Kindle USB Audio Adapter - Page 6

NiLuJe · 05-18-2016, 01:13 PM

@GM: Yeah, going behind volumd's back is bound to break some stuff (cf. a few of the comments & commit messages for the USBNet script).

geekmaster · 05-18-2016, 01:26 PM

This stuff is mostly treading into the unknown wilderness for me. Though interesting, I feel more comfortable dealing with bare naked hardware, doing software tweaks to compensate for parasitic transistors and such. I have converted a lot of my initial hardware diagnostic routines into base device drivers over the years. Fighting with libraries and tools written by other folks is not my cup of tea, though even my own stuff gets mysterious over the years after the source code is lost from a bad power supply killing both work drives AND backup drives. Stumbling across my old stuff that I do not even remember or recognize makes me feel old, and so does fighting with unfamiliar stuff like lipc and volumd. In linux, I am really tempted to stick with my own loader (no crt.o and related cruft) and just do raw linux system calls (byte-only read and write) so my code can run on "all the kindles" without stumbling over all the bothersome toolchain and library and upstart twiddly bits. Does that make me an old man, or what?

EDIT: I tried the KUAL "Greyed Installer", while SSH session in progress. It did not work. I disabled USBnet, then the normal UYK install worked. It was very difficult to start the update because my touchscreen got really flaky again (not just ignoring presses, but generating presses causing menu items to self-select). Ghosts in the machine... Despite that, the PW3 5.7.4 firmware update is in progress now... When complete, I can test USB sound again.

EDIT2: During an install reboot, I just noticed a "**JAILBREAK**" text overlay at the bottom of the screen for a moment. Cool!

geekmaster · 05-18-2016, 01:56 PM

IT'S ALIVE! IT TALKS!

I did not install the voice update yet.

I just plugged in my cheap chinese $0.99USD (free shipping) USB sound dongle, with heaphones already attached, and my kindle immediately started talking to me about "no voice files detected" and such. Basically, it verbally read the error popup window to me, so it knows how to talk without humongous voice files. I wonder why it needs those anyway -- perhaps only a prerecorded audio error message was included, because it is not doing TTS after that initial message telling me to install the voice files. Though as-is, I should be able to play music, I think. I need to install twobob's music player KUAL extension...

It is quite loud in my headphones, so it will probably drive passive speakers (available at the dollar store) just fine.

encol · 05-18-2016, 02:15 PM

Wonderful!
You do it in PW3 5.7.4?
A link to the dongle you used?

geekmaster · 05-18-2016, 02:16 PM

I did not yet install the voice files, but I do have an (unpublished) "Geekmaster Demos" KUAL extension on this PW3, and one of the demos in that menu is twobob's "Balsamic" demo which plays music accompanied by eink animation.

It played music! So basically, the latest kindle firmware for the PW3 supports sound, even for native apps.

Though my PW2 was obviously missing the kernel module even with its 5.7.4 firmware, so I will need to try stuffing my PW3 otg module into my PW2, and do the test as I did last night, but with the missing kernel module...

geekmaster · 05-18-2016, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by encol

Wonderful!
You do it in PW3 5.7.4?
A link to the dongle you used?

I have ten of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301949728255

But mine are green -- they come in a number of colors, for various prices and various shipping costs from various vendors. The one linked above is $1 with free shipping (a whole penny more than I paid for mine).

Amazon has them too, if you want faster delivery. Here is one at amazon for $1.74 with free shipping (and many other amazon vendors list them for the same price):
http://www.amazon.com/External-Adapt.../dp/B001MW92AE

And if you really cannot wait, I see that walmart carries a very similar device (though perhaps not in all retail stores).

A buck or two (shipped) is a whole lot cheaper than the price of an "official" amazon USB sound dongle, and the one I used (and the one that German guy used) work just fine.

EDIT: Beware that you will also need a USB OTG cable. I got mine for $0.49 USD (free shipping). Though you COULD cut the end of a microUSB adapter cable and solder it to the pads in the cheap sound dongle (after removing the shielded USB plug from it), then it would be just like amazon's (but prettier). Amazon has a 3-pack of OTG cables for less than $2 with free shipping: http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Micro-...L56/ref=sr_1_8

EDIT2: But if you really do need one for under a buck (for bragging rights), these USB sound dongles are on sale right now at ebay, only $0.88 (free shipping):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/231904647109

knc1 · 05-18-2016, 02:30 PM

md5sums (any *sums) of those modules will not indicate **functional** differences.

I am pretty sure there are date/time fields in those, so just a change of build date would change the *sum value.

The best indication of a non-compatible module is when the kernel deadlocks.

= = = =

The more important thing you have shown, is that the provided USB-OTG module is not anything special built for the Amazon Dongle.

Load it, plug in keyboard, it should "just work".

Although we may have to diddle u-dev rules and notification messages ourselves a bit.

geekmaster · 05-18-2016, 02:31 PM

Bummer. I cannot test this on my PW2 yet. Lastest firmware, but no jailbreak. I need to hunt for a USB serial adapter (AGAIN!) so I can jailbreak this device. Or wire the TTL serial to the TTL serial on my PW3 (which is already disassembled for that purpose), then install minicom so my PW3 can be repurposed into a USB serial adapter, for serial jailbreaking my PW2.

encol · 05-18-2016, 02:36 PM

@geekmaster, when you tested the dongle on the PW3, what was your USBNET status?

badgoodDeb · 05-18-2016, 02:36 PM

How about the other piece of the puzzle? Do youz guys -- those in the game of playing with the guts of kindles! -- already have micro-USB to female USB port cables lying around by the dozens?

Is there a difference in the brands of micro-USB to female USB cable?

I guess it's still cheaper to buy that plus the sound card, but it is now getting closer to the cost of amazon's adapter.

geekmaster · 05-18-2016, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1

md5sums (any *sums) of those modules will not indicate **functional** differences.

I am pretty sure there are date/time fields in those, so just a change of build date would change the *sum value.

Many years ago, I wrote a tool to zero out the timestamps inside windows EXE and DLL files, so I could compare them without tripping over compile timestamps. It worked great and saved me a TON of time. If I can find my source code (good luck with that after toasting ELEVEN hard drives before I discover the power supply voltage spikes with my oscilloscope), I could add ELF file support. Or perhaps just start over and do it anyway. Though I just zeroed COPIES of files before comparing, because some executables verify the integrity of their own binary file...

Anyway, I will go look for my serial adapters again, then I have yard work to do while the weather is cooperating (oh, the joys of home ownership). Then at some point RSN, I can test sound on my PW2.

And when will you give us some freshly compiled OTG kernel modules for K4 and PW1? Hint... hint...

knc1 · 05-18-2016, 02:41 PM

I think I can see where we are headed with this - -
The VV stuff is currently limited to the PW-3 - -
Which probably means the other i.MX6 devices will not get the kernel build / module build that includes the working USB-OTG module.

But it is the working kernel/USB-OTG module that we want for all the 7th gen Kindles for the purpose of attaching things other than VV dongle.

= = = =

Nice to know that you can get sounds out of the Kindle again, even with a "generic" audio dongle.

My dream of a PW-3, lighted, alarm-clock is that much closer to becoming a real project.
(I have 'powered speakers' to use with the Kindle Alarm Clock - no need to sleep with headphones on.

)

encol · 05-18-2016, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Is there a difference in the brands of micro-USB to female USB cable?

i think no

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

I guess it's still cheaper to buy that plus the sound card, but it is now getting closer to the cost of amazon's adapter.

both for less than 2$: check this and this

geekmaster · 05-18-2016, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

How about the other piece of the puzzle? Do youz guys -- those in the game of playing with the guts of kindles! -- already have micro-USB to female USB port cables lying around by the dozens?

Is there a difference in the brands of micro-USB to female USB cable?

I guess it's still cheaper to buy that plus the sound card, but it is now getting closer to the cost of amazon's adapter.

Yes there is. As I mentioned, some adapter cables do not properly connect the center pin to ground, and so do not trigger automatic detection. However, though that was a problem on my Nexus 7, it is POSSIBLE that the kindle firmware has some other means of detecting a hotplugged USB device and interrogating it to see if SOFTWARE should enable OTG mode (even when that OTG trigger pin is not connected). Beware that some microUSB cables (or other devices) may connect various resistor values to that center pin, for other non-OTG purposes (such as enabling high-power recharging).

Not sure how the kindles work with "miswired" OTG cables...

I think I paid about $0.49 USD (including shipping) for my adapter cables (both the good ones and the bad ones).

knc1 · 05-18-2016, 02:59 PM

A fun fact:

USB connectors have the USB symbol molded into the TOP of the connector, except:

The 'tactile' indicator of the Amazon VV dongle (a dent) is on the BOTTOM of the connector.

So for you vision impaired and/or blind people reading this post -
Those who would position the indent under their thumb -
Remember to turn your Kindle face down to plug the dongle in.

Well done Lab126.

05-18-2016, 01:26 PM	#77
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773668 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	This stuff is mostly treading into the unknown wilderness for me. Though interesting, I feel more comfortable dealing with bare naked hardware, doing software tweaks to compensate for parasitic transistors and such. I have converted a lot of my initial hardware diagnostic routines into base device drivers over the years. Fighting with libraries and tools written by other folks is not my cup of tea, though even my own stuff gets mysterious over the years after the source code is lost from a bad power supply killing both work drives AND backup drives. Stumbling across my old stuff that I do not even remember or recognize makes me feel old, and so does fighting with unfamiliar stuff like lipc and volumd. In linux, I am really tempted to stick with my own loader (no crt.o and related cruft) and just do raw linux system calls (byte-only read and write) so my code can run on "all the kindles" without stumbling over all the bothersome toolchain and library and upstart twiddly bits. Does that make me an old man, or what? EDIT: I tried the KUAL "Greyed Installer", while SSH session in progress. It did not work. I disabled USBnet, then the normal UYK install worked. It was very difficult to start the update because my touchscreen got really flaky again (not just ignoring presses, but generating presses causing menu items to self-select). Ghosts in the machine... Despite that, the PW3 5.7.4 firmware update is in progress now... When complete, I can test USB sound again. EDIT2: During an install reboot, I just noticed a "JAILBREAK" text overlay at the bottom of the screen for a moment. Cool! Last edited by geekmaster; 05-18-2016 at 01:52 PM.

05-18-2016, 01:56 PM	#78
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773668 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	IT'S ALIVE! IT TALKS! I did not install the voice update yet. I just plugged in my cheap chinese $0.99USD (free shipping) USB sound dongle, with heaphones already attached, and my kindle immediately started talking to me about "no voice files detected" and such. Basically, it verbally read the error popup window to me, so it knows how to talk without humongous voice files. I wonder why it needs those anyway -- perhaps only a prerecorded audio error message was included, because it is not doing TTS after that initial message telling me to install the voice files. Though as-is, I should be able to play music, I think. I need to install *twobob's music player KUAL extension... It is quite loud in my headphones, so it will probably drive passive speakers (available at the dollar store) just fine. Last edited by geekmaster; 05-18-2016 at 02:09 PM.*

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05-18-2016, 01:13 PM	#76
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@GM: Yeah, going behind volumd's back is bound to break some stuff (cf. a few of the comments & commit messages for the USBNet script).

05-18-2016, 02:15 PM	#79
encol Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 750442 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Italy Device: Kindle PW3 5.8.5.0.1	Wonderful! You do it in PW3 5.7.4? A link to the dongle you used?

05-18-2016, 02:16 PM	#80
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773668 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	I did not yet install the voice files, but I do have an (unpublished) "Geekmaster Demos" KUAL extension on this PW3, and one of the demos in that menu is *twobob*'s "Balsamic" demo which plays music accompanied by eink animation. It played music! So basically, the latest kindle firmware for the PW3 supports sound, even for native apps. Though my PW2 was obviously missing the kernel module even with its 5.7.4 firmware, so I will need to try stuffing my PW3 otg module into my PW2, and do the test as I did last night, but with the missing kernel module...

05-18-2016, 02:30 PM	#82
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	md5sums (any sums) of those modules will not indicate functional* differences. I am pretty sure there are date/time fields in those, so just a change of build date would change the *sum value. The best indication of a non-compatible module is when the kernel deadlocks. = = = = The more important thing you have shown, is that the provided USB-OTG module is not anything special built for the Amazon Dongle. Load it, plug in keyboard, it should "just work". Although we may have to diddle u-dev rules and notification messages ourselves a bit.

05-18-2016, 02:31 PM	#83
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773668 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	Bummer. I cannot test this on my PW2 yet. Lastest firmware, but no jailbreak. I need to hunt for a USB serial adapter (AGAIN!) so I can jailbreak this device. Or wire the TTL serial to the TTL serial on my PW3 (which is already disassembled for that purpose), then install *minicom* so my PW3 can be repurposed into a USB serial adapter, for serial jailbreaking my PW2.

05-18-2016, 02:36 PM	#84
encol Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 750442 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Italy Device: Kindle PW3 5.8.5.0.1	@geekmaster, when you tested the dongle on the PW3, what was your USBNET status?

05-18-2016, 02:36 PM	#85
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,501 Karma: 64095689 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	How about the other piece of the puzzle? Do youz guys -- those in the game of playing with the guts of kindles! -- already have micro-USB to female USB port cables lying around by the dozens? Is there a difference in the brands of micro-USB to female USB cable? I guess it's still cheaper to buy that plus the sound card, but it is now getting closer to the cost of amazon's adapter.

05-18-2016, 02:41 PM	#87
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	I think I can see where we are headed with this - - The VV stuff is currently limited to the PW-3 - - Which probably means the other i.MX6 devices will not get the kernel build / module build that includes the working USB-OTG module. But it is the working kernel/USB-OTG module that we want for all the 7th gen Kindles for the purpose of attaching things other than VV dongle. = = = = Nice to know that you can get sounds out of the Kindle again, even with a "generic" audio dongle. My dream of a PW-3, lighted, alarm-clock is that much closer to becoming a real project. (I have 'powered speakers' to use with the Kindle Alarm Clock - no need to sleep with headphones on. )

05-18-2016, 02:59 PM	#90
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	A fun fact: USB connectors have the USB symbol molded into the TOP of the connector, except: The 'tactile' indicator of the Amazon VV dongle (a dent) is on the BOTTOM of the connector. So for you vision impaired and/or blind people reading this post - Those who would position the indent under their thumb - Remember to turn your Kindle face down to plug the dongle in. Well done Lab126.

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