Headless Operation

  • I have just begun to use LibreElec as a home music server, running on a Raspi 3 with a USB hard disk. Although a newbie with the Raspi, I was able to set up and configure LibreElec very easily using a normal keyboard and monitor, with the display set to 1920x1080 50p. The server runs perfectly, just as I hoped. However, the server normally runs headless, and I want to use VNC viewer from another PC to do any maintenance that may be required. But when I connect in this way, the LibreElec menu system defaults to 720 60p, in a small window, and this makes the text very difficult to read. The display resolution settings are all greyed out, so I am unable to change them. Is there any way to change these defaults? I am unsure as to whether this is in fact a LibreElec issue, or is a function of the Raspberry PI, but I would appreciate any advice you can give me.

    Thanks, IanS

  • Although I have a setup similar to yours and don't have that issue you can add this line to config.txt to then set your display settings without monitor attached to hdmi...

    Code
    hdmi_force_hotplug=1
  • Thanks for all the replies. I have now resolved the issue, though it wasn't quite so straightforward. Adding the "hdmi_force_hotplug=1" line to the config file did activate the LibreElec resolution setting. However, although I could change the setting (I wanted 1920x1080), and I could see the display resolution change, when prompted to accept the new resolution, the display immediately dropped back to the oriiginal. I could find no way for it to keep the new, higher resolution. So I changed the config file again, adding additional lines for "hdmi_group=1" and "hdmi_mode = 31" (for 1080 50p).

    So problem solved, plus I learned a little more about the Raspi along the way!