Retropie w/ Analog config not working properly

[Efriim]

@ivooc
Yeah, overclocking is a thing on the rpi3b+. The config-tool raspi-config doesn't yet support setting overclock values, maybe because of various constraints like the rpi3b+ can get hotter than the earlier models and overclocking isn't at all feasible without some sort of cooling on the board.

As per the raspi-config that sets the values for you, on the raspberry pi 3b+ you have to enter the values manually in the config.txt of the boot partition on your microsd. Ive read the warranty void bit is no longer a thing, but you should be aware that it may void the 1 or 2 year warranty from manufacturers or distributors.

[ivooc]

@Efriim Hmm guess I'll take a look at this, maybe it'll improve PSX games and make some of N64 playable. You just did a CPU overclock or did you mess with other options like GPU clock, over volt, ARM clock etc? I've read that emulation on Pi benefits more from GPU core overclock.

[Efriim]

@ivooc
I borrowed the highest values that I've seen people use and sort of put them all together one by one.
So yeah everything including voltage. I have a very minimal fan, and I think it would overheat if I put it on the carpet. I also have a powersupply with a very long cord, and sometimes 1/10 times on boot I will get low-voltage warnings when everything is maxed out. I'm hoping a different powersupply will solve this, but I could experiment more with the over_voltage and maybe figure out why it is only 1/10 times.

The highest value's I use for the rpi3b+ are:
arm_freq=1575 # I saw 1600 somewhere as the absolute max, but it proved unstable.
gpu_freq=525 # v3d, h264 and isp all seem to share the highest value among these settings, I haven't tested any higher than this.
core_freq=600 # I got this and the gpu_freq from shavedcat in this other thread https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/21519/opinion-on-overclock-settings/21 I went on a tangent about maximum voltages and the mistaken sdram_ over_voltage_sdram over my gpio powered case and no one pointed it out as the thread died.
sdram_freq=600 #This was the last setting I adopted. the over_votage_sdram_p is an important part of making this stable.
over_voltage_sdram_p=7 # (1.3750V) I've been using this value from the beginning and haven't had any crashes, p stands for physical. The default value is 1(1.2250V)
over_voltage_sdram_i=3 # (1.2750V) I used 7 for the I/O and then changed it back to 3 since I noticed no difference in stability or boot time. The default is 2(1.2500V) and I think it works as well.
over_voltage_sdram_c=3 # (1.2750V)The sdram controller is bumped up one as the default value is 2(1.2500V) as well.
over_voltage=2 # (1.3875V) The cpu is fed from this but the rpi3b+ also dynamically increases the voltage for its needs. Due to a phase locked loop sometimes the voltage skews and I think this is part of the reason why I get low voltage only some of the time. I believe the maximum effective value is 3 and I believe that it is clamped to 1.3936V.

[Efriim]

While those values were the highest, a lot of it isn't at all necessary for emulation, as well the configuration is a mash up and hasn't had any refining or fine tuning.

I'm doing a few tests, underclocking without a fan, and seeing what I can play along with if I can stay under 60'C. I'm thinking I will be able to play quite a lot. I don't know about the temperature, using a stress test and cpu-burn the temp quickly jumps to 70' though it wont go much higher at all. I'm thinking emulation will stay cool as it is generally single core.

so far with default gpu and
arm_freq=900
sdram_freq=450
over_voltage=-2 # (1.2000V)
Emulation is largely the same for psx, psp, n64, and dreamcast, the sound isn't quite perfect sometimes it is dropped at the likes of a transition or load screen, and maybe setting the sdram back to default will help.

I tested
PSX, Final Fantasy IX with hi-res, very nearly perfect. 54'C
PSX, Breath of Fire III, very nearly perfect. 54'C
ppsspp, Wild Arms XF, with 2xPSP, nearly perfect. 55'C
ppsspp, Armored Core 3, frames dropped to 15. 55'C
reicast, Deadly Skies, frames drop a little more than before. 55'C
n64-gliden64, ocarina of time, stutters a finite amount in some places otherwise okay. 54'C
n64-gliden64, majora's mask, I didn't get to gameplay, it was nearly perfect.

I'm so surprised at these results, overclocking is overrated.

[ivooc]

@Efriim wait, so are you saying you tested underclock with these games and barely noticed performance drops at all? I'm stunned by this! Most PSX games I've tried were unable to stay at 60fps with hi-res enabled at stock clock, including Crash Team Racing, Crash Bash (in the menus was already slow), World Soccer Winning Eleven 2002, FIFA 99 (this one dropped to an unplayable level). The only games that were stable (but even so stutter in cutscenes) were the Resident Evil series (1, 2 and 3). Again, all these with hi-res and stock clock. You think there might me something wrong with my Pi?

[Efriim]

I haven't tried FIFA, and I forgot to test Gran Turismo again.
I have played the RE series. I don't think you have anything wrong with your pi.

I think it could be one of these retroarch settings,
Run-ahead to reduce latency, or hard gpu sync frames, both found under latency.

I switched back to my overclock, this time without the fan, I emulated for a bit and the temp slowly rose to about 61'C, but anything more intense or using multiple cores will definitely see the soft limit. I just wonder which emulator will do that.

Also possibly, threaded rendering I would recommend this enabled.

I think the temperature soft_limit must be ~60, as I notice the cpu being throttled to 1.2ghz.

Yes the underclock was surprising, I used vcgencmd to confirm the cpu was 900mHz.

[ivooc]

@Efriim But then the default latency options are bad? Because I have never messed with them.

[Efriim]

@ivooc The settings and operating system updates are more likely than a pi being bad, what manufacture is it? Mine is an element14.
Also what are those two latency settings now? and was threaded rendering enabled?
I'm sort of unsure for them being default, I think you are right:
Threaded enabled
Hard GPU sync disabled
Run-Ahead disabled

[ivooc]

@Efriim Mine is a RS Components, I bought it from China. You mean threaded video? It's enabled. Hard GPU sync and Run-Ahead are both disabled.

[Efriim]

@ivooc
Yeah I meant threaded video. I've had the same RetroPie build from version 4.4, its hard to remember all the changes and configurations I've made. I'll try to share once I think of them.
Do you have a fan installed? The temp_soft_limit is 60 by default and will throttle the cpu to 1.2ghz
I increased the soft_limit to 70 and it barely reaches 63 during emulation.

Have you updated retroarch, raspbian, and your cores, since you installed the image?
the firmware, I should search to find out for sure, I think it is updated when you go to retropie config >> configure >> raspbian >> update raspbian(next to install pixel desktop)
It could be a psx_bios, some have higher compatibility, I have quite a few in my folder actually, but I think scph_101 is the highest compatibility and it will be chosen over the others, not to be confused with scph_1001.

As I say that Gran Turismo refuses to work.
I don't know why, but I did update the core since I last played it.