How to Install the Firmware Update on Android TV Box with Rockchip SoC

In this post, we will tell you how to install the firmware update on Android TV Box that runs on the Rockchip processor. There are various ways to do it. You can use some specified tools to perform this installation. Also, you can flash the firmware using a single micro SD card. There is another way where you have to make use of the computer along with the flash tool.

How To Install Firmware update on Android TV Box

There are various ways to do it and we will cover each of that.

Flash Firmware With IMG File And A SD Card

Before beginning, make sure that you have an idea about what modifications you are doing. Follow the steps carefully.

Note: GetDroidTips will not be responsible for any bricked devices.

In this method, we have a single file with .img extension that we need to flash and we don’t need to connect the TV-Box to a PC.

Requirements

•  Download drivers Rockchip create upgrade disk tool v1.4
• A PC/Laptop
• MicroSD or SD card reader
• SD card formatted in FAT32
• If the method does not work with one card try another one
• You always have to run the program as ADMINISTRATOR

Preparing the SD card to update TV-Box with SoC Rockchip

1. Unzip the Rockchip Create Upgrade file
2. Locate where you have the firmware file in * .img format
3. We start the Rockchip Create Upgrade program as the ADMINISTRATOR (right-click on “SD_Firmware_Tool.exe”)
   In the program we select:
   – Drive where we have connected the SD card
   – Activate the SD BOOT option in the program menu
   – The path where we have the IMG file
4. Press the RESTORE button and the process of creating the SD card will start, it may take several minutes.
5. With the TV-Box turned off to introduce the SD card.
6. Keep the reset button pressed and without releasing it we connect the TV-Box to the electricity to boot it.
7. Automatically the update process will start and we have to wait as it finishes.
8. To the terminal, the process removes the SD card.
9. We recommend doing a factory reset when Android boot: Settings> Backup> Reset.

FLASH FIRMWARE WITH IMG FILE USING A PC

In this process, we have a single file with .img extension and in this case, you need to connect the TV-Box to a PC.

Requirements

•  Download Driver Rockchip Driver Assistant v4.4
• Download Rockchip RK Batch Tool v1.8 Update Tool,
  
• A PC/Laptop
• MicroUSB cable 

Connection to TV

• Each TV-Box has a specific PC connection port.
  So, you have to test the flash process with all ports, USB, micro USB or USB Type-C.
• If your PC does not detect the TV-Box we recommend using another PC.
• You may have problems with PC if you have previously installed another program to update an Android mobile phone or other similar devices.

Installing Rockchip Drivers

1. Start the program for the Rockchip Drivers “driverinstall.exe” (execute like Administrator with the right button of the mouse in Windows), press in Install
2. In the Windows security message click on Install
3. Close the Drivers program
4. Reboot the PC.

Update Procedure for a TV-Box with RK Batch Tool

1. 1. Disconnect the power cord on the Rockchip TV-Box
   2. Start the program RK Batch Tool with the “RKBatchTool.exe“
   3. Click on the Firmware button “…”
   4. Select the Firmware file with the extension “. img “and will be loaded on the screen.
   5. Hold the reset button on the device and connect with a cable from a USB of our TV-Box to a USB port on our PC (* See the previous connection notes if we have questions)
   6. The update program will detect the device almost instantly in one USB position (In the TV-Box we will have the black screen if it enters the recovery is NOT correct)
   7. Select the RESTORE option and begin the update process.
   8. When finished, a green message will appear.
   9. Wait for the system to restart and show us the Android desktop, this can take about 5 to 10 minutes.

Update using a PC for TV-Box with Factory Tool

1. Disconnect the Rockchip device from the power and run Factory tool
2. First, we upload the firmware in IMG format and change to Restore mode.
3. Hold the reset button on the device and connect with a cable from a USB of our TV-Box to a USB port on our PC.
4. The update program will detect the device almost instantly in one USB position  
5. Click on the RUN button, at the end, it will give us OK.
6. Wait for the system to restart and show us the Android desktop, this can take from 5 to 10 minutes approximately.

Update using a PC for TV-Box with RKDevTool

1. Disconnect the Rockchip device from the power and run RKDevtool executing AndroidTool.exe.
2. Change to the Upgrade Firmware section.
3. First, browse and select the firmware with *.img file.
4. Hold the reset button on the device and connect with a cable from a USB of our TV-Box to a USB port on our PC 
5. The update program will detect the device (In the TV-Box we will see the black screen if it enters the recovery is NOT correct).
6. Press the Upgrade button and wait as the update takes place..

Update Only With Zip File

In the final method, we have a single file with the .zip extension and there is no need of connecting the TV-Box to a PC.

Steps

• Copy in the root of our SD or USB the .zip file of the update (depends on the TV-Box one or the other is used, try both)
• From the Android system of our TV-Box, we go to Settings, depending on the model we have one option or another, examples:
  – Application update in the list of apps
  – Settings> About the device> Update
  – Some TV-Box with the Zip in the root of the SD or USB with the flash button pressed when starting to take the update
• When you ask for the zip file, we select it and click on load
• The update process will begin on the restart.
• Once finished we recommend doing a factory reset inside Settings> Backup.

So, these were all the various methods that you can use to install the firmware update on Android TV Box. We hope this guide was helpful to you.