A few questions about the Halo

[fonix232]

I've just received my international/UK version of the Halo, and while I'm more or less happy with it, there are a few things I'd like to see improved - most of them can be easily done by small firmware changes:

• "Screensaver" mode: I can see myself lugging around this bad boy to act as a somewhat smart speaker - with WiFi shared from my phone, or just using it even as a Bluetooth speaker. In these instances, I do not want the projector part on, as to save power (and since the Halo does not use USB-PD for charging, plopping it on a powerbank is not an option)
• Standby mode: instead of turning off the projector, a standby mode would be appreciated - projection, etc. are all off, but the OS is still running to be quickly woken up, but still consume very little power. Automatic power-off could be enabled if the device is running from battery
• Battery management improvements: first of all, it would be great if the actual percentage of the battery was made visible on the home screen. Right now it's just the arbitrary "parts filled" battery icon.
• Slightly more frequent updates, at least for security patches - the release, that was built on 4th of July, is still just the May security patch!
• Speaking of updates... Please remove the 50% battery requirement for updates, if the device is currently plugged in! It's incredibly annoying, especially since I had to do a whole discharge-charge cycle and a reboot for the system to realise the battery is charged enough. Though this bug might've been fixed in the latest update, but still, while on external power supply, why not let it update?
• Fix ADB keys not being saved. I use HomeAssistant, which requires ADB access for full integration and control - but the Halo keeps forgetting the keys, even though I check "remember this machine" every time.
• Pretty please change all the Xgimi additions' english mis-translations (mainly the "open" and "closed" bits to "on" and "off"). This should be a straightforward thing to do, and even a crowdsourced solution could be made - I'm sure a lot of members here would gladly submit translations to their native language.
• App certifications... The earliest complaints are from November 2019! You've been working on the certification process for over 8 months now! And no news apart from it being underway... I work in the industry, and have had to certify a few customised Android platforms before, the process itself is incredibly quick, unless there's some major issues in the custom OS implementation.

If at least the smaller, quick to fix issues could be attended to, that would be awesome!

[Ari]

@fonix232 Hi, thanks for your support. Please check the below info. for more details:

1. Halo can be used as a Bluetooth speaker, please long-press the power button of remote, you'll see more options--display off

2. this feature is just like the Bluetooth speaker mode, but it might consume the battery faster than the off mode, as it needs to keep the Bluetooth signal. PS: if you don't use the projector for a long time, you can long-press the power button on Halo to turn it off completely, still, please charge it once every two week to protect the battery.

3. the battery percentage needs the hardware optimization, so sorry it can't be added for now, we shall make it up for future models.

4. We'll update the firmware every quarter of the year. It's a smart projector with official android tv system, so it'll need much more tests for the system issue and compatibility with other devices and apps.

5. this setup is to make sure the update can be finished successfully, if something happened to the update process, the projector would be damaged. System update consume battery faster than normal using, if it has no battery during the updating process, or power got cut out(even when plugged in), Halo might not be turned on again.

6. it's a default setup which can't be changed due to the android tv system, appreciate your understanding.

7. thanks, I'll update it to our team.

8. you mean Netflix issue? Please know we've been working on this issue for a long time, and it's not for us to say if we can get it or not. Netflix is a big request from all customers, but we are still quite new to the overseas market, it's hard to just cooperate with the third platforms, but sure we would finally get it with the support from loyal customers like you guys.

Thanks again for the support, have a nice day~

[fonix232]

@Ari thanks for the quick response.

1. Halo can be used as a Bluetooth speaker, please long-press the power button of remote, you'll see more options--display off

Thanks. Could you update the manual with this information? The long press power menu is not apparent, especially with a remote.

2. this feature is just like the Bluetooth speaker mode, but it might consume the battery faster than the off mode, as it needs to keep the Bluetooth signal. PS: if you don't use the projector for a long time, you can long-press the power button on Halo to turn it off completely, still, please charge it once every two week to protect the battery.

The main idea for this point was to have the Halo, while connected to mains power supply, in a "semi shut down" state, where it's not projecting, but still is active. Sort of like an active standby, and most definitely not for carrying around in this state.

3. the battery percentage needs the hardware optimization, so sorry it can't be added for now, we shall make it up for future models.

Uhm, you already report the battery information - otherwise the battery icon wouldn't be displayed, and other, power user tools would not display the percentage. You literally just need to tinker how the battery icon is displayed, and e.g. add the percentage text to the overlay popup that right now just says "Battery" (so it says "Battery: XX %").

Also I don't see how "we shall make it up for future models" would be something you want to say to existing customers. Reassurance that a base feature so simple to implement will come IF you purchase the next, even more expensive model, is anything but reassuring. It won't make me want to buy your next product, it will make me want to ditch the brand completely. Hopefully it's just an issue with communication (as a non-native English speaker, I too often translate, or even mis-translate, my native country's proverbs and expressions, so I understand if such thing happens, which seems to be the case here)

4. We'll update the firmware every quarter of the year. It's a smart projector with official android tv system, so it'll need much more tests for the system issue and compatibility with other devices and apps.

Understandable, but nonetheless security updates should be pushed to the device in a timely manner. I'm not talking about new features, but e.g. in the June security patches, Google fixed two major Bluetooth bugs - both of them are still present in the latest Halo firmware, in basically August!

5. this setup is to make sure the update can be finished successfully, if something happened to the update process, the projector would be damaged. System update consume battery faster than normal using, if it has no battery during the updating process, or power got cut out(even when plugged in), Halo might not be turned on again.

Power loss during update would be a really rare scenario, and even if that happened, as I mentioned before, the update took me about 10 minutes, and less than 10% in battery - started from 83% and ended up with 75% after the system settled.

6. it's a default setup which can't be changed due to the android tv system, appreciate your understanding.

No, it isn't. All my other Android TV devices save the ADB keys properly, and only prompt about a new connection if the key wasn't saved ("remember this device" was not checked on previous connection, or there was no previous connection at all).

7. thanks, I'll update it to our team.

Awesome, thanks. If you were to set up a Crowdin (or similar crowd sourced translation tool, hell, even a git repo of your strings.xml collections), I'd gladly contribute and help these small bits gets fixed.

8. you mean Netflix issue? Please know we've been working on this issue for a long time, and it's not for us to say if we can get it or not. Netflix is a big request from all customers, but we are still quite new to the overseas market, it's hard to just cooperate with the third platforms, but sure we would finally get it with the support from loyal customers like you guys.

Yes, I'm talking about the Netflix issue. Certification depends on multiple factors (in my case, the company I work for requires little certification on the device as our content is not "crucial" for protection, unlike the many shows Netflix wants to keep off from leaking/getting ripped): DRM compatibility, HDR playback capability, and of course Android API certification, which you should be able to pass easily, unless you changed major Android APIs that Netflix relies on (given how pure the Android TV experience feels on the Halo, I suspect your changes are superficial additions only).

Thanks again for the support, have a nice day~

In the meantime I've got a handful of other issues I keep seeing.

1. Plex Media Player drops subtitle support in certain cases. Subtitles are enabled, but not rendered on-screen, if the projector goes into sleep, or if sideways projection is enabled, and keystone correction is on. This is usually fixed by a reboot (in case the projector went into sleep mode) or by disabling keystone correction (thereby rendering sideways projection unusable with Plex). This is not an issue I've observed on any other Android TV devices I have, however it only happens to Plex. Possibly you've overridden one of the APIs Plex uses for subtitle display?

2. The Halo loses focus while in "screen off" mode. I don't like shutting it down (due to the above ADB issue), so I just turn projection off, and let the device sleep while plugged in. Upon resuming, depending on how long the device has been sleeping, the projection will be slightly, or totally out of focus, and requires a focus trigger (switching the mode switch on the remote to focus mode and back does the trick usually). However this slight unfocusing also happens during viewing - after about 2-2.5 hours of usage, there's a visible jump as the device "focuses", only to ruin the currently established focus. The device is NOT moved during these times, and is sitting peacefully on a chest of drawers, completely stable.

3. HDR. The July update has disabled HDR completely, and not even workarounds like using VLC (which, in most cases, can play HDR-enabled content without it being too dark on non-HDR displays) help. The image is dark and unsaturated. As HDR is being touted as a major feature of this projector, I'd expect it to work.

4. Volume setting. The remote does not allow for long pressing the volume keys to quickly mute/increase volume, requiring manual clicking multiple times to set the proper volume level. The volume bar is also displayed for too long.

[Ari]

@fonix232 Good day, hope you've had a nice weekend.

1. we've updated this info. in the FAQs on our official website, the user manual would be updated in the future, please stay tuned.

2. Ok, then the Bluetooth speaker mode shall meet your requirement.

3. I understand your request, but it can be added due to the hardware limits indeed, the projector needs a small part to be installed to test the battery storage, that's why it shows the "battery" instead of battery *%.
   We can't just ask all customers to send the projector back to China and disassemble each one to add the parts, so we'll try our best to work on the software support, make it more accurate to show the battery on the screen. Appreciate your understanding.

4. Projector is different from other devices, there is no specical security for it. But we'll always there whenever any issue happens. And some issues can only be fixed in the firmware update, not like the regular update from phone or PC.

5. The battery limits is original setup to protect the system, appreciate your understanding.

6. it's from the system setup as well, we can't take every projector for the same situation, appreciate your understanding.

7. Thanks in advance

For the other issues, please email to service@xgimi.com, attaching the related pictures or video, I'll check it for you.

[A Former User]

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[A Former User]

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[A Former User]

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[fonix232]

@Ari said in A few questions about the Halo:

3. I understand your request, but it can be added due to the hardware limits indeed, the projector needs a small part to be installed to test the battery storage, that's why it shows the "battery" instead of battery *%.
   We can't just ask all customers to send the projector back to China and disassemble each one to add the parts, so we'll try our best to work on the software support, make it more accurate to show the battery on the screen. Appreciate your understanding.

Except the hardware you're talking about is already in place! How else would you be displaying the "rough" battery percentage? Some sort of measuring must be in place for protection and such - all I'm asking is that you display the percentage and not hide it.

4. Projector is different from other devices, there is no specical security for it. But we'll always there whenever any issue happens. And some issues can only be fixed in the firmware update, not like the regular update from phone or PC.

Google releases security updates to Android TV (regardless if the implementing device is a full-blown TV, a set top box, or a projector).

And what is this BS about the "firmware update" being different to "regular" updates on phones and PCs?

5. The battery limits is original setup to protect the system, appreciate your understanding.

Again, I get it, but those things can be changed All I'm saying is, that based on user feedback, you could optimise the required percentage of battery capacity for an update.

6. it's from the system setup as well, we can't take every projector for the same situation, appreciate your understanding.

No, this is a SOFTWARE issue. And apparently it only happens with a handful of devices - my laptop, for example, had no problem reconnecting to the projector, but a HomeAssistant system I'm running (it's a Python app running on a Linux server, connecting via the same standard ADB) has the "forgotten keys" issue.

7. Thanks in advance

For the other issues, please email to service@xgimi.com, attaching the related pictures or video, I'll check it for you.

How could I make a video of HDR not being available, when I can't roll the update back?

The only issue listed that I can actually capture on video is the volume setting, but that should be obvious for you in the factory too - just turn a Halo unit on, long press volume up/down and observe that nothing happens, you need to repeatedly press and release the volume button for it to change properly.

Also, any chance you could do something about the spam on the forum?

It's incredibly annoying. I keep reporting it, but nothing seems to happen. If you need help

[Ari]

@fonix232
Sorry for the inconvenience caused, I've been managing the spam post all the time, and more auto-features would be done soon.
Also, please join the Facebook group for a better comunication.
Mogo group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/397245941024735/
Halo group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/429334661330396/

[fonix232]

@Ari why do you have a forum if you want to communicate on Facebook? I think that's quite unprofessional. Nonetheless, I joined the group.

On the other hand I'd have another request. Since you base your software on Android TV, which is running on the Linux kernel, which is covered by GPLv2, I'd like you to publish the source code for the kernel itself, and any other GPLv2 covered bits and pieces of the Halo firmware. And if possible, a full stock firmware image of the Halo as well.

Also, is there any chance that the next update of the Halo would be compiled for ARMv8? The SoC in the Halo (Amlogic T950X2) is a 64 bit SoC, and should support 64 bit software, yet the whole system was compiled in armv7l mode only. Android is slowly transitioning to 64 bit only applications (a bunch of software is 64 bit only already!), and releasing a product limited to 32bit severely impacts the available apps. I for one wanted to install the Plex Media Server designed for the Nvidia Shield, however since it's armv8/64bit only, it cannot be installed...

[A Former User]

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[wincore]

@Ari please, try to find any solution with your team on these issues mentioned by @fonix232 or post some updates on this topic.

I can confirm this issue too: "after about 2-2.5 hours of usage, there's a visible jump as the device "focuses", only to ruin the currently established focus. The device is NOT moved during these times, and is sitting peacefully on a chest of drawers, completely stable."

Has anybody problem with HDMI and PS/STB like this guy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAn2MusCDuo

This is most important thread on Halo here for me!
Thank you.

[Ari]

@wincore Hi, good day. sorry for the late reply. Hope you guys had a nice weekend.

But I've checked all the issues here.

1. battery percentage. As I've mentioned before, Halo needs a small part to test how much battery left. There is no way to get the data, even the rough battery percentage needs to be tested as well, so to display it at the home page, this small part is to test the data, since there is no way to get it via software. That's why. Appreciate your understanding.

2. Sorry to say this, but it's the truth, Halo is running the official android tv system, which is from google side. Google would update their own system regularly.

3. For the focus issue, part of Halo lens is made of resin materials, it gets softer in warm environment, so the focus would lose a little as the temperature goes higher, that's why we suggest to focus after 20 minutes using. Or turn on the dynamic focal lengh compensation-- help to focus on the back ground.

4. The HDMI video on youtube, it's the key issue, so that projector needs maintenance. If your Halo has the HDMI connection issue, please email to service@xgimi.com, I'll check it at the earliest.

[fonix232]

@salmanmunawar said in A few questions about the Halo:

@fonix232 I totally agree with you on the Facebook. I don't use Facebook and don't attend to join it. How is joining Facebook group going to solve these issues?

I am so glad I am not the only one raising these issues.

It's not going to help, and it's only muddying the waters - you report the issue here, you get directed to Facebook, you report it there, and they can claim it "got lost" and that's why it is being delayed.

Halo is a great projector but it has issues that can resolved with software updates. I didn't even know about 32bit and 64bit issue you highlighted but that can resolved with software update if xgimi cares for it's customer needs.

The 32b vs 64b issue most likely comes from the BSP they received from Amlogic - the SOC manufacturer tends to limit the default BSP to 32bit even on their latest devices, and the device manufacturer needs to finetune this.

Luckily, Xgimi did not disable the kernel config exposure during runtime, so I was able to grab a copy and verify a few things, one of them being that it's indeed targeting armv7l instead of aarch64/armv8. Which will be a big issue - as I said for example I'm unable to run Plex Media Server on it, which only has builds for the Nvidia SHIELD TV. I bought a portable projector so that I can grab it and go to a park with friends, but Plex does not support sync for TV devices, thus can't easily make it work in circumstances when there's no WiFi.

I could buy a SHIELD TV Pro, but that would add extra volume (and power needs) to the overall device.

HDR issue

HDR is a big one. Top reason I bought Halo. Even worse xgimi disabled in the last update instead of fixing the tone map. Everything plays in SDR especially from the Android TV apps. Halo homepage still says HDR decoding it is false advertisement. I was able to tweak HDR when connected to PC by playing with image setting from Nvidia control but that totally screwed up SDR content.

I completely agree. I don't mind HDR being disabled if it's not working.

Another thing that I noticed - the battery claims are completely false. The battery in the Halo is a 12.6V unit, made up of three 18650 cells - each of them 4.2V, so connected in series. But the packaging also claims to be 5400mAh - which is impossible for a 18650 cell, the largest ones are 3500-3600mAh at most, and those can't safely power this device. Since it needs a 90W charger, I'd presume at the 12.6V the battery provides, it would need at least a 10A continuous discharge rate to be safe (and as someone who has a bit of technical expertise in the field, 15A would be ideal due to overhead and sudden power spikes e.g. when the projector light turns on in standby mode). Given the price of 18650 cells that are capable of 10A discharge and have 3000+mAh capacity, I doubt they were used as such. But the 17000mAh claimed battery capacity still doesn't add up, even with knowing the energy density, which is 59.454Wh:

• At 3.6V (which is the nominal battery voltage for Li-Ion cells), the capacity is 16500mAh
• At 3.3V (which is most likely the board's main operating voltage, as it is for most electronics), the capacity is 18000mAh
• At 5V (which would be the "powerbank output" which most likely doesn't happen, since the board has an internal LiPo interface and power regulator) the capacity is 11890mAh

No matter how I'm looking at it, the capacity simply cannot match the advertised one.

Here are the interior shots of the Halo, courtesy of the FCC.

@Ari said in A few questions about the Halo:

@wincore Hi, good day. sorry for the late reply. Hope you guys had a nice weekend.

But I've checked all the issues here.

1. battery percentage. As I've mentioned before, Halo needs a small part to test how much battery left. There is no way to get the data, even the rough battery percentage needs to be tested as well, so to display it at the home page, this small part is to test the data, since there is no way to get it via software. That's why. Appreciate your understanding.

Ari dear, you can keep repeating this, it won't make it true. Somehow you already report battery percentage - otherwise the updater wouldn't cry below 50%, and the battery icon on the home screen wouldn't work!

2. Sorry to say this, but it's the truth, Halo is running the official android tv system, which is from google side. Google would update their own system regularly.

And again, untrue. Google has already released not just Android 10 for Android TV, but there's an Android 11 preview ongoing right now! And Google releases security updates for TV on a monthly schedule - I should know, since my day job is basically developing an applications framework for my company's various channels, and I can clearly see the statistics, including security patch updates.

The reason why you're not getting security updates is because you're sticking to Android TV 9. Update to 10 already, and we will have monthly updates. Even better, start open sourcing your work, let the community help!

3. For the focus issue, part of Halo lens is made of resin materials, it gets softer in warm environment, so the focus would lose a little as the temperature goes higher, that's why we suggest to focus after 20 minutes using. Or turn on the dynamic focal lengh compensation-- help to focus on the back ground.

I monitor my device's temperature, and it doesn't change considerably - in fact I keep it turned on 24/7, with the projection part disabled (so it's awake, but dark). However automatic refocusing - even if it's not needed since the image is crystal clear - does happen randomly. Sometimes my Halo can go for 3-4 hours without refocusing, sometimes it happens every 10 minutes, regardless of heat.

[A Former User]

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[Happled]

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[Veteady]

@Happled said in A few questions about the Halo:

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[optzeci-gmail-com]

@Ari said in A few questions about the Halo:

We'll update the firmware every quarter of the year.

Hello @Ari

Why there is no firmware update available for the Halo in Q4, since you promised you'll do updates every quarter?
The last one was at the begining of Q3 in July, if I'm not mistaken, so almost half an year ago.

What about the status of Netflix certification? Do you need some help, because I have some connections in Netflix.

Best regards,
optzeci

[Ari]

@optzeci-gmail-com Hi, sorry for the late reply.
Yes I did, the new firmware waw scheduled to be released around Christmas, but something happened during the verification process, it might be delayed to 8th. Jan. please be patient.
Welcome to the Facebook for the latest news. https://www.facebook.com/groups/429334661330396