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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

    Pi Zero Lagging with GBA emulation

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    gba1080pretropielagzero w
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    • dankcushionsD
      dankcushions Global Moderator @luisito
      last edited by

      @luisito retropie defaults to 640x480 for libretro emulators on pi 0/1, so resolution should not be an issue. also, the physical size of the screen is not a factor, since you can typically run low resolutions on large displays no problem.

      luisitoL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • luisitoL
        luisito @Efriim
        last edited by

        @Efriim I have changed all the setting with the exception of runcommand because I can't figure out where it is (I tried the runcommand option from RetroPie but it doesn't show as option in the submenus).

        With your proposed changes now I have managed to reach steady 32.7 FP, with the casual drop to 30 FPS.
        However, the main RetroPie menu sometimes drop to 12 FPS.
        If I access RetroArch within the game it pumps it to 60 FPS, but that is because the emulation gets paused.
        Zero still hoovers at a steady 42C at max temperature and 37C when idle.

        It definitely help by a lot, so thanks!! :D
        Still looks funny and feels slow but now it is playable.

        However, I still don't understand why the FPS are so low. A lot of people manage 60 FPS without a sweat with GBA games.

        And now, I am not sure what I did, changed or broke, but it seems that Hotkey (Select) + Right Shoulder, doesn't save state anymore.

        dankcushionsD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • luisitoL
          luisito @dankcushions
          last edited by

          @dankcushions said in Pi Zero Lagging with GBA emulation:

          for libretro emulators on pi 0/1, so resolution should not be an issue. also, the physical size of the screen is not a factor, since you can typically run low resolutions on large displays no problem.

          Thanks! I was under the impression that the GPU would have to squish more out for larger screens to achieve the desired scale.

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          • dankcushionsD
            dankcushions Global Moderator @luisito
            last edited by

            @luisito i think it sounds to me like you've changed some settings in your tweaking, or perhaps weren't running from stock retropie in the first place. i would personally start from a fresh retropie standard image, no overclocking, and then see what it's like from there. once you've changed settings it's almost impossible to diagnose

            luisitoL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • luisitoL
              luisito @dankcushions
              last edited by

              @dankcushions Sure, I will do that.
              There is a new image right?
              I will report after doing all that. Perhaps during the weekend if time allows 😁

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

                @luisito
                Or you could upload your settings and I can run a diff on them to highlight all the changes.
                Or delete the settings which should give you a new one, provided the overrides are also deleted.
                network~\configs\all\retroarch.cfg
                /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg

                Were you able to try htop from ssh commandline?

                upload large text files to pastebin.com
                I will edit the post above about runcommand.

                Since you got positive results if it wasn't just a fluke, you could try disabling a few more things
                settings >> drivers >> audio = alsathread
                settings >> video >> vertical sync = off
                settings >> video >> frame delay = 0 (alternative to turning the vsync off, maybe try a quick compare of value 7 and 15 just to see, then turn off vsync)
                settings >> latency >> run-ahead = off

                and
                settings >> user interface >> threaded tasks = off (Haven't had to use this before.)
                settings >> user interface >> appearance >> icon shadows = off

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

                  @Efriim said in Pi Zero Lagging with GBA emulation:

                  Or delete the settings which should give you a new one, provided the overrides are also deleted

                  no, this will give you retroarch defaults which are not retropie defaults, and will give you a whole new set of problems.

                  i really wouldn't recommend changing any of the settings you are recommending. retropie will default to the right settings for all of these.

                  luisitoL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • luisitoL
                    luisito
                    last edited by

                    Thanks a lot! everybody. Things are improving so I think we are on the right track and your help is moving things forward.
                    Have a lot of responsibilities for the next 4 days.So I will post again next week.

                    But for the meantime I ran a very quick thop and hop, and the system is 97%m idle, nothing in the background eating power. Even the ram sits at 10% of maximum.

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                    • luisitoL
                      luisito @dankcushions
                      last edited by

                      @dankcushions said in Pi Zero Lagging with GBA emulation:

                      no, this will give you retroarch defaults which are not retropie defaults, and will give you a whole new set of problems.

                      I was unaware of this. This is a revelation.

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                      • Solid OneS
                        Solid One
                        last edited by

                        Try gpsp's non-retroarch version. With this version, you'll probably have less lag on GBA games, since it consumes less resources than the default retroarch version.

                        I've tested this version on a Raspberry Pi 1 B+, and I remember playing some GBA games without lag. It was on 2015, and back then, if my memory serves, there was no lr-gpsp yet.

                        I don't know if it'll work on your Pi Zero, but assuming Pi Zero and Pi 1 has approximately the same hardware, there's the chance that it can work.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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