HiBy R1 / MiDi R1 Firmware Modifications

Firmware patches for the HiBy R1 and MiDi R1 portable music players.
Device runs HiBy Linux on an Ingenic X1600 MIPS SoC with a Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC/amp chip.

🆕 New Features in this Build

1. Mono / Stereo Toggle (Trigger File Method)

Requested by: ApolloMoonLandings (Reddit)
Adds support for stereo-to-mono downmixing for users with single-sided hearing or specific monitoring needs.

How to use:

To enable Mono: Create an empty file or folder named MONO in the root of your SD card. The device will detect it, swap the ALSA configuration, and reboot automatically into Mono mode.
To return to Stereo: Delete or rename the MONO file/folder. The device will reboot back into Stereo mode.

Technical Implementation:

Custom ALSA configuration at /usr/data/asound.conf.mono using a route plugin with a ttable to mix L+R channels.
Background monitor script /usr/data/mono_monitor.sh auto-started via /etc/init.d/S92_03_start_music_player.

2. Russian Language Fixes

Contributor: Much_West_2785 (Reddit)
Extensive fixes for the Russian localization strings (usr/resource/str/russian/), correcting grammatical errors, truncated text, and inconsistent terminology found in the stock firmware.

3. Font Replacement — MiSans

File: usr/resource/fonts/default.otf
The stock font has been replaced with MiSans. This provides a cleaner, more modern aesthetic and excellent legibility for both Latin and Cyrillic scripts.

Changes Made

1. Volume Cap & Line Out Profile

File: usr/resource/config.json

The player originally hard-capped the UI volume slider at 50/100 steps. The headset limit has been safely increased to 60. Additionally, a distinct lineout profile was injected into the config to allow full 100 volume when a high-impedance Aux connection is auto-detected.

Field	Before	After
`lock_vol[headset]`	`50`	`60`
`warn_vol[headset]`	`34`	`42`
`lock_vol[lineout]`	(None)	`100`
`warn_vol[lineout]`	(None)	`100`

2. MDB / LDB Hardware Gain Tables Fixed

File: usr/resource/ot_devices.json

The MDB and LDB volume tables stopped at CS43131 register value 12 instead of 0.
Register 0 = 0 dB (true maximum output). Register 12 ≈ −0.75 dB below full output.
Changed the last entry in both MDB and LDB Values arrays from 12 → 0.

3. Native DSD Enabled

File: usr/resource/ot_devices.json

All three DSD output paths were forced to DoP even when the user selected Native mode.
The CS43131 supports hardware native DSD over I2S.

Field	Before	After
`AnalogDsdNative`	`"dop"`	`"native"`

AnalogDsdD2p and AnalogDsdDop remain as "dop" — correct for their respective modes.

4. Missing Audio Engine Keys — Investigated, Not Applied

File: usr/resource/ot_devices.json

Reverted — not applied in this build.

The player binary reads several keys from ot_devices.json that were absent in stock firmware, causing fallback to hardcoded defaults. The following keys were tested:

"DOP_MAX_VOLUME":           100,
"ANALOG_PCM_HW_SAMPLE_MAX": 384000,
"SPDIF_MAX_VOLUME":         100,
"USB_OUT_MAX_VOLUME":       100,
"USE_VOLUME_CHIP":          0,
"SW_MIX_GAIN_ENABLE":       1,
"SPDIF_MAX_192K":           0

ANALOG_PCM_HW_SAMPLE_MAX: 384000 matches the CS43131's hardware ceiling and the analog device SampleRate list already declared in the same file.
SPDIF_MAX_192K: 0 removes the 192 kHz cap on the SPDIF output path.
USE_VOLUME_CHIP: 0 — must be 0 if used. Setting this to 1 forces volume writes directly to the CS43131 ALSA hardware registers, which are not wired up in this firmware version. With 1, the volume buttons show UI movement but produce no audio change.

These keys were removed after testing — the firmware behaves correctly without them using its built-in defaults.

5. Hardware-Only Volume Control

File: usr/resource/ot_devices.json

⚠ Reverted — do not set to 0.
Setting SET_HW_SW_VOL_BOTH: 0 causes the volume buttons to show UI movement with no audio change (volume buttons stop working). Leave at 1.

Field	Value
`SET_HW_SW_VOL_BOTH`	`1` (stock value — leave unchanged)

SET_HW_SW_VOL_BOTH: 1 means the firmware applies volume changes to both the CS43131 hardware registers and the software attenuation stage simultaneously. Setting it to 0 was expected to use HW-only volume, but on this firmware version the result is that neither path is driven — the UI slider moves but audio level does not change. This change has been reverted.

6. Internet Radio Enabled for English — MiDi R1

File: usr/resource/layout/midi/theme1/hiby_stream_media.view

On the MiDi R1 the Stream Media screen only showed Tidal and Qobuz for non-Chinese languages. The radio entry was present in hiby_stream_media_cn.view but absent from the base layout file loaded for all other locales.

Added the stream_media_vg_radio viewgroup block (identical to the CN variant) between the closing of stream_media_vg_qobuz and "name":"vg_stream_media_hiby".

7. Internet Radio Enabled for English — HiBy R1 Theme 1 & Theme 2

Files:

usr/resource/layout/theme1/hiby_stream_media.view
usr/resource/layout/theme2/hiby_stream_media.view

Same fix applied to the standard HiBy R1 themes to ensure radio is visible under all language settings.

8. Bluetooth Audio Quality — SBC XQ

File: usr/bin/bt_init

Added --sbc-quality=xq to the BlueALSA launch. SBC XQ uses bitpool 76 in dual-channel HD mode (~500 kbps). Falls back automatically to standard high quality (bitpool 53) if the connected device does not advertise XQ support.

BlueALSA launch line:

/usr/bin/bluealsa -p a2dp-source --a2dp-volume --sbc-quality=xq &

9. Font Replaced — Roboto

File: usr/resource/fonts/default.otf

Removed the stock default.otf (155 KB, HiBy custom font) and replaced it with the Roboto font family. Roboto provides broader Latin/Cyrillic coverage and better legibility at small display sizes.

Important

Apostrophe Spacing Bug Fix ("Don' t"): If you experience massive spaces after apostrophes in song titles (e.g., Don' t), this is a known bug caused by the HiBy firmware struggling to read kerning metrics from OpenType (.otf) CFF fonts. The Fix: You must use a TrueType (.ttf) version of Roboto, but rename it to .otf (e.g., default.otf). The player hardcodes the .otf extension but will natively parse the .ttf magic bytes perfectly, completely fixing the apostrophe spacing bug!

Also removed Thai and Korean locale string directories — these are no longer needed since Roboto does not carry Thai or Korean glyph ranges:

Removed	Path
Thai locale strings	`usr/resource/str/thai/`
Korean locale strings	`usr/resource/str/korean/`

Note: Place your Roboto .ttf file renamed to default.otf at usr/resource/fonts/default.otf before repacking the firmware image.

10. Patched `hiby_player` Binary — Sorting Fix

File: usr/bin/hiby_player

Replaced the stock player binary with the community-patched sorting variant from hiby-modding/hiby-mods.

What the sorting patch changes:

Behaviour	Stock	Patched
Article handling	"The Beatles" sorts under T	Strips leading articles (`the`, `a`, `an`, and equivalents in 13 languages) before sorting
Symbol-prefixed titles	Mixed into alphabet	Sorted first (before A)
Multi-language sort	ASCII only	Unicode-aware; handles CJK, Cyrillic, Latin extended, etc.

Source: https://github.com/hiby-modding/hiby-mods/tree/main/binaries
Compatibility note: The upstream repo primarily targets the HiBy R3 Pro II. Tested to boot and function on the R1 — verify your own build before flashing.

11. USB DAC Mode Unlocked

Files:

usr/resource/set_functions.json
usr/resource/midi_set_functions.json
usr/resource/config.json

The USB DAC functionality is fully present in the firmware (kernel driver uac_sa, config scripts, UI layout), but was hidden from the menu.
(Inspired by the community discussion in r/Hiby)

Flag	File	Before	After	Effect
`usb_mode`	`set_functions.json`	`0`	`1`	Shows the "USB device mode" dropdown (Storage / Audio)
`dac_to_store`	`config.json`	`0`	`1`	Gracefully handles DAC mode exit / cable disconnect
`dac_feedback`	`set_functions.json`	`0`	`1`	Unlocks USB DAC feedback UI toggle
`standby` / `about` / `car_mode`	`set_functions.json`	`0`	`1`	Unlocks additional missing features

Summary Table

#	Change	File
1	Volume cap 60 (Headset) & 100 (Line Out)	`usr/resource/config.json`
2	MDB/LDB gain table ceiling 12 → 0 (true 0 dB)	`usr/resource/ot_devices.json`
3	Native DSD output enabled (`AnalogDsdNative`)	`usr/resource/ot_devices.json`
4	~~Audio engine keys added~~ REVERTED — defaults are sufficient	`usr/resource/ot_devices.json`
5	~~HW-only volume (`SET_HW_SW_VOL_BOTH` 1 → 0)~~ REVERTED — breaks volume buttons	`usr/resource/ot_devices.json`
6	Internet Radio enabled for English — MiDi R1	`usr/resource/layout/midi/theme1/hiby_stream_media.view`
7	Internet Radio enabled for English — HiBy R1 (Theme 1 & 2)	`usr/resource/layout/theme1/hiby_stream_media.view`, `theme2/...`
8	SBC XQ enabled (~500 kbps, bitpool 76)	`usr/bin/bt_init`
9	Font replaced: stock `default.otf` → Roboto (~10 MB); Thai & Korean locale strings removed	`usr/resource/fonts/default.otf`
10	Patched player binary — article/symbol sort fix	`usr/bin/hiby_player`
11	USB DAC Mode, Standby, Car Mode & About UI Unlocked	`usr/resource/set_functions.json`, `config.json`

Hardware Reference

Component	Details
SoC	Ingenic X1600 (MIPS32r2)
DAC / Amp	Cirrus Logic CS43131 (I2C bus 3, GPIO PB02 power, PB21 reset)
PMU	X-Powers AXP2101
OS	HiBy Linux (kernel 4.4.94)
Display	LG35583 480×800
WiFi	Cypress CYW (cywdhd)
Headset ADC	sa_earpods_adc on AXP2101 ALDO4

CS43131 Capabilities (Unlocked by These Changes)

Feature	Spec
PCM	32-bit, up to 384 kHz
DSD	DSD64 / DSD128, Native or DoP
SNR	130 dB
THD+N	−107 dB
Output power	~112 mW @ 16 Ω
Digital filters	5 hardware modes (fast/slow rolloff × min-phase/linear-phase + apodizing)

Sound Tuning — MSEB

HiBy's MSEB (Multi-dimensional Sound Enhancement Bass) is the primary tool for shaping the sound signature on-device.

Path: Play Settings → MSEB

Slider	Range	Bass-relevant direction
Bass extension	Light ↔ Deep	Deep = more sub-bass
Bass texture	Fast ↔ Thumpy	Thumpy = more decay/weight
Note thickness	Crisp ↔ Thick	Thick = more body
Overall Temperature	Cool/Bright ↔ Warm/Dark	Warm = darker, fuller tone

Tap the settings icon inside MSEB to set the adjustment range: Fine-tuning (±20), Middling (±40), or Excessive (±100). Set to Middling or Excessive before pushing sliders far.

Digital Filters

CS43131 Chip Filters (in-app, Play Settings → Digital Filter)

These are the CS43131's hardware oversampling filter modes, confirmed from the codec_cs43131.ko ALSA driver. They are exposed as an ALSA control named Digital Filter and accessible in-app via Play Settings → Digital Filter. They affect HF rolloff shape and transient pre/post-ringing — not bass level.

ALSA value	In-app label	Rolloff	Phase	Character
`0` (`fast_rolloff_low_latency`)	Minimum-phase	Fast	Minimum phase	No pre-ringing, some post-ringing
`1` (`fast_rolloff_phase_compensated`)	Sharp / late rolloff	Fast	Linear phase	Symmetric pre+post ringing
`2` (`slow_rolloff_low_latency`)	(not in UI)	Slow	Minimum phase	Gentle rolloff, no pre-ringing
`3` (`slow_rolloff_phase_compensated`)	Slow / early rolloff	Slow	Linear phase	Gentlest rolloff, symmetric ringing
`4`	(not in UI)	Fast	Apodizing	Minimised pre-ringing, near-linear phase

Values 2 and 4 are not exposed in the in-app Digital Filter dialog and are only accessible via ADB:

# slow rolloff, minimum phase
adb shell amixer cset name='Digital Filter' 2

# apodizing fast roll-off
adb shell amixer cset name='Digital Filter' 4

# read current value
adb shell amixer cget name='Digital Filter'

Hidden Features Found (Not Yet Enabled)

Feature	Location	Notes
Factory test mode	`usr/resource/layout/theme1/test/hiby_test.view`	LCD, touch, key, BT, WiFi, FM hardware tests. Strings only in `simplified_chinese` and `english` locales

Enabling ADB

ADB can be enabled on any firmware version (including stock) without any modification:

Go to Settings → About
Tap the "About" text 10 times
A "Developer Mode" confirmation message will appear
Connect the device to your PC via USB
Run adb devices to confirm the connection

To disable ADB, tap "About" 10 times again — the same toggle also disables developer mode.

Note: ADB and USB mass storage share the same USB interface and cannot run simultaneously. While ADB is enabled the device will not appear as a storage drive.

Note: This enables Developer Mode (ADB access), not the separate factory Test Mode. The factory test suite (hiby_test.view — LCD, key, touch, audio, BT, WiFi hardware tests) is a distinct feature with an unknown trigger, likely a button combination at boot. It is not accessible via the About tap sequence.

How It Works Internally

The tap-counting logic lives entirely inside the hiby_player binary. The About screen (hiby_about_dev.view) contains a hidden textview (about_dev_tv_developer) that the binary progressively reveals as you tap. The locale strings confirm the countdown behaviour:

String key	Text
`enter_developer_mode`	"Perform 2 more steps to enter development mode"
`developer_mode`	"You are already in developer mode"
`in_developer_mode`	"You are already in developer mode, no need to do this."

The ADB toggle is a flag file: /usr/data/disableadb

File present → ADB is blocked. Both init scripts (S310adb, S440adb) check for this file at startup and exit early if it exists.
File absent → ADB starts normally.

When you tap 10 times, hiby_player creates or removes this file and immediately starts or stops adbd — no reboot required.

USB gadget configuration (from etc/init.d/adb/):

Field	Value
Vendor ID	`0x18d1` (Google)
Product ID	`0xd002`
Device serial	`{prefix}_{last 4 digits of WiFi MAC}`, falls back to chip ID

Using Google's standard ADB VID/PID means no custom driver is needed on the host PC — the device shows up immediately with a standard ADB installation.

Battery Optimizations

Pro-Tip: The "Pause Before Standby" Bug

Type: User Habit (No file edit required)

There is a known firmware bug in how the ALSA audio pipeline handles sleep states.

Direct to Standby (Bad): If the device goes into standby while a track is actively playing, the audio pipeline fails to cleanly release the ALSA hardware stream. This holds a kernel wakelock that prevents the Cirrus Logic DAC chip from powering down, leading to massive battery drain during standby.
Pause Before Standby (Good): Always manually press Pause before putting the device to sleep. Pausing cleanly closes the ALSA stream, allowing the DAC chip and I2S clocks to enter a deep hardware sleep state, which dramatically increases your standby battery life!

(Credit for finding this workaround goes to u/OOOOOOO0OOOOOOOOO)

1. batd Battery Logger Disabled

File: usr/bin/hiby_player.sh

batd is a debug battery-monitoring daemon. When its binary is present it was launched at every player start with -t5, writing a battery log to the SD card every 5 seconds. This causes the SD card to wake on a 5-second cycle even during playback from internal storage.

The launch block has been removed. The batd binary itself is untouched — reinstating logging is a one-line change if needed.

Field	Before	After
SD card wakeup interval	Every 5 s (continuous)	Never

2. Red LED Breathing Animation Disabled

File: module_driver/leds_pwm_add.sh

The red LED was set to breathing trigger — a continuous PWM fade-in/fade-out effect active whenever the device was on. Changed to none (LED off).

Field	Before	After
`led_pwm0_trigger`	`breathing`	`none`

To restore the breathing effect or use a different trigger (heartbeat, default-on, etc.) edit this file.

3. Bluetooth Discoverable / Pairable Timeouts

File: etc/bluetooth/main.conf

Both timeouts were 0 — meaning the device stayed permanently discoverable and pairable after BT was enabled, continuously advertising over the air. Set to 180 seconds (BlueZ default).

Field	Before	After
`DiscoverableTimeout`	`0` (forever)	`180` s
`PairableTimeout`	`0` (forever)	`180` s

After 3 minutes with no pairing the device stops advertising. Already-paired devices reconnect normally — this only affects new-pairing discovery broadcasts.

HiBy R1 — File Limit Patch (50,000 → 65,000 Tracks)

Target binary: /usr/bin/hiby_player (MIPS32 LE ELF, 4,855,400 bytes)
Change: Increases the music database track limit from 50,000 to 65,000 (0xC350 → 0xFDE8)

Patch Locations

Offset (hex)	Offset (dec)	Before	After	Instruction
`0x000EDF74`	974,708	`50 C3 02 34`	`E8 FD 02 34`	`ORI $v0, $zero, 65000`
`0x002DE3B0`	3,007,408	`50 C3 02 34`	`E8 FD 02 34`	`ORI $v0, $zero, 65000`
`0x002DFEA0`	3,014,304	`50 C3 04 34`	`E8 FD 04 34`	`ORI $a0, $zero, 65000`
`0x002E937C`	3,052,412	`50 C3 04 34`	`E8 FD 04 34`	`ORI $a0, $zero, 65000`

How to Apply

Back up your original binary before patching.

Using dd on Linux/macOS:

FILE="hiby_player"
cp "$FILE" "${FILE}.orig"
for offset in 974708 3007408 3014304 3052412; do
    printf '\xe8\xfd' | dd of="$FILE" bs=1 seek=$offset conv=notrunc
done

HiBy R1 Sound Enhancement

Config-only audio improvements for the HiBy R1 portable DAP. No binaries compiled. All changes are reversible.

What This Does

Change	File	Effect
ALSA PCM pipeline	`usr/data/asound.conf`	High-quality resampling + 256-step software volume
Volume tuning	`usr/resource/config.json`	Lower startup volume, wider range
EQ preset rename	`usr/resource/str/english/eq.ini`	"Custom" → "Headphones" slot for PEQ settings

Device

Model: HiBy R1
OS: Embedded Linux (MIPS32, kernel 2.6.32)
DAC: Cirrus Logic CS43131 — confirmed at card 0 (pcmC0D0p)

Files Changed

usr/data/asound.conf                          ← ALSA plug + softvol chain
usr/resource/config.json                      ← Volume defaults
usr/resource/str/english/eq.ini               ← EQ preset label

Originals backed up in: docs/superpowers/backups/

ALSA Signal Chain

hiby_player
    └── pcm.!default (asym)
            └── playback → pcm.sv_out (softvol, 256 steps, −51 dB to 0 dB)
                                └── pcm.hq_out (plug, resampling)
                                        └── hw:0,0  (CS43131 DAC)
            └── capture  → hw:0,0 (direct)

Volume Settings

Setting	Before	After
Default volume	20	15
Warning threshold	34	42
Max (lock) volume	50	60

Deploy

Option A — ADB push (device running)

adb push usr/data/asound.conf /usr/data/asound.conf
adb push usr/resource/config.json /usr/resource/config.json
adb push "usr/resource/str/english/eq.ini" "/usr/resource/str/english/eq.ini"
adb shell reboot

Option B — Repack squashfs

mksquashfs squashfs-root hiby_r1_enhanced.sqsh -comp xz -b 131072 -no-xattrs

Flash via OTA or recovery mode.

HiBy R1 — Brightness Floor Patch (minimum 5 → 1)

Target binary: `/usr/bin/hiby_player` (MIPS32 LE ELF) Change: Removes the backlight minimum clamp so the lowest slider position reaches sysfs value `1` instead of `5`. Measured ~25–30 lux → ~7–8 lux on this panel. Much darker for night use.

Background

The player floors the backlight: slider values map 1:1 to the sysfs node (6→6 … 100→100), but anything resolving to 1–4 is forced up to 5. The panel dims well below that — writing 1 directly is clearly darker and still on. The floor is a single clamp in the backlight-set routine:

li    a1, 5            ; floor value
addiu v1, v0, -1
sltiu v1, v1, 4        ; v1 = (1 <= value <= 4) ? 1 : 0
movz  a1, v0, v1       ; value NOT in 1..4 -> a1 = value; else a1 stays 5
jal   <write_to_sysfs>

Change: `sltiu $v1, $v1, 4` → `sltiu $v1, $v1, 0` (`0x04` → `0x00`). The test is then always false, `movz` always passes the real value, the floor never fires. `0` (backlight off) is unaffected.

Patch Locations

Offset is build-dependent. bidhata's firmware ships the Sorting-patch player, so that is the primary target; stock listed for reference.

Binary	Offset (hex)	Offset (dec)	Before	After	Instruction
Sorting variant	`0x0007C900`	510,208	`04 00 63 2C`	`00 00 63 2C`	`SLTIU $v1, $v1, 4` → `0`
Stock	`0x00067440`	422,976	`04 00 63 2C`	`00 00 63 2C`	`SLTIU $v1, $v1, 4` → `0`

How to Apply

Back up your original binary before patching.

Option A — dd (fixed offset). Sorting variant:

FILE="hiby_player"
cp "$FILE" "${FILE}.orig"
printf '\x00' | dd of="$FILE" bs=1 seek=510208 conv=notrunc

For the stock binary, use seek=422976.

Option B — patch_brightness.py (any build). Locates the clamp by instruction signature, so it works regardless of binary layout (handy for other community variants where the offset differs):

python3 patch_brightness.py hiby_player   # writes hiby_player_patched

Verification

On device, set the slider to minimum:

cat /sys/class/backlight/backlight_pwm0/brightness   # should read 1, not 5

After Flashing — Manual Setup

Configure once on the device:

ReplayGain — Settings → Play → ReplayGain → select by Track
Crossfade — Settings → Play → Crossfade → On
Gapless playback — Settings → Play → Gapless playback → On
Parametric EQ — Settings → Equalizer → select Headphones → tap PEQ

PEQ settings (Headphones preset):

Band	Type	Frequency	Gain	Q
1	Low Shelf	100 Hz	+3.0 dB	—
2	Peaking	3000 Hz	+1.5 dB	1.2
3	High Shelf	10000 Hz	−2.0 dB	—

Additional Community Modifications

12. Parametric Equalizer (PEQ) Fully Enabled

Files:

usr/bin/hiby_player
usr/resource/eq.ini
usr/resource/str/*/eq.ini

The complete Parametric Equalizer implementation already exists inside the HiBy R1 firmware resources and UI layouts. However, the stock 1.6 firmware does not fully expose the functionality through the bundled audio engine.

Testing revealed that replacing the stock 1.6 hiby_player binary with the newer 1.7 Beta player binary enables the complete PEQ feature set while remaining compatible with the existing 1.6 Mod firmware modifications.

Enabled Features

PEQ Combined mode
Multi-band Parametric Equalizer
Frequency control
Gain control
Q-factor control
Filter type selection
Preset save and recall
Full integration with the existing EQ menu

Required Supporting Files

The following files from firmware 1.7 Beta should also be migrated:

/usr/resource/eq.ini
/usr/resource/str/*/eq.ini

These files contain updated PEQ definitions and language resources used by the newer player binary.

Result

The resulting firmware successfully combines:

All 1.6 Mod enhancements
USB DAC Mode
Standby Menu
Car Mode
About Menu
Full Parametric EQ (PEQ)
Existing battery optimizations
Bluetooth SBC XQ support
Native DSD support
Internet Radio support

Stability

This configuration has been tested on real HiBy R1 hardware and is confirmed operational.

No regressions were observed in:

Local playback
Bluetooth audio
USB DAC mode
Library scanning
Internet Radio
MSEB
Standard EQ functionality

Current Recommended Firmware Configuration

The most feature-complete community firmware currently known is:

HiBy R1 1.6 Mod + HiBy R1 1.7 Beta Audio Engine

This combination provides:

Feature	Status
Volume Unlock	✅
Native DSD	✅
USB DAC Mode	✅
Standby Menu	✅
Car Mode	✅
About Menu	✅
Internet Radio	✅
SBC XQ Bluetooth	✅
PEQ Combined	✅
Parametric EQ Editor	✅
Sorting Patch	✅
Battery Optimizations	✅

Credits

Original Research

Many of the firmware discoveries documented here were made through community reverse engineering efforts and testing by members of the HiBy community.

Special thanks to:

HiBy Modding Community
HiBy Linux reverse-engineering contributors
Rockbox R1 development contributors

PEQ and USB DAC Enablement Research

PEQ enablement, USB DAC unlocking, firmware repacking validation, OTA package reconstruction research, and compatibility testing between the 1.6 Mod firmware and the 1.7 Beta audio engine were performed and documented by:

u/hrwoyem

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/hrwoyem/

These findings demonstrated that the HiBy R1 firmware already contained dormant functionality that could be unlocked through configuration changes and selective component migration rather than requiring binary patch development.

Disclaimer

These modifications are unofficial community firmware modifications.

Flashing modified firmware always carries risk, including device malfunction or data loss.

Neither HiBy nor the contributors listed above are responsible for any damage resulting from use of modified firmware.

Proceed at your own risk and always keep a copy of the original firmware before flashing.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 31 Commits
Logo replacement		Logo replacement
unpack_pack		unpack_pack
unpack_pack_MacOS		unpack_pack_MacOS
PEQ_and_Audiobook_Patch_by_hrwoyem.md		PEQ_and_Audiobook_Patch_by_hrwoyem.md
README.md		README.md
patch_brightness.py		patch_brightness.py
russian.zip		russian.zip

Folders and files

Latest commit

History

Repository files navigation

HiBy R1 / MiDi R1 Firmware Modifications

🆕 New Features in this Build

1. Mono / Stereo Toggle (Trigger File Method)

2. Russian Language Fixes

3. Font Replacement — MiSans

Changes Made

1. Volume Cap & Line Out Profile

2. MDB / LDB Hardware Gain Tables Fixed

3. Native DSD Enabled

4. Missing Audio Engine Keys — Investigated, Not Applied

5. Hardware-Only Volume Control

6. Internet Radio Enabled for English — MiDi R1

7. Internet Radio Enabled for English — HiBy R1 Theme 1 & Theme 2

8. Bluetooth Audio Quality — SBC XQ

9. Font Replaced — Roboto

10. Patched hiby_player Binary — Sorting Fix

11. USB DAC Mode Unlocked

Summary Table

Hardware Reference

CS43131 Capabilities (Unlocked by These Changes)

Sound Tuning — MSEB

Digital Filters

CS43131 Chip Filters (in-app, Play Settings → Digital Filter)

Hidden Features Found (Not Yet Enabled)

Enabling ADB

How It Works Internally

Battery Optimizations

Pro-Tip: The "Pause Before Standby" Bug

1. batd Battery Logger Disabled

2. Red LED Breathing Animation Disabled

3. Bluetooth Discoverable / Pairable Timeouts

HiBy R1 — File Limit Patch (50,000 → 65,000 Tracks)

Patch Locations

How to Apply

HiBy R1 Sound Enhancement

What This Does

Device

Files Changed

ALSA Signal Chain

Volume Settings

Deploy

Option A — ADB push (device running)

Option B — Repack squashfs

HiBy R1 — Brightness Floor Patch (minimum 5 → 1)

Target binary: /usr/bin/hiby_player (MIPS32 LE ELF) Change: Removes the backlight minimum clamp so the lowest slider position reaches sysfs value 1 instead of 5. Measured ~25–30 lux → ~7–8 lux on this panel. Much darker for night use.

Background

Change: sltiu $v1, $v1, 4 → sltiu $v1, $v1, 0 (0x04 → 0x00). The test is then always false, movz always passes the real value, the floor never fires. 0 (backlight off) is unaffected.

Patch Locations

How to Apply

Verification

After Flashing — Manual Setup

Additional Community Modifications

12. Parametric Equalizer (PEQ) Fully Enabled

Enabled Features

Required Supporting Files

Result

Stability

Current Recommended Firmware Configuration

Credits

Original Research

PEQ and USB DAC Enablement Research

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10. Patched `hiby_player` Binary — Sorting Fix

Target binary: `/usr/bin/hiby_player` (MIPS32 LE ELF) Change: Removes the backlight minimum clamp so the lowest slider position reaches sysfs value `1` instead of `5`. Measured ~25–30 lux → ~7–8 lux on this panel. Much darker for night use.

Change: `sltiu $v1, $v1, 4` → `sltiu $v1, $v1, 0` (`0x04` → `0x00`). The test is then always false, `movz` always passes the real value, the floor never fires. `0` (backlight off) is unaffected.