RetroPie forum home
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Home
    • Docs
    • Register
    • Login

    How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General Discussion and Gaming
    98 Posts 21 Posters 84.5k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • RiverstormR
      Riverstorm @Predator04
      last edited by Riverstorm

      @Predator04 said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

      @Riverstorm
      error Permission Denied

      Hmmm...did you use 'sudo' in front of the editor, if not it will not work.

      Predator04P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Predator04P
        Predator04 @Riverstorm
        last edited by

        @Riverstorm
        crap I might not have. My bad... lol

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • RionR
          Rion @Twitch0815
          last edited by Rion

          @Twitch0815 said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

          I also truly believe that the pi 3 can hold to a better overclock then 1400 and I mean I think it can be pushed to 2000 but I need to get a 5.1 v 3000 or 3500 ma power supply and the only ones I have found are in china and shipping is going to take 2-3 weeks till I have one in my hand unless I try to build one from scratch. Heat just has not been a problem with proper heatsinks applied properly and active fan cooling.

          Why not just go for something like this instead?

          5V 10A switching power supply
          MicroUSB to 5.5/2.1mm DC Barrel Jack Adapter

          FBNeo rom filtering
          Mame2003 Arcade Bezels
          Fba Arcade Bezels
          Fba NeoGeo Bezels

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • T
            Twitch0815
            last edited by

            @Rion
            Absolutely worth a try

            Think just a normal laptop power supply would work with the 1.95 adapter sure if it was 5v switching it would probably work.
            Awesome man thanks I appreciate it giving me somewhere to go with the power problem.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • M
              mrbwa1
              last edited by

              Laptop power supply bricks can be a bit finicky. I have a 12V 5A one for my Lipo battery charger and it gets hot when charging 32 batteries at the 2-2.5 amp settings.

              I would be tempted to go for this design for heat dissipation reasons:

              http://www.amazon.com/uxcell-AC110-Switching-Supply-Adapter/dp/B0076UJZX0

              Might have to cut and strip an old usb cord to get the power to the Pi

              Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Z
                Zigurana @mrbwa1
                last edited by

                @mrbwa1

                I have something very similar to that one (5A version) and it works like a charm. The adjustable voltage is nice, as the pi likes to get a bit more than 5.0V, (mine is at 5.2V).
                It puts out no noticable heat.

                If tetris has thought me anything, it's that errors pile up and that accomplishments dissappear.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • dankcushionsD
                  dankcushions Global Moderator @dankcushions
                  last edited by

                  @dankcushions said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

                  @Riverstorm said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

                  Ok, thanks guys. I am going to leave it at the default. Funny thing is when I changed it through the raspi-config tool it did nothing as the default entries where overriding it to 256.

                  yeah, the default in raspian is for these gpu_mem_X overrides to not be set (see https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt.md) so the raspi-config tool would normally work fine.

                  however, i think retropie has these defaults to create a sensible split for the different pi models. see https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/issues/490

                  fixed! https://github.com/RPi-Distro/raspi-config/issues/24
                  not sure if an apt-get update would grab this but i guess it'll find its way into the next Retropie release, at which point we should update the wiki again to get rid of my warning

                  M RiverstormR 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • M
                    mrbwa1 @dankcushions
                    last edited by

                    @dankcushions said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

                    fixed! https://github.com/RPi-Distro/raspi-config/issues/24
                    not sure if an apt-get update would grab this but i guess it'll find its way into the next Retropie release, at which point we should update the wiki again to get rid of my warning

                    I rad an update and dist-upgrade, but no change yet. Also did an update on raspi-config.

                    I'm thinking it will take a few days or another release before this is completely live.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • RiverstormR
                      Riverstorm @dankcushions
                      last edited by Riverstorm

                      @dankcushions said

                      fixed! https://github.com/RPi-Distro/raspi-config/issues/24
                      not sure if an apt-get update would grab this but i guess it'll find its way into the next Retropie release, at which point we should update the wiki again to get rid of my warning

                      Nice Dank, showing them the error of their ways! ;) That will be one less thing to check when doing a new setup from scratch.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • L
                        loganmc10
                        last edited by

                        This seems like overkill/overthinking to me, this would provide pretty much the same results, but much simpler:

                        arm_freq=1350 (or 1400 if you like)
                        over_voltage=4
                        gpu_freq=500

                        There is no need to set "temp_limit" to 80, the default is 85.

                        over_voltage=6 is "right next" to voiding your warranty, a value of 4 seems to work ok.

                        core_freq=500
                        h264_freq=333
                        avoid_pwm_pll=1
                        v3d_freq=500

                        ^^This can all be replaced with "gpu_freq=500" for the same result

                        We've already determined that "gpu_mem=450" does nothing.

                        I guess I'm not sure if RAM overclock makes much of a difference since I haven't tested it much, but I doubt it would.

                        RiverstormR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • RiverstormR
                          Riverstorm @loganmc10
                          last edited by

                          @loganmc10 said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

                          This seems like overkill/overthinking to me, this would provide pretty much the same results, but much simpler:

                          arm_freq=1350 (or 1400 if you like)
                          over_voltage=4
                          gpu_freq=500

                          Ok I am going to give it go and see how it holds up. I didn't do well on the Pi lottery and I can't any of mine to boot above 1350 anyway.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • 2
                            2stick
                            last edited by 2stick

                            Semi OT here, but hoping someone can help me out since this seems to be the most active thread devoted to overclocking. ---

                            In preparation of OC'ing, I'm using the same case that Twitch linked earlier in the thread, and I bought the Addicore heatsinks from Amazon. However I didn't realize that they were designed for an older model of the Pi (I have the Pi3) so either of the "big" chips won't have a heatsink on them if I use them. Since they're only 5 bucks, am I better off just ordering another set to get one more "big" heatsink so I can have all three chips covered? Or will having two of the chips 'sinked suffice? Obviously having all of the chips covered is optimal. I'm just wondering if it's actually necessary.

                            Also, I'm gonna apply the heatsinks using MX-4 Thermal Compound. Will the heatsink on the underside of the Pi stick enough with the MX-4, or am I better off using the sticker that it comes with?

                            dankcushionsD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • dankcushionsD
                              dankcushions Global Moderator @2stick
                              last edited by

                              @2stick only the central die on the top of the board is worth cooling. that's the CPU + GPU. the chip on the back is the ram and might be worth cooling but ram can normally cope with quite high temps so ...

                              2 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • 2
                                2stick @dankcushions
                                last edited by

                                @dankcushions Awesome, thanks for the quick reply.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • T
                                  Twitch0815
                                  last edited by Twitch0815

                                  @2stick
                                  I cool em all in a pack of 3 I just use one of the smaller chips on the big core on the bottom and its fine since I overclock to 588 on ram
                                  I actually pull some larger heatsinks from scrapped gamecubes and use those on the main cpu so I have a big chip left over for the bottom core.
                                  But its overkill in terms of cooling as long as you have a big chip on the main cpu and active cooling you are good. Additionally I recommend getting Thermal Epoxy especially for the under chip you dont have to worry about any chips falling off. Don't use the default sticky adhesive that comes with them they provide virtually zero heat transfer capabilities.

                                  @loganmc10
                                  over_voltage 6 just has not provided any problem and given better performance wether its next to the warranty bit or not it does not set it. running with 4 and 1400 has given me the rainbow square .

                                  I set the temp_limit under just to be cautious since I am being a little aggressive on the overclock

                                  You can do gpu_freq but prefer setting each individually it just tells me exactly what I am doing and if I change something its easy to do it per variale.

                                  gpu_mem may not do anything in what you are doing but it has given better rendering on high texture packs

                                  And the ram overclock definitely does make a difference on n64, PSP, Dreamcast been testing it over a month

                                  RiverstormR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • T
                                    Twitch0815
                                    last edited by

                                    Small update

                                    I wired up a laptop power supply 5.2volts 8000 ma
                                    Definitely solves all the power problems

                                    Overclocking gains I have gotten to stably are
                                    arm _freq 1425
                                    v3d_freq 525
                                    core_freq 550

                                    But anything past that and it goes unstable, sometimes I can ssh in sometimes I cannot
                                    yet heat does not seem to be the issue. Going to have to keep messing with over_voltage but until some of the extreme overclockers get to it, like the guys who got pi 2's up to 2ghz think its hitting the soft ceiling.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • Prindle19P
                                      Prindle19
                                      last edited by

                                      Asking this again since it got buried:

                                      How do you get the hotkeys working in mupen64plus without running the libreto / retroarch config'ed version?

                                      (For exit, save, load state, etc.?)

                                      RiverstormR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • RiverstormR
                                        Riverstorm @Prindle19
                                        last edited by Riverstorm

                                        @Prindle19 said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

                                        Asking this again since it got buried:

                                        How do you get the hotkeys working in mupen64plus without running the libreto / retroarch config'ed version?

                                        (For exit, save, load state, etc.?)

                                        Take a look at this file:

                                        /opt/retropie/configs/n64/mupen64plus.cfg

                                        To exit it would be something like this

                                        # Joystick event string for stopping the emulator
                                        Joy Mapping Stop = "J0B8,J1B8"
                                        

                                        The J0 is the joystick and the B8 is the button. It also indicates joystick 1 button 8 may be used to exit the emulator.

                                        Check here for more information on syntax. I don't know if you can do them all I haven't looked through everything in mupen64plus.cfg.

                                        http://mupen64plus.org/wiki/index.php?title=Mupen64Plus_Core_Parameters

                                        After doing a quick scan through the page you can do most of them via joystick and keyboard.

                                        Prindle19P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • RiverstormR
                                          Riverstorm @Twitch0815
                                          last edited by Riverstorm

                                          @Twitch0815 said in How to use Overclock and Mupen Core Options to significantly increase 64 game playability, quality, and stability:

                                          Don't use the default sticky adhesive that comes with them they provide virtually zero heat >transfer capabilities.

                                          I don't know if that's completely true maybe they are not quite as good as a thermal epoxy. I've used the thermal tape (ordered a thermal sheet off eBay for a few dollars) with no issues. I use a MM sized ruler for the straight edge and razor to cut perfect sized squares for my heatsinks.

                                          The main heatsink is definitely hot (official finger test ;) and with a fan I level off around 50C with all the overclock settings in place. Without anything I level off roughly around 70 to 72C. If the heatsinks come with thermal tape in place I have no issue using it.

                                          By the way thanks for the link on the case it works really well and the extra room under the board that allows for a heatsink on the memory chip is a bonus.

                                          I know some argue against using any heatsinks (especially the 1 and 2) but regardless of the merits I look the look and it really doesn't hurt anything. :)

                                          I don't think these tape numbers where to bad but never as good as thermal grease. Grease just beats tape hands down. Also long term the tape is going to break down too. Tape is good for extreme high heat for short periods of time (hours-days) and low to moderate heat (weeks-months). I think usage per day would also be a factor. I have never had to replace the tape though. My typical usage completely outlasts the Pi life. As it looks like the Pi cycle is going to be yearly or so?

                                          I guess for a full size desktop I would never think of using tape but for the Pi it just seems like a good fit.

                                          Thermal Conductivity             0.60 W/m-K‎
                                          Thermal Impedance‎	         0.48 (Degree C)-in²/W‎
                                          Thermal Impedance (metric)‎	 3.1 (Degree C)-cm²/W‎
                                          
                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • 2
                                            2stick
                                            last edited by

                                            ^ Imo thermal epoxy is a bit overkill. I used Arctic MX-4 thermal paste for mine (what you used is fine also). Very easy to clean/remove if needed. With thermal epoxy they're "glued" together forever. And the temperature differences are negligible between epoxy and pastes/tape.

                                            As far as the original adhesive on the heatsinks, it most definitely doesn't offer any heat transfer (on the Addicore 3-pack that most people seem to use, at least). So it's definitely in your best interest to strip it off and use some real thermal interface material.

                                            RiverstormR dankcushionsD 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post

                                            Contributions to the project are always appreciated, so if you would like to support us with a donation you can do so here.

                                            Hosting provided by Mythic-Beasts. See the Hosting Information page for more information.