LG Optimus Vu (lg-p895)

U-Boot
Primary Bootloader	Works
Secondary Bootloader	Partial
Mainline	Works
Internal Storage	Works
USB Peripheral	Works
Display	Works
Buttons	Works

Features
Flashing	Works
USB Networking	Works
Internal storage
Battery	Works
Screen	Works
Touchscreen	Works
Multimedia
3D Acceleration	Partial
Audio	Works
Camera
Connectivity
WiFi	Works
Bluetooth	Works
GPS
NFC	Works
Modem
Calls
SMS
Mobile data
Miscellaneous
FDE	Works
USB OTG	Partial
Sensors
Accelerometer	Works
Magnetometer	Works
Ambient Light	Works
Proximity	Works
Haptics	Works
Power Sensor	Works

LG Optimus Vu
	; Optimus Vu in recursion
Manufacturer	LG
Name	Optimus Vu
Codename	lg-p895
Released	2012
Type	handset
Hardware
Chipset	Nvidia Tegra 3 (AP33)
CPU	Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A9
GPU	NVIDIA ULP GeForce GPU 12 cores
Display	768×1024 IPS LCD
Storage	32 GB
Memory	1 GB
Architecture	armv7
Software
Original software	Android
Original version	4.0
FOSS bootloader	yes
postmarketOS
Category	community
Pre-built images	yes
postmarketOS kernel	mainline grate
Unixbench Whet/Dhry score	1079.2
Generic port	Nvidia Tegra armv7 (nvidia-tegra-armv7)

This device is supported as part of a generic port. Refer to Nvidia Tegra armv7 (nvidia-tegra-armv7) for installation instructions and more information.

This device is based on the Tegra 3. See the SoC page for common tips, guides and troubleshooting steps

Contributors

Clamor

Users owning this device

Clamor (Notes: pmOS with Grate kernel and U-Boot)

Unlocking

Only known method of unlocking is flashing patched LG bootloader with kernel signature check disabled, but who needs this proprietary stuff with unknown properties (vendor bootloader I mean) if p895 supports open sourced bootloader - U-Boot.

Kernel status

Android kernel

3.1 kernel based on LG sources with updates till Nougat support (Kernel)

Mainline (Grate)

Baseline kernel sources on p895: https://github.com/grate-driver/linux
Proper dts for P895 is added
Version: 6.4.0-rc6
Status: Boots. See status below.

Installation

Bootloader replacement

WARNING: Bootloader replacement will erase all data on the device!

LG bootloader is highly NOT recommended to use with pmOS. To switch to open source booloader you need to use P895 re-crypt zip, it can be found here https://github.com/clamor-s/wheelie/releases/tag/p895 (one with re-crypt in its name) and you MUST use native Linux, virtual machine and WSL will NOT work.

Unpack zip and cd into it. Plug your P895 to PC and reboot it with holding both Volume Down and Volume Up. If all is done correct lsusb should show ID 0955:7130 NVIDIA Corp. APX device. Instructions are in the commands file or you can see them below.

Now perform:

$ sudo ./wheelie --blob blob.bin
Wheelie 0.2 - Preflight for nvflash.
Copyright (c) 2011-2012 androidroot.mobi
========================================

Waiting for device in APX mode...
[=] Chip UID: 0x000000000000009
[=] RCM Version: 0x30001

[=] CPU Model: Tegra 3
[+] Sending bootloader...
Sending file: 100 %
[!] Done - your device should now be ready for nvflash
$ sudo ./nvflash --resume --rawdevicewrite 0 1024 repart-block.bin --go
Nvflash v1.13.87205 started
[resume mode]
sending file: repart-block.bin
/ 4194304/4194304 bytes sent
repart-block.bin sent successfully

If phone did not reboot automatically, force reboot with holding Power. This will replace LG bootloader with u-boot. For more deep look into u-boot actions refer to dedicated section below.

postmarketOS installation

WARNING: U-Boot mode is heavy power consuming, do not stay in it for prolonged periods of time!

Thanks to u-boot you have installed on previous step, entire p895 eMMC can be mounted as a simple storage device.

Boot into u-boot bootmenu by holding Volume Down and Power. Then using volume buttons you can navigate bootmenu and using Power choose its entries.

Plug your p895 to PC and choose mount internal storage. Your p895 eMMC should be detected by PC as a simple mass storage. Then it can be flashed as any SD card using pmbootstrap.

Hardware status (mainline)

Status	Hardware	Info
Y	Booting	Android style boot.img has restriction of approx 4 MB, which is fraction of /boot partition size.
Y	Bootloader	Open source bootloader U-Boot is available as alternative for stock LG bootloader and can replace it. U-Boot can not boot downstream kernel if it has Trusted Foundations enabled.
Y	Panel	KOE/Hitachi TX13D100VM0EAA MIPI DSI LCD IPS panel via Solomon SSD2825 DSI/LVDS bridge.
Y	Backlight	TI LM3533 led controller is used for main backlight. Driver is converted into OF and can be operated by panel.
N	HDMI output	Device supports MHL via SII9244 hdmi bridge on it own i2c-gpio line. Currently not configured. Is similar to SII9234 driver but is not same, requires hw setup look. MHL connection is detected.
Y	Touchscreen	Synaptics RMI4 S3203B touchscreen is used.
N	Touch buttons	Synaptics RMI4 S3204B touchscreen's function 1a is used. It is ported and set, but currently capacitive buttons still do not work.
Y	USB	USB functional is fully implemented. Due to hw design HOST state can work only via OTG-Y cable (with external power). PERIPHERAL works perfectly fine.
Y	Internal memory	eMMC 32 Gb by Hynix model HBG4e.
P	GPS	Some fancy GSD5T GNSS module. Kernel part is ready but there is no way to test it since most of gps processing is made in userspace.
Y	WiFi	Uses BCM4330B1. Wi-Fi should work out of the box (best with IWD daemon: apk add iwd; rc-update del wpa_supplicant; rc-update add iwd). All needed stuff is included. Device may not connect to some networks (in my case it was PC hotspot, to fix this, I have installed IWD on my PC as well). Be aware that WiFi MAC address is not static, though it should not matter for average user.
Y	Bluetooth	BCM4330B1 37.4 MHz Class 1.5 W-ExtLNA PCM-S. Works perfectly fine with included firmware.
Y	NFC	As on most devices of this age PN544 is used. Recognizes NFC tags.
Y	GPIO keys/switches	There are 4 GPIO keys: Power, Volume up, Volume down and Memo keys.
Y	GPIO leds	There are 2 GPIO leds: Power button led and Keypad led bound and work via sysfs. Power led acts as charging indicator but has enormously big delays. Keypad led is not active till capacitive buttons are fixed.
Y	Vibro	Immersion ISA1200 haptic engine. Basic set of modes is implemented via Force Feedback Linux API.
Y	Battery	MAX17040 fuel gauge is used. Fully set up.
Y	Charger	Maxim MAX8971 charger is used. Fully configured, supports both slow and fast charging. Re-plug charger after exit from suspend, else it will charge with 360 mA current.
Y	Extcon	Maxim MAX14526 MUIC is used. Can detect a big range of devices, usb host/peripheral, AC charger, MHL cable etc.
Y	PMIC	Optimus Vu uses Maxim MAX77663 PMIC mfd. Media devices have own sub-PMIC TI LP8720.
Y	Sound	Sound codec is Maxim MAX98089. Fully routed in kernel, UCM's are complete for media and calls. Audio via HDMI should work out of the box.
Y	Thermal sensor	NCT1008 ON Semiconductor LM90 series thermometer and Tegra T sensor. Both work perfectly fine.
Y	Power sensor	Ina230 works fine. Battery has its own tsc2007 ADC to detect battery temperature, works as current sensor.
Y	Orientation sensors	Include mpu6050 imu (accelerometer, gyroscope and thermometer) and ami306 compass.
Y	Light and Proximity sensor	APDS990X - combined AL and proximity sensor is used. Both functions work fine. Proximity function is disabled by default.
N	Front camera	1.26 MP Aptina 1/6" HD SOC (MT9M114) - mainline driver is available.
N	Rear camera	8 MP Sony imx111 1/4" BSI sensor with DW9714 lens voice coil and LM3559 flash led. DW9714 and LM3559 both have mainline drivers, imx111 - does not.
N	Modem	Intel XMM6260 modem is used on usb2 line in hsic mode.
P	ULP GeForce	GPU Acceleration partially works.

Usability

Desktop environment

Since 3D acceleration is not available yet, all DE which use it will be painfully slow and laggy.

Currently xfce4 or mate are recommended.

U-Boot

Current U-Boot status on LG Optimus Vu

Status	Feature	Info
Y	Primary bootloader	U-Boot successfully boots when is flashed into EBT partition instead of LG bootloader. Can be additionally booted via fusée gelée exploit.
P	Secondary bootloader	U-Boot can be chainloaded from both /boot and /recovery partitions, though LG bootloader has some conflicts with U-Boot.
Y	Panel	Solomon SSD2825 bridge, Hitachi KOE TX13D100VM0EAA DSI panel, TI lm3533 backlight were all added into U-Boot. Panel is fully functional.
Y	eMMC	Re-partitioned to better fit generic setup. Can be mounted as mass storage on host PC.
Y	Boot kernel	Yes, and can be highly adjusted with extlinux.conf.
Y	Boot menu	Native u-boot bootmenu works perfectly fine. It can be called with pressing volume down button on boot.
Y	Power management	Offline charging and charging in u-boot both work and are hw configured. Both power off and reboot options work and are available in bootmenu. If no valid kernel is found phone will turn off.
Y	Fastboot	Fastboot option is available in bootmenu. Most functions should work fine.
P	Boot Android	Booting Android kernel can be performed only same way mainline kernel boots. Additionally it must not have CONFIG_TRUSTED_FOUNDATIONS = y and some additional small patches, it can be booted by u-boot.
Y	Self update	Self update option is implemented and write is done correctly. Bootloader file has to have name u-boot-dtb-tegra.bin and be placed on 1st partition of eMMC.

Gallery

Serial console

Red arrow pointing to jtag

JTAG schematics. Clickable

LG Optimus Vu is an interesting device since it has factory soldered jtag directly on motherboard in pretty apposite and easily accessible place. To get to jtag you need only to take off back cover and plastic casing over motherboard. That is it, only one free socket is jtag. UART is UART-D (serial@70006300; 115200n8) and uses 3.3v.