Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?

Dongzo

I have a Pi4 and installed Retropie and updated everything. Connected to a 20in CRT via composite. I'm new to the whole rpi and Retropie and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong? So from what I was able to find a read that Rpi enabled 240p over composite? And I am assuming all I need to do to get 240p is to add this line of code to the config file "sdtv_mode=16". When I do it splits my screen in half. Bottom half is black and the top half is the Ui. I get no flickering on the Ui so I assume its 240p? How can I get it to not split my screen in half and run in 240p? thank you for any help.

mitu

@Dongzo said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

I have a Pi4 and installed Retropie and updated everything

The Pi4 is not fully supported at the moment, so how did you install it ?

And I am assuming all I need to do to get 240p is to add this line of code to the config file "sdtv_mode=16".

The PI4 has a few differences from the previous models, so some settings might not work or behave differently. I think tv output via composite is disabled (was disabled ?) by default and you need to add enable_tvout=1 to make it work.

What kind of TV are you using ? Is it NTSC/PAL ? Take a look at the options described in https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md#Custom Mode, then adjust stdtv_mode, sdtv_aspect and enable_tvout.
You can check the video resolution and output mode from the command line, by running tvservice -s.

Dongzo

This post is deleted!

Dongzo

@mitu

The Pi4 is not fully supported at the moment, so how did you install it ?

I followed this tutorial and it installed just fine https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/23984/solved-rpi4-sdl2-problem-during-installation-meanwhile-its-available-via-apt-get/3

What kind of TV are you using ? Is it NTSC/PAL ? Take a look at the options described in https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md#Custom Mode, then adjust stdtv_mode, sdtv_aspect and enable_tvout.
You can check the video resolution and output mode from the command line, by running tvservice -s.

I have a NTSC 20inch crt tv. Yes on the rpi4 the composite was disabled but I did enable it. I have tried those settings and have the same results. Maybe it like you said that the pi4 might not work or behave differently. Hopefully when the RetroPie release for the 4 is out it will have the proper support?!

Picture below of half os and half black. It is hard to tell but it looks like the resolution is not 240p ? Cant really read it since its smooched. It there a way to force the resolution?

This is my config file:
https://pastebin.com/embed_js/LerM63gr

mitu

The image is so washed out I can't see properly the output of tvservice -s, though I can distinguish a [NTSC 4:3] in the string - can't see what resolution is shown there though.

Can you run uname -r and post the output ? There are constantly improvements in the Raspbian provided kernel/firmware, so I'd like to check what version are you running.
Can you try with disable_overscan=1 in your config.txt ?

Dongzo

@mitu said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

The image is so washed out I can't see properly the output of tvservice -s, though I can distinguish a [NTSC 4:3] in the string - can't see what resolution is shown there though.

Can you run uname -r and post the output ? There are constantly improvements in the Raspbian provided kernel/firmware, so I'd like to check what version are you running.
Can you try with disable_overscan=1 in your config.txt ?

I tried the disable_overscan=1 and it still squished. I was able to get a more clear picture of the resolution.

ran uname -r 4.19.83 v71
ran tvservice -s -r NTSC 4:3, 720x480 @ 60.00hz, progressive.

mitu

@Dongzo said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

ran uname -r 4.19.83 v71

OK, that's a recent enough kernel.

ran tvservice -s -r NTSC 4:3, 720x480 @ 60.00hz, progressive.

I think that may be a problem, I doubt your CRT can do 480p (few CRTs do, at most you can do 480i). Can you post your whole /boot/config.txt file ? (or the config.txt file you see when you put the sdcard on your PC, it's the same file).

Dongzo

@mitu said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

Can you post your whole /boot/config.txt file ? (or the config.txt file you see when you put the sdcard on your PC, it's the same file).
https://pastebin.com/cw3XQ0Tq

mitu

@Dongzo The config file seems ok, although tvservice reports 480p, it seems like the encoder only outputs half of the vertical lines so the results should be 240p.

Dongzo

@mitu said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

@Dongzo The config file seems ok, although tvservice reports 480p, it seems like the encoder only outputs half of the vertical lines so the results should be 240p.

I really appreciate all the help you are offering me, I thank you for that.

it seems like the encoder only outputs half of the vertical lines

Does that mean that it something wrong with how RetroPie interacts with the Pi4 ?

mitu

@Dongzo said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

Does that mean that it something wrong with how RetroPie interacts with the Pi4 ?

No, that's just the explanation for why tvservice reports NTSC 4:3, 720x480 @ 60.00hz, progressive, but it actually outputs 240p.
The video settings in /boot/config.txt are applied by the Raspberry Pi firmware before RetroPie starts, Emulationstation will use the resolution set by the operating system.

Did you use the Raspian Lite version or the Desktop version when installing ? I see in your screenshot that you have started the Desktop - are you running Emulationstation from within the Desktop session ?

Dongzo

@mitu said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

Did you use the Raspian Lite version or the Desktop version when installing ?

I ended up using the full Raspian version.

are you running Emulationstation from within the Desktop session ?
I have set RetroPie to start from boot and it does the same thing as when I boot into the desktop.

Dongzo

@mitu

So I found out that when I set "hdtv_mode=16" my resolution goes to 720x240 which is why half my screen is gone. I read somewhere that if i disable "dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d" my screen goes back to 720x480 with no flicker to RetroPie or the desktop, but when playing games causes screen tearing. So it looks like something with "dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d" isn't letting me set "hdtv_mode=16" when its enabled.

mitu

@Dongzo said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

So it looks like something with "dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d" isn't letting me set "hdtv_mode=16" when its enabled.

That's too bad, because the Pi4 needs this enabled in order for the GPU to provide 3d hardware acceleration. I don't have a composite cable around, but I'll get one and test this to see if there are options that can be set.

Dongzo

@mitu said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

I don't have a composite cable around, but I'll get one and test this to see if there are options that can be set.

I would really appreciate that a lot. Is that a setting issue that I have or just something that is because of the new pi4 hardware not compatible fully with RetroPie?

mitu

The only settings are the ones in the config.txt file, RetroPie just picks up the resolution and runs with it. I've noticed that in the screenshot you posted on the RPI forums the A/V ports in the front are not connected - do you have another set of ports in the back where you plugged in the composite cable or do you use an adapter/converter ?

Dongzo

@mitu

I use a av switch that connects to the back of the tv. I have tired without the switch and i have also tried the front ports all with the same effect of the screen splitting in half

mitu

I have reproduced your problem - it seems to happen only for the 'progressive' video modes. If you set sdtv_mode to 0 (i.e. Normal NTSC), you'll get a fullscreen image.
Seems to happen for KMS/DRM applications, the DRM connectors cuts the vres in half when a progressive mode is requested.
I'll commend on your topic on the RPI forums, before looking into opening an issue.

EDIT: it looks like you've already have a reply on your topic. I've tested the workaround and it works, though I think there might be some problems running the emulators.

Dongzo

@mitu Thank you for all the help, and I will try your suggestion and report back with the results. Thanks again for all the help, and its great to see that it has been acknowledged but a raspberry pi engineer.

Dongzo

@Dongzo said in Retropie's Ui 240p? what am I doing wrong?:

,

So I was able to get it to get full screen with setting it so "0" with "fkms" enabled. But I'm just back to my original issue with the screen flickering in retropies UI, the desktop UI and in mame games because its running in 480i. Setting it to "16" is supposed to enable 240p if I'm correct which takes me back to the split screen. So from what I understand from the reply over at the raspberrypi forum is that progressive is an issue with the firmware on CRT screens? So the only option as of right now is to stick with the flickering UI and set the games in mame to run in a progressive lower resolution so I don't have a stroke from the flickering screen ? Is that possible to do? Will telling mame to run a game in 240p override the desktop always pushing 480i ? Sorry for all the newbie questions but still learning.