The CyanogenMod team has released the first build of Android 4.0 for the HP TouchPad tablet with support for hardware-accelerated video playback. That means you can watch HD video from YouTube and you should have an easier time playing HD videos stored on your device, but Netflix still isn’t supported yet.

Update: Alpha 2 is available, and Netflix is working.

HP TouchPad with CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 1

The latest build also offers improved touchscreen performance and a few other changes, but it’s still based on the 2.6.35 kernel. Video and other features may work better if and when the team can move to the 3.0 kernel.

If this is your first time installing CyanogenMod 9 on the HP TouchPad, you can follow our step-by-step guide.

If you’ve already installed an earlier version of CyanogenMod 9 on the HP TouchPad, you can upgrade to CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 1 (or 2) using the following steps:

  1. Download the latest update zip file from the link at the rootzwiki forum and copy it to your TouchPad.
  2. Press and hold the power button to bring up the shutdown menu.
  3. Choose the Reboot option.
  4. Choose the option to reboot to recovery.
  5. Your tablet should shut down and then reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery.
  6. Tap the home button to select “install zip from sdcard.”
  7. On the following screen, select the “choose zip from sdcard” option.
  8. Use the volume keys to scroll down to the file you want to install. It should have a name like update-cm-9.0.0-RC0-Touchpad-alpha2-fullofbugs.zip.
  9. On the following screen scroll down and select “yes.”
  10. Once the install is complete, choose the option to reboot your system and CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 2 should load.

You may also want to wipe your cache partition before rebooting, but it’s not strictly necessary.

After upgrading from Alpha 0.6 to Alpha 2, I’ve had no problems watching HD video from YouTube — but I do find that the tablet doesn’t stay connected to my WiFi network as reliably as it once did. Your results may vary.

The HP TouchPad tablet launched in mid-2011 for $499 and up, but HP canceled the tablet after less than two months on the market and liquidated its remaining supply for prices as low as $99. The tablet became popular with bargain hunters… as well as with hackers looking to replace HP’s webOS software with Android.

But if you never managed to get your hands on a cheap TouchPad, you can always try the Amazon Kindle Fire or Barnes & Noble NOOK Tablet — both of which now support custom ROMs.

HP TouchPad deals from eBay:

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37 replies on “CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 1 for the HP TouchPad (accelerated video support)”

  2. How to download apps after installing cyanogen.Android market says you dont have any devices.

  4. Should I clear the cache before flashing the zip or after flashing the zip? 

  5. Awesome! Installed and working well. I have only a couple minor issues.

    #1 I cannot get t camera working..

    #2 I do not know if it is just the tablet itself but I cannot get many games installed because of incompatible messages.

    I have the uberkernal and I am using setcpu running at about 1.7 MHz..Love it!

    Is anyone still working on touch pad tweaks or as everybody moved on?

    Great work on this!! You have made an OK Tablet really awesome..

    Thanks,
    webdevoman

  6. didnt have a finger slide lockscreen with mod 7 now when i loaded 9, it comes up with a lock screen!  HELP!

  7. The native email app worked fine in cm7, but doesn’t work after I updated to cm9 alpha 2. Any suggestions?

  8. I have done all the instructions but I have noticed three issues. First, I do not have a ClockworkMod Recovery option. When I reboot from the Rom Manager into the recovery mode, it goes right back to moboot. I can’t install gapps or any of the updates because I can’t get into clockworkmod. I thought I downloaded Alpha 2 but I still do not have Netflix or Android Market.
    Can I use terminal emulator to get clockworkmod started or install apps?

  9. I need some help.  Last night I had installed CyanogenMod 9 on my HP TouchPad (first time).  ICS seemed to be working properly.  I was able to boot between CM9 and the WebOS.  Everything seemed fine.  This morning I turned on my Touchpad and it turned on to the ICS lock screen, but I could not unlock it.  It does not respond to any finger taps.  Attempted to reboot but the menu requires a finger tap.  

    Does anyone have a clue on what I can do now?  I would appreciate the help. 

      1. Thanks, that did it.  Will now uninstall and reinstall CM9, and try again. 

  10. Does this version suppport Ubuntu?  I am running into problems during installation and I wanted to know if this version supports loop devices.

  11. Thanks for the news update Brad.  For anyone who experienced a similar problem on Alpha 0.6, my calendar would only sync new events, not my existing ones.  After Upgrading to Alpha 2 and reflashing the gapps + fix this is now fixed.

  12. Does anyone have issues syncing their calendar with their Google calendar?

  14. Hey.. Hours after Alpha 1 they launched Alpha 2 which has fixed netflix video problem.. find the download from rootzwiki page and follow the same instructions as above, except use Alpha 2 instead of Alpha 1 during setup from recovery.

  15. cheaplikeafox – Install Youtube from Android market – Hope that will help.

    ThankstoCyanogenMod

  17. Does anyone else always have to install the Gapps fixer after each new alpha version in order to get the google calendar to work? this seems to happen with the original gapps from the liliputing link and the latest gapps from the link above.  I dont think many other people run into this problem?

    Thanks.

  18. anyone having issues with gmail app crashing immediately after opening?  (i flashed Gapps ICS 4.0.3 11.12.22.zip). i also have lcd density set to 120.

        1.  Yes, during the same step as flashing the new ROM. After the ROM flash I just went back and applied the gapps-ics zip.

  19. Hi Brad, I just tried to upgrade from alpha 0.6 to 1 and followed the video to the tee but now it wont boot !! it cycles through cyanogenmod and then loops back to a restart.. on and on and on. I had to apply the recovery to go back to alpha 0.6. What am i doing wrong ? Also, the size of the new update is 112 mb so i dont know if the whole update did not get copied correctly.

    1. That’s the right size. 

      Have you installed a custom kernel or any other modifications? Make sure from the Moboot menu that you choose “boot Cyanogenmod.”

      1. i overclocked the previous build that i had – but, that is not the backup i made. i made a backup a week ago after installing just a handful of apps. Also, the way i put the update to the touchpad was by rebooting into webos and then connecting to the computer because i dont know how to connect to the computer while in ics. Maybe this is the problem ?

        1. It depends how you overclocked. If you installed a custom kernel, it’s probably still installed. Do you have multiple options from the Moboot menu that say CyanogenMod? It’s possible that you did properly install Alpha 1, but you’re trying to boot using the wrong kernel.

          As for connecting to your PC while running ICS:

          1. Open the Settings menu.
          2. Select Storage.
          3. Tap the 3 dots in the upper right corner to bring up an option that says USB computer connection and tap on that.
          4. Check the box that says “enable MTP.”

          This will let you connect your table to a PC and it will show up like a digital camera or other mass storage device. As an added bonus you can unplug it at any time without first “ejecting” and it won’t do any damage.

          1. I installed cm9 alpha 0.6 and nothing else on top of that. I followed your previous instructions on installing 0.6 . Well, I hope I can find a solution so i can use the new update otherwise I am stuck on 0.6.  

  20. If I am upgrading from Alpha 0.6 using ClockworkMod, do I need to flash a new version of LCD density to 120 also?

  21. eh, 0.5 is working so well for me i don’t want to mess with it. not a bother to me to hit the HD button off on YouTube.
    Its good to see CM is putting out these updates fairly quick.

    1. youtube has never worked for me even if hd mode is off on alpha 0.5, 0.6, and 1.  I don’t know why though.

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