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    Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

    Opinion on overclock settings

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    overclockpi3bretropirsettingstweak
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    • GoldManSex778G
      GoldManSex778 @quicksilver
      last edited by

      @quicksilver Thank you, very useful info. I have a good 5v Noctua fan but the heatsink is stock. I will take it slow and low and report the success I have.

      Cheers

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • EfriimE
        Efriim @Dwarfboysim
        last edited by Efriim

        @Dwarfboysim
        Well, I guess I'll share my config.txt.
        I have a RPI 3 B+
        Retroflag Megapi Case

        #hdmi_drive=2
        #hdmi_force_edid_audio=1
        disable_overscan=1
        disable_splash=1
        
        force_turbo=1
        boot_delay=1
        
        arm_freq=1500
        gpu_freq=500
        core_freq=500
        sdram_freq=500
        sdram_over_voltage=1
        #sdram_over_voltage_p=6
        #sdram_over_voltage_i=4
        #sdram_over_voltage_c=4
        over_voltage=2
        
        #dtparam=i2c_arm=on
        #dtparam=i2s=on
        #dtparam=spi=on
        dtparam=audio=on
        
        gpu_mem=512
        

        I recently changed it because of a undervolt warning, but I think it could have been because I was charging a controller.

        shavecatS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • DwarfboysimD
          Dwarfboysim @quicksilver
          last edited by

          @quicksilver thanks for posting I’ll give it a try

          EfriimE 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • EfriimE
            Efriim @Dwarfboysim
            last edited by Efriim

            I don't know if there is a great difference in the RPI 3B and 3B+. I'm still experimenting, I think I set the sdram_freq or over_voltage too high so I'm trying a really high overclock with regular sdram_freq

            REM arm_freq=1600
            #gpu_freq=550
            core_freq=500
            sdram_freq=450
            sdram_over_voltage=1
            #sdram_over_voltage_p=6
            #sdram_over_voltage_i=4
            #sdram_over_voltage_c=4
            over_voltage=4
            

            Unstable; low voltage warning, freezes

            quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • quicksilverQ
              quicksilver @Efriim
              last edited by

              @Efriim You have sdram_freq=450. Which is actually underclocking your ram. Pi3b+ default is 500mhz. Your arm_freq is also unrealistically high and I would bet that there are few to no pi3b+'s that can be set that high and be stable. It seems you are just picking random numbers. You need to restore your config.txt to default values and then only change one value at a time while properly testing for stability. You'll never be able to properly test the way you are doing it.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • shavecatS
                shavecat @Efriim
                last edited by shavecat

                @Efriim said in Opinion on overclock settings:

                gpu_mem=512

                gpu_mem=512
                got issues if u play a psp game then quit it wont go to the game anymore...
                gpu_mem=320 change it too.
                or tell me if it just works fine with 512 (from your side).

                quicksilverQ EfriimE 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • quicksilverQ
                  quicksilver @shavecat
                  last edited by

                  @shavecat @Efriim GPU mem setting is best left at default which for a pi3 is 256mb. There are no emulators on RetroPie that need even that much. Setting higher than that will not improve performance and in fact is likelyto be a detriment because you are reducing the amount of ram available to the CPU.

                  shavecatS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • shavecatS
                    shavecat @quicksilver
                    last edited by

                    @quicksilver
                    yes but the theme getting gray box's , so this is the best way i found . (or just switch a theme ).

                    quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • quicksilverQ
                      quicksilver @shavecat
                      last edited by

                      @shavecat What theme are you using? Something doesnt seem right here.

                      shavecatS EfriimE 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • shavecatS
                        shavecat @quicksilver
                        last edited by

                        @quicksilver
                        blueray

                        quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • quicksilverQ
                          quicksilver @shavecat
                          last edited by

                          @shavecat This issue seems to be unique to your setup then. GPU memory on a typical retropie setup doesnt need to be higher than 256mb

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • EfriimE
                            Efriim @quicksilver
                            last edited by

                            @quicksilver
                            Yeah, I am not exactly using an applied method or scientific method, I'll give you that.
                            But sdram_freq=450 is default for RPI3 non B+
                            the gpu_mem=512, I think it might not be very good for Firefox-ESR or Pixel Desktop, I had no problems with 256.
                            Also like previously stated gpu_freq is an umbrella setting for; core, v3d, isp, h264, I didn't accurately take that into consideration.
                            What is avoid_pwm_pll=1?

                            quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • quicksilverQ
                              quicksilver @Efriim
                              last edited by

                              @Efriim I thought you said you had a 3b+? avoid_pwm_pll=1 is an obsolete setting (its ignored by current firmware) basically it would "borrow" a pll from the 3.5mm audio so that you could set an individual block of the GPU to a different and unrelated value. But the main takeaway is that its not used anymore and is not needed.

                              EfriimE 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • EfriimE
                                Efriim @quicksilver
                                last edited by Efriim

                                @quicksilver
                                True, I am using a 3B+, OP was using a 3B. I think they're the mostly the same except for the wireless card, and default clocks.
                                1600 has been stable, I've only run Dosbox and video screensavers for a couple hours with this configuration. It helps in Dosbox; Ultima 8 has significant less bogs, Masters of Orion 2 is quite a bit snappier. Is there a different game,emulator,app, other than quake that you would recommend for use test?

                                Have you tested any over_voltage above 6? I read that force_turbo needs to be on, basically any value above 6 and I can't boot properly, but I can still SSH.

                                quicksilverQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • quicksilverQ
                                  quicksilver @Efriim
                                  last edited by quicksilver

                                  @Efriim Overclocks are detrimental if unstable. Quake 3 is a good test because it works your pi very hard. You are not going to easily replicate this by running dosbox or other console emulators. The freeware version can be installed easily from retropie setup.

                                  Max over voltage is 1.4v. On older models of pi an over voltage value of 8 was needed to reach this but the stock voltage of a pi3 is set higher which means that you are very likely already reaching 1.4v with an over volt value of <5.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • shavecatS
                                    shavecat
                                    last edited by

                                    So this is my overclock , cant get the force_turbo to work too (it will freeze the retorpie after couple of hours not hot temp' for me just getting it stuck )
                                    b0e13329-98db-4654-80a7-4cd49094bef0-image.png

                                    EfriimE DwarfboysimD 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • EfriimE
                                      Efriim @shavecat
                                      last edited by Efriim

                                      Raspberry Pi config.txt documentation for default values and definitions.

                                      vcgencmd measure_temp
                                      vcgencmd measure_clock arm
                                      vcgencmd measure_clock core
                                      Is there a way to invoke vcgencmd to monitor and update?

                                      What other commands are known?

                                      quicksilverQ 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • quicksilverQ
                                        quicksilver @Efriim
                                        last edited by

                                        @shavecat judging by your recent posts you have had a lot of instability lately. Force_turbo simply disables the CPU governor and makes your pi operate at full speed even when idle. If this is freezing your pi then your overclock is unstable. If you aren't careful you are going to corrupt your SD card or it may be happening already.

                                        @Efriim with current firmware the sdram_schmo setting is automatically changed when you overclock sdram over 500mhz. So really isn't any reason to use that setting anymore unless you really have a good reason.

                                        Over_voltage and over_voltage_sdram are separate settings.

                                        shavecatS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • quicksilverQ
                                          quicksilver @Efriim
                                          last edited by

                                          @Efriim yes if you actively monitor the CPU freq you will see that there are slight fluctuations. V3d, isp and h264 freq might return a 0 value if they aren't being used (for emulation isp and h264 aren't needed. Though h264 might be needed if you are also running Kodi)

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • DwarfboysimD
                                            Dwarfboysim @shavecat
                                            last edited by

                                            @shavecat what model Pi are u running these settings on and do you have any heat sinks and fans?

                                            shavecatS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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