LeMaker Guitar Resources

LeMaker Guitar resources and downloads

Summary

This page serves as the central resource hub for the LeMaker Guitar development board. Here you will find links to operating-system images, firmware tools, hardware documentation, kernel and bootloader source code, and community support channels. All downloads should be verified against published checksums before flashing.

Who This Is For

Developers and system integrators who need to download software, reference schematics, or locate the SDK for the Actions S500 platform. Beginners should start with the Guitar overview page before visiting this resource list.

Available OS Images

The following operating-system images have been produced for the Guitar board. Always use the latest available release.

  • Ubuntu MATE: Desktop environment suitable for general-purpose use and development. Based on Ubuntu 16.04 with MATE desktop, pre-configured for the S500 SoC.
  • Android: Android 5.1 image optimized for the Guitar's GPU and display pipeline. Suitable for media playback and kiosk applications.

Images are distributed as compressed archives. After downloading, verify the SHA-256 checksum listed alongside each file. Use a reliable, name-brand microSD card rated Class 10 or UHS-I to avoid random boot failures.

Firmware and Tools

  • Actions Firmware Update Tool: Windows-based utility for flashing firmware to the Guitar over USB when recovery mode is needed.
  • USB Boot Mode: Hold the recovery button while powering on to enter USB firmware-update mode. The board will enumerate as a USB device on your host computer.

Hardware Documentation

  • Board schematics: PDF schematics showing connectors, power regulation, and GPIO routing for both the 1 GB and 2 GB Guitar variants.
  • S500 SoC datasheet: Reference documentation from Actions Semi covering CPU, GPU, memory controller, and peripheral interfaces.
  • 40-pin header pinout: Diagram and table mapping physical pin numbers to SoC GPIO functions, I2C, SPI, and UART signals.

Development Resources

  • Kernel source: Linux kernel tree with S500 board-support patches. Clone and build with the provided cross-compilation instructions.
  • U-Boot source: Bootloader source configured for the Guitar. Includes defconfig and environment settings for microSD and eMMC boot.
  • SDK: Actions Semi SDK containing toolchain, libraries, and build scripts for producing complete firmware images.

When building from source, use the ARM cross-toolchain specified in the SDK documentation. Mixing toolchain versions can produce binaries that fail to boot.

Community Resources

Community discussion and troubleshooting can be found in the LeMaker forums and on third-party SBC communities. The LeMaker Guitar Wiki contains step-by-step tutorials maintained by contributors.

Download Best Practices

  1. Always verify the SHA-256 checksum after downloading an image file.
  2. Use a card reader connected directly to your host — USB hubs can cause write errors.
  3. Format the microSD card before flashing to clear any leftover partition tables.
  4. Keep a backup of your working image so you can recover quickly if an experiment fails.

Related Guides

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-02-10