What are your OVERCLOCKING settings when using XBMC??

[bazpaul]

Hi guys, I want to overclock my Pi for the best XBMC experience (totally overclocking n00b here)

Can you please post;

1. - overclocking settings you use
2. - what image you use (Xbian, openElec....)
3. - Noticeable performance/issues

Looking forwarding to pushing my little pi

[Metatronin]

It works and is fairly workable as long as the gpu has 128mb of ram allocated to it. I believe RasBMC is clocked 800Mhz off the bat. 800 mhz works fairly well for all the different xbmc variations.

[steev]

I'm using:
arm_freq=900
core_freq=350
sdram_freq=500
No overvolt

Seems a bit snappier

Haven't had any issues with these settings so far (YMMV)

[bazpaul]

I'm using:
arm_freq=900
core_freq=350
sdram_freq=500
No overvolt

Seems a bit snappier

Haven't had any issues with these settings so far (YMMV)

very nice - what build is this? xbian, raspbmc, openElec???

[stevhorn5]

OpenElec

RPi 512mb version

arm_freq=900
core_freq=333
sdram_freq=450
over_voltage=2

[steev]

I'm using:
arm_freq=900
core_freq=350
sdram_freq=500
No overvolt

Seems a bit snappier

Haven't had any issues with these settings so far (YMMV)

very nice - what build is this? xbian, raspbmc, openElec???

Raspbmc

I think I had my core_freq too high, though, because I started getting black screens after watching youtube for a while today. Restored it back to the default (core_freq=250) now no more black screens.

[notarat]

I'm running forced overclocking (not dynamic/Turbo/whatever it's called)

arm_freq=950
core_freq=450
sdram_freq=500

No overvolt.

[bazpaul]

I'm running forced overclocking (not dynamic/Turbo/whatever it's called)

arm_freq=950
core_freq=450
sdram_freq=500

No overvolt.

Wow nice! what's the difference? between forced and dynamic?

[BadBoyBubby]

OpenElec

RPi 512mb version

arm_freq=900
core_freq=333
sdram_freq=450
over_voltage=2

I'm using this on my 256 pi runs smooth on openelec dynamic overclock

Difference between dynamic and forced apart from warranty being void when using forced.

Forced = runs overclocked all the time
Dynamic = overclocks when required

Bubby

[TheSinding]

My setup is
arm_freq=1100
core_freq=500
isp_freq=500
sdram_freq=500
over_voltage=6

And on Raspbmc..
When i first got the device I was really disappointed of the preformance, so I put on a heat shink and overclocked it.. Now im really happy with it. It runs smoothly @1100Mhz, with around 57C when I watch 1080p @24 frames, and DTS sound

[bazpaul]

My setup is
arm_freq=1100
core_freq=500
isp_freq=500
sdram_freq=500
over_voltage=6

And on Raspbmc..
When i first got the device I was really disappointed of the preformance, so I put on a heat shink and overclocked it.. Now im really happy with it. It runs smoothly @1100Mhz, with around 57C when I watch 1080p @24 frames, and DTS sound

Wow that's pretty impressive, I would be worried that my pi wouldnt last too long with such an overvolting!!

can you recommend a heat sink for that?

[TheSinding]

Wow that's pretty impressive, I would be worried that my pi wouldnt last too long with such an overvolting!!

Yeah I know. I might go and tweak it a little, to see if I can get higher Mhz with lower voltage.
Or just see if I can lower the voltage
I will update you on that if you like.

can you recommend a heat sink for that?

Well what I did was, I found a old graphics card with a passive heat sink, then I messured the chips on the raspberry pi. Now knowing the diamentions of the chips, I then took a hacksaw and cut the aluminiums heat sink to the correct size of the two chips, put on some thermalpaste and put on the heat sinks..
But I won't recommend this approch, rather find some small, already cut, heat sinks on ebay or any other sites, then mount them on the raspberry pi chips with some thermaltape instead. I think this would get a much better result, both in practical (lowering the temparture), and it will look much better + plus mine is "loose", meaning if I touch em they could move.

I might buy some of these heat sinks
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xbox-360-ram-he ... 20cddfa109

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5pcs-22-22-10-M ... 416a5e4ff0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5pcs-22mm-22mm- ... 3f1e0b4671

and put it on my raspberry, if I find the time.
But if you are thinking of overclocking to my level, I strongly recommend these heat sinks with thermaltape.

[ryantc]

I am using OpenELEC and using the config.txt like this
force_turbo = 0
arm_freq=840 (this is the value from xbian)
core_freq=375 (this is also the value from xbian)
sdram_freq=400
over_voltage=0

Now it plays 1080p DTS 5.1 MKV from server without problem

[TheSinding]

I am using OpenELEC and using the config.txt like this
force_turbo = 0
arm_freq=840 (this is the value from xbian)
core_freq=375 (this is also the value from xbian)
sdram_freq=400
over_voltage=0

Now it plays 1080p DTS 5.1 MKV from server without problem

The problem wasn´t the playback of mkv files, my raspberry pi runs that fine even at 700Mhz, the problem for me was the menu navigation.
It was sooooooooooo laggy and everything took aloooong time to do.
Then after I overclocked it the menus runs smoothly..

I dont know if thats just my problem or what..
Can anyone comfirm that its laggy in the menus?

[bazpaul]

I'm Running raiper skin at default settings and it's a little laggy.....I may need to wait a second or two when entering my movies folder.

I did find refocus skin to run quite smooth.

Quick question - will the amount of add-ons and installed stuff on the SD card hinder performance???

Similar to a windows Pc that runs slow when bloated with too much software???

[notarat]

OpenElec

RPi 512mb version

arm_freq=900
core_freq=333
sdram_freq=450
over_voltage=2

I'm using this on my 256 pi runs smooth on openelec dynamic overclock

Difference between dynamic and forced apart from warranty being void when using forced.
Forced = runs overclocked all the time
Dynamic = overclocks when required

Bubby

Incorrect. I can run forced overclock 24/7 as long as I don't overvolt.

Warranty bit does not get set if you don't overvolt.

[bennypr0fane]

The problem wasn´t the playback of mkv files, my raspberry pi runs that fine even at 700Mhz, the problem for me was the menu navigation.
It was sooooooooooo laggy and everything took aloooong time to do.
Then after I overclocked it the menus runs smoothly..

I dont know if thats just my problem or what..
Can anyone comfirm that its laggy in the menus?

Yes, very same problem, it annoys the hell out of me. Even the mouse pointer lags.
I'm really hoping this goes away with better clocks settings

[wartstew]

I have 2 RPi's (just got my new 512M version).

My original one (one of the 1st 10,000 made) has had lots of trouble corrupting its SD card, even with the "Core" not overclocked. I even stuck a home-brew heatsink (glued a brass "swamp cooler" water-line fitting on to it) on the memory chip, which *did* help a lot, but I still can't seem to get more than 850mhz cpu, 350mhz gpu, (and no memory overclock), to be stable, and perhaps even that isn't very stable. Adding any overvoltage setting only made things worse. I've heard it is all about the memory chip used in these early units.

Early testing on my new 512M RPi shows rock stable performance at cpu=900Mhz, with some overclocking of the other sections too, and with overvoltage set to "2". I have some "ebay special" heat sinks on order for this thing and will eventually see how high I can go, hoping for 1-Ghz or better and 500mhz memory like others have achieved.

Anyway, on using XBMC as a mythtv (using cmyth PVR addon) playing untranscoded ATSC "over the air" HD recordings from a myth-backend on my network, I get pretty good performance but have to clock-sync to "audio" in the XBMC settings to keep the audio in sync, so I guess it is dropping some frames.

Finally, I too have slow GUI responses. All is fine until I have something playing. I have an IR sensor attached to the GPI pin as described elsewhere and when something is playing, I often have push buttons repeatably to get a response. When nothing is playing the remote is very responsive. I wonder if some priorities can be tweaked, even if it corrupts the video for a second or so, just to get GUI interactions to be more responsive?

Also on using the "cmyth" mythtv addon, the "current recordings" will not update (from my 0.26 version backend). I have to reboot the whole thing to get the list updated. It looks like this is a known problem and someone has an experimental patch-fix for it. Hopefully we can get this fix into our RPI XBMC versions soon! I also can't get the addon to pick up the "skip commercial" flags that the myth-backend prepares for it.

Anyway, my project to make a usable MythTV frontend out of a RPI is close to being there. Ideally think it would be good to have the "real" myth-frontend running on the RPI (using omxplayer as the playback engine), and with the 512M units being the standard shipping units, there should be enough memory for this now. (It would be nice if omxplayer would signal an X-server to do an entire "screen damage" refresh after it stops).

[Rushingjs]

So, I know it's been a little while, but I too am using raspberry pi's as mythtv frontends using the cmyth add-on via openElec.

I have a main HTPC with a ceton infinitv, and use MoCA to connect to my Raspberry Pi's in other rooms via verizon actiontec routers.

I am having a somewhat consistent issue with one of the Pi's dropping the live TV stream. It always seems to happen at a commercial break, the video will go black, but sound will still play for 5-10 seconds, and then no sound either. If I hit stop and then tune the channel again, it works for a random amount of time and then sooner or later drops the stream in the same manner. This is only on one of the PI's. I don't have it overclocked in hopes that this would be the cause but so far no luck.

Just wondering if perhaps you ever ran into this issue. Other than this using a PI as a frontend for mythtv is pretty solid.

Thanks,

Joe

[a9971256]

Everything is based off the cooling that you use. You could have air products come over ad deliver liquid nitrogen to cool your pi running at maybe 3 ghz. Or you can use a nice heat sink or forced cooling system like a peltier. I use mine at rediculus speeds without a heat sink. 1100mhz seems to be amazing with XBMC. However, XBMC is so heavy that it is common that it overheats at regular speed (800). It could be conditional. I have compiled for 16 hours straight without my pi crashing. I believe that the speed is dependent on the core_freq and the gpu_freq. the core is needing to be faster and the gpu houses the L2 cache. Also, if you have 512 MB pi, give 256 to gpu. No matter what I try, I ain't able to get my pi use more than 128 MB of ram

[x7dude]

BUMP

Lets see if we can't get this thread active again. What OC settings have you guys had successful with?

I've experienced the same super laggy menu navigation that some of the other guys mentioned, but OCing is helping make it snappier! Haven't pushed it too far yet however, waiting for heatsinks to get here from DX.com (great store if you're outside the US, free shipping makes even small orders do-able), and wanted to get a feel for how far y'all have managed to push yours (I'm running Xbian beta1.1 on a model B 512mb).

[jestergreen]

Hi. I'm using raspbmc, with a sd card + usb 3.0 32gb in the top usb slot, 3 excessive heatsinks and a 60mm PC fan, a wired mouse, usb WiFi, 32gb USB stick for cartoons, music etc, 10 port usb hub powering everything, so 1 plug.
2 raspbmc cases, some aluminium foil tape and 6 elestic bands
Using reaspbmc settings I have got to,
CPU 1050
Core 500
ISP 500
GPU 253
Ram 550
Ov 6
Its now at 20 hrs non stop tvcatchup, di radio, and utube.
Menu lag is almost extinct now.
Hope this helps, and I also have no real idea what I am doing, other than having fun.

[jamesh]

BUMP

Lets see if we can't get this thread active again. What OC settings have you guys had successful with?

Why? There a list of various valid OC settings above - do we need any more? You can keep trying settings, best I've heard of is 1.2Ghz, you won't break it, but not everyone will get that far.

I've experienced the same super laggy menu navigation that some of the other guys mentioned, but OCing is helping make it snappier! Haven't pushed it too far yet however, waiting for heatsinks to get here from DX.com (great store if you're outside the US, free shipping makes even small orders do-able), and wanted to get a feel for how far y'all have managed to push yours (I'm running Xbian beta1.1 on a model B 512mb).

No need for heatsinks, won't make any difference. Chip was designed not to need them.

[PiModules]

Hi,
In a case you will finally need cooling (or like just to have it), we released a new product - the PiCoolFan. It is Pi Cooling FAN System with embedded RTC and Power monitoring in a very good price
A detailed description can be found at

http://www.pimodules.com/_pdf/PCFM_V1.05.pdf

Fit-in to most of the cases without any modification.

Available via listed distributors:

http://www.pimodules.com/index-2.html

It is PWM controlled speed with very low power consumption and extremely low noise.

You have in addition of the cooling FAN, an RTC and Real Time Powering Monitor, everything controlled via I2C

PiCoolFan_1.jpg (36.77 KiB) Viewed 55854 times

PiCoolFan_2.jpg (51.28 KiB) Viewed 55854 times

PiCoolFAN_3.jpg (44.07 KiB) Viewed 55854 times

Warmest Regards
Pi Master

[coolskull007]

just wondering how much does one overvolt setting add?