Onyx boox m92 firmware on Ectaco Jetbook

[aghribi]

Hi everyone,

I am hesitating between different large e-ink e-book readers. For now in the top list are : Ectaco jetbook color, onyx boox m92 and pocketbook pro 912. Comparing the hardware, the two first are superior and very similar. I like the color triton of the ectaco (but hate its windows based os) and the open source firmware development of the onyx.

Is there a way to install onyx-boox m92 firmware into the jetbook color?

Thanks

[Defenderland]

Sure! Since diesel is cheaper than gas, i also fill that into my car, since motors look similar anyway.

[Dulin's Books]

no its impossible. the Ectaco product is windows bassed

[aghribi]

To Dulin: Windows or linux based os can both be installed on the same machines.

To defenderland: For one engine, there are numbers of fuels that can optimize combustion better than gas. The problem is cost, availability and legislation (it is considered illegal). It is similar to the open source vs non open source approach.

Someone who opened both ectaco jetbook color and onyx boox m92 found the same parts inside. Add to that that stylus of onyx and boox can work on both devices. The problem would have been a driver problem. My question is has anyone tried that: installing onyx firmware on ectaco (requires ectaco rooting of course or removing and replacing internal memory)?

Best,

[Defenderland]

Same parts is not equal to identical hardware.

[rkomar]

I don't think you can boot and install a new OS from a memory stick like you can on a PC. If you have to do it from the running OS that the device uses, then it becomes pretty hard to replace it with a completely different OS (Win->Linux or other way around), and the slightest mistake will brick the device. If you're asking for instructions on how to do it, then you probably don't know what you're doing, and will almost certainly muck it up.

I've looked into how my Pocketbook does its updates, so I have a general idea. It copies all the important system binaries and libraries needed to update the system to a filesystem in memory, chroots to that filesystem, then directly overwrites the system partitions with the new ones in the firmware update. The kernel lives in it's own partition that isn't mounted. Not only would you need to do the same (after successfully unpacking the firmware update into its pieces and putting them exactly where they belong), you'd also have to put the new kernel in the right place (maybe creating a new partition table before that to match what the firmware expects), and setting up a new bootloader for it. Doing all this within an alien OS would take great skill and understanding of both OSes, and you'd have pretty much one chance to get it right. If you don't, then you will have to send the device back for repair.

[aghribi]

Thanks for the details rkomar.

The aim was not to install new os from a memory stick but to root the device and basically do the second method you described. Of course, it needs special skills and I was asking if someone has done it successfully before or at least studied the details of the question.

I was also asking if it is possible to root and hard format the hard drive before putting the new partitions, kernel and bootloader specific to onyx. Since Onyx firmware is open source, it is much easier to get the related information.

Best,

[rkomar]

Okay, since it sounds like you are aware of and understand the risks, I can only wish you good luck if you go ahead with this. Personally, I don't have the kind of understanding of Windows to pull this off, so I would take my hat off to you if you accomplished the switch.

[Defenderland]

Again: same parts does not mean identical hardware. Be careful.
Identical chips do not necessarily mean, that e.g. the chips are mapped to the same hardware adress space or that the timing specifications for the chipsets are identical. Drivers may not work at all or even could destroy the hardware.
And you also should be aware, that embedded systems are not modular systems like PCs, where at boot, everything is controlled by the BIOS, which is not touched, by experimenting with the OS. The booting of an embedded system is not that simple and it can even lose it's boot-capability.

[mod186k1]

Originally Posted by aghribi

Someone who opened both ectaco jetbook color and onyx boox m92 found the same parts inside.

As you know JBC is a color device while boox m92 has an B/W pearl display. video driver most probably are too different.

Maybe JBC could be Hanvon WISEreader C920's firmware compatible

[aghribi]

Originally Posted by Defenderland

Again: same parts does not mean identical hardware. Be careful.
Identical chips do not necessarily mean, that e.g. the chips are mapped to the same hardware adress space or that the timing specifications for the chipsets are identical. Drivers may not work at all or even could destroy the hardware.
And you also should be aware, that embedded systems are not modular systems like PCs, where at boot, everything is controlled by the BIOS, which is not touched, by experimenting with the OS. The booting of an embedded system is not that simple and it can even lose it's boot-capability.

Yes they are. The only things is that you can not update to hanvon firmware, you have to wipe out everything and install it. It also voids the warranty.

[someonelikeyou]

Originally Posted by rkomar

I don't think you can boot and install a new OS from a memory stick like you can on a PC. If you have to do it from the running OS that the device uses, then it becomes pretty hard to replace it with a completely different OS (Win->Linux or other way around), and the slightest mistake will brick the device. If you're asking for instructions on how to do it, then you probably don't know what you're doing, and will almost certainly muck it up.

I've looked into how my Pocketbook does its updates, so I have a general idea. It copies all the important system binaries and libraries needed to update the system to a filesystem in memory, chroots to that filesystem, then directly overwrites the system partitions with the new ones in the firmware update. The kernel lives in it's own partition that isn't mounted. Not only would you need to do the same (after successfully unpacking the firmware update into its pieces and putting them exactly where they belong), you'd also have to put the new kernel in the right place (maybe creating a new partition table before that to match what the firmware expects), and setting up a new bootloader for it. Doing all this within an alien OS would take great skill and understanding of both OSes, and you'd have pretty much one chance to get it right. If you don't, then you will have to send the device back for repair.

completely agreed
i am owner of pocketbook, now awaiting only for one thing - color onyx boox - the only brand with worthy firmware imo

question:
how about to pull out color eink display from Ectaco to connect it somehow(throught hardware adapter) to onyx boox?
drivers and software patch are not so difficult since they are opensource

[Dulin's Books]

you would need Eink themselves to build a waveform to drive the display. The one built to drive it from the Ectaco device will not work.

[por]

Originally Posted by aghribi

Hi everyone,

I am hesitating between different large e-ink e-book readers. For now in the top list are : Ectaco jetbook color, onyx boox m92 and pocketbook pro 912. Comparing the hardware, the two first are superior and very similar. I like the color triton of the ectaco (but hate its windows based os) and the open source firmware development of the onyx.

Is there a way to install onyx-boox m92 firmware into the jetbook color?

Thanks

I had a jetbook color a while ago. If you ask me, it's not usable since the current gen E-inc screen are already somewhat dark and with the color filter on top of it it becomes unbearable. The device is ok for reading only in perfect light environments.

Also, the scribbling capabilities are superior on the M92 (at least it used to be like that several moths ago)