Blackscreen after changing the resolution in the Retropi

jhny0

I always get a black screen when I change the resolution in the settings of my Retropi and do a restart. After the restart I always have to use SSH in the

/boot/config.txt

comment out the command

#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

then it starts the boot process with the desired resolution and then jumps back to the old resolution.

Has anyone here perhaps already had the same problem or a suggestion how to eliminate the problem?

Greetings
jhny0

mitu

Please add more info about your system, as detailed in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first.

If you are using raspi-config to change the resolution - which resolution are you trying to set ? raspi-config writes the settings to /boot/config.txt, can you post content of that file ?

jhny0

Pi Model or other hardware: 4, 4GB Version, LG Full HD TV
Power Supply used: USB-C 5.1V, 3A
RetroPie Version Used version 4
Built From: Pre made SD
USB Devices connected: Bluetooth Adapter 4.0 USB.20,
Controller used: 4 Controllers 2x PS4, / 2x N64-USB
Error messages received: No Error Messages only BlackScreen
Guide used: Google Search topics

How to replicate the problem:
I have the problem with every resolution except with the standard setting which is set after the installation of the RetroPi. The black screen occurs when I set the resolution inraspi-config
and when I change the resolution manually viaconfig.txt, e.g. 1024x786.

What I already wrote in my first post, I have to use the command # hdmi_force_hotplug = 1
comment out so that I even get a picture on my TV.

# 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=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=3

# 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
overscan_scale=1


##########################
#### DISABLE BLUETOOTH ######
##########################
dtoverlay=pi3-disable-bt


#hdmi_force_hotplug=1
#hdmi_cvt=1024 768 60 3
#hdmi_group=1
#hdmi_mode=3
#hdmi_drive=2

Thanks in advance for an answer.

mitu

@jhny0 said in Blackscreen after changing the resolution in the Retropi:

I have the problem with every resolution except with the standard setting which is set after the installation of the RetroPi. The black screen occurs when I set the resolution in raspi-config

RetroPie doesn't set any resolution, the system decides which is the best resolution, based on the what the display (your TV) reports as supported resolutions.
Maybe the resolution you're trying to set is not supported by your TV - you can find out by running tvservice -m CEA and tvservice -m DMT from a command line.

The lines I see you added at the end of the file have no effect on the video resolution if you will not un-comment them, but as it stands they seem to select 480p (see the list of available video mode at https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md).

What is the default resolution, without any configuration, that your system uses ?

jhny0

In raspi-config only this mode works (default resolution):

Default monitor preferred resolution
It seems to be that the default resolution is 1920x1080.

Every other Resolution won't work.

I also tried tvservice -m CEA and tvservice -m DMT myself with no working result.

mitu

@jhny0 said in Blackscreen after changing the resolution in the Retropi:

I also tried tvservice -m CEA and tvservice -m DMT myself with no working result.

If no other video mode shows up, then your TV doesn't report any other supported video modes. But at least one of the commands should show 1 video mode as supported and used/preferred (1080p), do both show up has 0 modes: ?

The Runcommand launch menu should allow you to change resolution before running a game, does that work ? It should show a list of supported video resolutions, as reported by your TV. It's better to use it, instead of globally changing the resolution, if supported.

jhny0

I am now trying to describe my problem again in another way:
So far I have tried many options and, as I said, always had the problem that I got a black screen.
I can see the boot process on my TV at every resolution that I have set. The black screen occurs exactly when the Retropie logo and the Emulation Station logo should appear.

The two best 2 examples are, if I comment out hdmi_safe = 1 then I can see the boot process in my desired resolution, after the boot process I get the black screen as described. In the second example I comment out framebuffer_width and framebufffer_height and set a resolution. I can only see the boot process halfway in my desired resolution, then it jumps back to the standard resolution.

With the argument "not working results on the tvservice -m command" I meant that it shows me options, but none of them work.

It is not easy to describe the problem correctly, actually it is nothing really complicated.

mitu

@jhny0 said in Blackscreen after changing the resolution in the Retropi:

I comment out framebuffer_width and framebufffer_height and set a resolution.

The framebuffer width/height do not set the video resolution, they just adjust the framebuffer size. Not sure if they have any effect on a Pi4.

If you wish to set the video resolution, then use the hdmi_group and hdmi_mode options accordingly (see the link I posted earlier).

jhny0

Ok, thank you. I'll give a try with those options.