📟I built a cheapo arm server using an old TV box

Having an unused TV box lying around? You might as well want to give it a new change to shine.

But why?

While it still has its uses, for something under 10W, I'd say it's worth it, even just to host something simple like an AirPlay server.

Prerequisites

• Tanix TX3 mini: this one have so many variants mine is A

  • SoC: S905W

  • RAM: 2GB

  • ROM (eMMc): 16GB

• SD card or USB with at least 8GB of storage for the installer.

  • Optional: a big-ass SD card for later use as internal storage, a stick out USB device doesn't fit my aesthetic need.

• Firmware - You might need both in-case your current firmware doesn't allow accessing to bootloader mode like mine. (I'm really much appreciated to these guys for their hard work on the firmware 🙏🏻):

  • OpHub Armbian: https://github.com/ophub/amlogic-s9xxx-armbian

    • Either Linux 5 or 6 should work just fine.

  • Aidan's ROM: https://aidanrom.com/project/s905w/

    • Besure to pick the correct version for your device.

• Amlogic Burning tool v2.1.7 - this version seems to be less buggy.

• Balena Etcher for creating armbian installation medium.

• Toothpick if you're Asian like me or a SIM ejection tool if you ain't.

Prepare the installation medium

Write the firmware

1. Insert SD Card/USB flash drive

2. Launch Belena Etcher

3. Select the firmware

4. Select the destination

5. Flash

Modify the bootloader

Open the installation medium, check the following files:

1. /extlinux/extlinux.conf should show

   FDT /dtb/amlogic/meson-gxl-s905w-p281.dtb

2. Overwrite the uboot file with the uboot.s905x

3. Remove .template from the first_run.template

Safely eject the medium, it's ready.

Flash back to Aidan's

Install armbian

Boot to the installation medium

This is the hardest part, why? Cause you're alone and don't have anyone to give you a hand on plugging in the power cable and pick the reset button on the device at the same time.

1. Insert the medium

2. Locate the hidden reset button and prepare the toothpick/SIM ecjection tool.

3. Locate the ready the power cable.

4. Plug both of the power cable and press the reset button and hold for a few seconds untill you see something on the screen.

If you don't get any signal on boot, don't panic, try to connect to an 1080p monitor.

Install armbian

Pretty straight forward, follow the on-screen installation menu.

Notes

• Variants of the box:

  • TX3MINI-XB(P) - Using 9012p wifi chipset

  

  credit to phansyvu
• TX3MINI-A: SP6330 dual band wifi version

  

  credit to mikinana64
• Clones and fakes: https://emuelec.discourse.group/t/tx3-mini-clones-and-fakes/41/2

References

• https://i12bretro.github.io/tutorials/0393.html
• https://i12bretro.github.io/tutorials/0316.html
• https://forum.atvxperience.com/viewtopic.php?t=7079