recommendations on best firmware?

[hambonius]

Hi,

I own a Pine-phone Pro handset. I have concluded that the firmware packages I have tried on it so far, do not bring it up to day to day usable status. I bought it in the knowledge that its still on the bleeding edge, and some time will be needed to fully develop all functions. It rankles however, to see it still in the box and my old phone still in my pocket..  

Any recommendations on best current firmware, to expect to be able to reliably use the hardware at least for phone, text and camera functions?

Thanks,

Brian H.
Uxbridge Ont.

[gulshan212]

Well, I have not much knowledge about it however I can recommend you some firmware some of them which are listed below:
1. Ubuntu Touch
2. Camera Support
3. Updates and Community Feedback
4. PostmarketOS
5. Manjaro ARM
6. Mobian
7. LuneOS

Thanks

[Kevin Kofler]

This reply sounds very much like it was written by an AI. "Updates and Community Feedback" is clearly not a firmware. The OP was asking for user feedback on operating systems that actually work, not some AI-generated list that even includes 2 bogus entries.

[apink]

I use postmarketOS edge with phosh, after having updated to Biktorgj's modem firmware. I use the pine phone pro as a daily driver with the following limitations:

-I have a backup energy source available. At work I just plug the ppp in to keep it charged. It discharges quickly. When I am away from work or home I carry a battery.
-I don't use the camera. Haven't gotten it to work and don't need it so I haven't followed developments wrt the camera.
-I just use the phone for calls, texts, and wifi internet usage. I am not a power mobile phone user.

I have previously installed mobian and it seems comparable. I have heard other people say they get good results with arch. I had sxmo instead of phosh for a while there and enjoyed it for what it had to offer.

Biktorgj's modem firmware:

https://github.com/the-modem-distro/pinephone_modem_sdk



as evidence that I am not AI, I will submit the following haiku:

pine phone pro for me
'cause it's open source, of course
playing the long game

[crocspot]

Thanks for the modem firmware link apink.

I'm using Mobian Posh with the PinePhone Keyboard / Battery on my Pine Phone Pro.

It's not a iPhone / Android "Killa" by any means and my $100 el cheapo Android testing phone and battery lasts much longer.

"However" I am using my Pine Phone Pro happily as my Daily Driver. Like you apink I don't use the Camera so I don't miss it however it does work in Mobian Posh "just" at the moment.

I've not updated my modem firmware to Biktorgh's yet but I expect that's on the list to do for next weekend ! (Any, tips / tricks, do's and don'ts, lessons learnt the hard way from anyone on that front ?)

I really see my Pine Phone Pro not so much as a Mobile Phone, more as the most "awesome" Portable Computing Device ever, that happens to make Phone call's as well.
Combined with the myriad of other things it can do

In reality I'm a very light telephony user and I've just got the phone diverting to my work number if it crashes so I don't miss any "important" calls.

SMS'ing fine.

Good results with LTE and Wifi Networking / Internet.

Hot Spotting as well no problems

It's very much for me still a work in progress but since firing up my Phine Phone Pro in Mobian (yes I'm a Debian fan boi !) I've pretty much canned my laptop and tablet.

Power wise like apink I keep it powered and charged during the day at the office, and have an extra portable backup battery when I'm mobile in case of emergency, low power.
I Pop the device on charge overnight as well. There's no doubt it's excessively power hungry but it is manageable.
I'm averaging around 3-4 hours on just the standard phone battery. 4/6/8 hours depending on usage with both the phone battery and keyboard / battery extension.

It's obviously bigger and clunkier than a standard phone in the Keyboard Accessory form factor. I'm always using the device with the Clip on Keyboard Accessory.
I've found myself very pleasantly surprised with this. I'm an old school PDA / Palm Pilot fan and this form factor makes me "SO" happy. I've been quite unexpectedly surprised how often I find myself opening and using the device like a physical, actual small pocket book. Very Cool IMHO.

Sure it's heavier and bulkier but I've no problem popping it into my business shirt or trouser pockets.

I'm blown away with how well Waydroid is running on the phone. I've no problems running my ip based test android apps. Of course due to current limitations with bluetooth they are only iP based apps but running these in the LinageOS Container within Mobian is very fast and responsive. Again no effective bluetooth currently and the occasional crash however it's very usable.

I've been exclusively using a cheap good quality 3.5 mm jack corded phone earbud headset with moderate results. ($15 AUD) I'm not really missing my bluetooth earbuds despite the occasional "tangle" with my corded earphones !

As above I've not updated the the modem firmware so I do get the occasional sleep / drop outs that require a reboot to restore telephony.

I've had few problems on both of our Australian Major Telco / Carriers. (I do sometimes suffer the 4G back to 3G fallback I've seen others comment on here in the forums)

So in summary it is neither an Android or an iPhone (Great in itself again IMHO)

It is in my experience "already" the best portable computing device I've ever owned and it is only getting better as Mobian / Posh continues to improve. (My first PC was an Apple IIe and I've had many PC's / Devices come and go since then. Yes I have walked with Dinosaurs lol)

I can only speak for my experience. I read many good things about all the other available OS's / Images out there as well. I've been meaning to fire up the Multi Distro Boot image which I believe is up and running for the Pine Phone Pro to give the other great options a go. Might be worth trying that hambonius to see your options and get a feel for what suits you best.

In reality now I find my self "living" off my Pine Phone Pro with Mobian / Posh and I'm finding it difficult to "Prize it from my dead, cold, clammy fingers"

Again I'm speaking as a "Geek" so I'd expect my needs and usage are not your "average" Phone / App users ! However again I'll say it ;

I'm currently using this device as my daily driver and frankly I've waited a "long" time for a device with this capability and I already couldn't live without it !
The Pine Phone Pro Mobian Posh for me is the best "geeking" device I've ever owned and I look forward to it only getting better

I tip my hat to absolutely everyone involved in making this hardware and software a reality. It is an absolute privilege to be able to stand on the shoulders of giants.

True Mobile Computing Freedom.

Hope that helps you and others hambonius

[mikehenson]

I've not updated my modem firmware to Biktorgh's yet but I expect that's on the list to do for next weekend ! (Any, tips / tricks, do's and don'ts, lessons learnt the hard way from anyone on that front ?)

I've had few problems on both of our Australian Major Telco / Carriers. (I do sometimes suffer the 4G back to 3G fallback I've seen others comment on here in the forums)

I strongly recommend updating the modems firmware to Biktorgj and loading the correct ADSP version for your wireless provider.

With Phosh, here are the steps to load Biktorgj firmware.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgFtFzPhXJw

After the Biktorgj firmware is loaded, make sure you have the correct version of ADSP for your carrier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsCpmkE5ttg

See this post for a complete install and setup. 
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18192

[expant]

I have returned to the community after several months and done some extensive testing including some of the new releases.

I tested many distros incl (Mobian, Manjaro, Ubuntu touch, Kali, lineage, postmarket (both installer and natural image on both SD & emmc).

The ONLY distro's that would boot to anything resembling a graphical UI was ARCH sxmo and postmarket SXMO (postmarket had a reboot ~5 mins).

My timing may be bad but it's a little disappointing everyone seems to be porting things that simply don't boot. It's not a great usage of resources IMHO, unless they are all waiting for an upstream change that resolves these fundamental issues. IDK

Kind Regards

[crocspot]

Thanks mikehenson will give that a go and follow your tips as soon as I have a "Break in the Traffic"

expant I'm a little confused with your comment "The ONLY distro's that would boot to anything resembling a graphical UI was ARCH sxmo and postmarket SXMO"

I'm assuming your talking about those distros where the only GUI's you found satisfactory ? Your not saying you couldn't boot your PPP to a Mobian / Posh Image ?

[expant]

Your not saying you couldn't boot your PPP to a Mobian / Posh Image ?

That is exactly what I was saying, no others booting to any type of login.

[crocspot]

Your not saying you couldn't boot your PPP to a Mobian / Posh Image ?

That is exactly what I was saying, no others booting to any type of login.

So for your Mobian/Posh on your PPP did you try and build the .img to the eMMC , SD or both ? I'm assuming you are using TOW Boot on your PPP ?