Others Popping sound from Pistation LCD Screen + Forced Resolution?

[MushGuy]

Hello, so I finally assembled my Raspberry Pi 4 into the Pistation Case with the LCD screen plugged in, and I noticed something weird: When plugged to my HDTV with the LCD screen used as a pass-through, the maximum resolution I can get from it is 720p instead of 1080p. Is it because of the LCD screen that forces the former resolution?. Also, when I use the LCD screen instead of my HDTV, when I reboot it or shut it down, I hear a popping sound, which normally doesn't happen when I plug it in to my HDTV. Is this popping normal? The OS I'm using is Raspberry Pi OS. I have yet to use Retropie in it.

 

[esmith13]

While I don't have one of these PiStation cases with LCD, I have worked with Pi portables that also hook up to TV's a bit.
I can tell you that the config.txt on the boot partition of your SD card has the settings for the HDMI mode you are in (or how to auto detect it from the screen). I can also tell you that the Pi determines what the resolution will be during the boot process, so if the PiStation LCD is indeed 720p and you hook it up to your TV while it's already running it will definitely stay 720P.
If you post the contents of your "config.txt" and, if you have one "config64.txt" I could give you a better idea if they are locking the HDMI to the resolution of the screen.

Also, if the PiStation allows EDID info from the external HDMI port to pass thru, it is possible to automate resolution switching between the built-in screen and the TV by modifying the config files to have two different settings (hardcoded settings for the LCD and either hardcoded or automatic settings for external displays) by putting in separate display settings that are activated based on EDID information.

As for the audio pop, that's likely the power being cut on and off to the pi which isn't being filtered by the amplifier they chose to use for the screen. Cheap amps I have soldered in to my own small projects have experienced this very often. A good amp has an onboard power filter or uses capacitors or resistor to control the flow of power better. What you hear isn't damaging anything, it's just a sign of cheaply constructed parts designed to just "get the job done". You're not working with the kind of power levels that would damage a speaker by allowing this popping sound.

 

[jujuassou]

same problem !! i think ALL pistation LCD block to 720p....it's a big shame !! the Output HDMI of the Gpi case 2 is 1080p.......so fucking retroflagPieceofSh*t !! (i use Batocera)

 

[esmith13]

Did the PiStation require any special settings to be put on your SD card either by hand or by running/installing something?
If so point me to the changes needed and I can probably help.

At the very least, perhaps someone can post the contents of their config64.txt file on the boot partition (regardless of what game OS you use). If you don't have config64.txt then post config.txt instead.

 

[esmith13]

Actually, if one of you can run the following command from a terminal with NO external monitor hooked up (just use the PiStation LCD only) and attach the dat file you get back, it's possible this can be fixed for everyone who has this case easily (assuming it was built correctly, lol).

The command would definitely work on Retropie, not sure about batocera or recalbox but worst that will happen is you don't get the output file I need.
EDIT: It might even be easier to just take a separate SD card and put Raspberry Pi OS on it just to do this test.

The command dumps the EDID data from the currently connected display (in this case, the PiStation LCD):

tvservice -d /tmp/edid.dat

Then you would have to get that 'edid.dat' file from the 'tmp' folder to your computer so you can attach it here.
If the LCD screen is programmed correctly, it will have an EDID, which is essentially both a unique identifier for the screen and optionally a set of specifications to tell a connected device what video and audio modes it supports.

We can then use the EDID (let's call it a serial number) of the PiStation LCD to add lines to the 'config64.txt' and 'config.txt' on your SD card to make your HDMI output *always* set to 1080p, unless it's connected to the serial number of the PiStation LCD, in which case it would use separate settings for 720p instead.
Since the HDMI port on the PiStation is a pass-thru, this all hinges on two things being done by retroflag:
1) The LCD has a unique serial number (EDID) programmed in to it
2) The Pass-thru connection being done 'properly' so that when a TV is connected, the LCD is 'disconnected' so that the only HDMI device visible to the Pi is the external TV/Monitor.

Essentially, this would be the code that you would add to the end of config.txt and/or config64.txt:

## Settings for Video Output (TV @ 1080p/60Hz)
hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=16
## Alternate Settings for Video Output (Monitor @ 1080p/60Hz)
## hdmi_group=2
## hdmi_mode=82
## hdmi_drive=2


[edid=LCD_EDID_NUMBER_GOES_HERE]
## PiStation LCD 720p
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=85
hdmi_drive=2

 

[jujuassou]

i can't do this, i know nothing but i hope some one in the world will fix it ♥ cause....it's really shame. i don't want to install / uninstall the LCD EACH TIME. like, i think, all of us, we want 1080p with LCD Screen connected !
but thanks i hope it will help ♥

 

[esmith13]

I took a shot in the dark and sent a technical question via email to retroflag in case no one with the PiStation is willing or able to help figure this out. I doubt they will reply (or at least not with an actual technical answer) but it was worth the 30 second email to try...

My real fear is that their "passthru" is really just a dumb splitter and trying to pull any EDID config info would just show the LCDs settings and not the connected TV, otherwise they could have wrote a "patcher" themselves like they do with some of their other products.

 

[jujuassou]

Yep, True ! i send already....10 tweets but NO ANSWER so....ok.
i hope you will have an answer by mail lol

 

[esmith13]

Doesn't sound too promising then... I posted in the GBATemp news post about the PiStation and asked if anyone was able to test for me could they please post here in this thread. Guess we'll see.

I personally own almost all of the retroflag products but can't really justify the PiStation for myself since I have no need for a semi-portable Pi device. I'm actually expecting my new GPi Case 2 tomorrow but unfortunately it's the version without the dock since it wasn't available with it in stock.

 

[remax]

Glad to see someone trying to take care of this anoying problem : here is my file, please ask if there are a problem or need for another test

This file matches the file found here : https://edid.tv/edid/1219/

so i can guess the SN is 16843009 ?

 

[esmith13]

Glad to see someone trying to take care of this anoying problem : here is my file, please ask if there are a problem or need for another test

This file matches the file found here : https://edid.tv/edid/1219/

so i can guess the SN is 16843009 ?

Thanks so much!
With ONLY the PiStation LCD hooked up can you also run the command

tvservice -n

and reply with the result?
It should come back with

device_name={something}

That should be enough info to make a test configuration

 

[remax]

device_name=YDK-YD2680

I don't think i'll have time for more tests today, as i have to go to bed

 

[esmith13]

device_name=YDK-YD2680

I don't think i'll have time for more tests today, as i have to go to bed

Thanks! I'll post the config changes here in a bit for any PiStation owner to try.

 

[esmith13]

OK. If anyone wants to try this, just paste the following code at the VERY END of your 'config.txt' file.

# This sets 1080p as the default
hdmi_drive=2
hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=16

# This sets 720p for PiStation LCD only
[EDID=YDK-YD2680]
hdmi_drive=2
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=85

If you're not familiar with how to do this, just put your Pi's SD card into your computer and open it. you should see a 'Config' file as well as possibly a 'Config64' file. You add the code above to the regular config file that EVERYONE will have. Config64 may not even exist for you.

The code is also attached as a txt file you can download. If the PiStation LCD's switch to external video is done PROPERLY, than plugging in a TV to the full size HDMI port BEFORE booting up should put the TV in1080p mode. If it's STILL in 720p, then technically the Pi sees BOTH the TV and the LCD at the same time (meaning they did a shitty job building it).

 

[remax]

Well, i fear it's been done the bad way... The screen is shut down correctly but the resolution is stuck on 720p and when i try a tvservice -n, it's still YDK-YD2680

It even seems i can't force 1080, my monitor display out of range with the 2 settings you gave.

EDIT : Things seems not so desperate as i can force 1080p using tvservice... but fbset stay stuck in my previous resolution, making the screen taking only a part of my monitor...
My lack of knowledge in this kind of thing makes me stabbing in the dark.

 

[esmith13]

Yeah, if it still reads the device name of the lcd when hooked to an external display they they built it the quick and dirty way. There are still ways to force it with custom scripts in retropie but I don't know if that could damage the lcd or still not work since it seems the lcd may be just mirroring its signal to the external display.

This is so stupid. The literally could have tapped both micro hdmi ports, one for lcd and the other for external and it could have been a "dumb switch" between the two with independent resolution settings.

Pistachios seems like the first major product screwup from RetroFlag IMHO...

 

[remax]

Well, i won't go to the point of saying it's a major screw up as you still can easily remove the screen (it's only two screws) and have access to the real micro hdmi ports from the Pi...

But it's far less convenient and make the hdmi port on the screen less interresting...

 

[soaresden]

Yeah, if it still reads the device name of the lcd when hooked to an external display they they built it the quick and dirty way. There are still ways to force it with custom scripts in retropie but I don't know if that could damage the lcd or still not work since it seems the lcd may be just mirroring its signal to the external display.

This is so stupid. The literally could have tapped both micro hdmi ports, one for lcd and the other for external and it could have been a "dumb switch" between the two with independent resolution settings.

Pistachios seems like the first major product screwup from RetroFlag IMHO...

Hi !

I just got myself the device, and I'm on Batocera. Effectively, the output is a 720p.
I thought when buying it will be like the Switch, you got 720p and then when you plug your tv, it will get 1080p !

tvservice don't work on Batocera.
The only thing I could get from is with
```batocera-resolution listModes```

Which list the following informations :

[root@BATOCERA /userdata/system]# batocera-resolution listModes
max-1920x1080:maximum 1920x1080
max-640x480:maximum 640x480
0.1280x720.60:1280x720 60Hz (1280x720)
1.1280x720.60:1280x720 60Hz (1280x720)
2.1024x576.60:1024x576 60Hz (1024x576)
3.800x600.75:800x600 75Hz (800x600)
4.800x600.72:800x600 72Hz (800x600)
5.800x600.60:800x600 60Hz (800x600)
6.800x600.56:800x600 56Hz (800x600)
7.848x480.60:848x480 60Hz (848x480)
8.800x480.60:800x480 60Hz (800x480)
9.640x480.75:640x480 75Hz (640x480)
10.640x480.73:640x480 73Hz (640x480)
11.640x480.60:640x480 60Hz (640x480)

[root@BATOCERA /userdata/system]# batocera-resolution currentMode
0.1280x720.60

So you are right I guess, the LCD is 720p limited, but I would like to know if there is a way to the detect an actual trigger" "plugging/unplugging the hdmi"

 

[esmith13]

Hi !

I just got myself the device, and I'm on Batocera. Effectively, the output is a 720p.
I thought when buying it will be like the Switch, you got 720p and then when you plug your tv, it will get 1080p !

tvservice don't work on Batocera.
The only thing I could get from is with
```batocera-resolution listModes```

Which list the following informations :

[root@BATOCERA /userdata/system]# batocera-resolution listModes
max-1920x1080:maximum 1920x1080
max-640x480:maximum 640x480
0.1280x720.60:1280x720 60Hz (1280x720)
1.1280x720.60:1280x720 60Hz (1280x720)
2.1024x576.60:1024x576 60Hz (1024x576)
3.800x600.75:800x600 75Hz (800x600)
4.800x600.72:800x600 72Hz (800x600)
5.800x600.60:800x600 60Hz (800x600)
6.800x600.56:800x600 56Hz (800x600)
7.848x480.60:848x480 60Hz (848x480)
8.800x480.60:800x480 60Hz (800x480)
9.640x480.75:640x480 75Hz (640x480)
10.640x480.73:640x480 73Hz (640x480)
11.640x480.60:640x480 60Hz (640x480)

[root@BATOCERA /userdata/system]# batocera-resolution currentMode
0.1280x720.60

So you are right I guess, the LCD is 720p limited, but I would like to know if there is a way to the detect an actual trigger" "plugging/unplugging the hdmi"

That's the problem, the Pi sees the lcd configuration even when the TV is plugged in, it therefore can't bypass those limitations by design for safety of the display it sees.
You can try the command for ignoring all EDID data and then force 1080p, but it's possible the lcd could be damaged and/or that since the signal passes thru the lcd it will be garbled on the TV.

Try it at your own risk.

I wonder if you disassemble the shell for the lcd, is there room in there to put a tiny micro hdmi to full hdmi adapter in there to the second pi4 video port (obviously after cutting holes in the lcd shell). Then you could just script it to look on video 2 first (tv) and only if absent use video 1 (LCD)