Retropie 4.6 composite out issue flickers and freezes

sexbeer

Just installed new image on RPi4. Plug it through tv-out, edit config.txt (enable_tvout=1). Run a nes game through lr-fceumm and see some kind of flickers and freezes. everything is fine through hdmi. besides, I could not find retroarch render resolution settings in runncomand menu. how can i change it now?

mitu

@sexbeer said in Retropie 4.6 composite out issue flickers and freezes:

Just installed new image on RPi4. Plug it through tv-out, edit config.txt (enable_tvout=1). Run a nes game through lr-fceumm and see some kind of flickers and freezes.

When you set enable_tvout, that comes with a performance penalty

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md:

Because composite video requires a very specific clock, setting that clock to the required speed on the Pi 4 means that other clocks connected to it are detrimentally affected, which slightly slows down the entire system.

Can you post your entire config.txt ?

besides, I could not find retroarch render resolution settings in runncomand menu. how can i change it now?

I think it's not supported on the PI4.

sexbeer

@mitu

# For more options and information see
# http://rpf.io/configtxt
# Some settings may impact device functionality. See link above for details

# 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=30
overscan_right=5
overscan_top=-10
overscan_bottom=-10

# 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=1

# 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=800

# 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

[all]
#dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d

gpu_mem=256
enable_tvout=1
disable_splash=1

mitu

I don't have my CRT TV at hand, but I did test the composite output (NES) and didn't notice any remarkable slowdowns. Will try to re-test, but what you can try:

switch to 240p (sdtv_mode=18 or sdtv_mode=16)
enable the performance CPU governor in the Runcommand settings.

sexbeer

@mitu thanks, but it didn’t help me. I tried different cables and settings to connect. and I can say with 100% certainty that my CRT TV and cables are in good condition. I also tried to connect to this TV using the HDMI2AV adapter. and everything was fine with him. It’s unfortunate that the connector exists, but its support is not :(

mitu

I'll try to re-test this week-end, maybe there is a regression in recent kernels/firmware. I wonder if playing a movie would exhibit the same symptoms.

Xeahule

mine has been freezing a lot I've even replaced many parts including using another pie 4 , sadly nothing seems to help. I hope there is a fix for whatever this is use is, ive wasted a entire day trying.

mitu

@sexbeer I tried a test with the Composite port as video/audio and I can't notice any slowdowns. I tested a few system - NES,Arcade,NeoGeo - and it's not noticeable.

Try running an OS update and re-test.

sexbeer

@mitu

I changed some video settings in retroarch.cfg and now it's more playable.

video_hard_sync = "true"
video_max_swapchain_images = "3"
video_vsync = "false"
vrr_runloop_enable = "true"

I don’t know how it works and what it affects, but it works at least with NES.
In the lower third of the screen there was a certain flicker, the picture seemed to twitch. Now the picture has become even too smooth, which is good news :)

Rated-R

I have the same problem, I can solve it changing sdtv_mode=1 for use NTSC system instead mode=2 for PAL.
I prefer PAL colours but the flickers are awful!