ODROID-GO Advance Cell Phone: A Custom Built and Coded Cell Phone

Recently, I decided to build my own cell phone out of an ODROID-GO Advance using a SIM800L module which included a speaker and mic. Thanks to the ample space inside the case, this hardware installation was pretty easy. For this build, I used a Debian Buster image with the SIM880L connected to the ODROID-GO Advance’s UART2.

Figure 1 - ODROID-GO Advance with keyboard

Figure 2 - Side view with cut out for SIM800L

Figure 3 - SIM800L board and antenna

Initially, I tried with minicom to communicate with /dev/ttyFIQ0 but I did not get an answer. I also tried the 10pin connector (UART1) but was unlucky there, as well. After some help from the Hardkernel forum, I learned that changes needed to be made in the device’s dtb file. The needed changes included disabling the ‘fiq-debugger’ which used UART2, and enabling that UART port as a common serial port. Additionally, the fiq-debugger device entry was removed from the boot.ini file. After those changes had been made and a reboot performed, AT-Commands could be sent with a response from the SIM module.

Figure 4 - First test app up and running

After some more work, a basic interface was created to hold contact information and manage calls.

Figure 5 - Phone OS 0.04 Menu

Figure 6 - Options/Settings page

Figure 7 - Contact selection and options to call and end-call

For more information, the original forum thread is available at https://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=38248.

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