Uses for a K4NT with broken display

[Lorphos]

So, it happened (without me noticing it until a day later or so): My Kindle 4 Non-Touch now has a broken display, it only works in the upper half.

So, what can I still do with it? It's a 800Mhz ARM Linux appliance with 256MB of memory and 2GB of flash and WLAN, after all. Perhaps it's still good enough to run a Jabber server or a Owncloud installation for 1-3 users... suggestions welcome - perhaps it's even possible to repair it?

[knc1]

All of the above are quite possible.

*and*

There is a modification posted here (somewhere) of how to use only the working part of the display.
(Check posts by twobob)

[SampleAndy]

I was wondering about something related to that question... I have one of the early K4NT Kindles with the silver bezel. Are the newer ones physically different or do they just have different firmware? Somehow, somewhere, I got the impression that they inherited something from the research that went into the Paperwhites.

Thanks,
Andy

[Lorphos]

Thanks knc1, I found the plugin "scroller" for broken screens at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...2&postcount=31 . Will give it a try. Unfortunately, the area that is still working is only like 40%.

[Lorphos]

So, if it turns out that I no longer want to read books on it, what's the best way to get rid of all the software on it so I just have a minimal Linux (Debian perhaps) and ideally a way to display some messages on the non-broken parts of the display as well as a possibility to query the hardware buttons for some interactivity?

[knc1]

Originally Posted by SampleAndy

I was wondering about something related to that question... I have one of the early K4NT Kindles with the silver bezel. Are the newer ones physically different or do they just have different firmware? Somehow, somewhere, I got the impression that they inherited something from the research that went into the Paperwhites.

Thanks,
Andy

For awhile (one or two firmware releases) the two devices used different firmware, but Amazon merged those so that the two devices used the same firmware by the time they stopped building for the K4.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by Lorphos

So, if it turns out that I no longer want to read books on it, what's the best way to get rid of all the software on it so I just have a minimal Linux (Debian perhaps) and ideally a way to display some messages on the non-broken parts of the display as well as a possibility to query the hardware buttons for some interactivity?

Hard work.

There have been other people here that have discussed turning their Kindle into some sort of useful, headless, system.

I don't recall any single thread here with a "complete" HowTo.

Try our "Master Index" sticky for "K4" ->
Start with the teardown information and the adding the serial port connection.

Then (with a working console terminal port) start stopping the various services, see what can be done without.

Note:
It is always best with any embedded OS device to network load your (experimental) kernel and (experimental) file system - -
Rather than burning things to flash in-order to test them.

Any notes on your work would be welcome here.

The K4 is a good choice for playing with - Kubrick can reload the system firmware in about 10 minutes after you "brick" it.

[SampleAndy]

Originally Posted by l_macd

The Kindle 4 (basic Kindle, non-touch screen), Kindle 5 (Kindle Touch) is a bit confusing because there were two different models released at the same time and then there are actually two versions of the basic non-touch Kindle. The first was silver (K4S) and the second black one (K4B) was released at the same time as the Kindle Paperwhite. It's important to differentiate between them as the quality of the screen is better on the newer K4B than it is on the K4S, although they both run the same firmware.

Originally Posted by knc1

For awhile (one or two firmware releases) the two devices used different firmware, but Amazon merged those so that the two devices used the same firmware by the time they stopped building for the K4.

damn damn damn

I'm not liking what I think I'm hearing. If I understand correctly, the K4B is different from the K4S in more than the color of the bezel, but Amazon wrote code so that the appropriate part of the firmware would run on either or devices I was given a K4B with a broken screen, but neither of the two vendors that sell replacement screens distinguish between them. What are the chances that a screen for one would work on the other?

knc1, isn't the bottom of the line still a K4?

Thanks,
Andy

[knc1]

Originally Posted by SampleAndy

What are the chances that a screen for one would work on the other?

knc1, isn't the bottom of the line still a K4?

Thanks,
Andy

1) Not sure. At the time, the observations where that the difference was caused by a shift of the contrast values. I don't recall anyone opening up one of each and comparing the screen part numbers.

That change might also have been done in the display driver rather than a part change.
We have something similar posted here (somewhere) for the DX screen.

2) Yes. My comment should have read: "Stopped building new firmware for them."
Sorry, I was typing faster than I was thinking.

[knc1]

Maybe there are two of them:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Kindl...535287073.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-...744446423.html

But I would not call that finding definitive. (I could have made a mistake, they could have made a mistake, whatever ....)

What we really need is for someone who has both to tear them open and report the screen part number.

"Tear Open" because the K4 is the one glued together.

Note: As of the past week, the "Demo" K4 models on e-bay have been going for $30..$40 dollars, about the price of a new screen and Kubrick will un-demo a K4 in about 10 minutes.
(And you know the screen works, the ee-eprom is programmed, ...)

[SampleAndy]

Glue the back cover on, glue the bezel on, glue the battery in... Think of the money they saved on screws.

Ya know what I love about eBay? The morons...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290614926260
593 SOLD??? Tell me you're kidding.

On a Kindle Fire Demo listing: We bought it on eBay and didn't know how to change it to the complete version. (sigh)

[knc1]

Originally Posted by SampleAndy

Glue the back cover on, glue the bezel on, glue the battery in... Think of the money they saved on screws.

Yup, even Amazon considers it an $80 toy.

Ya know what I love about eBay? The morons...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290614926260
593 SOLD??? Tell me you're kidding.

In Austin, Texas - right near their warehouse? That's Amazon I bet.
I just read the post again - - that is the K4 ($79 retail list) - - I at first thought it was the paperwhite.
NOW I "get the point". Sorry.

On a Kindle Fire Demo listing: We bought it on eBay and didn't know how to change it to the complete version. (sigh)

Lack of fore-thought? For whatever reason.

Send them this link, it will probably help:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3ft-MicroUSB...item3a782998d1

[twobob]

Paperweight?

heheheh


Meh okay I'm kidding.


I use my mangled ones to stream videos off of to the TV.
just plug it in via USB to a media ready TV and voila. TV from a kindle.

[SampleAndy]

Originally Posted by twobob

Paperweight?
...
Meh okay I'm kidding.


I use my mangled ones to stream videos off of to the TV.
just plug it in via USB to a media ready TV and voila. TV from a kindle.

(sigh)

It all sounds like magic to me. So much to learn, so little time.

[twobob]

594 sold now btw