OpenCPN on Raspberry Pi2

[verkerkbr]

Adreas,

I have the video memory set on 128.

Important is not to switch the "OpenGL software restart" to on. It is not OpenGL in software, but in the hardware graphics.

Zooming in too much, can give some video problems. But for normal resolutions it works and is very fast indeed.

In the opencpn.log you can see if VC4 is loaded.

Within OpenCPN you can first set OpenGL to on.

Then close and restart the system with the "experimental" driver on.

Then you have OpenGL working in Jessie en then open OpenCpn with OpenGL allready activated.

Different setups don't work.

Anyway, accelerated video works, although not yet perfect.

And if you look at the processor load indicator it is maximum 30%.

Bram

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by verkerkbr

Adreas,

I have the video memory set on 128.

Important is not to switch the "OpenGL software restart" to on. It is not OpenGL in software, but in the hardware graphics.

Zooming in too much, can give some video problems. But for normal resolutions it works and is very fast indeed.

In the opencpn.log you can see if VC4 is loaded.

Within OpenCPN you can first set OpenGL to on.

Then close and restart the system with the "experimental" driver on.

Then you have OpenGL working in Jessie en then open OpenCpn with OpenGL allready activated.

Different setups don't work.

Anyway, accelerated video works, although not yet perfect.

And if you look at the processor load indicator it is maximum 30%.

Bram

Does not work on the Raspberry Pi3.

With the Pi2 you get video corruption when zooming in to a small scale. If you put Grib to on then the screen turns green. If you switch off Grib, the screen of OpenCpn is back again.

Very fast screen movements. Works great on the Pi2 except the zooming problem.

[verkerkbr]

Enable Scaled Graphics Interface helps to stabilize the screen.

[seandepagnier]

I dearly want to try the new driver but all my sdcard readers are broken...

[verkerkbr]

B-A,

here is an impression how it works.

What does not work is:

- zooming-in to a smaller scale. 2-3 times zooming-in however works.

- grib info to "on" gives a compleet green screen and goes away when setting to off.

And screen corruption several times. Sometimes it goes away when you move the chart.

But basicly it works.

Processor load running at about 30%.

Regards,


Bram

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

I dearly want to try the new driver but all my sdcard readers are broken...

Latest kernel version of today 4.4.14-v7+. VC4 driver works now also with the Raspberry Pi3.

See the screen movements on the Pi3.

[verkerkbr]

Most programs work very well with the experimental driver and the latest kernel version. Works on the Pi2 and now also on the Pi3.

OpenCpn works well and is very fast. But the screen locks up completly when zooming-in too far. Only a restart solves this problem.

Untill a scale of 8400 (0,20) there is no problem with the ENC charts. And also (0,10) works, but with a fragmented screen. But if you moves the screen this problem goes away.

Grib to "on" gives a green screen and this goes away when switching Grib to off.

Tidal info does not show the graph, only the time.

Otherwise everything, like AIS and GPS, seems to work.

Video memory set on 144.

Bram

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by verkerkbr

Most programs work very well with the experimental driver and the latest kernel version. Works on the Pi2 and now also on the Pi3.

OpenCpn works well and is very fast. But the screen locks up completly when zooming-in too far. Only a restart solves this problem.

Did you check "suppress blur/fog effects on overzoom" as well as "supress scaled vector charts on overzoom" in the advanced display options?

This is likely a bug in the vc4 driver, but for now we could work around it and submit small programs to them that kill the driver. I just have no way to format an sd card to load up my pi, I will look for an sd card reader tomorrow.


I am assuming this zoom problem goes away without opengl enabled?

Untill a scale of 8400 (0,20) there is no problem with the ENC charts. And also (0,10) works, but with a fragmented screen. But if you moves the screen this problem goes away.

fragmented screen?!?

Grib to "on" gives a green screen and this goes away when switching Grib to off.

Tidal info does not show the graph, only the time.

Very strange this has nothing to do with opengl.

Otherwise everything, like AIS and GPS, seems to work.

Video memory set on 144.

Bram

What about raster charts? They can zoom fine? This grib green screen is sounding very strange indeed.

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Did you check "suppress blur/fog effects on overzoom" as well as "supress scaled vector charts on overzoom" in the advanced display options?

> Yes, this help to some extend.

This is likely a bug in the vc4 driver, but for now we could work around it and submit small programs to them that kill the driver. I just have no way to format an sd card to load up my pi, I will look for an sd card reader tomorrow.


I am assuming this zoom problem goes away without opengl enabled?

> Not really. O is then slow again. Screen shows corruptions with black area's. With VC4 driver in Raspian to on and with the use of ENC Charts O must have OpenGL setting to on.

fragmented screen?!?

Very strange this has nothing to do with opengl.

> Zooming in, the first problem seems to be a scattered screen. Charts fragments are then scattered . By moving the Charts on the screen several times the fragments are "stichted" together again.

> Next stage is that the system locks up completly with screen corruption all over the place. The only way to solve this, is a reboot.

What about raster charts? They can zoom fine?

This grib green screen is sounding very strange indeed.

> Tried the Kap file of the British Channel. With OpenGL in OpenCPN to on, the system locks completly and also the settings of OpenCPN are gone. With a new start of the system you have to made all the setting in OpenCPN as a new installation.

> Wih OpenGL to off it works without Problems, although the Raspian version has still the VC4 driver activated.

But with the Enc Charts and not zooming in too far. It works super !

This is a very promessing development for the Pi's.

Processor load is at a minimum, around 30%.

I hope you can find a SD reader tot test this amazing development.

Bram

[conachair]

Originally Posted by verkerkbr

This is a very promessing development for the Pi's.

Agree, though I've found the enabling the hardware opengl driver left the system too unstable for real world work, looking forward to further developments and hopefully more stable, it does speed up Opencpn nicely. Having said that, openplotter on a Pi 3 is plenty usable without the driver enabled, I did a few long passages recently and as a primary nav/boat computer it works fine imho.

[seandepagnier]

Did you disable the overzooming effects I mentioned?

Can you without opengl determine the exact point of crash, is it when the "overzoom" emboss appears? We should determine the cause and send a simple program to the vc4 developers so they might fix the driver.

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Did you disable the overzooming effects I mentioned?

Can you without opengl determine the exact point of crash, is it when the "overzoom" emboss appears? We should determine the cause and send a simple program to the vc4 developers so they might fix the driver.

Dear B_A,

this is what get after OpenGL switched off in OpenCPN and restart OpenCPN.

Pi3 with the latest kernel 4.4.14-V7+ as issued last Sunday. Before the Pi3 did not work with OpenGL.

Using high resolution ENC Charts. Zooming in with OpenGL on the problems start at around scale 8000 (0,20).

Then not O gives up, but also screen corruption all over the screen. Reboot is then the only solution.

[verkerkbr]

screen images follow later.

[verkerkbr]

first image is with experimental driver on and OpenGL in OpenCPN switched off.

second switching Grib on. After grib switch to off the chart is back again.

third image are the settings.

Just found out how to diable vertical scan with Glxgears:

vblank_mode=0 glxgears

then Glxgears is showing: 445.550 FPS.

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by conachair

Agree, though I've found the enabling the hardware opengl driver left the system too unstable for real world work, looking forward to further developments and hopefully more stable, it does speed up Opencpn nicely. Having said that, openplotter on a Pi 3 is plenty usable without the driver enabled, I did a few long passages recently and as a primary nav/boat computer it works fine imho.

If you don't zoom-in too far, that is not more then Scale 8000 (0,20x) it works very fast indeed and is usable. And the very fast OpenGL screen movements are addictif.

It can be used on this way without real problems.

Sometimes there is strange behaviour with OpenCPN with the config file. Then you have to do all the settings again just like a new installation.

The Question is, is it the driver or is it the working of OpenCPN. Other programs with the driver to on, seems to work normal.

And with Kap raster charts you can have the driver to on, but must switch OpenGL to off in OpenCPN.

Bram