RPi3B+ LE11, h.264 1080p requiring more than 'force_turbo=1' or 'core_freq_min=500'... Is it just me?

bd0426 · March 17, 2023 at 3:20 PM

Fresh install of LE11 on RPi3B+. Official power supply. Verified sd card. Ethernet networking.

I don't have any local h.264 1080p content, but do stream a lot of 1080p YouTube content via the addon. With LE11 I experience a lot of AV-sync-issues/skipping.

I saw the suggestion(s) to try force_turbo=1 or core_freq_min=500. I did so one at a time, then both. Definitely not enough to get smooth playback in any combination.

What I ended up with after a bit of tinkering is the following...

kernel=zImage

arm_freq=1375

core_freq=525

gpu_freq=525

over_voltage=3

force_turbo=1

sdram_freq=625

sdram_schmoo=0x02000020

over_voltage_sdram_p=4

over_voltage_sdram_i=3

over_voltage_sdram_c=3

With that I am able to achieve perfect 1080p h.264 playback from YouTube all day/night.

My RPi3B+ has adequate cooling, so this configuration is no problem, and I'm ok with leaving it that way.

That said, a couple questions come to mind because I don't see anyone else reporting this on the forum. LE11 has been around and more than daily-driver usable since sometime in the early nightlies so I would imagine I can't be the first person trying YouTube h.264 1080p streams.

What are the chances I have a bunk Pi ready to fail?

Is there anybody using a RPi3B+, watching 1080p h.264 YouTube content that doesn't need force_turbo=1 or core_freq_min=500 (because it seems the suggestion is that you MAY need it).

Alternatively, does adding force_turbo=1 or core_freq_min=500 change your h.264 1080p YouTube experience from unacceptable to acceptable?

Thanks.

crash626 · April 17, 2023 at 1:11 PM

Hi!

I also have this problem RPI2 (LE 11.0.1). h.264 via TVH-Plugin is ok, but streaming (Prime, Netflix) using input.adaptive is very choppy. It seems that input.adaptive is using software decoder. And this is too much for this SOC. Even with force_turbo=1.

Maybe someone can confirm this?

Take a look what decoder is used.

Tom

**chewitt** · April 17, 2023 at 1:23 PM

Media from TVH is not going through the widevine (software) decryption path so will be hardware decoded. DRM encoded content requires software decoding regardless of format and RPi2/3 will struggle with 1080p media unless (as posted above) overclocking is used. The other option is to configure inputstream.adaptive to select 720p not 1080p to keep within CPU capabilities.

FireLord · June 6, 2023 at 1:53 PM

Since using LE11 with my RPI3B i noticed also several problems. Using the RPI3B with LE11 the menu is a bit slower, still fine to use, but when i played widevine content after that the LE11 UI is super slow and sometimes so slow that navigating in folders takes minutes and i have to reboot the RPI3B to start with a fresh and faster UI.

RPI3 and widevine is no satisfying experience in most cases. I can play widevine content in 720p, but start and stop of the content takes some time, but after 1 min it runs smooth mostly.