Hanging emulators when vsync is enabled

JK1974

Hi,

as soon as I enable vsync in the emulator settings, the emulator hangs after a few seconds/minutes. It´s not the whole system because I can kill the task using putty and then return back to EmulationStation, but the emulator itself remains unreactive (the RetroArch menu e.g. also does not show). However, it does not happen on all cores - I did not see problems e.g. with Stella and FCEUmm in RetroArch, but with ParallelN64, BeetlePSX as well as non-RetroArch emulators like Dolphin and FS-UAE.

My system, running the latest Batocera, is an old, but emulation-wise powerful AMD FX4300 (compared e.g. to an Raspi3 😉) on an 780G/SB700 chipset mainboard with 4GByte RAM. The graphics card is an AMD Radeon R9 280x - AFAIK the most powerful AMD card with DVI-I that can be connected to a CRT via DVI-/VGA-to-RGB connector.

On the exact same hardware, I installed Win10 for diagnostic purposes and let a burn-in benchmark run for >1h and also tested Dolphin with Vsync enabled without problems, so I believe that this problem is Linux kernel or driver specific.

Currently, I think it is related to this line in the Xorg.0.og, but could not find a solution yet on the web:
(EE) RADEON(0): drmmode_do_crtc_dpms cannot get last vblank counter
This line is always shown when starting an application that has Vsync enabled.

Some more lines:
[ 5.467] (II) RADEON(0): Creating default Display subsection in Screen section "Default Screen Section" for depth/fbbpp 24/32 [ 5.467] (==) RADEON(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32 [ 5.467] (II) RADEON(0): Pixel depth = 24 bits stored in 4 bytes (32 bpp pixmaps) [ 5.467] (==) RADEON(0): Default visual is TrueColor [ 5.467] (==) RADEON(0): RGB weight 888 [ 5.467] (II) RADEON(0): Using 8 bits per RGB (8 bit DAC) [ 5.467] (--) RADEON(0): Chipset: "TAHITI" (ChipID = 0x6798)

[ 5.957] (II) Module glamoregl: vendor="X.Org Foundation" [ 5.957] compiled for 1.20.6, module version = 1.0.1 [ 5.958] ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4 [ 6.137] (II) RADEON(0): glamor X acceleration enabled on AMD TAHITI (DRM 2.50.0, 5.4.32, LLVM 9.0.0) [ 6.137] (II) RADEON(0): glamor detected, initialising EGL layer. [ 6.137] (II) RADEON(0): KMS Color Tiling: enabled [ 6.137] (II) RADEON(0): KMS Color Tiling 2D: enabled [ 6.137] (==) RADEON(0): TearFree property default: auto [ 6.137] (II) RADEON(0): KMS Pageflipping: enabled [ 6.168] (II) RADEON(0): Output DisplayPort-0 has no monitor section [ 6.170] (II) RADEON(0): Output HDMI-0 has no monitor section [ 6.171] (II) RADEON(0): Output DVI-0 has no monitor section [ 6.190] (II) RADEON(0): Output DVI-1 has no monitor section [ 6.220] (II) RADEON(0): EDID for output DisplayPort-0 [ 6.221] (II) RADEON(0): EDID for output HDMI-0 [ 6.223] (II) RADEON(0): EDID for output DVI-0 [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): EDID for output DVI-1 [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Printing probed modes for output DVI-1 [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x60.0 65.00 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (48.4 kHz e) [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Modeline "800x600"x60.3 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync (37.9 kHz e) [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Modeline "800x600"x56.2 36.00 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync (35.2 kHz e) [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Modeline "848x480"x60.0 33.75 848 864 976 1088 480 486 494 517 +hsync +vsync (31.0 kHz e) [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x480"x59.9 25.18 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync (31.5 kHz e) [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Output DisplayPort-0 disconnected [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Output HDMI-0 disconnected [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Output DVI-0 disconnected [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Output DVI-1 connected [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Using exact sizes for initial modes [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): Output DVI-1 using initial mode 1024x768 +0+0 [ 6.238] (II) RADEON(0): mem size init: gart size :7fbcc000 vram size: s:c0000000 visible:f728000 [ 6.238] (==) RADEON(0): DPI set to (96, 96) [ 6.238] (==) RADEON(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)

[ 6.239] (II) RADEON(0): [DRI2] Setup complete [ 6.239] (II) RADEON(0): [DRI2] DRI driver: radeonsi [ 6.239] (II) RADEON(0): [DRI2] VDPAU driver: radeonsi [ 6.240] (II) RADEON(0): Front buffer size: 3072K [ 6.240] (II) RADEON(0): VRAM usage limit set to 224928K [ 6.242] (II) RADEON(0): SYNC extension fences enabled [ 6.243] (II) RADEON(0): Present extension enabled [ 6.243] (==) RADEON(0): DRI3 enabled [ 6.243] (==) RADEON(0): Backing store enabled [ 6.243] (II) RADEON(0): Direct rendering enabled [ 6.312] (II) RADEON(0): Use GLAMOR acceleration. [ 6.312] (II) RADEON(0): Acceleration enabled [ 6.312] (==) RADEON(0): DPMS enabled [ 6.312] (==) RADEON(0): Silken mouse enabled [ 6.312] (II) RADEON(0): Set up textured video (glamor) [ 6.313] (II) RADEON(0): [XvMC] Associated with GLAMOR Textured Video. [ 6.313] (II) RADEON(0): [XvMC] Extension initialized.

Do you have any hints, maybe at least on how to continue the investigation?
Thanks a lot in advance!

joinski

JK1974

could you test with the current beta of 5.27, to see if your issue still persists?

JK1974

@joinski Thanks for you reply, and sorry for my late reply.

I installed the Beta 2020/09/15, and EmulationStation is not shown anymore on my CRT after upgrading.
I found out that “DVI-1” is aparrently renamed to “DVI-I-1”, so I updated the xinitrc with the custom modes manually first. And indeed, after reboot, xrandr shows me that my custom mode 768×576@50Hz is apparently chosen.
Nevertheless, my screen stays blue, which means on my JVC CRT: no or wrong signal.

This is my the Xorg.0.log file:

And this is my updated xinitrc:

However, it seems to be more related to EmulationStation, because I can see the Batocera boot logo, and "xrandr –output DVI-I-1 –mode “PAL 768×576 (50Hz)”" gives me a black screen instead of blue, which means that I then get a signal. I can see from “ps aux” that EmulationStation is running.

After stopping the S31emulationstation and starting it again, I get this log from a just created Xorg.1.log file:

Please tell me when I can test anything else or if you need any other log file.

ZFEbHVUE

JK1974

Hello JK1974

I have the same problem with Batocera 5.27 in 15KHz for Pcx64Bits : Nothing to the screen with DVI-0 and I feel the EmulationStation doesn’t start because I get no sound. I tried to put DVI-I-0 but nothing more. if i put DVI-I-1, I can heard the sound in EmulationStation but no screen. In my configuration, I must put DIV-I-0 …. I did it before with DVI-0 until Batocera 5.26 and it worked fine in 15KHz ….

In my video card : DVI-0 : DVI (Numeric and Analogic) DVI-1 DisplayPort (Only Numeric) so I must put DVI-0 or DVI-I-0 to have VGA connection.

Stéphane.

JK1974

xrandr tells me:
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 768 x 576, maximum 16384 x 16384 DP-1 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) DVI-D-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) DVI-I-1 connected 768x576+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm

So I believe that DVI-I-1 is right (and not DVI-I-0).

ZFEbHVUE

JK1974

For .xinitrc :

xrandr –newmode “648X480_15KHz_50Hz” 12.625000 648 672 736 808 480 534 539 625 -HSync -VSync interlace
xrandr –addmode DVI-0 “648X480_15KHz_50Hz”
xrandr –output DVI-0 –mode “648X480_15KHz_50Hz”

xandr tells me (Batocera 5.25 and 5.26) :

Screen 0: minimum 320 × 200, current 648 × 480, maximum 16384 × 16384
DisplayPort-0 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-0 connected 648×480+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
1024×768 60.00
800×600 60.32 56.25
848×480 60.00
640×480 59.94
648X480_15KHz_50Hz 50.00*

And it’s worked until Batocera 5.26 for 15Khz ( 648X480_15KHz_50Hz 50.00*).

I think there did something into the 5.27 because it doesn’t work anymore …

And I can’t show you what’s happen with 5.27, because i have not screen and if I do a SSH; I can’t open display with xrand. I must put another LCD screen on display port (DP) of my video card (DVI+DP).

Stéphane.

ZFEbHVUE

JK1974

Under 5.27 with in .xinitrc :

xrandr –newmode “648X480_15KHz_50Hz” 12.625000 648 672 736 808 480 534 539 625 -HSync -VSync interlace
xrandr –addmode DVI-I-1 “648X480_15KHz_50Hz”
xrandr –output DVI-I-1 –mode “648X480_15KHz_50Hz”
xrandr >/tmp/XRANDR_SCREEN

the file /tmp/XRANDR_SCREEN (xrandr) tells me :
Screen 0: minimum 320 × 200, current 648 × 480, maximum 16384 × 16384
DP-1 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-1 connected 648×480+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
1024×768 60.04 60.00
960×720 60.00
928×696 60.05
896×672 60.01
1024×576 59.95 59.96 59.90 59.82
960×600 59.93 60.00
960×540 59.96 59.99 59.63 59.82
800×600 60.00 60.32 56.25
840×525 60.01 59.88
864×486 59.92 59.57
848×480 60.00
700×525 59.98
800×450 59.95 59.82
640×512 60.02
700×450 59.96 59.88
640×480 60.00 59.94
720×405 59.51 58.99
684×384 59.88 59.85
640×400 59.88 59.98
640×360 59.86 59.83 59.84 59.32
512×384 60.00
512×288 60.00 59.92
480×270 59.63 59.82
400×300 60.32 56.34
432×243 59.92 59.57
320×240 60.05
360×202 59.51 59.13
320×180 59.84 59.32
648X480_15KHz_50Hz 50.00*

The ES seems to run because I get the music but not screen with 648X480_15KHz_50Hz 50.00* …

And with :

xrandr –newmode “648X480_15KHz_50Hz” 12.625000 648 672 736 808 480 534 539 625 -HSync -VSync interlace
xrandr –addmode DVI-I-0 “648X480_15KHz_50Hz”
xrandr –output DVI-I-0 –mode “648X480_15KHz_50Hz”
xrandr >/tmp/XRANDR_SCREEN

Screen 0: minimum 320 × 200, current 1024 × 768, maximum 16384 × 16384
DP-1 disconnected primary (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-1 connected 1024×768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
1024×768 60.04* 60.00
960×720 60.00
928×696 60.05
896×672 60.01
1024×576 59.95 59.96 59.90 59.82
960×600 59.93 60.00
960×540 59.96 59.99 59.63 59.82
800×600 60.00 60.32 56.25
840×525 60.01 59.88
864×486 59.92 59.57
848×480 60.00
700×525 59.98
800×450 59.95 59.82
640×512 60.02
700×450 59.96 59.88
640×480 60.00 59.94
720×405 59.51 58.99
684×384 59.88 59.85
640×400 59.88 59.98
640×360 59.86 59.83 59.84 59.32
512×384 60.00
512×288 60.00 59.92
480×270 59.63 59.82
400×300 60.32 56.34
432×243 59.92 59.57
320×240 60.05
360×202 59.51 59.13
320×180 59.84 59.32

648X480_15KHz_50Hz (0×6e6) 12.625MHz -HSync -VSync Interlace
h: width 648 start 672 end 736 total 808 skew 0 clock 15.62KHz
v: height 480 start 534 end 539 total 625 clock 50.00Hz

It cannot do xrandr –output DVI-I-0 –mode “648X480_15KHz_50Hz”

Stéphane.

joinski

ZFEbHVUE

Unfortunately, it is sometimes the case that after an update certain things no longer work as they did before.
The use of 15kHz monitors is also a special case (guess, only very few people use Batocera for such a case).
If you absolutely need it to work, you have only 2 options:
Either you are using an older Batocera version or another OS where that works. Or you try to convince nadenislamarre/susan34, that he checks again why it no longer works with 5.27 and that he should fix it.
i remember, that you already discussed with him on discord?

ZFEbHVUE

joinski
joinski

hello Joinski.

Thank you for your response. I know that very few people still use a CRT monitor. I have spent quite a bit of time getting the 15KHz to work on Batocera. Why because I love this distribution and I appreciate all the work done by the authors and the contributors since may 2018 after testing Recalbox/Retropie on RPI3 or PCx64Bits.

I already explained the problem to Nicolas (nadenislamarre) but it’s not too much his domain and I don’t know who to talk here to make it work again with this latest version of Batocera.

Like you said, Batocera 5.22 until 5.26 works well with 15KHz and this is the main ! I like retrogaming, but I’m not a player. I’m a guy who like to repare (my arcade borne) and test for me but for others too. Everything I’ve done for Batocera 15KHz(PCx64Bits), I’ve explained here on Neo-arcadia.

One thing is sure for now I’m not going to turn to another distribution and I’ll try to find the solution.

Have nice day :-)

JK1974

What is the alternative when you want to use a CRT with best performance and analog output/low latency?
Even an RPi4 is not able to play all SD emulators in full speed (like GameCube, PCSX2), and more capable SOC boards like the Odroid-N2 do not have an analog output. And HDMI-to-RGB converters introduce delays and also might not scale the image in the same way the original maschines do.

Batocera nevertheless is amazing - don´t get me wrong, and I would really like to stay with this great distribution. I hope that it is just a config problem, but I don´t have enough insights in the inner workings.

Since this vsync bug is not new and this issue does not happen on Win10, I think about setting up a “normal” current distro and try to set some of the emulators manually to check it more closely - if I find the time for this…
If it works, I just can put this info here and add some logs, but I will for sure not be able to continue investigating or deliver fixes if I don´t get some hints where to look for by someone with more internal linux knowledge.

joinski

ZFEbHVUE

I can fully understand you.
Can be frustrating, if something does not work (anymore) the way, it used to work before.
Hopefully someone will get in touch soon who can help (unfortunately, I can’t help because I don’t have the knowledge)