Updates
3/31/2020
Hey, I’m back due to coronavirus I have more time.I tried cleaning up the post a bit. Part of the cleaning was including the instructions to revert back to Nougat in the original half of the review. It’s still a bit convoluted so please contact me if you need any help.
Some more actually exciting news we have a dev making a new kernel for Oreo. I have been alpha testing it for the past few weeks and its incredible. I can’t wait for the dev and the person leading the team, to get this out for all of you.
ARCHIVES
Unfortunately, as life has gotten much busier i havent been able to keep up my plans with this phone. I haven’t gone back to oreo to test memory management mods. And I haven’t been able to work on los 16 comparison. For now, I’m going to have to leave it to minor updates of apps and governors on nougat.I apologize for all you waiting on other more in-depth updates.
- 9/22/19
- Full nougat downgrade still coming, just started school up again so been busy sorry for the delay almost done.
- Use prevent running instead of Greenify (on both Oreo and Nougat) listed down below.
- Wakeblock list to make your life easier, be careful may bootloop.
- Wifi bonding magisk module removed still cant confirm if it works or not.
- 08/07/19
- Full Nougat Downgrade experience, settings, and apps coming soon.
- Reverted back to nougat after much urging from various people.
- So far it seems there is a big issue of oreo mk kernel killing apps upon exit and nougat doesn’t.
- I will be providing more feedback as I test as well as what I’m using on nougat in the near future.
- 08/05/19
- I still recommend the clang version of the kernel its still better than the other MK variants.
- AKT Ghostpepper is now recommended get it here
- Please donate to a new kernel https://forum.xda-developers.com/v20/development/bounty-kernel-h990ds-stock-oreo-t3952667
- Nothing else new for now, Stay Tuned.
- 5/21/19
- Clarified thermal test run in airplane mode
- updated to latest MK 2.2 clang kernel
- Complete new section regarding Model Variants Kernels
- removed universal gms doze due to crashing android VM
- removed WhatsApp extensions Xposed module due to issues
- Added modded libraries comparison from imgur
- clarified which libs my shots were with
Hi!
Congrats, very nice and detailed review. I changed from a G4 to the V20 and was quite shocked at the JPEG image quality degradation – too much noise reduction going on.
Regarding the modded camera libraries, do they work on Oreo?
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Thanks for the kind words.
Unfortunately, they aren’t yet available for oreo, but they will be coming soon according to the dev. I will be updating the article as time goes on.
I came to the v20 after my v10 died last week.. Yes, everyone thinks I’m nuts, but can see spending $900+ when the v20 seems to have what I want. Removable battery was top of my list. Great review for the revival of the v20. Thanks for the info, I enjoyed the links to all yhe root stuff etc. I always glaze over when ivisit XDA and I’ve avoided rooting right away but may have to now. Hope the camera extensions for Oreo gets updated soon!
Thanks again!
Hey man sounds good,im sticking with the v20 for a while as well.
Glad my review could help.
If I can help you with anything feel free to “shout at me”.
Thank you so much for the detailed review!
I am getting my friend old V20 soon (he likes to upgrade often, I like to take my friends “old” phones) and wanted to see how easy it is to root.
I have never done so many mods to a phone – most I did was root, maybe different kernel when needed and custom ROM.
Is it easy to do all the mods you write about?
Are there any points I might brick my phone I should be careful about?
Thanks!
Hey dude sorry for the delay been crazy busy.
So with the v20 like most phones your gonna have to find what the exact variant is. Once you have that info you can go ahead and look on xda for instructions to get root. Unfortunately, most of the methods to root the v20 are somewhat complicated and this is the part you have to be super super careful. So a lot of these mods are magisk modules which is the current recommend root method. With magisk modules If you install one it will usually work but if it doesn’t and you go into a boot loop u can uninstall magisk modules withing twrp. Xposed is a little more complicated and you have to be more careful with its mods but there are way to remove those as well. Really the parts u should be most worried about is the root process to get twrp as well as making sure if it’s a variant-specific thing like a kernel that you flash the correct variant. Let me know if that helps. If you want me and a few others with v20s are super active on telegram and we can guide u through.
As you can see @ xda I have been inspired by your blog. Thank you so much. Bring a hifi nerd I intend to keep this phone as long as possible and I try out most of your recommendations. I have never got greenify to work properly though, it ends up taking more battery than it gives. I don’t yet know what i am doing wrong.
Hey most people seem to have that experience I for some reason haven’t,are you using it with the xposed module though?If its not working for you just skip it. Again trying the best I can but not everything will work for everyone. Also I really appreciate the coffees it means a lot. If i can help any further feel free to comment here or shoot me an email from the contact page or the xda thread or telegram.Also as a hifi guy how do you like the jamesdsp I love it though poweramp is still super awesome for flacs. I use jamesdsp when streaming,hbu?
Did you flash ainur sauron/narsil? seems you use jamesdsp. I have big issue when using ainur sauron, hifi mode not processing at some audio files even it both mp3 and hi-res even some files is ok.
I only use the jamesdsp module. Have you tried installing both audio modification library and audio compatibility library modules in conjunction with ainur sauron?
Yes, I did it and still doesn’t work. I also tried 60ohms both earphone and headphone then sounds gonna weird. crackling and hissing.
So I just copying modded mixer_paths_tasha.xml from ainur sauron and uninstall that modul
Awesome, thanks for the blog again u/aygross1929 ! A few questions:
1. Which extended battery are you testing? How long have you tested it for, and what’s the SOT / accubattery estimate of its capacity?
2. Any guidance on RR vs LineageOS vs Alpha Omega? I’m looking to go for a custom ROM for better smoothness and battery life, but don’t want to sacrifice on the special features like the stock style second screen, DAC, LG camera etc.
Hey sorry for the delayed response.Im testing the Perfine lipoly 8200 which is hard to find. I also just purchased a shenmz 8500 lipoly.
Accubattery is pretty terrible with the estimates since the kernel isn’t properly coded for it.I usually get 10 hrs sot but you have to charge a couple of hrs past 100 percent IMO. The charge percentages aren’t accurate since the kernel isn’t coded for it.I’m working on an in-depth update for stock oreo vs stock nougat with mk kernel.I hope to do a slow-motion video to capture animations lag but have been super busy. After that, I plan on testing Los/RR. From what I know about Los camera, it doesn’t work at all. Dac with gamma kernel should work but isnt ideal. Second screen on los 15 with gamma kernel kinda works but its using bored signs as a base and is super buggy. Los 16 is using the built in notch feature so you essentially have a giant notch, ymmv if you care about that. Overall performance and battery life is definitely better on Los. Stock Nougat is the most stable and has the better performance of the two stock options but you lose out in terms of battery life as well as pip and updated GPU drivers.
Firstly, thanks for the awesome and in-depth guide. Do you have the links to the nougat rom and kernel? Everything on XDA seems to be dead.
Your welcome.
Here you go
Do you know if this https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=889764386195925970 version of WETA was based on 10p or an earlier version? The anti rollback has kept me away from using the WETA ROMs, so I’ve just been on stock Nougat. Also do you remember how you got xposed to work? I keep bootlooping when I try to install it.
Im not sure sorry.
im trying to figure out how you did these changes:
hispeed_freq-960000
fastlane_threshold-45
fastlane-1
i have googled this for a while and i figure i should just ask. im glad you mentioned that other kernel the MK 2000 BTTF OC as i was using the older kernel the “v20 restock 1.2” which was at this link:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/v20/development/kernel-restock-stock-based-kernel-v20-t3556263
You should be able to since it has the blu_active governor.
What kernel manager are you using.
If you have ex kernel manager go to cpu tab- governor options
The quad DAC is ESS Sabre, not Wolfson.
You are correct my bad. Fixed
hey im back, thanks for the help.
i am trying to install this kernel but i keep getting “error update 2”
US996Santa_BTTF-BETA2-mk2000.zip
Jul 14, 2019 | 10:00PM
its located here:
https://androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=296722
i saw some other people post about it not installing correctly, but i never saw a fix for this.
do you have any idea what is going on with this?
thanks again so much for all of your help
If I recall correctly this one is just broken and the dev ghosted everyone after that.
Hello. This post was extremely interesting, particularly because I
was looking for thoughts on this subject last Thursday.
Best regards,
Abildgaard Valenzuela