Update Meizu Pro 5 Baseband

[tera]

Hi UBPorts Community,

Having experienced lots of signal issues recently with my Pro5, I decided to give it a go and the following looks promising:

Procedure:

1. Download from XDA (latest to date: https://forum.xda-developers.com/meizu-pro-5/development/meizu-pro5-baseband-21-12-2017-t3727070)
   Extract the file /system/vendor/firmware/modem.bin and transfer it to your Pro5 (for instance to /home/phablet/Downloads)

2. Open terminal or SSH to your Pro5 and run the following commands:
   sudo -i
   mount -o remount,rw /
   cp /var/lib/lxc/android/system.img /home/phablet
   cd /home/phablet
   mkdir system
   mount -o loop system.img system
   cd system/vendor/firmware/
   rm modem.bin
   cp /home/phablet/Downloads/modem.bin ./
   chmod 644 modem.bin
   cd /home/phablet
   umount system
   mv /var/lib/lxc/android/system.img /var/lib/lxc/android/system.img.old
   cp system.img /var/lib/lxc/android/

3. Reboot

Here are the results on my spare original Pro5 Ubuntu Edition still running the latest Canonical OTA-15 behind a badly broken screen:

BEFORE:
phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ /usr/share/ofono/scripts/list-modems | grep Revision
Revision = S333_M86_20151002_CHNOPEN_MZ024
Revision = S333_M86_20151002_CHNOPEN_MZ024

AFTER:
phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ /usr/share/ofono/scripts/list-modems | grep Revision
Revision = S333_M86_20171221_CHNOPEN_MZt04
Revision = S333_M86_20171221_CHNOPEN_MZt04

I will try later on my day to day Pro5 on UBPorts r3 over the week end but let me know if anyone improves signal, especially if traveling in Europe

Peace,
Tera

[tera]

Just updated my Pro5 UBPorts r3 and looking good so far!!
Let's see in the next days...

[Mitu]

WOW, you're GENIUS!!!

It changed. Let's see if it does correct anything for me unluckily having the TD-LTE device...

Thanks!

[tera]

I have both model and had similar experience overall, though i do not use the TD-LTE daily anymore.

[mihael]

@tera Oh, beautiful, I was so waiting for these instructions!!! Thank you!

[mihael]

@tera is there anything like this for bluetooth?

[Stefano]

@tera Here link text are more Ril's if you want to try them. Those are from Resurection Remix 7.1 Android.

[tera]

Quick update after 3 days with updated Pro5 Baseband:

1. Overall mobile data and calls feel more smooth so far
2. Battery consumption seems to have improved as well
3. Wifi connection appears much more stable than previously

@mihael I do not use Bluetooth but would you know which firmware is that (maybe from @Stefano list)?

@Stefano Thanks, i might give it a go when i have some spare time in the next weeks...

[mihael]

@tera Actually I don't know much about the details, I just know that bluetooth is a big issue with Meizu Pro 5 Ubuntu Touch... There are many threads about it, since Canonical days... It just doesn't work for calls with bluetooth headsets - that have a microphone as well, not just speakers.

[Lakotaubp]

@tera Hi, Do you know if this would work or is available for the mx4. I'm having similar issues especially on wifi. My results from running the script above give
Revision = MOLY.LR9.W1421.MD.LWTG.MP.V6.P11, 2014/09/10 10:16
Thanks

[Mitu]

Update for my TD-LTE Pro 5 after a few days of testing:

• Reliability: partially improved - 4G signals seems to be present more often and connection drops in the city are less frequent. However it still isn't prefect - I have just saw the "Rejected" note in the message indicator and had to turn on and off the airplane mode - sometimes I still have to do it as well to regain the Internet connection.
• Battery life: improved - phone did manage to live for 2 days with the data connection on. It was impossible before. I think that still some significant drops exist, but they don't have to be related to the modem.

I'll try testing the wi-fi now to check whether the battery drain is acceptable.

What is still to be tested is the radio signal at the remote areas but I haven't moved away from the city recently. So far I think this radio should definitely be included in the future Ubports updates.

[Mitu]

• Wi-fi: not improved - battery still won't hold a day with both wi-fi and mobile data on.

[tera]

I have to agree with @Mitu after a week usage, it feels more stable at home but definitively not better while travelling

[halucigenia]

I followed the instructions in the OP
/usr/share/ofono/scripts/list-modems | grep Revision
now gives
Revision = S333_M86_20171221_CHNOPEN_MZt04
Revision = S333_M86_20171221_CHNOPEN_MZt04
The first time I ran that I thought it had hung - you have to be patient.

I live in a fairly remote area in a house with thick stone walls so getting a mobile signal has always been a challenge. However, recently I have noticed that I get a better 4G signal from a 4G router that I have that provides faster internet for me than my telephone landline broadband, so I was hoping to get better reception on my phone too, especially after upgrading it.

After the reboot I still couldn't get reliable reception from my study at home, but I never have using any of my UT devices, so that's not an issue. However, even if I switch flight mode off and back on again to get a signal at the window where I usually can get a signal I got no signal.

Outside where I usually get a strong signal I had to reboot again before I got a signal at all.

I just hope that it makes the reception better in general when there is a strong signal.
Time will tell I will report back with my findings.

Are there any apps or command line tools to check 3g/4g signal strength?

[tera]

I went ahead and updated all ril from the flyme6 archive provided by @Stefano, will report if any improvements...

[HendriXXX]

@halucigenia

You can monitor mobile signal strength with following way..

Open terminal
$ cd /usr/share/ofono/scripts/
$ watch -n 1 './list-modems | grep Strength'

Bigger numbers = better signal.

[halucigenia]

@hendrixxx Thanks, I will try that.

I still had to toggle flight mode to get a signal on my way to work this morning.

[Stefano]

@tera there are 2 or more hadware types of Pro 5. LTE and TD-LTE.
LTE (International) I have now, gives me no trouble, but when I had TD-LTE, it was a hell. Service always denied, unregistered, no matter what I did with it. Even on Flyme it was problematic. So it might not be just a software (ril), but most likely the modem itself. I read somewhere that those TD-LTE has some other, cheaper component (modem, some other chip or whatever) and it was designed for China network, so that's why is problematic outside of China. I'm not sure if that's true though.
I hope I'm wrong and this bug can be solved for you guys.

[mihael]

I have the TD-LTE and it's not that bad.

[Stefano]

@mihael so probably is the Meizu Quality control very bad as clearly some devices are ok and some not