[ROM] CyanogenMod 11.0 - VILLUMINATI

[Madroxide]

The guys over at XFA did it again, [ROM] CyanogenMod 11.0 - VILLUMINATI is here...BIG thanks to dastin1015 for this ROM.

[ROM] CyanogenMod 11.0 - VILLUMINATI - November 23, 2013 - xda-developers

 

[alpha2k]

Nice, looks promising.

For the most part it looks as if just the 3g part isn't working correctly.
Some having issues with the install, but other than that it looks like a go.

I'll probably give it a shot when they get the kinks ironed out.

 

[Codegerm]

Nice, looks promising.

For the most part it looks as if just the 3g part isn't working correctly.
Some having issues with the install, but other than that it looks like a go.

I'll probably give it a shot when they get the kinks ironed out.

what modem (baseband) were you on?

 

[alpha2k]

I never tried it. I was just reading posts. From what I gather the baseband no matter what you use, on this Rom, 3g doesn't work.....yet.
Some have used a JB modem, some a GB modem, it just doesn't work.
I'm sure they will get it working, but for now WiFi and such works, just no 3g.
I'm gonna give it a try once they say they have the 3g working.

 

[Codegerm]

It requires an ICS modem. I don't usually try out a new ROM until it has been out for a while.

 

[alpha2k]

It requires an ICS modem. I don't usually try out a new ROM until it has been out for a while.

Yeah, that's what I meant, just had Gb on the brain, sorry.
People have tried both though and don't have 3g. Op confirmed it may be an issue, and others have confirmed that they to have no 3g.
Just a matter of time though before it gets fixed.

Update:
Looks like no working 3g yet......patiently waiting to try this out.

 

[alpha2k]

I took the plunge and tried the rom out....very nice indeed, I really looking forward to the fixes now.......as far as I can tell the only real issues are
1: camera doesn't work at anything HD, or anything above 420SD, I can confirm this. It locks the camera app uo and force closes and says either the camera stopped or the gallery closed, and won't open the camera app until it's force stopped or a reboot is done. Anything at 420SD though works just fine.

2: No data/3g no matter what modem is used, even ICS modems don't work, like they work in the 4.3 and below.

Other than that everything runs really nice and smooth and I didn't find much that wasn't working.

Considering this is a first build release, that's not bad really, I look forward to using this bad boy with excitement.

Just to let you all know also, to flash this, from what I have found you can't do it from anything else but like 4.3, so I am working on extracting the zimage kernel from one of the 4.3 roms and makeing a flashable zip to work from to get an install of 4.4 on without having to install the rom every time. I will let you know how it works out and possibly distribute it out if anyone wants it.
As it stands now most people use el26/el29 to boot to cwm recovery and then flash whatever rom they want, but you can't go from say el29 to 4.4 kitkat, because the recovery isn't new enough, you need a newer recovery to flash from so my steps so far have been el29 > flash hood pope (android 4.3) > reboot to hood pope recovery (newer 4.3 recovery) > then flash 4.4 kitkat.
I am gonan cut the middle man out so ta speak

 

[Codegerm]

All a sterile issue at this point with no data working, but instead of flashin to el26 or el29 recovery kernel, why not flash the recovery kernel only for the 4.3 ROM and then use its recovery? That would make it like most other custom ROMs in that you are flashing a specific kernel to use for its recovery to do the ROM flash.

 

[alpha2k]

All a sterile issue at this point with no data working, but instead of flashin to el26 or el29 recovery kernel, why not flash the recovery kernel only for the 4.3 ROM and then use its recovery? That would make it like most other custom ROMs in that you are flashing a specific kernel to use for its recovery to do the ROM flash.

Well that's what I was in the process of doing, I can't find a 4.3 recovery kernel, unles you know of a place to get one...if so can you link it, that'd be awsome and that's exactly the result I am after anyways

Just thought of somthing too, doesn't the kernel have to be for the epic 4g? IE; you can't use say a nexus kernel on the epic 4g touch...or can you??


Well I'm not much of a linux guru, so therefor I refrain from downloading programs to windows to use a kitchen or run commands, being as how I haven't the foggiest idea how to work in linux...I've tried, and it's well pretty pointless for me, so I decided to look around for other ways to
1: extract the zimage file from the boot.img file I have already
2: find a cm or twrp recovery that is 4.3 android (or better)

I've searched now for the last 4 hrs and have found nothing, everything I come to ends up in a dead end.

So unless someone has a cm or twrp recovery that is 4.3 android for this phone (SPH-D710) or a simplistic way of extracting the zimage file from the boot.img file I have, I'll have to resort in doing it the LONG way around for getting 4.4 kitkat on my phone.
The way I am currently doing it is as follows:
1: Flash el29 > reboot to recovery
2: install hood pope rom (or some other 4.3 android rom any will work because they all have the newer recovery baked into them...this is why I need the zimage file)
3: once I install the 4.3 rom, I reboot to recovery under advanced (not reboot system now)
4: once back in recovery I then proceed to wipde data/reset, clear cache, and clear dalvik
5: Flash 4.4 kitkat rom
6: flash gapps

Once that's all done I "restart system now" and load up 4.4 kitkat

That's my workaround unless anyone else cand find an easier way

 

[Codegerm]

It does need to be for our phone yes.

 

[alpha2k]

It does need to be for our phone yes.

ok thought so. Guess it's the long way then until I or someone else figures out a better way .
On a side note though, at least it works

 

[dragonshai]

I was able to flash Hood Pope using Wild For The Night, and everything was working, till i tried exposed framework, I did the same thing with VILLUMINATI all is well except for the 3g! And both times I restored to back to Wild For The Night with out a hitch? Using CWM 6.0.3.4?

 

[alpha2k]

Using CWM 6.0.3.4?
[/COLOR][/URL]

I think that's the version the newer roms are useing, such as hood pope. I know it is a newer version, but I have yet to find that version as a like stand alone zip/tar file for JUST the kernel and recovery without the rom attached.

The latest I can fins is like 5.0.8.x or something, (I forget the exact numbers) but nothing above that for the epic 4g touch sph-d710.
I found one for the tmobile branded epic 4g touch but it's a different model number, like the 1900 or something, so that won't work.

I've tried flashing from a 4.2.2 cm rom and that doesn't work either, so it has to be 4.3.

I'm still researching how to open this boot.img file, so hopefully I'll get it extracted and be able to use the zimage file inside it.

Update:
I broke down and decided to put i cygwin plus dsixda's Android Kitchen and give it a shot.....it was pretty easy really, just a pain to install and setup, but I got it done. Went into the itchen, and extracted the boot.img file, then proceeded to split/extract the bot.img file to get the kernel, but alas it failed and bailed on me .

I have looked high and low for CWM recovery 6.0.3.9 on the net, so I guess my works about done with, until I can figure out what the next step is to get this accpomlished but it looks as if my choices are dwindling fast "sigh"

 

[Psiop412]

As of December 3rd this rom is completely working with 3g and all, now to install if you're coming from 4.2.X or below you'll need to install Hood Pope or any 4.3 compatible rom then using the built in recovery install 11.0 after that i would suggest getting the latest GAPPS which is in the 11.0 forum the full package is unbelievable, it comes with it all. So far no problems to report, 3g and wifi working just fine.

 

[Codegerm]

How about the wifi to 3g hand off? Last I checked it was not working right.

 

[Psiop412]

So far so good, i also read about that issue but i've switched between both and haven't had any problems.

 

[alpha2k]

I can confirm the handoff is fixed. I ahev tried gps, wifi, toggleing between the 2, works ok, google now works with saying "ok google" very cool feature, apollo works, gallery works, 3g works, wifi works, the handoff works, goole now "ok google" works, camera works, panarama works.

Somehow it seems as if this room is smoother and/or faster too, not sure, maybe it's just a placebo affect, but it sure seems good right now.

Now my biggest choice right now is......keep google now experience, or go to another launcher such as nova, apex, adw, holo. None of those have the google now stuff. I am not really sure I'd actually use it that much, but dunno....kinda ne of those things probably if ya don't have it, you never know what you don't have....but nice you have it and get rid of it, you really miss it.

What ta do what ta do.......Any suggestions or advice people can give me?

 

[Codegerm]

Now the "ok google" is active all the time or do you touch the search key? I wouldn't want the mic active all the time on my device, that a waste of power, and I am not quite that trusting of Google. what about things like AdAway, does kitkat accept that?

 

[alpha2k]

Now the "ok google" is active all the time or do you touch the search key? I wouldn't want the mic active all the time on my device, that a waste of power, and I am not quite that trusting of Google. what about things like AdAway, does kitkat accept that?

It's active all the time, but only if your in the home screen or the left google screen. In the app drawer or an app, it doesn't activate, only on the home screen. There is an option to disable it if you wish as well but you lose the left side window with gogle on it.
Another alternative is get a launcher replacement called KitKat launcher, it lets you do a few different things but only in pay version, ($2.00 I bought it) so you can disable the google nav bar on the home screen, and still have the left side google window as well. It to gives the option to completely disable it all and have just the launcher, and works identical to the launcher. KitKat launcher also lets you choose a base homescreen, but, there is a kicker to that....you only have 3 options.....left - middle - right, and that's it, so it's kinda limited in that respect.
I am not sure about adaway, as I moved to adfree, it seems to work better. I was reading about ad blocker apps, and it seemed adawy lies in the tray if I recall, add free just adjusts the hosts file, and then nothing runs after that....so far no ads have gotten thru aside from the I think they call them dynamic ads, and you can't block those, but they are few and far between.....for the majority of the ads though adfree works fine.

 

[Codegerm]

Ad away also just sets the host file. It doesn't stay up in the notification tray.

 

[Tigatron]

Im still on stock 4.1.2 as I just got my S2 6 hours ago but if you get the new google search (v3.1) & install the google launcher http://www.mediafire.com/?3ina0fd8fwki5fo you can use the "ok google". Thats what im doing and its interesting.

 

[Codegerm]

Im still on stock 4.1.2 as I just got my S2 6 hours ago but if you get the new google search (v3.1) & install the google launcher GoogleHome you can use the "ok google". Thats what im doing and its interesting.

The stock google now search on the stock JB uses that phrase "Ok Google to activate voice input when you call up the search. having the mic always on listening for you to say, "ok Google" while on the home screen would be a waste of power.

To get back on topic, What kind of 3g speeds are you guys getting on CM11? For me the AOSP ROMs just didn't have the data speed performance I have come to expect from the TW JB I use as my daily driver.

 

[alpha2k]

Just throwing this out there.....I personally am having gps issues. This was the same issue that creeped up in cm9, and at that time, of ALL the fixes I tried multiple apps, replaceing files in the sytem etc.....nothing worked, and eventualy somehow they got gps working good again.

I'm not sure what causes it, or what the fix is, but I'm not really in the mood to re-do this gps thing all over again, so I am going back to what I had before.

I'm sure the fixes others have mentioned work for them, but fro me, well it just doesn't work, it's a "temp" fix, ie: it works at the time, then later it just quits working correctly.

Example:
I tried a fix last night from the xda thread and followed it step by step and it worked fine multiple times in different places last night.....woke up this morning and took me 10 mins to lock on.
This is a major thing with me because I can't sit and tell my work "I'm sorry I have to wait before I can deliver this car to said place...for the gps to lock on) so if that takes 10 mins, that's not good for my work

 

[Codegerm]

I download a gps update via the pimp my ROM app, that helped the GPS lock works much better.

I personally don't really need it on my phone, as I have a Tom Tom that can easily go from vehicle to vehicle without powering down. It has its own battery inside it, and it is far nicer to navigate with.

 

[alpha2k]

Flashed back to hood pope, and gps works just fine, so dunno, may just be that weird thing with the gps that needs ironing out some.
For now I'll stick with hood pope, it's running sweet

Just a small question though.....I am not a big fan of the contacts within CM or AOKP roms, as it takes 2 clicks to dial instead of one, so, my question is......anyone know of any replacement contact apps out there?

I've looked all over and can't find a decent one that's really simple and only uses like 1 click to call. That's what I loved about Twiz, is you could swipe to call.