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LeapFrog Epic: Difference between revisions
→Rockchip hardware revision (EPICv4; 2021)
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*[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ROPROP.recentapps_button&hl=en Recent Apps Button]: Another day, another dummied out feature waiting to be re-enabled. :p | *[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ROPROP.recentapps_button&hl=en Recent Apps Button]: Another day, another dummied out feature waiting to be re-enabled. :p | ||
*[http://repo.xposed.info/module/de.robv.android.xposed.installer Xposed Installer] is also a must-have when rooted, as it allows you to do all sorts of neat stuff like restoring lost functionality as described [http://spiffyhacks.com/thread-1080-post-6056.html#pid6056 here]. | *[http://repo.xposed.info/module/de.robv.android.xposed.installer Xposed Installer] is also a must-have when rooted, as it allows you to do all sorts of neat stuff like restoring lost functionality as described [http://spiffyhacks.com/thread-1080-post-6056.html#pid6056 here]. | ||
===Rockchip hardware revision (EPICv4; 2021)=== | ===Rockchip hardware revision (EPICv4; 2021)=== | ||
LeapFrog also [https://fccid.io/G2R-6022 quietly released a hardware revision] of the Epic circa 2021, replacing the MT8127 with a Rockchip RK3326. While this allowed LeapFrog to upgrade the included operating system to Android 10, it also means that the change in hardware rendered most hacks designed for the original Epic obsolete. | LeapFrog also [https://fccid.io/G2R-6022 quietly released a hardware revision] of the Epic circa 2021, replacing the MT8127 with a Rockchip RK3326. While this allowed LeapFrog to upgrade the included operating system to Android 10, it also means that the change in hardware rendered most hacks designed for the original Epic obsolete. | ||
VTech did their homework with the device and locked out most if not all entry points for hacking, such as ADB and development settings. Bizarrely enough they also dropped Bluetooth, replacing the wireless module with an obscure AltoBeam ATBM6011 wireless LAN controller. Ripping the firmware may also prove to be a challenge as the uboot binary that came with the device came with a deterrent which corrupts the dumped images past a certain point. To be fair this is hardly even unique to LeapFrog as the implementation by Rockchip themselves [https://gitlab.com/pgwipeout/u-boot-rockchip/-/blob/1b01cf5590f8d0b2270ffff5a656e38c5e3930ee/cmd/rockusb.c#L28 has this] until the [https://gitlab.com/pgwipeout/u-boot-rockchip/-/blob/6336d2324985831ed766031f91d410d0e587dbc8/cmd/rockusb.c latest commit]. It may be possible to patch out the offending instructions from the uboot binary though. Fortunately, it is possible to unbrick the LeapPad by forcing it to run in MASKROM mode through shorting two conveniently-located test points on the logic board just beside the eMMC chip; this however assumes that you have a ROM backup at hand. | VTech did their homework with the device and locked out most if not all entry points for hacking, such as ADB and development settings. Bizarrely enough they also dropped Bluetooth, replacing the wireless module with an obscure AltoBeam ATBM6011 wireless LAN controller. Ripping the firmware may also prove to be a challenge as the uboot binary that came with the device came with a deterrent which corrupts the dumped images past a certain point. To be fair this is hardly even unique to LeapFrog as the implementation by Rockchip themselves [https://gitlab.com/pgwipeout/u-boot-rockchip/-/blob/1b01cf5590f8d0b2270ffff5a656e38c5e3930ee/cmd/rockusb.c#L28 has this] until the [https://gitlab.com/pgwipeout/u-boot-rockchip/-/blob/6336d2324985831ed766031f91d410d0e587dbc8/cmd/rockusb.c latest commit]. It may be possible to patch out the offending instructions from the uboot binary, though flashing it back to the device can be a pain as you may or may not end up with a brick. Fortunately, it is possible to unbrick the LeapPad by forcing it to run in MASKROM mode through shorting two conveniently-located test points on the logic board just beside the eMMC chip; this however assumes that you have a ROM backup at hand. | ||
It is also apparently possible to boot from an SD card with a firmware image flashed onto it. Performance with such a setup would be unsurprisingly bad compared to a ROM flashed into internal storage, but it should be fine for testing if the firmware dump works fine or for recovering from a bricked tablet. | |||
====Gallery==== | ====Gallery==== | ||
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File:RK3326 LeapPad MASKROM testpoints.jpg|Short those two pins beside the eMMC chip to boot into MASKROM mode. | File:RK3326 LeapPad MASKROM testpoints.jpg|Short those two pins beside the eMMC chip to boot into MASKROM mode. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==Misc. notes== | |||
[[File:Epic DiSA lock.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Trust me, I bought this thing.]] | |||
*Apparently, certain North American SKUs of the Epic especially those made after March 2017, come with a product activation scheme designed to deter shoplifting, i.e. black-market reselling of stolen goods. Upon purchase of the Epic (or any other tablet with such a scheme), users are prompted to enter a code given by the seller, or retrieving an activation code off [https://getyourcode.com/ this site]. One hacker claimed to be offering a workaround for this issue, and this may be defeated through other means, but for legal reasons I may not come up with a workaround for this unless a user with an affected Epic has enough evidence that his/her Epic is legitimately purchased. | |||
*Also, those on build 1.7.18 (KOT49H.user.1.7.18.20170327.110821) may experience streaming video issues with sites such as YouTube, LeapSearch, Netflix or Vimeo regardless of client. They video may play for a moment, but will eventually glitch out and/or outright stop with an error. No fix has been made by LeapFrog yet as of {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}, much to the dismay of irate parents who took to Facebook and expressed their dismay over VTech/LeapFrog's handling of the bug. A workaround would be to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpUgI8ZSkP4 flash the signed Academy Edition 1.1.95 ROM] using SP Flash Tool. | |||
[[Category:Android]] | [[Category:Android]] | ||