Font, ScreenSaver & USBNetwork Hacks for Kindle 2.x, 3.x & 4.x

[NiLuJe]

@JohnsonZA: Check your logs, and check your config, the new user input sanitization code might have switched one of the settings to default. I've had pretty weird things happen when booting the Kindle with the USB cord plugged, so you might want to avoid doing that, too . (What version did you update from, and what FW version are your running?)

@rogerinnyc: A factory reset doesn't remove the jailbreak, anyway .
As for a file explorer, like adq said in the kif thread, it's not (easily) doable with the default KDK, so, not that easy, no. (And completely out of my skillset either way, KDK or standalone app). But, hey, you could always use midnight commander over SSH

@pxwu: The image *doesn't* change while sleeping, even with a vanilla Kindle. It's one image per sleep cycle. As for the timing issue, you might want to check the format & size of your images (exact size of the screen, PNG, greyscale, pre-dithered down to 16 shades of gray will work best, and be the fastest to load).

@Vandy: Everything here (except for the usbnet hack) should be pretty safe. On the K3, you might want to avoid the fonts hack if you're not sure, that's the only one that *might* be a little unpredictable. As for the warranty, it's a bit muddy, but they've publicly said some time ago that they didn't really object to (at least) the ss/fonts hack, but YMMV.

[valex]

I have usbNetwork 0.24 and 3.0.2 fw. I only use ssh over wifi. Should I upgrade the usbNetwork to 0.27 first and then install 3.0.3? Do I need to uninstall 0.24 before upgrading?
Thanks

[NiLuJe]

@valex: You'll either have to update usbnet now, or update usbnet after the 3.0.3 update, because it'll kill the /test dir needed for the usbnet hack, and the only version that makes sure that it's still there at boot is >=0.27.N.

(Technically, it'll only kill the ~usbNetwork pivate command, so if you're using ssh only + wifi + autoboot, you won't see a thing, until the day you try to kill sshd via ~usbNetwork )

[babyd]

when I asked Amazon about the warranty status with the new hacks, they told me that I was voiding my Terms of Service and so the warranty would be affected too. I am hoping they change their mind soon and announce as they did with the older hacks that its okay.

[Pushka]

Well, I had to return a defective K3 a couple of weeks ago and the hacks were not even mentioned.

[Stonecold]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Since it didn't seem to be clear for everyone where to find the updated hacks for the 2.5.x updates (at the time), I took it upon myself to make this (hopefully) clean & clear post about it! (And a bit long, I know... Sorry )

First things first, a huge thanks to the original creators/updaters of these hacks, all the people who, at some point, worked on these hacks, and some of the pioneers! In no particular order:

• clarknova for the first 2.5.x jailbreak & screensavers hacks
• porkupan for one of the first bind mount based fonts hack
• kukyakya for the usb watchdog & update-safe tweaks
• jyavenard for the packager
• tedsan & blogkindle for their fonts hack
• igorsk, ebs & Jesse Vincent for all they did to make this possible!

<snip - lengthy quote edited by moderation>

What does the "Kindle dummy" hack do?

[babyd]

I doubt they would ask, but I was just answering a question someone posed, and as I had asked Amazon about this I thought best to say what I was told. If they ever take action on this is very doubtful, but you should at least know about the 'official' line on it. Im not sure if they will check returns now, looking for the evidence of it, way too time consuming probably, so it will likely be fine to use the ss hack I just wish they would acknowledge it as they did with the first ss hack and allow it but not support it. These hacks have been carefully done by skilled people who know what they are doing, so at least say its okay to use it........

[bartveld]

I propose we all raise our glass tonight to NiLuJe, not only for the nice hacks he put together, but also for his patience in answering all our questions and requests!

[Pushka]

Stonecold, could you maybe edit your quote

[NiLuJe]

@Stonecold: Yep, please edit the quote.

The dummy hack, is, as it says right on the cover, a dummy test custom update file, which was used during debugging of the hack. (ie. basically it logs the state of the Kindle during the update process to make sure the hack have been properly shut down).

[Jeton]

Originally Posted by Pushka

Stonecold, could you maybe edit your quote

I agree.

[Rinzwind]

Originally Posted by bartveld

I propose we all raise our glass tonight to NiLuJe, not only for the nice hacks he put together, but also for his patience in answering all our questions and requests!

I just did! I got my usbhack installed with a 10 step guide where step 8,9 and 10 are windows based and I figured out steps 8 and more I needed because I use Ubuntu and it worked w/o a single hitch *O*

NiLuJe you rock hard!!

And I agree; please remove the quote, Stonecold.

[clotilde]

Thanks a lot NiLuJe for sharing all of this.

I've just jailbroken my Kindle 3 Wifi and installed the screensaver hack, but I can't get it to work and I'm hoping someone can help.

Here's the deal: the default you_can_delete_me.png screensaver displays without any problem, so I take it this means the hack is successfully installed, but none of my other screensaver images display, and if I remove the default screensaver image, then the screen goes blank when the device is sleeping (though even that is better than the spooky dead writer portraits).

The images I'm trying to use are .png 8-bit greyscale 600x800px images that I've edited with Photoshop.

I've also tried using the Halloween set I found on Booksprung and can't get those to work either.

Is there anything specific about the image files, perhaps the format or size, that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance, I'll be grateful for any insight you can share!

Clotilde.

[Rinzwind]

Mine works (and I installed the screensaver hack an hour ago).

I currently have this image as a screensaver:

http://www.kawapaper.com/d/3177-3/Ka...1_1024x768.jpg

Try and use that image w/o altering it. If it does not work something is wrong with the install. If that does work your images are not correct (probably size?).
This might help with finding the cause of the problem

[NiLuJe]

@clotilde: Greyscale PNG should be fine. I usually dither them down to 16 shades of gray, but then save them in grayscale. Just don't forget you'll have to restart the framework/device for new images to be taken into account.