L4T Ubuntu, a Linux for Tegra and Ubuntu based distro for Nintendo Switch

L4T Ubuntu

Without a doubt one One of the great features of Linux in general is the great adaptation it has for various devices And it is that it is not only for computers and servers as many think, because even Linux is in the "intelligent devices", in systems for automobiles, it is in NASA projects and more.

Even it is worth remembering chen a few years ago the launch of the PS4 "Unhackable" after a few days a user showed that Linux was not installed on it. And good talking about Linux on consoles, the present day surfing the net I came across a very interesting project in which it is possible to install Ubuntu on a Nintendo Switch.

L4T Ubuntu, Linux comes to Nintendo Switch.

Some days ago the Switchroot team just released L4T Ubuntu, which is a project that is based on Nvidia's Linux for Tegra (L4T) package and Ubuntu.

Nvidia's L4T package includes a Linux kernel adapted for the Nintendo Switch, a bootloader, controllers, flash utilities, file system templates, and more for your Jetson platform.

The Switchroot team offers a kind of replay of the latter, but specially adapted for the Nintendo console.

L4T Ubuntu includes, for the Switch, drivers for the management of the audio, the dock and the Vulkan processing unit. The development team also discusses the need for this support as the reason why this distribution is aligned with a fork of the main Linux 4.9 line.

Of its characteristics of L4T Ubuntu, the following stand out:

  • USB dock support
  • Bluetooth (both drivers and audio)
  • Nvidia GPU Drivers - Vulkan and OpenGL
  • Audio - HDMI headphones, speakers and more when docked.
  • Joycons and professional controllers are fully supported when not connected to the console
  • Touch screen
  • Monitor
  • Wi-Fi
  • CPU Frequency Scaling - CPU scales from 200mhz to 1,7ghz (which switch it is stored for) depending on load. Fans are adjusted to account for this.
  • Full sdcard speed
  • Hardware video acceleration when using the built-in video app (means you can watch videos without massively draining the battery)

L4T Ubuntu -

How was this possible?

In customizing the uses of the Nintendo console, the publication of the team of Switchroot follows that of a group of hackers called Fail0verflow.

As last year, the group announced through your Twitter account who managed to run a Linux distribution on the Nintendo Switch, the manipulation was possible thanks to a fault in the boot memory of the console.

The vulnerability allowed a third party to access Recovery Mode to load the necessary code. However, its operation required a physical modification of the device and a short circuit between some of the pins of its USB port.

Is the process similar for Ubuntu L4T?

Although, as mentioned, the method with which the Nintendo Switch system was modified. For those who are interested in installing Ubuntu L4T on their device, they will not have to gut their console.

As Ubuntu L4T installation, on the other hand, revolves around a single condition that must be fulfilled: Bring at least a 16GB SD card.

According to the development team's explanation, lMedia is used to back up the operating system image on which the installation process is based. You should have a procedure similar to the one known on a PC with, in particular, the phase of choosing partitions, but this time those available on the dedicated SD card.

How to get and install L4T Ubuntu?

For those who are inserted in L4T Ubuntu You can get the image by going to the following link, where you can find the instructions, requirements and the installation image, as well as being able to post your doubts directly with the development team.

The link is this.


Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.