Review BK C30

[vampirefo]

This is my second day of ownership of DK C30, So I will write a small review I have just finished setting it up for dual booting, and it performs well running from sdcard, as well as from phone. Below are some pics of the phone, as well as tests ran on the phone, these tests were ran, while phone was running from sdcard.





These are mounts points are partitions size of running from phone and running from sdcard.

From Phone

Code:

vampirefo@vampirefo-GA-MA78GM-US2H:~/Desktop$ adb shell
root@hct82_wet_jb5:/ # busybox df -h
Filesystem                Size      Used Available Use% Mounted on
tmpfs                   231.1M     52.0K    231.1M   0% /dev
tmpfs                   231.1M         0    231.1M   0% /mnt/secure
tmpfs                   231.1M         0    231.1M   0% /mnt/asec
tmpfs                   231.1M         0    231.1M   0% /mnt/obb
/emmc@android           689.8M    475.1M    214.7M  69% /system
/emmc@usrdata          1008.3M    590.4M    417.9M  59% /data
/emmc@cache             123.1M      4.1M    119.0M   3% /cache
/emmc@protect_f           8.9M      4.1M      4.8M  46% /protect_f
/emmc@protect_s           8.9M      4.1M      4.8M  46% /protect_s
/dev/block/loop0          1.2M      1.2M         0 100% /mnt/cd-rom
/dev/block/vold/179:8
                          1.7G      3.3M      1.7G   0% /storage/sdcard1
/dev/block/vold/179:97
                         10.8G      5.2G      5.6G  48% /storage/sdcard0
/dev/block/vold/179:97
                         10.8G      5.2G      5.6G  48% /mnt/secure/asec

From sdcard

Code:

root@hct82_wet_jb5:/ # busybox df -h
Filesystem                Size      Used Available Use% Mounted on
tmpfs                   231.1M     52.0K    231.1M   0% /dev
tmpfs                   231.1M         0    231.1M   0% /mnt/secure
tmpfs                   231.1M         0    231.1M   0% /mnt/asec
tmpfs                   231.1M         0    231.1M   0% /mnt/obb
/dev/block/mmcblk1p2   1021.4M    509.3M    460.9M  52% /system
/dev/block/mmcblk1p3      3.0G    682.0M      2.2G  23% /data
/emmc@cache             123.1M      4.1M    119.0M   3% /cache
/emmc@protect_f           8.9M      4.1M      4.8M  46% /protect_f
/emmc@protect_s           8.9M      4.1M      4.8M  46% /protect_s
/dev/block/loop0          1.2M      1.2M         0 100% /mnt/cd-rom
/dev/block/vold/179:8
                          1.7G      3.3M      1.7G   0% /storage/sdcard1
/dev/block/vold/179:97
                         10.8G      5.2G      5.6G  48% /storage/sdcard0
/dev/block/vold/179:97
                         10.8G      5.2G      5.6G  48% /mnt/secure/asec

The phone on some websites list it as 1GB ram others list it as 512, in away both are correct, The phone has 512 physical Ram and the rest virtual ram, ie it runs a swap partition. Other MTK phones might do this as well know ideal as this is my first MTK phone.

Running the swap partition is a great ideal, this is how a lot of Linux computers are setup, not mine as I run 8GB of Ram I have way more Ram than the computer would ever need so no use of a swap partition on my home computer.

Anyway The DK C30 runs real smooth and is very fast, I got the phone to use on straight talk, works on straight just fine, only 2G not 3G, doesn't matter to me even 2G is more than i had with Sprint.

I can now make calls from inside my house, with Sprint had to drive about 1 mile to get service, Gps works great inside and outside of my house, connects less than 1 minute and doesn't drop the connection.

Wifi connects fast and works great, at ever location I have tried, My wife is really happy with her's as well. I mainly run Gps apps, mapmyride, mapmywalk, Navfree USA, findmycar, whereamI and so on. The phone runs these apps no problem and is very accurate.

The phone is 5" screen largest phone I have owned, light weight, comes with cheap case, but I like the case as well, this phone is a quad core, MTK6582.

Will add more when I get back.

Ok just got back, I used Navfree USA to get to where I was going and google maps to come back, gps connection perfect the entire time, the phone volume is loud compared to other phones I have had.

The phone last about 6 hours on heavy use, my other phones were dead at 2 or 3. heavy use is almost nonstop either internet, Gps, running benchmark tests.

battery temp shows 25C

Code:

root@hct82_wet_jb5:/ # temp.sh C
25°C

memory shows

Code:

root@hct82_wet_jb5:/ # free -m
             total         used         free       shared      buffers
Mem:           462          441           20            0            1
-/+ buffers:                440           22
Swap:          383           66          317

Running from sdcard, I made the data partition 3GB and system partition 1GB, I could make them any size well up to the size of the sdcard, in this case 16GB. On the phone the data is about 1GB while system is almost 700MB.

The phone comes with Google playstore preinstalled, the phone can easily be rooted, I have no complaints about the phone I have only had it a short time, but it's already the best phone I have owned. The battery on the phone is 1600mAh, this phone is a dual sim card phone and includes a sdcard slot. The phone will stop charging once it reaches 100‰ this prevents damage to battery.

Phones I have owned, none compare with this phone.
samsung moment
samsung intercept
samsung transform
samsung galaxy s2
samsung galaxy s3
htc evo 3d
htc evo 4g

This phone even out performs my lenovo a2109 tablet, I have several different tablets, Lenovo a2109 being the best of them, yet this phone blows it away on benchmark tests, This is a really powerful phone for around $100, out performers any other device I currently own or have owned.

I just realised in the title I list phone as BK instead of DK, lol

[Sniper47]

Great review. You no problem with losing GPS or ghost location while navigate?

A tutorial for the forum on how to make dual boot setup would be cool

You should try airvoice if the phone has 850 you may very well get the 3g if have 3g coverage in your area. Sim only .99 on eBay and can get the cheapest plan for one month and give er a go.

What does the phone actually show as RAM when you run app like Memory Booster?

The phone have Google Play out of box?

[vampirefo]

Great review. You no problem with losing GPS or ghost location while navigate?

A tutorial for the forum on how to make dual boot setup would be cool

You should try airvoice if the phone has 850 you may very well get the 3g if have 3g coverage in your area. Sim only .99 on eBay and can get the cheapest plan for one month and give er a go.

What does the phone actually show as RAM when you run app like Memory Booster?

The phone have Google Play out of box?

Yes phone has Goole Playstore out of box.

Memory Booster show both the physical and swap ram under Memory Details.

Total Memory
473376 kb

Swap Total
393212 kb

When I get time hopefully either later today or tomorrow I will put up a tutorial for dual booting, Driving around this evening there were some spots the phone showed 3G, cell service is just bad in my area, To be able to use my phone in my own home is a big plus to me. I have no doubt if I were in an area that had great service this phone would be even better, I am really happy with it now.

Phone is currently on charge, I use adb to check it's state and temp.

Code:

root@hct82_wet_jb5:/ # temp.sh L
Battery Current Level 82
root@hct82_wet_jb5:/ # temp.sh C
25°C
root@hct82_wet_jb5:/ # temp.sh F
77°F

[Pirate_Freder]

Cool setup man, That's too bad about the data though, but at least the GPS works great unlike many chinese phones. In case you didn't know if you wanna have 3G on straight talk you need to have either the 1900mhz or 850mhz(limited areas, mine included) antennas for their AT&T service or T-mobile requires BOTH 1700/2100 and iirc they're rolling out 1900 but it's limited. Hope the phones serves you well.

[vampirefo]

Cool setup man, That's too bad about the data though, but at least the GPS works great unlike many chinese phones. In case you didn't know if you wanna have 3G on straight talk you need to have either the 1900mhz or 850mhz(limited areas, mine included) antennas for their AT&T service or T-mobile requires BOTH 1700/2100 and iirc they're rolling out 1900 but it's limited. Hope the phones serves you well.

The data isn't a problem for me, I do have a small problem I am working on fixing it now, not really a problem with phone, the CWM recovery is upside down works just fine, but annoying.

I am downloading the CWM source code when finished, I am going to compile my own CWM recovery, so it's right side up.

[Pirate_Freder]

lol, yeah I've heard of that happening. So weird but, like you said, at least it's nothing affecting usability.

[vampirefo]

lol, yeah I've heard of that happening. So weird but, like you said, at least it's nothing affecting usability.

Yes, if you have 180 in your build.prop CWM is going to be upside down, I have recompiled CWM source it's now right side up, but Screen resolution isn't right little more tweaking needed, but the recovery is now facing the right direction.

[Pirate_Freder]

Yes, if you have 180 in your build.prop CWM is going to be upside down, I have recompiled CWM source it's now right side up, but Screen resolution isn't right little more tweaking needed, but the recovery is now facing the right direction.

Oh ok, so I suppose it depends on how the manufacturer oriented the lcd panel. Good to know, I'm just barely getting into the programming end of things.

[vampirefo]

I got the recovery looking better, it is slighted to right not on center an a little low but, it's right side up and works great. My wife used her phone to take the pics, the camera is also nice in these phones.

[vampirefo]

I have had the phone for some time now, and love the phone, it's only downside is it's lack of 3G due to it's nvram.bin set at (900/2100) instead of (850/2100) I still have hopes one day someone with a W450 MTK 6582 will upload a copy of their nvram.bin, I have asked for it on every forum I saw someone talking about the phone, yet no one is willing to take the 1 or 2 minutes and uploaded it for me, oh well life goes on.

Just some pics of MIUI V5 rom ported to DK C30, This is a very nice Rom has lots of options, I have also port DarkMoon to the DK C30, it is also a nice rom.

Stock rom on the DK C30 is also a very good rom, I am porting roms for the DK C30, So I can have alternatives to stock rom .