The situation for Linux is significantly better, thanks to efforts by the linux-sunxi community.
| Feature | Status on H6 (Kernel 6.1+) | |--------|---------------------------| | CPU cores | Working | | Mali GPU (Mali-T720) | Lima driver works in mainline (OpenGL ES 3.1) | | HDMI output | Working with DRM/KMS | | USB 3.0 / 2.0 | Working | | Ethernet | Working (GMAC) | | Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Depends on external chip – often broken | | Hardware video decode | Partial – Cedrus driver works for H.264, but HEVC/h.265 decode is buggy or missing | | VPU / Media encoding | Not working | | Power management (suspend) | Buggy | allwinner h6 custom rom hot
Recommended Linux distributions for H6 boards: The situation for Linux is significantly better, thanks
Note: These are full Linux OSes, not “custom ROMs” in the Android sense. They run from microSD or eMMC. Note: These are full Linux OSes, not “custom
To build or port a ROM successfully, one must understand the H6 layout:
The Challenge: Unlike standard smartphones, H6 TV boxes lack standardized bootloaders. They rely heavily on Allwinner’s proprietary U-Boot implementation.
The community has rallied around three major builds. These are the current "hot" tickets because they include CPU governor tuners, overclocking headroom, and modern kernels.