Retro Pi 4.6 - Pi4 /4kTV slow loading

ej_424 · 5 May 2020, 12:50

Hey guys hoping someone can help me out here. I have two Sony 4k TV's and having the same issue on both. The problem is when i go to load a rom 90% of the time it will take over a minute to load the rom and get into the game. I see the launcher menu and then it sits for over a minute. Same experience if try to go into retroarch via retropie menu. This is leading me to believe its a retroarch load issue. Very rarely it just loads up fast like it should but I can't put my finger on it. The delay to get the menu or game up on the screen is super annoying being it takes so long.

Any thoughts? I can't be the only one experiencing this. I have tried two different pi 4's and also different micro SD cards and even redownloaded the image for the sake of it.

Jste84 · 5 May 2020, 14:44

@ej_424 had this issue too, you need to change the resolution to 1080p

ej_424 · 6 May 2020, 13:46

@Jste84

Ok I will try that. I know how to do that in prebuilt images being there is a resolution changer tool. However if I got into respiconfig and try to change the resolution there it just exits and goes back to the menu right away.

Can you please provide some guidance around how you did this?

Thanks!

ej_424 · 6 May 2020, 14:06

ok i edited the config.txt file following this guide (but did 1920 1080 60)

Systems boots fine but still same issue...

https://pixel.red/guide/retropie-custom-resolution/

mitu · 6 May 2020, 14:41

Can you post your config.txt file ?

ej_424 · 5 Jun 2020, 16:16

@mitu
Here is my config.txt. When I hit display on my Sony 4K tv it does say 1080p 60hz. Issue is any game still takes well over a minute to load. Same when launch retroarch via options menu.

uncomment if you get no picture on HDMI for a default "safe" mode

#hdmi_safe=1

uncomment this if your display has a black border of unused pixels visible

and your display can output without overscan

disable_overscan=1

uncomment the following to adjust overscan. Use positive numbers if console

goes off screen, and negative if there is too much border

#overscan_left=16
#overscan_right=16
#overscan_top=16
#overscan_bottom=16

uncomment to force a console size. By default it will be display's size minus

overscan.

#framebuffer_width=1280
#framebuffer_height=720

uncomment if hdmi display is not detected and composite is being output

hdmi_force_hotplug=1

uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this will force VGA)

hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=16
hdmi_cvt=1920 1080 60

uncomment to force a HDMI mode rather than DVI. This can make audio work in

DMT (computer monitor) modes

hdmi_drive=2

uncomment to increase signal to HDMI, if you have interference, blanking, or

no display

#config_hdmi_boost=4

uncomment for composite PAL

#sdtv_mode=2

#uncomment to overclock the arm. 700 MHz is the default.
#arm_freq=

Uncomment some or all of these to enable the optional hardware interfaces

#dtparam=i2c_arm=on
#dtparam=i2s=on
#dtparam=spi=on

Uncomment this to enable infrared communication.

#dtoverlay=gpio-ir,gpio_pin=17
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir-tx,gpio_pin=18

Additional overlays and parameters are documented /boot/overlays/README

Enable audio (loads snd_bcm2835)

dtparam=audio=on

[pi4]

Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver on top of the dispmanx display stack

dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2
#hdmi_ignore_edid=0xa5000080
#arm_64bit=1
gpu_mem=320
[all]
#dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
#2 line For CPU Overclock
#over_voltage=
#arm_freq=
#2 line For GPU Overclock
#gpu_freq=
#over_voltage=

mitu · 6 May 2020, 15:18

To force 1080p, use only

  hdmi_group=1
  hdmi_mode=16

and remove any other related hdmi options.

ej_424 · 5 Jun 2020, 18:12

@mitu thanks I'll give that a go in a bit and report back!

To confirm I should remove lines that reference HDMI entirely outside of those two?

Example:
#hdmi_safe=1
hdmi_drive=2
hdmi hotplug=2

Or just the one where I specify the resolution .. 1920 1080 60

Also any reason you can't do this via raspi-config or in the UI somwhere? The raspiconfig resolution option just exits right way and never lets me select a resolution.

ej_424 · 6 May 2020, 17:51

Modified config.txt (new config below). Same issue

uncomment if you get no picture on HDMI for a default "safe" mode

#hdmi_safe=1

uncomment this if your display has a black border of unused pixels visible

and your display can output without overscan

disable_overscan=1

uncomment the following to adjust overscan. Use positive numbers if console

goes off screen, and negative if there is too much border

#overscan_left=16
#overscan_right=16
#overscan_top=16
#overscan_bottom=16

uncomment to force a console size. By default it will be display's size minus

overscan.

#framebuffer_width=1280
#framebuffer_height=720

uncomment if hdmi display is not detected and composite is being output

#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this will force VGA)

hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=16

uncomment to force a HDMI mode rather than DVI. This can make audio work in

DMT (computer monitor) modes

hdmi_drive=2

uncomment to increase signal to HDMI, if you have interference, blanking, or

no display

#config_hdmi_boost=4

uncomment for composite PAL

#sdtv_mode=2

#uncomment to overclock the arm. 700 MHz is the default.
#arm_freq=

Uncomment some or all of these to enable the optional hardware interfaces

#dtparam=i2c_arm=on
#dtparam=i2s=on
#dtparam=spi=on

Uncomment this to enable infrared communication.

#dtoverlay=gpio-ir,gpio_pin=17
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir-tx,gpio_pin=18

Additional overlays and parameters are documented /boot/overlays/README

Enable audio (loads snd_bcm2835)

dtparam=audio=on

[pi4]

Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver on top of the dispmanx display stack

dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2
#hdmi_ignore_edid=0xa5000080
#arm_64bit=1
gpu_mem=320
[all]
#dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
#2 line For CPU Overclock
#over_voltage=
#arm_freq=
#2 line For GPU Overclock
#gpu_freq=
#over_voltage=

mitu · 6 May 2020, 17:57

@ej_424 said in Retro Pi 4.6 - Pi4 /4kTV slow loading:

Example:

Can you run the following commands from the terminal and post the output ? You should also remove hdmi_drive from the config, if you're using a TV, I don't think they're necessary.

tvservice -m CEA
tvservice -m DMT
tvservice -s

ej_424 · 6 May 2020, 20:23

@mitu

tvservice -m CEA

pi@retropie:~ $ tvservice -m CEA
Group CEA has 23 modes:
mode 1: 640x480 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:25MHz progressive
mode 2: 720x480 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:27MHz progressive
mode 3: 720x480 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz progressive
mode 4: 1280x720 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
mode 5: 1920x1080 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz interlaced
mode 6: 720x480 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:27MHz x2 interlaced
mode 7: 720x480 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz x2 interlaced
(prefer) mode 16: 1920x1080 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:148MHz progressive
mode 17: 720x576 @ 50Hz 4:3, clock:27MHz progressive
mode 18: 720x576 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz progressive
mode 19: 1280x720 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
mode 20: 1920x1080 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz interlaced
mode 21: 720x576 @ 50Hz 4:3, clock:27MHz x2 interlaced
mode 22: 720x576 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz x2 interlaced
mode 31: 1920x1080 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:148MHz progressive
mode 32: 1920x1080 @ 24Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
mode 34: 1920x1080 @ 30Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
mode 60: 1280x720 @ 24Hz 16:9, clock:59MHz progressive
mode 62: 1280x720 @ 30Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
mode 93: 3840x2160 @ 24Hz 16:9, clock:297MHz progressive
mode 94: 3840x2160 @ 25Hz 16:9, clock:297MHz progressive
(native) mode 95: 3840x2160 @ 30Hz 16:9, clock:297MHz progressive
mode 98: 4096x2160 @ 24Hz unknown AR, clock:297MHz progressive

tvservice -m DMT

Group DMT has 7 modes:
mode 4: 640x480 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:25MHz progressive
mode 9: 800x600 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:40MHz progressive
mode 16: 1024x768 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:65MHz progressive
mode 21: 1152x864 @ 75Hz 4:3, clock:108MHz progressive
mode 35: 1280x1024 @ 60Hz 5:4, clock:108MHz progressive
mode 58: 1680x1050 @ 60Hz 16:10, clock:146MHz progressive
mode 83: 1600x900 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:108MHz progressive

tvservice -s
state 0xa [HDMI CUSTOM RGB lim 16:9], 1920x1080 @ 60.00Hz, progressive

mitu · 6 May 2020, 20:28

@ej_424 said in Retro Pi 4.6 - Pi4 /4kTV slow loading:

state 0xa [HDMI CUSTOM RGB lim 16:9], 1920x1080 @ 60.00Hz, progressive

This shows you're currently using 1080p - which the Pi4 should handle easily, so the slowdown is not from the video settings. What controller(s) are you using ? Does it happen when using just a keyboard to launch a game ?

ej_424 · 6 May 2020, 20:56

Ok you may be on to something and initially I thought that might be the problem too since when the retroarch menu finally comes up or the game loads finally i see the little notification in the bottom left saying controller.. connected..

I have a SNES Classic 8bitbo controller. I've updated all the fw to the latest.

Testing just a keyboard with my bluetooth controllers not connected it works fine.. WTH, any ideas?

Odd part is as soon as I updated the fw on my 8bitdo controllers a week ago it worked fine one time so i thought it was that, but then behavior went back to normal the next time i launched a game. Now testing again just the keyboard and it working I think something is going on here but no idea what...

My exact controllers (2 paired):

https://www.8bitdo.com/sn30-gp/

mitu · 6 May 2020, 20:59

@ej_424 said in Retro Pi 4.6 - Pi4 /4kTV slow loading:

I have a SNES Classic 8bitbo controller. I've updated all the fw to the latest.

We've seen this issues with 'slow' controller initialization when the controller is in XInput mode. Try running the controller in Switch or Android mode - you'll have to re-pair it in and re-configure it EmulationStation after you change the pairing mode.

ej_424 · 6 May 2020, 21:25

@mitu
You might be a life saver! I will try that and report back later tonight. I do have it in x-input mode atm so there is hope. I thought your documentation said to use that but could be wrong.

ej_424 · 6 May 2020, 21:33

@mitu

I think we are fixed! Tested multiple times and the timing it much better. It still seems longer that what my arcade cab does with same setup with the exception being the controllers. Right now its about a 7 second wait after the launch screen goes away. Prior it was about a minute :)

Thank you!

Lesezeichen · 6 May 2020, 21:54

Sorry to hijack, quick question, how do i put tags in a topic so i can post a new thread?

mitu · 7 May 2020, 02:58

@Lesezeichen Copy the topic link, then in the new topic, you insert a link to this topic.

Brunnis · 7 May 2020, 08:20

@ej_424 Yep, if I'd seen this topic earlier, I could have answered this immediately. :) I had the same issue a while ago with my SN30 Pro+. Setting it to Direct Input mode solved the issue.

Brunnis · 7 May 2020, 08:23

By the way, is there any more elegant way to limit the resolution than hard coding the resolution to 1080p? I seem to remember you can limit the pixel clock instead, but I haven't tried it. Also, given the performance issues with 4K, wouldn't it be better to have RetroPie be limited to 1080p max out of the box, with an easy way to enable 4K if the user wishes?