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Hello everybody...XD
I've been trying the "new" port of Cyanogenmod 9 (ICS), from the following topic:
[DEV][WIP] Ice Cream Sandwich Port (AOSP/CM9)
And after some weeks of dayly usage of build 4 with Update 1 i've decided to make a review of it.
The original post has a list of working and not working features, so first of all i'm going to comment and complete the ROM issues:
Bluetooth: It's not possible even to turn it on, so if you really use the bluetooth, forget it.
Wifi AP: The native tool doesn't work at all. The ROM includes the app Wifi-Tether, through this app you are able to turn on the Wifi-AP, other devices can see and connect but that's all, you can't actually use the internet .
Calendar: In the raw ROM it's not possible to syncronize your google calendar account, it can be solved by installing the GAPPS: link GAPPS...Thanks Halco (it also fixes a google+ app issue)
Camera(Photo): You can took photos but you can see them only after they are saved, through the gallery app, i mean the camera app has no live preview of the photo, only a black screen.
Camera(Video): You can't record videos period.
Videos: You can't watch videos, even youtube videos, youtube crashes when it attempts to reproduce the video.
Games: Forget every application which demands high processing .
Issues I've faced during usage:
Sometimes the phone crashes when you remove the power cable;
You cannot natively sync your facebook contacts (I've used this appfacebook contact-Sync.=P);
Sometimes all of a sudden the phone freezes, and you need to reebot it ;
It can take a bit to open the App Draw if you join the Apps and Widget Tabs, if you face this slowness go to Settings->Laucher->App Draw and uncheck Join with Apps;
The Data Usage (a native tool that keeps a track of your data usage) doesn't work;
Those were all the problems i had with this ROM, but all the other amazing Ice Cream Sandwich features are fully operative, so if you just like me don't use those missing tools go ahead it is a legendary SO with dozen of little features that make all the difference, all with an smooth interface...XD
Well this review is my attempt of a useful way to say thank you to the Developers...
Nice review, and yes you can post market links, just not links to warez websites.
Cheers
Sent from my GT-i9003 powered by MIUI
thanks!
perhaps you can try the newest arakmar kernel with openFIMG update and tell us if sth changed
download: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12943198/openFIMG_Arakmar_signed.zip
source: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1539922
Use this link for GApps : http://goo-inside.me/gapps (Ever updated)
j4m said:
thanks!
perhaps you can try the newest arakmar kernel with openFIMG update and tell us if sth changed
download: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12943198/openFIMG_Arakmar_signed.zip
source: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1539922
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've just installed...soon I post my experience
actually you should use latest openFIMG update with arakmars G3mod kernel. it improves overall performance and data usage feature works with the new kernel.
general assumption: when doing a review you might want to say some positive stuff about the ROM as you only said which features don't work. overall performance is good on ICS though trebuchet launcher consumes a lot of CPU power (but it's version 0.1, so there will be improvements anyway). there's no word on battery life, too, which is quite good for ICS.
[edit:] oops I was to slow
Good review,but to many problems,i will instal it in the future,ICS is amazing,
I like to add some more bugs
vibibs said:
Hello everybody...XD
I've been trying the "new" port of Cyanogenmod 9 (ICS), from the following topic:
[DEV][WIP] Ice Cream Sandwich Port (AOSP/CM9)
And after some weeks of dayly usage of build 4 with Update 1 i've decided to make a review of it.
The original post has a list of working and not working features, so first of all i'm going to comment and complete the ROM issues:
Bluetooth: It's not possible even to turn it on, so if you really use the bluetooth, forget it.
Wifi AP: The native tool doesn't work at all. The ROM includes the app Wifi-Tether, through this app you are able to turn on the Wifi-AP, other devices can see and connect but that's all, you can't actually use the internet .
Calendar: In the raw ROM it's not possible to syncronize your google calendar account, it can be solved by installing the GAPPS: link GAPPS...Thanks Halco (it also fixes a google+ app issue)
Camera(Photo): You can took photos but you can see them only after they are saved, through the gallery app, i mean the camera app has no live preview of the photo, only a black screen.
Camera(Video): You can't record videos period.
Videos: You can't watch videos, even youtube videos, youtube crashes when it attempts to reproduce the video.
Games: Forget every application which demands high processing .
Issues I've faced during usage:
Sometimes the phone crashes when you remove the power cable;
You cannot natively sync your facebook contacts (I've used this appfacebook contact-Sync.=P);
Sometimes all of a sudden the phone freezes, and you need to reebot it ;
It can take a bit to open the App Draw if you join the Apps and Widget Tabs, if you face this slowness go to Settings->Laucher->App Draw and uncheck Join with Apps;
The Data Usage (a native tool that keeps a track of your data usage) doesn't work;
Those were all the problems i had with this ROM, but all the other amazing Ice Cream Sandwich features are fully operative, so if you just like me don't use those missing tools go ahead it is a legendary SO with dozen of little features that make all the difference, all with an smooth interface...XD
Well this review is my attempt of a useful way to say thank you to the Developers...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like to add some more bugs,
- During the call when you press any key to interact with IVR the phone call goes to mute.
- Phone became very slow when you using is continuously.
A lot of faults but not much said about the features that are working so just thought I would go a bit further....
Widgets in appdraw
You can now view all widgets in the app draw without having to add them to the home screen, this is a staple feature of ICS and has been ported beautifully, it gives you a grid size in the draw too so you can see sizes.
Folders on homescreens
You can pile apps ontop of eachother to create folders so you can have all your messaging apps (whatsapp,fbmessenger, smmsmms) in one place. just click on it and it will open the folder to make your choice. it makes finding things quickly very simple, especially if you have alot of apps.
Apex Launcher
Apex launcher is a replacement launcher for trebuchet and helps run the new OS butter smooth. it also a little more customisable and user friendly and runs the best on this port. if you want fast and smooth, download it and push it to system/app for all functions
notification bar
the notification pull down bar on the port is alot more customisable than anything on GB or earlier OS's. add a weather option to it for a really sexy look.
Once installing the new gapps, they work absolutely fine, still a few syncing issues but all in all a decent attempt, the calendar especially is cleaner and more user friendly than previous builds.
extended power menu is working brilliantly, can go straight into download or recovery mode which i believe is now touch screen if i remember correctly... (please correct if wrong) and connecting to wifi is fast and reliable. There are many more things that really do show a huge amount of promise in this build, it is clear that given a little time and help with resources, these dev's are going to pull off what i personally didnt think possible. ICS ON G3!! D
Did some testing
I tested a view tastes of CM9. Was quite happy with the latest builds, however discovered a small issue that makes it a bit difficult to operate. I will describe it, hope this helps the developers.
First: Wifi, data is all working quite well, calender worked as I needed.
After flashing the rom CM9 systems work fine for about a day, after that when the phone goes into sleep you can wake it up, however the digitizer does not show any sign of life.
The screen however is fully functional, buttons operate.
After some random button pressing the digitizer migt start working, sometimes a reboot is the only solution.
However after a reboot sometimes it operates for half an hour and shows up problems with the digitizer again. I had this on both the G3 phones I owe (use one for testing).
Why it operates the first day after flashing without a problem is a little weird.
For the moment I'm back on Dutchmod 5.3
I lost the market (play store) after installing the G-apps given in the first post.
Looks like the G-apps from the above link is de-Odex.
Can any one give me a link to the odex G-apps?
Anandababu153 said:
I lost the market (play store) after installing the G-apps given in the first post.
Looks like the G-apps from the above link is de-Odex.
Can any one give me a link to the odex G-apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think gapps has odex and deodex apps
It is the ROM which is odexed and deodexed.
It works for icsforg3 build 4 so you can install it on any odex ROM
Sent from my GT-I5800 using XDA
Hi guys,
I'm considering moving from danvdh's ROM back to the latest CM, due to some limitations (not being able to use the SD card to move apps, unable to use xposed at the moment), but wanted to know what's the status of CM's camera, as this is something that works rather well on Danvdh's ROM. Does it take pictures on HDR mode? Able to use SDcard to store the pics?
Thanks!
I've seen storage location options in the camera app. As for the HDR, I don't know.
Xposed is working on the GPE ROM. HDR does not and probably never will function on Cyanogenmod. Your best bet is a third-party camera app that uses its own libraries for HDR and other effects instead of relying on the ones in the ROM.
If done some testing (with my i9505 with optimized CM 12.1). This seems to work and offers additional features to defauklt cam:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2341943
As you may have noticed there isn't a lot of ROMs for the nexus 7 2013. Tell me what kind of nougat ROMs you want.
I'll build the ROM that has the highest amount of votes.
P.S if anyone's wondering i was the former SAOSP maintainer.
Simple, clean and fast...
-fast
-complete debloated
-oms support or dark ui
-maybe privacy guard and advanced reboot
-permissive + enforce bootable and tweakable kernel with non standard govs and hotplugs
-no preroot
-Fast
-oms support
-optional pixel navigation bar w/animation setting
I know that you already build DU for another device. Would like to see DU on Flo, I think it pretty much has the features that most of us would want. Thanks.
Mike T
I'd be super happy with a Lineage build that has cherrypicks for our device. Lineage and CM officials were always nice but the reason I started coming here was the optimized versions for various devices. Having somebody that knows our device and what extras to add or remove based on our chip/gpu/flash was always nice. Sort of what DevSwift1 was doing at the start.
I'd like to see substratum support as well but i generally don't run themes.
Purenexus or a similar experience. I'd love to get pixel features with this device and manage to pass safetynet.
If this is still an option, I would love to see paranoid on the n7 2013. It's amazing on my n6p. They always looking for a maintainer.
Of course omni is great too.
I would like the latest Paranoid Android to come to FLO! But, as an alternative,
The Major Features I would like:
- Clean, Debloated & Beautiful (latest Paranoid Android Wallpapers and Stock UI look gorgeous)
- Very, Very Smooth & Snappy
- Full OMS Support
- Built-In Kernel with best Performance-Battery Balance (you can modify the latest ElementalX Kernel to suit the need)
- No Pre-Installed Bloatware (cLock, OmniStyle, OmniJaws, CM/LAOS/Omni Browser, CM/LAOS File Manager, Terminal, Stats, MusicFX/AudioFX, etc.)
- Not an overwhelming amount of unused features, just the basic & adequate amount of customization (unlike Resurrection Remix, having an unending amount of pretty useless customization, which is a waste)
- Lowest possible System Footprint (System Partition space is a bit low on our FLO/DEB)
- Comes Unrooted (passes SafetyNet but can allow for Magisk)
- Regular & Meaningful Updates (Weekly Builds are better than Nightlies)
Additional Featues, which if implemented, would be lovely:
- Basic level of Built-In Themes/Accents (like OxygenOS' Light/Dark Themes and Multiple Accent Colours)
- Good System UI Animations & Animated Elements (like OxygenOS' Power Menu, which has animated & colourful large buttons instead of a list and allow for seamless Power OFF and Advanced Restart while looking beautiful)
- Use as much of Google Apps in the build (Google Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Chrome & Email instead of other AOSP & Open Alternatives or make a zip to replace the built-in ones with the Google ones)
Please, make this happen! Upvote if you too wanted this ROM...
Thank you.
Thank you for developing a new ROM. It is great that there will be a new build for the old tablet. If you could include substratum, viper4android, or xposed framework with rootcloaking module (not that it can't be done individually), that would be awesome. Thank you again for bringing new life to Flo (aside from generic LineageOS builds).
Not to discourage you from doing your own thing, but if possible, I think it would be best if you build something with changes that could easily be merged into the latest nightlies of LineageOS. With the number of Nexus 7 2013 users dropping as the device ages I don't think it would be wise to splinter the community too much more than it already is
As similar to the stock one as possible. That means without root, with Google Apps, without non-stock features, and with stock kernel.
We got that, aosp rom, check it out
I want a nougat ROM that will work with VOIP/SIP apps like TalkaTone for the occasional phone call with the 2013 LTE device or through WiFi. It's been a month since I've tried but TalkaTone locks up with
every Nougat ROM I've tried with the 2013 LTE and Flo devices I have. Funny thing I picked up a used 2012 3G and it works like a charm with the Nougat ROM and the VOIP/SIP app TalkaTone. Kurt
Hi, a lean clean rom as described above - would love the addition of some of the features from Timurs rom v4 (on git hub) so can be used for a car install. There quite a community and we really need a decent updated rom. Features, power event manager including forced sleep on power off, USB host, USB DAC Support.
Don't forget the deb devices.
I just want SlimPIE.
Whats the status here, is there a new room coming any soon?
Background story: I've been an enthusiastic lineage (and cm) user for years. The first thing I did after unboxing any new phone was installing lineage (without even testing the stock rom) because I knew what I got. Few month back I bought two OP5T (one for my gf one for me) and installed lineage. Mine was quite fine but my gf's phone kept having issues (e.g. front cam not working). After a while I had a look at oxygen and I realized that it is not that different or at least not second to none but on the other hand has some advantages two.
Anyway after using OxygenOS for some weeks now I created my list of dis-/advantages:
Advantages over Lineage
- Overall better functionality/ availibility of sensors
• Better camera
• No issues with frontcam
• Faceunlock availible
• No microphone noise on headset during calls
- Gesture navigation (pie control)
- Round battery icon
- Less smaller bugs
- Excellent performance and battery life (prob. Better than lineage even without all those tweaks and possibilities of adjustment)
- Update to Android 8 was faster than lineage itself (if I remember correctly)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Disadvantages vs. Lineage
Annoying:
- Double tap to wake doesn't work during calls
- Double tap on taskbar to sleep not availible
- Switching songs while display off with Vol up/ down not availible
- Vibration at screen on can't be disabled
I can live with it:
- Change Keyboard notification can't be disabled
- Shifting cursor in text with Vol up/ down not availible
- hold back button to kill not availible
- hold home button to switch to last app (can be worked around by swiping up and hold and then being directed to the recents menu on navigation control)
- Some spam apps
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What are your thoughts/ experiences? Do you have something to add to the lists that I forgot?
And the most important question: do you have solutions or work arounds for the disadvantages that I listed.
Advantage LOS over OOS:
1. Left and Right keyboard arrows appearing on Navigation Bar when keyboard is out.
2. ???
Hi,
I'm in the exact same situation. Using Lineage for years until i tested it on my OP5t!
Honestly, my main concern was to keep my smartphone up to date. But now, we have security updates less than a month late, and may be quicker now that OP5t have trabble project...
Codename Phoenix was for be the best custom rom, but I must say i've nothing to criticize about OOS.
I stick with the betas and have no issue, camera is great, face unlock too, battery life is very good and the phone is very smooth (way better than my colleague s8+).
Not to mention the full screen videos and the gesture mode.
You can just desactivate the spam apps and it's very fine for me!
Advantage LOS over OOS:
1. Trust (Data protection)
2. Compatibility to Google Dialer
3. Switchable Root
4. Untill now faster Update
5. Better , adjustable gestures via xposed edge
Disadvantage LOS over OOS:
1. Camera better on Stock rom
2. Better Voice microphone quality on Stock if Bluetooth headset connected
Completely agree with OP. Finally I am using a stock rom even without rooting it (OB11) and completely satisfied.
Wish I would have read this thread before installing Lineage on a 5T. Same experience. Huge waste of time.
I am a big fan of Lineage and it has always been awesome. My Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is simply awesome and so has every other device I have ever used it on. Love it.
The 5T is a huge disappointment.
1 - the camera sucks. Even the google hacked camera sucks. - slow and welcome to crash city. HDR+ is second rate.
Front camera crashes
google photos crashes
3rd party cameras are terrible. They take pictures like its 1999. No HDR. If you do install a hacked camera with HDR or 3rd party, get ready to take pics like its 2008 - seconds between the 3 exposures. Time to carry a tripod again.
2 - no face ID. could not get it to work by flashing a hacked face id.
3 - Google Pay - it works if you put the time in to hack it with Magiks.
Those are the 3 main issues. #2 and #3 are important so #2 is the main deal breaker.
I should have tested Oxyogen OS first before installing Lineage. Oxyogen OS is very similar, it has many of the enhancements you are used to. Think of it as a commercial Lineage - it has not lost its roots.
The big deal is the Camera. It is great stuff. Go ahead and test other camera apps and then go back to the one plus camera app. Wow its like coming out of the dark ages.
Just like the post above, stock rom without root is actually fantastic! Dare I say - even better (software) than Vanilla android on a pixel 2XL.
I did open up the boot loader so you can push stuff via adb if for some reason you get stuck in a boot loop.
I hope this post helps someone. I wasted at least 6 hours messing around with hacks trying to get this to work for no reason! Oxogen OS is the rom of my dreams.
avongil911 said:
Wish I would have read this thread before installing Lineage on a 5T. Same experience. Huge waste of time.
I am a big fan of Lineage and it has always been awesome. My Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is simply awesome and so has every other device I have ever used it on. Love it.
The 5T is a huge disappointment.
1 - the camera sucks. Even the google hacked camera sucks. - slow and welcome to crash city. HDR+ is second rate.
Front camera crashes
google photos crashes
3rd party cameras are terrible. They take pictures like its 1999. No HDR. If you do install a hacked camera with HDR or 3rd party, get ready to take pics like its 2008 - seconds between the 3 exposures. Time to carry a tripod again.
2 - no face ID. could not get it to work by flashing a hacked face id.
3 - Google Pay - it works if you put the time in to hack it with Magiks.
Those are the 3 main issues. #2 and #3 are important so #2 is the main deal breaker.
I should have tested Oxyogen OS first before installing Lineage. Oxyogen OS is very similar, it has many of the enhancements you are used to. Think of it as a commercial Lineage - it has not lost its roots.
The big deal is the Camera. It is great stuff. Go ahead and test other camera apps and then go back to the one plus camera app. Wow its like coming out of the dark ages.
Just like the post above, stock rom without root is actually fantastic! Dare I say - even better (software) than Vanilla android on a pixel 2XL.
I did open up the boot loader so you can push stuff via adb if for some reason you get stuck in a boot loop.
I hope this post helps someone. I wasted at least 6 hours messing around with hacks trying to get this to work for no reason! Oxogen OS is the rom of my dreams.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OOS cam exists on custom ROMs too
I don't use pay so I can't speak on that
AOSP is the way to go imo, but I respect the OOS experience as long as I have RZ kernel installed. Currently on CNP and I am very happy.
First of all this should have been Custom roms vs OOS
you can get better everything than OOS on custom roms thanks to google camera port.
so I would say this setup would rekt OOS(Latest Pixel Experience Oreo official+ firmware 5.1.3+RedFlare Kernel)
and you basically have everything out your 5T
Does lineageos or any custom rom have 16:9 app compatibility mode like in OOS? If not then all custom roms are useless to me.
And I'm not talking about full screen support, that doesn't do anything but stretch non working apps to full screen, further making things worse.
musashiken said:
Does lineageos or any custom rom have 16:9 app compatibility mode like in OOS? If not then all custom roms are useless to me.
And I'm not talking about full screen support, that doesn't do anything but stretch non working apps to full screen, further making things worse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lineage has that option
also it has expanded desktop feature
most feature full custom roms havethat feature
AlMaghraby said:
lineage has that option
also it has expanded desktop feature
most feature full custom roms havethat feature
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you confirm? I'm not talking about full screen support. I'm talking about 16:9 mode where there are 2 black bars at the sides. Not full screen mode where the app gets stretched to fill up the screen.
I have games that cannot work in 18:9 aspect ratio. They have to work in 16:9 ratio. I tried a rom once with a full screen support mode and it does not add 2 black bars at the side.
Only OOS has that option of proper app scaling. I'm pretty sure lineageos does not have that option of app scaling to 16:9.
I was using Xiaomi Mi 5s before OP5T, with Lineage OS on it... Miui was not option for me... So when I looked for phone with Lineage OS experience, but on stock rom, I could buy some budget Android One device, or I could get some OP phone with OOS which is way better. So now, after years of rooting and installing CM/Lineage OS, modding stuff to work properly, I'm using stock rom witout root and it is great.
advantage of oos over any lineage or aosp based rom
1. sensors and networks are better.
2. no hi res audio and usage of DAC on any custom rom. oos uses the DAC to its fullest capabilities while the same phone on lineage or aosp sound poop. when selecting hifi option on uapp, neutron, poweramp custom roms don't even playback audio let alone sound good. FLAC files on headphones like beyerdynamic dt770, ath m50x, fiio fh5 on custom roms sound so bad.
3. fp scanner slightly slower on all custom roms.
I recently got the 5T and used OxygenOS for two days, then switched to LineageOS.
I disliked not been able to set the notification light to always be on when I got a notification on OxygenOS, I also missed the privacy guard feature and other minor customisations which are possible on LineageOS. However other than that OxygenOS is not bad at all to be fair.
I've personally found LineageOS to be very stable, everything works for me as expected. I wouldn't say the sensors / network is any better or worse personally. My 5T's current up-time is 12 days.
You need to pass safteynet to use Google Pay, which most custom roms will not out the box. This is not just a OnePlus 5T issue, its an issue on most custom roms for most devices. Simply install Magisk and any apps that check against safteynet will work fine. I've been using Magisk for years on my OnePlus One, both for Google Pay and Pokemon Go.
My only complaint is the camera, unless you use HDR the image quality is bad and looks like a water painting when you zoom in. This is somewhat better on OxygenOS, however it's far from perfect regardless of the rom.
However with HDR+ on the Google Camera photos are great. I'd say this applies to both OxygenOS and LineageOS, however with OxygenOS you can record 1080p @ 60fps, which is currently not an option on LineageOS. 4k @ 30fps looks great with Google Camera on LinageOS however.
I can't really comment on face unlock as i don't use it.
Introduction
I have spent too many hours trying to find the perfect ROM to install on my Samsung Galaxy S6 phone. My goal was to find an ultra debloated ROM without any Samsung or Google stuff with the bare minimum. Turns out, it's impossible. I also wanted to use something new that went out of the normal boring stuff we are used to see. The ROM and Kernel selection is just enormous. I also needed to address a very specific issue which is to maintain the cell phone up to date with the latest ROM it can take to be stable and usable while being able to install the latest version of apps from Google Play. I have a SIM card but I never recieve any phone calls on it and it's an international card that I cannot use without high fees. It's basically used when my wife, from another country, needs to contact me via SMS. So phone calls using the default call app is just useless for me.
Apps that I excessively use
So here is the list of apps that I use, or shall I say, OVER-use:
Facebook Messenger (video calls)
Grandstream Wave - GS Wave (All my phone calls using SIP service)
Camera app (My wife is in another country for now so pictures and videos is our way of communicating)
Microsoft Launcher (the only free launcher having a good balance between customization and those notification dots)
Banking apps (2 major ones, 1 credit card app, PayPal and Xoom)
Games (2 to 4 mostly from AI Factory and 1 from Facebook app)
Facebook, Reddit and Discord
GMail
Total Commander + LAN plugin
Magisk (latest available version on GitHub)
AdAway (latest available version for ROM version installed, removes pretty much all the ads in my games and apps)
Google Play (Obviously)
Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge browser (depended on my mood as long as I was NOT using the infamous Google Chrome or Samsung Browser)
Open Camera (Only on AOSP roms or Stock roms higher than v7.0)
Problems / Issues / Bugs / Missing configs
After all of my tests, here is the list of all problems I have encountered under which ROM versions:
No floating video call window when call is unfocused. When unfocused, other person sees black screen until I get back the video call in full screen focus - Facebook Messenger (Stock rom v7.0) this issue does not happen on roms higher than v7.x, floating video call is possible with v8.x and higher roms.
Dark mode unavailable or requires heavy tweaks to fake or achieve a similar effect in OS, example, dark mode in the system settings menus - System configuration menus (Stock rom v7.x)
Camera's picture taking is not syncing with flash, therefor, picture is taken WITHOUT the flash leading to dark pictures - Default camera app (Stock roms higher than v7.0 and all AOSP roms)
Lower than usual voice recording audio - Facebook Messenger (sending a voice recording), Default camera app (all AOSP roms)
Unable to see the internal storage of my device in Windows Explorer - LineageOS roms (some custom roms do work that are not pure LineageOS)
Bluetooth connecting but no audio is directed to the device - Facebook Messenger and all other system sounds and music (AOSP roms higher than v7.x)
Bluetooth causes Facebook Messenger to drop connection when in use with BT device. Once disconnected, call ceases to drop - Facebook Messenger (AOSP roms)
Apps and system a tiny bit less responsive - Facebook game Words with Friends, Home screen and configs (Stock rom v7.0)
Contacts not syncing - GS Wave (AOSP roms with Open GApps Pico and Nano)
Username and passwords not automatically filled from stored passwords in Google account - Facebook, Reddit (All roms)
GMail dark mode and dark mode option unavailable - GMail (Stock rom v7.x)
Some games do not install or simply unavailable from Google Play - Super Mario Run (Highly debloated Stock rom v7.0)
Initial setup crashes after configuring the first time wifi connection, Google's update checking fails (AOSP roms with Open GApps)
When resizing the DP from 360 to 480 in the developper options, keyboard does not stretch to the entire screen width - System (Stock rom v7.x)
Lack of keyboard customization such as enabeling the numbers row instead of integrating them in the letter keys with long touch - System (all AOSP roms)
Random reboots or total system freeze. Very minimal and rare, not enough to remember too much about it, but still happened - System (Stock rom v7.0 other than SamStock)
Tests
My phone: Canadian Flat SM-G920W8
As of today, I have tested Ultimate Nougate, Oreo, Unofficial Lineage OS 14.1-17.1, FlynOS, NexusOS, S8 ports Note 8 ports, ViperOS, Marduck, SamStock, DotOS plus many other derivatives of LineageOS 16 and 17.1. If a rom was not mentioning compatibility with W8 version, I'd try using a compatible Kernel which seems to make the roms work and boot properly but most of these tests were performed with roms that stated supporting the T or W8 variants.
First test was to actually go through the Install process which Ultimate Oreo and 1 or 2 others failed. The amount of failed installs is very neglectible. Next was to actually boot into the OS. I got a few boot loops due to Kernel incompatibilities, again, just 1 or 2 failed REALLY and a few others were my fault for installing a wrong Kernel. So nothing to mention here too. Next was to actually be able to use the Camera app without doing anything else. All AOSP roms failed this. I simply opened the app, enabled flash and took a picture in a dark place. Picture has never been taken properly. Camera flashes correctly but picture is taken AFTER the flash turns out. Open Camera with the Camera API 2 enabled solved this issue.
Is was now left with rooting my phone. Note that most Stock roms and some AOSP roms have their own pre-built root which I utterly hate. Magisk is available and easily installable and works super fine so I do not need an old outdated version of Super SU or Magisk pre-installed. If the rom had Magisk pre-installed, I'd simply flash the Magisk app over it before booting to be at the latest version. I also needed to install Open GApps on AOSP roms and configure it. This was much easier to do when having a first time NO OPEN GAPPS intial boot. Basically, boot the first time without Open GApps, then reboot and install Open GApps and reboot to system, this resolves the wifi issue.
After all of this, it's time to let Google Play update everything it has to before starting to use Google Play and installing our apps. Turns out that I hate pretty much all of the launchers out there. They all have weird lacks. Lack of options, lack of configuration or no support for notification dots or a payment is needed to unlock this feature, lack of icon and folder lables. I tried the major ones and I even installed the hacked version available as torrents and I was not impressed by any one of them. Microsoft Launcher is the best one I know that offers enough options to configure what I want AND enables notification dots freely. The only last thing they could make available is the possibility to configure folder background colors and transparency and icon styles. To my opinion, that's all that's missing. I DO NOT use gestures so no comment on this.
Verdict
I absolutely NEED my bluetooth to work and I need this camera app to work flawlessly. This means that I am left with one single option. That is:
Stable Stock (Touchwiz based) rom version 7.0 (Nougat)
I tested some nice ones but again, I run into some issues, therefor:
MY RECOMMENDATION: SamStock ROM
ALTERNATIVELY, My Re-Pack of the above ROM: SamStock ROM (Lightly Debloated)
The only Problem I fell upon is the download which required me to use a separate download manager to download this rom from Android File Host. I also am displeased that SamStock DOES include his own version of Magisk integrated inside the rom so after rom installation, I have to flash MY version of Magisk immediately before booting. This rom is also completely Stock which means NO debloating, Everything is there, from Samsung apps to Google apps. Knox is the only thing that got removed. So this is also a very big file to download, almost 2gb when some roms go far below the 1gb size. So it's probably the most space greedy rom out there, but it's also the one I have the least problems with.
Why not the other roms such as Marduk? Because they are not 100% stock, they are moded stock roms with the author's personal touches and possible kernels. The customized roms brought some awkward issues at moments and made the phone unstable with some rare but random reboots and total freeze requiring me to hard reboot the phone using "Volume Down + Home + Power". Some others just had a weird issue where some apps and games were not available to download on Google Play while as with a same v7.0 rom like SamStock, these were available for download.
As for AOSP roms, the camera and bluetooth issues are just too major to make the roms usable on a daily basis. Open Camera DOES resolve the camera image issue but does not resolve the low volume issue.
I hope this will help any of you out there to clarify your decision on what to install. I did my job in trying pretty much all I could download from XDA for my version of the phone. I recon that some exceptions may happen and that you may have not run into any of the issues I listed. Please feel free to comment.
Reference and downloads
If you want a good list and explanations and valuable links for downloads, please checkout the website I dedicated for the Canadian model but also valid for other variants: http://dr.mywebcommunity.org/g920w8/
Website last update: 2021-09-01
Website update notes
2021-09-01
• Added my own "SamStock ROM (Lightly Debloated)" in the list
• Added "Recommended" tags in the "Downloads and links" section
• Added my recommended android launcher "Microsoft Launcher" in the apps list
Mod-coversation removed following up a personal conversation. Thank you XDA mods for your concerns about your online community!
I updated the website to include more information and added a few more links in the Downloads section. I also added a small menu to to make the navigation in the Downloads and links section a bit easier.
I also added a small text file listing the apps that can safely be removed in zipped Stock ROMS. Here's the direct link, it's also available in the "Downloads and links" section: http://dr.mywebcommunity.org/g920w8/debloat/debloat_safe.txt