How to enable UART1 on A10 Android?

[MegaSoft]

Hi,
I'm using Android on the A10 device. By default, the user manual says that UART0 is used for debugging and UART1 is "not populated". I'm not sure what that means (not populated). I am able to connect to UAR0 at /dev/ttyS0 but since this is used by other applications and services, I can't use it exclusively. What I want is to enable UART1 and use it to connect a device to that port. Is there a simple way of doing that?

Thanks

[LubOlimex]

Hi,

UART1 doesn't have the male header pins that UART0 has. The UART1 itself is populated but the HN1X4 connector isn't – so the fact that UART1 is "not populated" is probably a bad wording of the fact the male pins are missing.

It should be possible to use UART1 for debug under Android (it would be easier under Linux I believe though). Theoretically there are two things that need to be done:

1) UART1 signals are multiplexed with signals from the SD card connector (the one at the bottom side of the board). Make sure there is no SD card placed in the bottom connector.

2) You need to enable the UART1 suitable for debugging on software level. This is the harder part since it would require changing the default configuration script.bin file in the NAND image. It would require bin <–> fex converter tool and reading these instructions: http://linux-sunxi.org/Fex_Guide, [uart_para] part.

Note that I haven't tested the above myself.

Best regards,
Lub/OLIMEX