PW3 Kindle Paperwhite 3 Schematics and Mainline u-boot/Linux

bdm310 · 08-10-2020, 02:41 PM

Hello!

I find it unacceptable that mainline Linux distributions don't run on any easily obtainable e-ink devices. I decided to be the change I wanted to see in the world and got myself a 10th gen Paperwhite 3.

I'll be collecting information and documentation here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...gk?usp=sharing

(Install GIMP and download the .xcf, you won't be disappointed.

I currently have mainline u-boot booting Fedora ARM up to a functional serial console. The only working hardware so far is eMMC, serial, CPU, and memory. I'll post links to git repositories when I have some minutes to clean them up.

I'll also use this thread to put any interesting tidbits I learn as I go in the hopes that it'll be useful to others.

bdm310 · 08-10-2020, 06:04 PM

I had intended for this to live in the Developer's Corner, if a mod can move it there it's probably more appropriate.

Here's my u-boot repository with some useful branches: https://github.com/bdm310/u-boot-war...e/amazon-wario

bdm310 · 03-17-2021, 01:21 AM

The PW3 uses a AR6803G wifi chip. This seems (so far) to be an AR6003 in a QFN package for some reason. In any case, with the right SDIO stuff in the device tree and an OS that has ath6kl built in, wifi is brought up on boot.

ath6kl needs some board specific configuration data in the form of a bdata.bin file in (on Fedora, at least) /lib/firmware/ath6k/AR6003/hw2.1.1/ . Without this connectivity didn't seem to work well even though it would associate and pull and IP.

There's some reference design config files in there by default, "bdata.SD32.bin" is identical to a bdata.bin pulled from my stock partition images. Copying or linking "bdata.SD32.bin" to "bdata.bin" should result in functional wifi. Unfortunately the default fallback for ath6kl is bdata.SD31.bin, thus the need for some manual steps.

NiMa · 04-03-2021, 09:04 AM

Hi, thanks for your work on this. I own a PW3 myself and I already installed some Linux distros on my Kobos (Debian, Alpine) that work well. I'll follow this closely, and I hope to get myself a serial to usb adapter for 1.8V soon...!

BTW, do you know if 3.3V could fry the Kindle? Because I've got a Raspberry Pi which works really well with the Kobo's serial ports, but it's only 3.3V.

eddie.t.h · 04-04-2021, 04:04 AM

I've been using the 3.3v adapter for years on probably all Kindle models, and I've never had any problems with it.

NiMa · 04-04-2021, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddie.t.h

I've been using the 3.3v adapter for years on probably all Kindle models, and I've never had any problems with it.

Oh nice. If it's not dangerous, then I might open up my pw3 and tinker with it

buyifan43 · 04-09-2021, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiMa

Oh nice. If it's not dangerous, then I might open up my pw3 and tinker with it

Please be careful that if you connected vcc to somewhere and power it, you will surely frie your device, but it is safe to use battery and only connect Tx Rx and GND (tried with a 5V adapter on a KT2 and it worked just fine)

NiMa · 04-10-2021, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buyifan43

Please be careful that if you connected vcc to somewhere and power it, you will surely frie your device, but it is safe to use battery and only connect Tx Rx and GND (tried with a 5V adapter on a KT2 and it worked just fine)

For Kobos I usually just connect tx Rx and gnd, so that shouldn't be a problem. When I need power, I plug in the USB cable
Thanks

08-10-2020, 02:41 PM	#1
bdm310 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2020 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3	Kindle Paperwhite 3 Schematics and Mainline u-boot/Linux Hello! I find it unacceptable that mainline Linux distributions don't run on any easily obtainable e-ink devices. I decided to be the change I wanted to see in the world and got myself a 10th gen Paperwhite 3. I'll be collecting information and documentation here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...gk?usp=sharing (Install GIMP and download the .xcf, you won't be disappointed. I currently have mainline u-boot booting Fedora ARM up to a functional serial console. The only working hardware so far is eMMC, serial, CPU, and memory. I'll post links to git repositories when I have some minutes to clean them up. I'll also use this thread to put any interesting tidbits I learn as I go in the hopes that it'll be useful to others.

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08-10-2020, 06:04 PM	#2
bdm310 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2020 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3	I had intended for this to live in the Developer's Corner, if a mod can move it there it's probably more appropriate. Here's my u-boot repository with some useful branches: https://github.com/bdm310/u-boot-war...e/amazon-wario

03-17-2021, 01:21 AM	#3
bdm310 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2020 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3	The PW3 uses a AR6803G wifi chip. This seems (so far) to be an AR6003 in a QFN package for some reason. In any case, with the right SDIO stuff in the device tree and an OS that has ath6kl built in, wifi is brought up on boot. ath6kl needs some board specific configuration data in the form of a bdata.bin file in (on Fedora, at least) /lib/firmware/ath6k/AR6003/hw2.1.1/ . Without this connectivity didn't seem to work well even though it would associate and pull and IP. There's some reference design config files in there by default, "bdata.SD32.bin" is identical to a bdata.bin pulled from my stock partition images. Copying or linking "bdata.SD32.bin" to "bdata.bin" should result in functional wifi. Unfortunately the default fallback for ath6kl is bdata.SD31.bin, thus the need for some manual steps.

04-03-2021, 09:04 AM	#4
NiMa Fanatic Posts: 504 Karma: 2390534 Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Somewhere in the Universe Device: Kobo Libra, Glo HD, Touch C/B, Mini, Glo, Aura SE, Clara HD, KT	Hi, thanks for your work on this. I own a PW3 myself and I already installed some Linux distros on my Kobos (Debian, Alpine) that work well. I'll follow this closely, and I hope to get myself a serial to usb adapter for 1.8V soon...! BTW, do you know if 3.3V could fry the Kindle? Because I've got a Raspberry Pi which works really well with the Kobo's serial ports, but it's only 3.3V.

04-04-2021, 04:04 AM	#5
eddie.t.h Addict Posts: 201 Karma: 123456 Join Date: Jan 2018 Device: Too Much Kindle :-)	I've been using the 3.3v adapter for years on probably all Kindle models, and I've never had any problems with it.

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