stop
Thanks bubblegum57, I got it working. Here’s what I did. The Mecool KIII pro didn’t work for me (I tried both Meson versions you mentioned). So I went the Pivos route. Incidentally, the correct device name to add is Pivos Xios XS. After adding that from the Harmony database, I simply added the X96 Max Harmony conf file you attached to the .config directory and rebooted and everything is working.
This really caught my eye now as a cheap intermediate solution for my “home cinema” with a ViewSonic PX747-4K projector and a Logitech Z906 (AC3/DTS by SPDIF) sound system, so I have just ordered a X96 Air with 4 GB RAM / 64 GB eMMC.
Maybe someone please can answer the following questions (even if they should have already asked before):
- What’s really behind the different P versions?
- Installing CE for dual boot with Android is as easy as running “ceemmc -x”?
- What’s the procedure to replace Android with CE on the eMMC and is there a way back to reinstalling Android if the need should be?
- Is it CoreELEC-Amlogic-ng.arm-9.2-nightly_20200921-Generic.img.gz that has to be used?
- Is the included remote any good and fully functional, or is it worth it to get a WeChip G20, G30 or Air Mouse MX3?
- Is the SPDIF output working with CE for AC3/DTC passthrough?
- Under which circumstances would it be recommended or necessary to add venting holes and an additional fan, as can be seen in some pictures in this thread? Is stock cooling really that bad?
This will be my first dedicated Kodi box after having tested LibreELEC Nightly (Matrix) using my laptop, so this is quite exciting.
Any further hints are welcome.
Extra cooling is definitely of benefit but not that difficult to add. Without it the chip is liable to throttle especially if running performance governor.
Shoog
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I’ll try to answer
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It is quite normal for these Chinese boxes to go through revisions. Sometimes only minor changes like with the X96 Air, sometimes it is downright fraud, i.e. using a different, slower SoC
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It is as easy as that. Connect to the box via SSH and use the ceemmc -x command and follow instructions
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The same as 2)…, you are offered multiple install options when using ceemmc. It should be possible to restore Android using the Amlogic Burning Tool for Windows if there is the stock Android for download. But to be honest, the stock Android is just terrible (just my opinion)
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Yes. You use either the latest nightly or the latest stable ng generic.
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I didn’t use the remote but I did install the config file to make it usuable in Kodi and it worked well on those 20 seconds I tested it.
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Didn‘t test it but the option for optical audio does pop up when activating passthrough. Actually it is even the default option when activating passthrough. Again, I didn‘t test it but I feel confident that it should work because the build does recognise optical out.
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Personally I think the cooling on the Box is pretty good. It is way better than my old Vero 4k. It idles at 50C and does not top 65-70C in 4K playback. Anything below 85C is unproblematic, so it should be good even during the summer months.
I suggest you use the Dual Boot option in ceemmc. With 64GB of internal storage you have way more than enough.
Use a toothpick in the whole on the backside until you feel the reset button click while powering on the box and the CE image burned on sd card and in the sd card slot. Box will boot into CE (and reboot one time as far as I remember). Once it is loaded into CE from sd card, you SSH the box (root / coreelec) and use ceemmc -x. After that you are done.
Did it two times, first time replacing Android completely, second box dual boot and everything worked perfectly.
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Just to clarify - throttling kicks in at 70c on this chip and with performance governor its easy to see it throttling constantly. This may not be the case with on demand.
Shoog
Yes. But I think most people buy cheap boxes with the S905X3 for common 4k/1080p playback that the SoC handles easily thermo throttling or not. Anyone with the need for a lot of raw power for e.g. software decoding and maximum cooling probably goes for Odroid N2.
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Running performance governor brings a noticeable improvement in performance which is of worth accessing in my opinion. Thermal throttling is there to protect the chip from thermal stress which will reduce long term reliability. There is literally no effective heat sinking in this box - but its a simple matter to add a bigger heatsink and more airflow holes to remedy this design flaw.
I have an N2 which I use on my bedroom TV, I have a x96air which I have on my main living room TV. There is almost no practical difference in performance when running CE.
Shoog
Adding a bigger heatsink is indeed not a big issue if you are concerned. But I had boxes with far worse temps in the past and none died on me. I used a Vero 4k for nearly 4 years and temps went past 80C during playback regulary and Sam from osmc said that this is no problem at all for the SoC.
Well, I couldn’t resist and just purchased a second X96 Air with 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC even though the first unit hasn’t arrived yet, but the current special at geekbuying made it possible for me to get that one for just US $46.10 including shipping from Germany (which is US $2.60 less than what I paid on AliExpress for the first unit).
I’ve also ordered two WeChip G30 Air Mouse on AliExpress, the first one for US $8.49 and the second one for just US $6.49, both with free shipping from China. I’d say that’s quite satisfying. 
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I just purchased on on ebay.
I cant get it to boot up using the any of the s905X3 DTB images.
Get this error
*** Error in mount_storage: mount_common: Could not mount LABEL=COREELEC ***
However if i use a S905X2 DTB it does boot into CE.
It is definitely a X96 Air P2.
Anyone had the same issue?
I don’t have the same box, but my Tictid TX6 Plus gave me the same message if booting off of SD card.
Now I boot via SD card reader through USB port and it works.
Can anyone confirm that the stock firmware from the Yandex Disk mentioned in the original post is the most recent one?
Can anyone recommend a custom (Android) firmware for this box?
I think I’m going to dual boot because there are some things (like Zoom) that I want to try and that are only available for Android.