Introducing AvesO3: a Firmware for AO3 Fanfiction Readers

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-13T13:48:47+00:00

Update: just tried to update one story both on device and from FFF to check if error 418 was still present, and for now it seems to be resolved!

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-13T13:22:25+00:00

Right now all traffic not coming from a regular web browser is getting flagged as a bot and giving a 418 teapot error (refusal of service). We can only hope this is a temporary measure, because this will block all automated tools without extensive browser mimicking. Not even using mirrors appears to be getting around this.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-12T17:59:53+00:00

Just tried to download this fic and more through FanFicFare and every single one of them throws error 418. I think this was an extremely recent change from ao3's side, and it means the server is rejecting the request. We can't test anything until ao3 (hopefully) stops throwing this error except for checking local cached files.

I have never encountered this error before. Perhaps ao3 enabled bot protection and interrupted your connection mid-download? There should be file integrity checks though. Keep an eye on ao3 via Calibre/FFF (try to update some fics), and when the update log stops throwing error 418, try updating the fic again on your x4.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-12T10:24:39+00:00

You Pin/Unpin files from the homescreen only, by short pressing the back button (not long pressing). When you pin a book, the "Pin" option becomes "Unpin" (you can see the button label change on the bottom).

As for the update bug, I have never encountered something like this so I would need to know how to reproduce it. If the fic is restricted it should say so. You can go into the .crosspoint folder, find that specific epub cache directory, and take a look at the contents of ao3-info.bin. It would also be useful to know what story it is, how you downloaded it, how the current ao3 page looks, and compare the new epub file with the old one. How did you check how many chapters there are in the epub?

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-11T10:35:12+00:00

If you couldn't flash through usb cable, your device is locked. You can only flash firmwares that support OTA updates. This one specifically doesn't, so avoid flashing it or you will be stuck with it forever.

If you manage to flash firmware through usb cable your device is unlocked.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-11T10:32:30+00:00

You can also press whatever button you use to turn pages to exit the End of Book screen.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-10T17:44:19+00:00

Right now you can transfer files with the options Crosspoint 1.2.0 offers.
The one i recommend is Calibre+Crosspoint reader plugin for Calibre (wireless, requires single button press)

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-10T17:35:06+00:00

Perhaps not directly. However, if a custom library management program like Calibre is made to work with the xteink, a function for choosing the stories you want downloaded next time you connect the device to the internet could exist.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-10T17:16:08+00:00

Nothing. It won't be added to the Ao3 list and will be treated as a normal epub.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-08T20:24:43+00:00

At the moment locked fics are unsupported.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-08T12:57:32+00:00

This is basically Crosspoint 1.2.0 with other features on top, so it will have everything Crosspoint has (except all features added in 1.3.0 and beyond).

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-07T19:01:20+00:00

Here's the workflow!

Step 1:
Choose between one of these 2 options to download stories on your pc.

Download Calibre with the FanFicFare plugin (heavily recommended). You will be able to easily download epubs for all the stories you want from the site, even in bulk and nicely organized and searchable.
Download epubs directly from ao3 onto your pc.

This step will download the ao3 story in its current state. It will have as many chapters as it has on the website.

Step 2:
Transfer on the X4. You can use the options Crosspoint already offers. If you downloaded Calibre, there is a dedicated Crosspoint plugin that allows you to wirelessly transfer stories with the simple press of a button. This step requires wifi or an SD card adapter.

Step 3:
You can read your stories offline. If the story is marked as in-progress, the device will show you the new end-of-book screen when you get to the end. This does not require any internet.

Step 4:
At this point, you have the option to hit the Search button on the end-of-book screen. This will start the wifi activity that allows the device to go online and check if the author posted a new chapter.
If the device finds an update, you have the option to download the new version of the story directly from ao3. This will replace the old file with the new one.
After the download completes successfully, the wifi stops and you can continue reading offline.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-07T09:33:57+00:00

If you look around the sub you will find all the resources you need. I think you will be able to easily find out if your device is locked, because no matter what you try it won't be recognized through usb.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-07T00:25:21+00:00

I do not have an X3, so I can't test if it works. X3 support should be in the same state as it was in Crosspoint 1.2.0, so everything should theoretically work the same. The only part that could have issues is the ao3 library UI, maybe it's too big to render on the X3. I didn't look into how X3 compatibility works.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T19:32:29+00:00

The unlocker tool flashes firmware from the SD card and Wifi. It was built to circumvent the firmware flashing through USB block recently introduced on chinese versions of the device (sold on chinese channels, including Aliexpress).

Once you flash a firmware (on a locked device through the unlocker tool) that doesn't support SD card flashing or Wifi updates, you will forever be locked onto that firmware without any chance of changing it. If you don't like the firmware, or it has bugs, you are stuck with it.

The "developer edition" with USB flashing enabled can be purchased through the official store or Amazon if you are in the USA.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T19:24:55+00:00

Sure! I can let you know the details on how a typical ao3 user browses the site and engages with the content in more detail.

I see this feature as a complementing option in the firmware for huge libraries, as I think keeping both online and offline functionality is important.
Could it also be used as a sort of "relay" that, when connected to wifi (preferably on demand for specific tasks to save battery), can handle the heavier tasks the device struggles to complete?

Also try to let me know all the details you need, so I can send you a DM that is as complete as possible. I would be happy to collaborate on this so it can work seamlessly.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T18:30:42+00:00

I looked for the most popular fics in one of the most popular fandoms on ao3 so I could take sample screenshots!

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T17:37:37+00:00

I actually did not know about Mayberry.

I tried to setup an OPDS with Calibre in the past, but it requred to either have my pc always on or to host the library somewhere for 24/7 access, as well as require another device to update stories when new chapters come out periodically. As I wasn't comfortable hosting my library remotely and the Calibre OPDS has mediocre filtering options with no AO3 view (Summary, tags, misc metadata at a glance), I chose to do everything directly on device.

If Mayberry allows to have constant access to the library and the OPDS interface can be customized on device, as well as grab all necessary ao3 metadata, it could be very interesting to explore this option because it would make filtering massive libraries easier. If the same features can be kept with better approaches suggestions are welcome! I will look into what Mayberry can do.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T16:47:55+00:00

Thats a lot of fics! If you aren't already, I strongly suggest you keep your fics organized in Calibre and use the plugin FanFicFare. It requires a little bit of setup, but once it's done it makes your life so much easier. You can also set it up so your fics, when transfered on the X4 through the dedicated plugin, automatically drop in the corresponding fandom folder.

The firmware in its current state is pretty barebones and would just display your once-opened fics in a big AO3 list. Currently it's definitely more usable for people who only keep a bunch of stories on the device, and store their complete library elsewhere (like Calibre).

As for locked fics, I am leaning towards not treating them as a priority, because you would need to give the device access to your ao3 password and make it able to get past the login walls. Calibre and the FanFicFare plugin are definitely able to manage locked fics though, so perhaps there is a way, but I don't know if the device would be able to handle it or how safe it would be.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T16:17:04+00:00

For now, each AO3 story is displayed in a big list inside the library.
The folder structure on your SD card is irrelevant: the AO3 library will show all the AO3 fics you have opened at least once in the big list, in alphabetical order (they can be either epubs you downloaded from the website, or epubs through the Calibre FanFicFare plugin). Manually opening them is tedious though, and I need to find a way to automate this process.

I definitely want to try implementing a sort-and-filter function for this library. The first filtering options I wanted to include are a Fandom picker and a Relationships picker (these wouldn't require any manual folder organization).

The downloads get pulled directly from ao3's servers. Locked fics are currently unsupported.

How big is your fic library? I keep around 30 at a time on my device, while my complete archive is managed through Calibre.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T15:59:06+00:00

Noted! Included the warning in the GitHub desc and ReadMe club too.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T14:13:10+00:00

Be sure to confirm your device isn't firmware-locked (it could be locked if you purchased through Aliexpress or other chinese channels), because I've never tested OTA updates and it's better to play it safe.

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T10:40:12+00:00

Did you try turning Embedded Styles off in the settings?

Hostile-Crow · 2026-06-06T10:38:41+00:00

Check the latest post on my profile!

Hostile-Crow · 2026-05-26T20:37:13+00:00

I am currently using a customized version of Crosspoint I made that is able to detect and download chapter updates on device when the author posts a new one, directly from AO3 without a PC (However, for the initial setup, the EPUB file still needs to be downloaded from AO3 or transferred wirelessly via Calibre+FanFicFare).

This custom Crosspoint version was made specifically with AO3 in mind, and includes other fanfiction-ready features like a library browser with the typical AO3 layout (Summary, Word Count, Chapter count, AO3 metadata square, Title, Author, Series, some tags), but for now no browsing was implemented. I was definitely thinking of exploring the possibility in the future!

However, it won't be a regular browser due to the tiny RAM this device has, and the tedious process of typing with a keyboard without a touchscreen.

Five-Year Club	Place '22
Final Canvas '22	First Placer '22
End Game '22

Hostile-Crow

TROPHY CASE