Composite not working on 7.2

[Pitch64]

@joey0621 An issue has been opened

https://gitlab.com/recalbox/recalbox/-/issues/1698

[Jef_Lord]

Hello,

I'm an happy CRT user and it works for me. At every Recalbox update I have the issue because of the reset of /boot/config.txt on raspberry pi.
i have to care on many options, but one is set by default on Recalbox you have to care, that is:

hdmi_force_hotplug=1

This option will force the HDMI output. To be sure on latest release, I added hdmi_force_hotplug=0 in my included recalbox-user settings to override this option and allow CRT output.

Here is raspberry pi config definition:

hdmi_force_hotplug

Setting hdmi_force_hotplug to 1 pretends that the HDMI hotplug signal is asserted, so it appears that a HDMI display is attached. In other words, HDMI output mode will be used, even if no HDMI monitor is detected.

Hope that helps.

[Jef_Lord]

@jef_lord I also added this option:

hdmi_ignore_hotplug=1

this one forces the CRT output as described here:

hdmi_ignore_hotplug

Setting hdmi_ignore_hotplug to 1 pretends that the HDMI hotplug signal is not asserted, so it appears that a HDMI display is not attached. In other words, composite output mode will be used, even if an HDMI monitor is detected.

[Pitch64]

@jef_lord instead to edit /boot/config.txt because that file is restored to its original state at each upgrade, if you put your edits into /boot/recalbox-user-config.txt, it will stay on upgrade

[Jef_Lord]

@pitch64 I was not clear because it is what I meant by "my included recalbox-user settings".
The advantadge is now my settings are not scratched between 2 updates.
Thanks for the precision

[gfiuso]

@pitch64 Thanks,
could you paiste the your code for

config.txt
recalbox-config.txt
recalbox-user-config.txt

[Pitch64]

@gfiuso I'm not using any CRT, those files are default to me except the 2 lines for the Argon One case

[gfiuso]

@pitch64 Ok, Solved!!!
I reformatted the card
edited config.txt
hdmi_force_hotplug=1 to hdmi_force_hotplug=0

and in recalbox-user-config.txt
sdtv_mode=2
hdmi_force_hotplug=0
hdmi_ignore_hotplug=1

Thanks!

[retrogamer2000]

I couldn't get the RCA output to work, the screen on the TV is still black. Can you drop your ready-made configs here?

[Zing]

@retrogamer2000 As mentioned above, you just need to:

edit /boot/config.txt:

• Find hdmi_force_hotplug=1 and change to
  hdmi_force_hotplug=0

and

edit /boot/recalbox-user-config.txt:

sdtv_mode=2
hdmi_force_hotplug=0
hdmi_ignore_hotplug=1

[VJ]

@zing
I notice in pi4 documentation the need of turn the CRT-OUT on with enable_tvout=1 , based on it my configuration there are some lines on /boot/recalbox-user-config.txt

hdmi_force_hotplug=0
hdmi_ignore_hotplug=1
enable_tvout=1
sdtv_mode=0
disable_overscan=1
sdtv_aspect=1
sdtv_aspect=3:4
global.videomode=default

ref : https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md
But it is not working on 7.2.1.
Note: the same sets using PIOS works as expected ( it means no hardware or cable problem).

What is wrong guys ?

[Zing]

@VJ

edit /boot/config.txt:

• Find hdmi_force_hotplug=1 and change to
  hdmi_force_hotplug=0

and

edit /boot/recalbox-user-config.txt:

sdtv_mode=2
hdmi_force_hotplug=0
hdmi_ignore_hotplug=1

Sorry, I don't have Rpi4 and I can't test it, but if the other users just edited these parameters and it worked, the most logical thing is for you to test it by doing exactly the same thing and only if it doesn't work ask for help...
You should leave all other parameters as they were before and edit exactly what other users suggested...

[VJ]

@zing @Pitch64 ,
I try it many times with different cables , that works on PI OS and not on Recallbox 7.2.1.

Is it a bug ?

[Joey0621]

I've tried all the settings you've given me and I still get the same result. I even enabled the rainbow splash to see if the Pi was outputting something and I get the splash but no recallbox. Btw I'm on a Pi4. Thanx.

[digitaLumberjack]

Hi, not sure it works on PI4.

What i see is that you forgot the new option for pi4 in config.txt:

enable_tvout=1

Edit: yes you added it

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md

I'm struggling on crt with pi4 right now, and i'm not sure it will work even with this option.

global.videomode=default must be in recalbox.conf btw

Are you sure you have the right cable ?

[Joey0621]

@digitalumberjack I do have the right cable. It worked with version 7.1 no problem. But since 7.2 nothing I do seems to work. I only get a black screen.
I'm not sure I have the global.videomode=default line. I'll have to check.

[Joey0621]

After a lot of research and trial and error I finally got it working but there was something that no one has mentioned before. I had to change my video driver in the config from "dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d-pi4" to dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d. Trying different things I did manage to get video from the kms setting but it freezes at the recalbox slpash screen. (The one with the Pac-Man ghosts. Is there a way to get past the screen and load recalbox? BTW Thanks a lot for all your help!

[Zing]

@joey0621

I had to change my video driver in the config from "dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d-pi4" to dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d.

Nobody mentioned it, because it shouldn't be necessary...
As far as I know (let me make something clear: I'm not a developer, I'm just an "ordinary" user) this tweak you mention is only necessary due to a bug with CEC PULSE EIGHT on KODI, see here:

• https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/23883/radpberry-pi4-kodi-black-screen-7-2/14
• https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/24211/maj-7-1-1-vers-7-2-1-bien-mieux-mais-pb-cec-pulse-eight

it freezes at the recalbox slpash screen

It may not be related to the composite cable, see here:

• https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/24654/recalbox-splash-screen-freezes/2

[IGA]

@zing is composite output still not working on 7.2.2?

[Zing]

@iga If it doesn't work automatically, make the changes suggested above and test, it should work.