Custom Rom for Galaxy S4 i9505: Google Edition vs Echoe vs Cyanogenmod?

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Mad Scientist
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# 952175 14-Dec-2013 14:11

uglyb0b: I've noticed a few posts mentioning "stock roms with knox removed". Just to be perfectly clear, removing knox is more than just removing the knox app. The custom roms based on stock without knox (echoe, omega etc) have been modified to work on the older non-knox bootloader.

I know this is probably understood already, but I just wanted to make sure it's clear that the issue with knox is that it is part of the bootloader, rather than just an app.

Edit - Knox bootloader is present in any firmware from 4.2.2 onwards with the build XXUDxx (XXUBxx is non-knox)

Hey just a question

Mine is XXUA... And has a knox app/.com whatever you want to call it ... What does it mean? It's been disabled in titanium backup from day 1

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

uglyb0b

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# 952182 14-Dec-2013 14:40

The easiest way to check is to boot into download mode and see if Knox is mentioned there. If it's not, then you'll have a pre-knox bootloader.

Edit - sorry, misread your question. In terms of what that app means, I'm not entirely sure. I have seen it on mine as well (may have been when I was running stock) I'm assuming it remains dormant until the knox firmware is loaded on the device. On knox enabled firmware there is an actual app that lets you manage setting up the knox container so I'm guessing that's what this is. Just because it's there doesn't necessarily mean the knox bootloader is present.

Yabanize

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# 952511 15-Dec-2013 12:18

Timmmay, would you miss any Samsung features? Particularly the camera and their extra settings?

This 4.3 touch wiz pre rooted romantic I'm using right now is pretty nice. Of course I can't remember what 4.2.2 was like but I believe it's ssnappier and doesn't lag as much and I think the screen looks clearer or something.

Google edition is nice but you might miss the touch wiz features

Echoe 4.3 touch wiz is nice too but I think this is just a little but more stable (pre rooted stock 4.3 touchwiZ)

Echoe has an awesome boot animation btw

Yabanize

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# 952512 15-Dec-2013 12:26

Romantic was an auto correct by the way

timmmay

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# 952850 16-Dec-2013 07:40

I don't think my S4 plays any part in ROMance ;)

What do you lose by going to an AOSP/Google Edition type firmware? I don't know what features are Samsung which are AOSP. I use the Samsung camera app, but I could probably replace that right?

Android 4.3 doesn't seem to have any real advantages over 4.2, for me. 4.4 seems significant though.

I'm thinking I may wait for the Samsung S4 4.4 release, then wait for someone to remove Knox and pre-root it. I wouldn't mind playing around, but I'm just not confident about being able to flash say Echoe 4.4, play with it a bit, then flash the standard Telecom firmware again. I know it should be fine in theory, but I'm not super experienced in the area and don't want to break my phone.

dpw

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# 952851 16-Dec-2013 07:52

timmmay:
What do you lose by going to an AOSP/Google Edition type firmware? I don't know what features are Samsung which are AOSP. I use the Samsung camera app, but I could probably replace that right?

So, after all that, which ROM are you running now? I may have missed it in the thread somewhere.

I did read in quite a few reviews that the AOSP camera lacks a fair bit of Samsung's capabilities, and that the driver in AOSP is not as good as Samsung's. I do use my phone camera quite a bit and I'm not a huge fan of the new interface.

I'm running Omega v16, and currently downloading v17.

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# 952854 16-Dec-2013 08:06

I'm on Samsung stock 4.2.2, rooted. I also read the GE S4 camera wasn't quite as good as the standard, could be driver related.

Is Omega based on Touchwiz or AOSP?

Can anyone link me to good in depth information around flashing ROMs, including recovery, backup, information about modems, etc? If I can find some good resources and understand things I may have a play around with the Echoe 4.4 or GE 4.4 over Xmas.

Batman

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# 952856 16-Dec-2013 08:08

do you think it's possible that someone will upload a Samsung factory 4.4.2 rom with knox removed so I can root? I'm really not worried about warranty etc just want to root it with ease. will a factory knox-ed up rom allow that?

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

timmmay

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# 952862 16-Dec-2013 08:14

joker97: do you think it's possible that someone will upload a Samsung factory 4.4.2 rom with knox removed so I can root? I'm really not worried about warranty etc just want to root it with ease. will a factory knox-ed up rom allow that?

Absolutely, once the SS 4.4.2 ROM is available someone will remove KNOX and pre-root. I don't know how much luck you'd have with a phone that came with Knox, have a read here for some background. Someone will find away around it, though in future I may end up buying google edition or nexus phones rather than Samsung. They've really shot themselves in the foot with that with enthusiasts, though they'll probably gain with the corporate sales.

dpw

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# 952869 16-Dec-2013 08:32

timmmay:

Is Omega based on Touchwiz or AOSP?

In v16 Omega had both TW and GE versions. I think it's still the same with v17 but I haven't looked to confirm.

timmmay:

Can anyone link me to good in depth information around flashing ROMs, including recovery, backup, information about modems, etc? If I can find some good resources and understand things I may have a play around with the Echoe 4.4 or GE 4.4 over Xmas.

When I first looked into this there were so many articles and tutorials out there... it ended up being slightly confusing. Sorry, can't help you on any one good in-depth article on those topics.

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# 952876 16-Dec-2013 08:42

timmmay:
joker97: do you think it's possible that someone will upload a Samsung factory 4.4.2 rom with knox removed so I can root? I'm really not worried about warranty etc just want to root it with ease. will a factory knox-ed up rom allow that?

Absolutely, once the SS 4.4.2 ROM is available someone will remove KNOX and pre-root. I don't know how much luck you'd have with a phone that came with Knox, have a read here for some background. Someone will find away around it, though in future I may end up buying google edition or nexus phones rather than Samsung. They've really shot themselves in the foot with that with enthusiasts, though they'll probably gain with the corporate sales.

I don't think my phone is knox-ed up. It has a supposedly non knox firmware. It has a knox app but I think that's different from a knox bootloader. I rooted it pretty easily.

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

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# 952879 16-Dec-2013 08:48

Apparently if you go into download mode (holding up when you boot I think) it will tell you if you're Knox. I think all Samsung 4.3 ROMs have Knox bootlader.