Release SuperZaxxon - Beta 4 released


EvilDragon

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And here we are with quite a few fixes more: SuperZaxxon Beta 4 is ready to be tested! Compared to SuperZaxxon Beta 3, this release has the following changes:

  • FIX: If unit is charging while you try to go into suspend mode, it goes into low-power mode instead (as the charging is software controlled)
  • FIX: Kernel 3.2: Touchscreen responsiveness improved
  • FIX: Kernel 3.2: Touchscreen calibration is now working properly again
  • FIX: WiFi driver gets a few fixes (should be more stable and unit doesn't hang on shutdown anymore)
  • FIX: Set proper CPU speed after suspend
  • FIX: Suspend Mode can now be triggered when the Lid is closed.
  • FIX: op_test_inputs: All buttons working again, nubs will automatically switch to absolute mode and back
  • NEW: Scrollbars in XFCE are now a bit wider (easier for touchscreen usage) and icon texts now have a transparent background
  • NEW: op_runfbapp now minimizes when you press the Pandora-Button (some fixes have also been made)
  • NEW: USB Host can now be toggled (similar to WiFi) and can be automatically switched on on startup (use the startup-settings dialogue for that)
  • NEW: ZRAM Swap is now included and enabled (stuff like FireFox or Battle for Wesnoth shouldn't run out of memory anymore)
  • NEW: snd-seq module added
  • NEW: Added more codepages: cp1250,koi8-r, unicode, utf-16 (fixes missing Umlauts in programs like Pidgin)

    And here's a list of currently known issues:

  • Not all apps will work (i.e. UAE4ALL). However, these apps need to be updated, as we try avoid evil kernel hacking (to keep it as upstream as possible)
  • MiniMenu: Doesn't properly add / remove apps when you remove / insert an SD Card. Simply select "Rescan Application" in the MiniMenu-Mainmenu after you swapped cards


skeezix didn't have time to work on MiniMenu fixes, so these will be added with Beta 5.


Also slaeshjags Config Tray Icon will also be added into Beta 5 as well as a tool that allows the user to backup and restore his home directory (handy to keep all your custom settings when flashing a new firmware).


A great addition to this firmware is ZRAM:


ZRAM uses part of your normal RAM to add a compressed swap space. It only does this when you're running out of RAM though.


So while this doesn't slow your unit down, it will virtually increase your RAM - so apps like FireFox or Battle for Wesnoth will not crash anymore when running out of RAM.


It's basically a free RAM expansion you get here :)


Beta 4 release is pretty much stable and the best firmware we got so far.


Suspending is now working fine, charging works properly, the touchscreen is very responsive, powersaving is awesome, ZRAM helps with programs that need more RAM.


Beta 5 will probably be the latest beta before we release an officially stable version of SuperZaxxon :)


So here it is, available as full flash:


Download SuperZaxxon Beta 4


Please note: Flashing the new firmware will put your unit back into a default state. All your settings and users will be lost. Of course, this does not apply to PNDs which save their stuff on the SD-Card.


For those running from SD cards, you first need to install the new bootloaders.


You can do this by copying everything from above zip to root of SD card, but leaving out rootfs.img and rootfs.md5 and then following usual reflashing procedure. Then everything but NAND rootfs will be reflashed.


To install it, simply extract the archive onto the root of your SD Card.


Insert the SD Card into the left slot. Keep R (shoulder) pressed while switching on your Pandora and select "Boot from SD1"


]If "Boot from SD1" doesn't appear, try to reformat the SD Card using Panasonic SD Formatter, recopy the files and retry


You can also use the SD Installer and run the OS off SD Card.


Grab the image needed for the SD Installer here


Enjoy :)
 
Last edited:
Yay !


Thanks to every contributor.


-Edit: got the unfinished download bug. Re-dling.


-Edit2: third try, third fail. Only 30K this time.


-Edit3: seamonkey and firefox fail. The overall op.org seems very slow.


wget stalls. Connection closed then retry, again and again.


-Edit4: oh ! not using www works !


md5sum SuperZaxxonB4.zip


68e81ae55149633d6b5245a5bb056a9d SuperZaxxonB4.zip


md5sum pandora-rootfs.tar.bz2


6fa080927fa42d2358769a07edd256aa pandora-rootfs.tar.bz2


And now it works with www ... maybe was a coincidence.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
What are the settings for ZRAM at the moment? From using SL4P, ZRAM is awesome, is SuperZaxxon basically using the same settings?


Also, can't wait to see if the Wifi fixes work for me.


I want to flash this tonight, but we will have to see, lots of projects due this week.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yay !


Thanks to every contributor.


-Edit: got the unfinished download bug. Re-dling.


-Edit2: third try, third fail. Only 30K this time.


-Edit3: seamonkey and firefox fail. The overall op.org seems very slow.


wget stalls. Connection closed then retry, again and again.


-Edit4: oh ! not using www works !


md5sum SuperZaxxonB4.zip


68e81ae55149633d6b5245a5bb056a9d SuperZaxxonB4.zip


And now it works with www ... maybe was a coincidence.

Im getting behavior like this, was like this for the last beta.

HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 206 Partial Content


Length: 259833420 (248M), 211489664 (202M) remaining [application/zip]


Saving to: `SuperZaxxonB4.zip'


23% [++++++++++++++++++++++++++++======> ] 60,959,277 10.8K/s in 3m 26s


2012-04-29 19:46:52 (59.7 KB/s) - Connection closed at byte 60959277. Retrying.


--2012-04-29 19:47:02-- (try:11) http://www.openpandora.org/downloads/SuperZaxxonB4.zip
 
Zram doesn't work. Seems the module is not loaded prior to anything else.


-Edit: works on my other unit. Checking.


-Edit2: ok, a reboot is needed. Zram on both now.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hrmm... just tried downloading it with two different PCs here, using www and without www.


No stall, no hang, no wrong MD5...


How am I supposed to debug this if it doesn't happen for me? :(
 
Something slightly off topic, can we make the tolerances for XY scrolling on the nubs a bit bigger? I find when i use my thumb to scroll down, i will miss the "sweet spot" that will scroll down and I will need to move the nub around at the bottom a bit.
 
Something slightly off topic, can we make the tolerances for XY scrolling on the nubs a bit bigger? I find when i use my thumb to scroll down, i will miss the "sweet spot" that will scroll down and I will need to move the nub around at the bottom a bit.

Can't you do that in the nub settings?
 
Something i already asked for.


Is it possible to rename OP settings in Xfce settings menu ? I'd wish they all begin with OP-, like OP-Bluetooth, OP-CPU-Settings, etc.


When this menu is mixed with another programs settings, it becomes a mess :/.
 
Something slightly off topic, can we make the tolerances for XY scrolling on the nubs a bit bigger? I find when i use my thumb to scroll down, i will miss the "sweet spot" that will scroll down and I will need to move the nub around at the bottom a bit.

Can't you do that in the nub settings?

Which setting? Is its the scrolling sensitivity ones? If so, they must have been somewhat badly named.
 
so far as i can tell, no problems for me right now, though i wasnt sure if i was getting the most responsive button presses (i wouldn't take this too seriously and i havent tested much and games seemed fine), also i wonder if those default scroll bars are actually a little too big! i can change them myself though. on the whole seems nice. i had a little bit of a firefox browse, got some videos playing and it might just be me feeling overly optimistic but things did seem better with the zram.


finally, picodrive worked pretty well for me, a little puzzled as to the problems other had reports. castle of illusion, alien 3 and asterix on sms worked fine!
 
Set proper CPU speed after suspend
AHAH! I knew it wasn't doing something right but I couldn't prove it other than it just felt a little sluggish. :D


Going to give this a try tomorrow.


For the record, I have never had any trouble downloading from the openpandora.org servers, except for an occasional window where I can't even make a connection (I assume these are the times when the backup is run).


I've downloaded files on my PC at home (in Canada) and at work (which proxies through Chicago), on my Pandora through Firefox and Midori, with wget, and PNDStore, and even downloaded SZB3 through my cell phones tethering on a long bus trip not too long ago. Oh, and also downloaded some stuff when I was in Delaware. I've covered 3 different computers with 4 different connection points and about a dozen different download methods and I cannot get the connection to fail.
 
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