Chinese firmware: A tale of woe and redemption

[Kralik]

"What's the worst that can happen?"

That's how it always starts. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending.

I decided on a whim to try flashing my jetBook with the Chinese reader (Dr. Yi) firmware. On an old thread, Nate the Great said he was going to try going the opposite direction (M218A reader --> jetBook firmware). Apparently he wasn't successful... but I found those results after my experiment.

Why? Well, for starters, just because it sounded like an interesting challenge. Sort of like taking the jetBook apart and dyeing it. But another reason is that the Dr. Yi firmware has some features that I wanted, such as improved PDF support. The option to set a custom zoom percentage (1% to 6400%), the ability to follow PDF hyperlinks, etc. A bunch of interesting pictures from the Chinese website looked especially enticing (Hint: Use Google to translate). Plus, it supports some oddities like HTML with Flash animation. How cool is that?

...

*crickets*

Well, I thought it would be cool.

Even though the Dr. Yi firmware lacks the format variety of the jetBook, the only two formats I have been really using are PDF's (my own files and certain scanned books) and ePUB's (freely available classics). Since the free classics can be generated as nice PDF's by FeedBooks/ManyBooks, I figured I could stick with ONLY PDF and be just fine.

So here goes... downloading the M218A firmware. Copying it to the card... reset, hold power and right arrow... and... and...

What's this? Error message?

"This is not the correct firmware. Please use the M218B firmware."

Interesting...

So it looks like the jetBook is a M218B sans the wireless module! That would explain the wireless entry in the self-test menu. OK then. On to the M218B firmware.

Reset... hold power and right arrow... aha!
To upgrade firmware, press OK. Sounds good to me!

Upgrading... upgrading... upgrading...
Upgrade successful! Woot! Reset!

Turn on and... umm... uh-oh.

You know that look your TV screen shows when you are flipping channels and get nothing but static? Imagine that fuzz all over the jetBook screen... but without the uniformity. Basically a bunch of fuzzy gray lines, varied shades, splotches, specks... it looks like someone took a handful of sandy gray pixels and threw them on the screen. Err... not good.

I waited, and waited and... nothing. A couple blinks when it turned on, but that's it. Key press? Not even the hyperactive LED was there for me! Power, Menu, Zoom buttons? Self-test menu? Nope. Sadness ensured.

Bad Kralik! Baaaad baaaaad Kralik. STUPID STUPID STUPID!

After giving myself a concussion, I stared at the screen in woe. But maybe there was some hope! Back to the old firmware--after all, wasn't that the plan all along if it didn't work out?

Loading blessed English jetBook firmware... on the SD card! Power button, right arrow, and... and?

Nothing. I held it for a couple minutes. Waaaaaah!

But, what's this? Just when I had given up hope, after minutes of pain staring at the static gray mess... the firmware update screen! I was saved!

Updating... Success! Reset!

On the new boot, I got... a bunch of Chinese logos and M218B on the screen. Interesting. And then... nothing. But, the self-test menu worked! Reset defaults, reflash nor, format mtd6, mtd7...

Back to Chinese logo land. Hmmm... The LED light would flash a bit and stop. No "book pile" from jetBook or anything else. Stuck on logo screen. But hey! It registers button presses! The LED loves me again!

...

Wow, you've read this far? OK, time to make it short. In the end, I got it back to the real jetBook after flashing it a SECOND time with the jetBook firmware. I am so happy to have my jetBook back to normal! On top of that, right after flashing it to 33c, 33g was uploaded. But let this be a warning to you all... Don't... umm... flash your electronic device with firmware in a language you can't read!

But now I wonder... what if I had flashed the M218B firmware TWO times?

No, stop. Baaad baaaaaaaad Kralik.

[Dr. Drib]

Your story was "fun" to read (you're an engaging writer), but I would have never tried what you tried! (Ack!) I think I'm a coward when it comes to attempting something like that.

I'm glad, however, that you've got your Jetbook back to working.


Don

[LuBiB]

that truly was an amazing adventure.

i felt as though i was reading a Dan Brown novel with suspense at every corner lol

you are truly a jetBook genius Kralik, i would have never even attempted such a difficult procedure for fears of losing the jetBook to a horrible update malfunction but great to hear you got it up and running again!

[Cadion]

My jetbook worked great with Chinese firmwares M218A++27firmware.rar and M218B044firmware.rar under http://218.240.9.39/soft .
I checked the flash player on M218B firmware. It's amazing my Jetbook can play swf files. But when I played second swf file, my device freeze during loading process. Maybe there are some restrictions for flash player. Furthermore, there is another wonderful merit on the firmware changing. You can change fonts on your txt. But nothing happen when I tried with several Korean fonts. It showed only squares instead of lovely Korean characters. I guess English and Chinese fonts would work on that function. If someone want to use Chinese firmware I recommend use M218A first. And one more important thing is change your system language as 3rd one (Espanol) then, your Chinese firmware system language should be English. As Kralik mentioned, it is not easy to return back to original Jetbook. I spent 3 hours for that.
Below are some results.



- Main Menu




- Flash Player (a swf file from Drumsite)



-Chinese TXT file

[Kralik]

Indeed, we have a success story? VERY interesting! So you can load the A or B firmware? When I tried A it rejected it (saying to load B). With fonts - can you load your own? A mini-walkthrough would be appreciated. Which do you prefer, A or B? Can you describe feature differences?

[Kralik]

Looking at the directory listing, it looks like I tried M218A_87firmware.rar (rejected) and M218B044firmware.rar (story above). I haven't tried the A++ (M218A++27firmware.rar). Any tips on which you like best (A++ or B)?

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by Cadion

My jetbook worked great with Chinese firmwares M218A++27firmware.rar and M218B044firmware.rar under http://218.240.9.39/soft .
I checked the flash player on M218B firmware. It's amazing my Jetbook can play swf files. But when I played second swf file, my device freeze during loading process. Maybe there are some restrictions for flash player. Furthermore, there is another wonderful merit on the firmware changing. You can change fonts on your txt. But nothing happen when I tried with several Korean fonts. It showed only squares instead of lovely Korean characters. I guess English and Chinese fonts would work on that function. If someone want to use Chinese firmware I recommend use M218A first. And one more important thing is change your system language as 3rd one (Espanol) then, your Chinese firmware system language should be English. As Kralik mentioned, it is not easy to return back to original Jetbook. I spent 3 hours for that.
Below are some results.



- Main Menu




- Flash Player (a swf file from Drumsite)



-Chinese TXT file

Very interesting by very risky because there are a big chance don't see the original jetBook software again

[Cadion]

Originally Posted by Kralik

Indeed, we have a success story? VERY interesting! So you can load the A or B firmware? When I tried A it rejected it (saying to load B). With fonts - can you load your own? A mini-walkthrough would be appreciated. Which do you prefer, A or B? Can you describe feature differences?

I loaded both A and B firmware. For me, there was no rejection when I loaded A++ firmware. First, I had loaded A++ firmware and then loaded B firmware. I think B is better cause it has awesome flash player. But, my second trial to load B firmware from original firmware failed. So, I guess original --> A++ --> B is the right path to load B. Chinese firmware has a font choice option for txt files. To use your fonts, save your fonts under 'fonts' directory of the root directory of your SD. Remember, when you load A or B firmware, choose 3rd language for system font.

[Kralik]

Well, I bit the bullet and tried the A+ firmware (M218A++27firmware.rar) since I already had problems with B. It was successful! Thanks for the tip on setting the language! Since I set it to (3) Español, it came to (3) English after the upgrade. I wonder if the language setting was causing the crash with firmware B (since the jetBook default, English, is setting 5, which doesn't exist). Here's a quick report.

1) I did not try restore original settings, and so, I retained my recent readings in my PDF files (not ePUB, which is not supported anyway).
2) The initial bootup after firmware update took a LOOOOONG time. The screen just sat blank (better than the TV fuzz I saw before) and I was afraid I bricked it. But after 5+ minutes, it finally came to. Much faster for subsequent boots.
3) Most of the interface is similar to the jetBook. However, PDF can do variable zoom from 1% to 6400%. Nice! PDF page turns seem faster, really almost instant for me.
4) There's an "ENEWS" option in the bookshelf-menu (see Cadion's picture) -- any idea what this is for?
5) MP3 player can do a playlist, shuffle, repeat, etc. I don't recall seeing these on the jetBook.
5) While browsing the eBooks, the size of each file is shown. Slightly different look.
6) Only page numbers with no "11.67%" or battery indicators like the jetBook while reading.
7) Apparently there is an English text-to-speech option?! I haven't tried it out (since I don't have any text files) but I will soon.
8) A few other options in the settings, such as screen settings, etc.
9) File manager is much more robust and offers several more options.
10) Apparently running Linux kernel 2.6.16.14 (Display info in test menu).

I'll keep you posted if I find out anything else!

[Kralik]

Originally Posted by Cadion

I loaded both A and B firmware. For me, there was no rejection when I loaded A++ firmware. First, I had loaded A++ firmware and then loaded B firmware. I think B is better cause it has awesome flash player. But, my second trial to load B firmware from original firmware failed. So, I guess original --> A++ --> B is the right path to load B. Chinese firmware has a font choice option for txt files. To use your fonts, save your fonts under 'fonts' directory of the root directory of your SD. Remember, when you load A or B firmware, choose 3rd language for system font.

Thanks for your response! I'm not sure I need the flash player, but what other features did you see between A+ and B? Note that the original A (not A+) will not load. I think that one of the firmwares (B, maybe?) lets you follow PDF and HTML links? If you were successful with A->B then maybe I'll try it again, hmm...

I will try out the fonts.

Here are the text-to-speech options:
-Chinese or English
-Male or Female Voice
-Change of volume
-Change of speed
-Random wacky effects: Eccentric, Wander, Echo, Robot, Chorus, Underwater
-Continuous page turns an option, or read only when you turn the page

All of the above options can be changed on the fly from within a book. I'm not sure what the TTS quality of other eBook readers is, but this seems pretty typical as far as computer-robotic reading goes.

[Kralik]

Got the fonts working! Tested with Times New Roman and Comic Sans MS. Very nice! Almost everyone is asking if you could use other fonts than those supplied on the jetBook. I used "Fonts" first and it didn't work - the directory is case-sensitive ("fonts"). I wonder if this trick would work on the jetBook firmware as well?

[Kralik]

M218B upgrade from A+ successful! So for those who want the entire process: jetBook 33g --> A+ v. 27 --> B v. 44. I used a hard reset after each firmware upgrade and NO reset to defaults.

However, I'm not really seeing much difference between A+ and B other than the wireless settings. Since the jetBook does not have wireless, it freezes whenever you try to access those parts of the system. There is an "execute file" option in the file manager which leaves me wondering...

So you get SWF... anything else?
Custom fonts and more PDF options will keep me hooked either way, I think.

[Kralik]

I'm so fickle.

I went ahead and flashed back to the jetBook firmware after fiddling with the M218B interface. It was actually quite straightforward: after the first flash, it gave me a M218A+ startup screen. Interesting, especially since I hadn't seen that screen even with the M218A+ firmware loaded. I just did a hard reset and a second flash. As before, when I thought I bricked my jetBook the first time, the jetBook seemed like it was stuck, but the firmware update screen came up after it sat for a few minutes. I held power and right for about a minute before setting it on the table and waiting it out.

For good measure I reset to defaults after jetBook successfully loaded. Oh, and got it back to English instead of Spanish.

If anyone else wants to try it, I'd summarize the advantages as:
-Variable PDF Zoom
-Ability to choose any font for TXT
-Basic TTS with a bunch of odd effects

At a loss of...
-Formats support!

I don't see much of a reason to use B instead of A+. I tried playing with JAP, which seems to be good software, but the Wolf output file it gave me from PDF was 25MB (PDF was 1-2MB) and wouldn't load. Oddly enough, HTML wouldn't work for me. Never tried flash (SWF). In the end, I decided I liked the convenience of ePUB for novels and didn't want to make custom files that would be obsolete with another reader later. TXT of course is OK, but the PG texts aren't always pretty.

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by Kralik

If anyone else wants to try it, I'd summarize the advantages as:
-Variable PDF Zoom
-Ability to choose any font for TXT
-Basic TTS with a bunch of odd effects

At a loss of...
-Formats support!

I don't see much of a reason to use B instead of A+. I tried playing with JAP, which seems to be good software, but the Wolf output file it gave me from PDF was 25MB (PDF was 1-2MB) and wouldn't load. Oddly enough, HTML wouldn't work for me. Never tried flash (SWF). In the end, I decided I liked the convenience of ePUB for novels and didn't want to make custom files that would be obsolete with another reader later. TXT of course is OK, but the PG texts aren't always pretty.

It will be nice to see the video with flash demo

[Kralik]

Originally Posted by Kris777

It will be nice to see the video with flash demo

Of course you could always try it yourself...