How to use Play Store with APC Rock (Original Firmware 1.0.0)

This is under testing, if you are interested welcome to try.

Make sure you have install Android OS 4.0 (Rock Version : 1.0.0)

Download installation file from here https://www.dropbox.com/s/uzoyj1h1rppbzic/Android4_Store_1.4.rar?m

The file will allow you to install play store and smart rotate, and your device (APC Rock) will reboot in 3 times.

1. Power on on both APC Rock and AE (your notebook/pc with windows xp or 7 platform) and enable the USB Debugging function on APC Rock.
2. Connect APC Rock with AE by ADB cable (non-OTG) and correctly install ADB driver on AE.
3. Make sure of the ADB link work well ( you can execute the “ADB devices” command in Android4_Store_xxx folder with CMD window to check)
4. Double left clicks the “TPSparkyRoot.bat” in  Android4_Store_xxx folder on your AE.

You will see below message, wait for 20 sec then press any key on your AE.

5. Check APC you should see it auto reboot now, then you will see below message on AE’s CMD window. “Reboot <1/3> – Continue once… ”

Check APC Rock, once it boot to home screen, wait for 20 sec then press any key on your AE to continue. Rock now should begin 2nd reboot.

6. You will see below message on AE’s CMD window. “Rebooting <2/3> – Continue… for 3min.”

Check Rock, once it boot to home screen, wait after 20 sec, press any key on your AE. (but please note even Rock screen shows nothing, after waiting 3 minutes from reboot you can just press any key to continue.)

7. Check your AE, you will see below message; you can continue if shows uid-0 and gid-0 (root) / root.
Otherwise press the ctrl+c to cancel and start over again.

8. Check Rock, it should reboot the third time.

Check the AE, you will see “Rebooting <3/3> – you should now… ” and now you can press any key to finish this process.

9. If need, you can change the display of app from abnormal portrait to normal landscape by smart rotator.

Advertisement

How to access console or u-boot?

1. Prepare a Console Cable for connecting:
– You have to buy or make a Console Cable (with UART3.3v to USB convertor) for connectivity between
APC’s console port and AE’s USB port; (* the APC console port that just supports 3.3v only)
– Below are pinouts of console ports (APC 8750 UART_PH and APC Rock/APper DEBUG_PORT.

Pinout of APC 8750

Pinout of APC Rock/Paper

– Make sure no power on APC board now. Do not connect adapter to APC.

– Follow below images to connect the Console Cable to APC; (* the Vcc of Console Cable must never connect to APC)

Console cable with usrt to usb converter

APC 8750 UART_PH pinhead

APC Rock/Paper DEBUG_PORT pinhead

2.Install the Driver and Terminal Emulation on AE

– Power on the AE(your notebook/PC)
– Insert the Console Cable into USB port of AE, and then properly install the Console Cable driver
and Terminal Emulation utility (such as the Tera s/w) on AE.
– Correctly assign a com port number and 115200 baud rate manually in both h/w device management and Terminal Emulation setup menu for this communication.

 

Terminal Emulation Setup Menu

 

3. Access console or u-boot promply

– If the connected is ready, you can power on the APC now; you will easy get access console prompt as below
image;
– But note thst entering u-boot prompt needs good timing, it’s because original setting of parameter bootdelay around 2~3 secs. Iy means that u-boot does not wait for keyboard a long time. So while power on the APC, you can instantly continually press “Enter key” to easily enter the u-boot prompt as below image.