Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+

melao

I have a spare Raspberry PI 1 Model B+ and I had a 2 player USB arcade controller big enough to fit the Pi inside :)

Well I have inserted the Pi inside the controller and connected the usb ports, Retropie installed, controllers mapped. All set to go.

But the performance is terrible for NES, SNES, Genesis and Mame.

I know the limitations of the hardware, but i suppose NES, SNES, Genesis and basic MAME games such as Ms. Pac Man should be no problem for the good old Pi.

Does anybody know if it is normal to be slow on a Pi1 ? Even NES, SNES, Genesis and 80's MAME games?

Are there any speed optimizations to be done ?

During gameplay I noticed that the CPU never reached more than 84% usage (using top). So I am clueless what it could be. Can somebody help ?

ElJako

I experienced the same with a RPI1 years ago. But that model is able to emulate fine those systems.
-Are you using some shaders for the video? RPI1 are weak for that stuff.
-Bad Audio driver?
-A really big resolution by default on your config.txt?
-Try overclocking a bit...
I hope that helps! ;-)

melao

Hi El Jako, actuallly I didnt change anything in Retropie, so it is in default mode.
The resolution is 720p so i guess nothing out of the ordinary.
For audio driver, as I said i didnt change it.

About overclocking, what is would be a safe overclocking settings? I dont want to fry my Pi :)

Thanks for the reply.

ElJako

Hi! Jajaja, is not easy to fry a RPI1. So far that i used the RPI1 for gaming, only remember the parameter that refers to push the cpu to 1050Mhz... but overclocking is not change a single line, you need a "stable" configuration of cpu vs ram vs speed. Googling a bit you will see many configurations for the config.txt file. Like everyone says, make a backup of all the sdcard before. Sorry about the few help, i didn't find the sdcard that i used for RPI1. :-(

melao

No luck with the overclocking.
I removed the Pi from the controller and I tested witha Pi 2, with the Pi 2 the performance is fine.
Now I will leave it disassembled untill I get the Pi 1 to perform well. It is supposed to be enough to handle a NES/SNES/Megradrive and some Mame.

Here it is.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Nz_qTyTtesTjRkV2o1UktVWjQ/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1Nz_qTyTtesRndxSC1mWGtRMjg
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1Nz_qTyTtesSko4XzlBQkctTHM

And a view from the top.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1Nz_qTyTtesREdOWl9yZ2YtbGM

BuZz

update retropie-setup, and launch the "configuration editor" and try lowering the "render resolution" for libretrocores

Make sure the snes emulator is pocketsnes.

What overclocking did you do - please provide details

What PSU are you using ?

melao

Hi Buzz, i will try your recommendations.

For the overclock, I used the HIGH settings on the raspi-config as below:

High   950MHz ARM, 250MHz core, 450MHz SDRAM, 6 overvolt

PSU, I used an Apple 2.1A charger and another 2.1A charger called fishbone, plus one Mi Powerbank that is able to pump 2.1A as well.

Fishbone (pretty cool! I recommend a lot!): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/805339168/fishbone-charging-station-tidy-up-and-charge-up

Mi Powerbank (10000mAh): http://www.mi.com/en/powerbank/

melao

Hi Buzz,

list itemlaunch the "configuration editor" and try lowering the "render resolution" for libretrocores

I launched ./retropie_setup.sh but I cannot find the render resolution anywhere

meleu

This post is deleted!

meleu

I was experiencing the same problem. It was solved when I changed the Overclock to Turbo (using raspi-config).

Meneer Jansen

@meleu said in Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+:

I was experiencing the same problem. It was solved when I changed the Overclock to Turbo (using raspi-config).

That's interesting. I use a Pi 1B without overclock and I've got no probs w/ the classic consoles (snes etc.) nor w/ Mame. I can even play Quake III Arena fine and Jedi Outcast runs quite well too, except when there are a lot of stormtroopers around. Only the newer consoles don't work.

meleu

@Meneer-Jansen Do you use your rasp1 offline? I'm thinking if this slowness is because of my wifi dongle...

I'm disappointed with the poor picodrive even with a Turbo overclocking...

Meneer Jansen

@meleu said in Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+:

@Meneer-Jansen Do you use your rasp1 offline? I'm thinking if this slowness is because of my wifi dongle...

I'm disappointed with the poor picodrive even with a Turbo overclocking...

Maybe, maybe not. I use my Pi w/ a wired internet connection. Wireless connection is very bad. My wireless dongle goes on an off the whole time. And I think it requires too much Amps. Power is always an issue w/ the Pi. Weird things happen if the Pi's under powered.

meleu

@Meneer-Jansen god dammit! You're right! I've tested picodrive with no wifi dongle and it runs smoothly!
It's unfortunate... I was trying to dedicate my raspi1 to be my RetroPie for earning RetroAchievements, and I have to be online for this...

Well... Thanks for show me what is the problem.

Meneer Jansen

@meleu said in Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+:

@Meneer-Jansen god dammit! You're right! I've tested picodrive with no wifi dongle and it runs smoothly!
It's unfortunate... I was trying to dedicate my raspi1 to be my RetroPie for earning RetroAchievements, and I have to be online for this...

Well... Thanks for show me what is the problem.

Glad to've been of help. :-) In the future you can chech if your Pi's in trouble (CPU wise) by logging into is via SSH (Windows: use PuTTY) and type the command:

top

If your Pi's running Emulationstation w/ NO emu active then the CPU load should be no more than 30% after a while.

meleu

@Meneer-Jansen said in Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+:

In the future you can chech if your Pi's in trouble (CPU wise) by logging into is via SSH (Windows: use PuTTY) and type the command:

top

If your Pi's running Emulationstation w/ NO emu active then the CPU load should be no more than 30% after a while.

"Unfortunately" the rasp must be connected to receive outside ssh connections. :D

Nevermind... I'll find another application for my old raspi1.

And thanks for the measure. This value (30%) is for a raspi1, right?

Meneer Jansen

@meleu said in Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+:

@Meneer-Jansen said in Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+:

In the future you can chech if your Pi's in trouble (CPU wise) by logging into is via SSH (Windows: use PuTTY) and type the command:

top

If your Pi's running Emulationstation w/ NO emu active then the CPU load should be no more than 30% after a while.

"Unfortunately" the rasp must be connected to receive outside ssh connections. :D

Nevermind... I'll find another application for my old raspi1.

And thanks for the measure. This value (30%) is for a raspi1, right?

When I try to measure CPU load I disconnect the WiFi USB dongle and the Ethernet cable. The max load (when Emulationstation is idle!) is indeed max. 30% on my Pi 1B.

[edit: corrected typo in the word disconnect]

Meneer Jansen

Oops. I meant disconnect the Wifi dongle in my post above.

meleu

@Meneer-Jansen said in Performance Problems - Raspberry PI 1 Model B+:

Oops. I meant disconnect the Wifi dongle in my post above.

OK. It makes sense now. :)
You can edit it to avoid misunderstading for future readers.
Thanks for your replies. My rasp1 is running very well.