Model 3 A+ Display issues on 55 inch screen

[Whoatealltheriipi]

Hi,

I purchased my first A+ and installed noobs onto it connected hdmi to a 32 inch TV and it's been solid for several months. Also config was not altered and works like a charm.

Yesterday I received a second new A+ and installed noobs on it. This pi is connected to a 55 inch TV via hdmi and installation went smoothly.

When testing video in YouTube through chromium the top of the video output window showed 4 small screens instead of one large one.

I then checked the gpu memory settings and increased from 64 to 128 which resulted in the video displaying normally.

However the video lags and buffers a lot now.

I then tested that the 1st pi taken from the 32 inch TV to the 55 inch tv. The result is the same video working but very laggy.

The intention is to use the pi solely for watching online TV on the 55 inch TV so no other tasks would be running just chromium.

Has anyone had similar issues?

[jamesh]

Is that a 4K screen?

[fanoush]

This is not related to Pi A+ but to recent Chromium update
start reading here
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=236393#p1448960 - 64MB issue
and here
viewtopic.php?p=1454782#p1454312 - speed
downgrading to older chromium makes it fast again

[Imperf3kt]

Is that a 4K screen?

I can confirm that a Pi3A+ works exactly the same on a 32" HDTV @1080p as it does on a 55" 4KTV @1080p. At least, for me.

[stuartiannaylor]

Screen size doesn't matter if its 1080p, 2k or 4k shouldn't matter as the pi should still be 1080p.
The question was is the screen 1080p or 4k?

Also don't turn on the OpenGL driver with the Pi3a+ as it seems to allocate 256mb to cma and think the GPU, leaving precious little left.

Apart from that if I have to be honest when it comes to full screen 1080p I haven't seen flawless pi playback as it always seems to micro stutter to me.

But hey.

If you have the OpenGL driver set there just aint enough memory.

[rpdom]

Screen size doesn't matter if its 1080p, 2k or 4k shouldn't matter as the pi should still be 1080p.

Why doesn't it matter? The Pi will try to match the best screen resolution it can. 1080p is the best it can decode video natively in hardware, but people have had desktops running (slowly) in 4K.

[stuartiannaylor]

Screen size doesn't matter if its 1080p, 2k or 4k shouldn't matter as the pi should still be 1080p.

Why doesn't it matter? The Pi will try to match the best screen resolution it can. 1080p is the best it can decode video natively in hardware, but people have had desktops running (slowly) in 4K.

That was assumption with me that VC4 upper end was fixed to 1080p and never thrown it on anything above.
Just edit config.txt and set hdmi_mode=31 if its a TV but you can always check https://elinux.org/RPiconfig
Its prob CEA being a TV but you can force that
hdmi_group=1 CEA
hdmi_group=2 DMT

otherwise hdmi_mode=16

It micro stutters at 1080p to a level I don't like but try that but from my 1080p experience if your TV is 4K force 1080p and let your TV upscale.
So apols as that was a bum steer from playing with too many pi clones.
Also should of said don't turn on the experimental KMS OpenGL driver as the 256MB CMA just is far too much with only 512MB

You can try an lower the Hz with
hdmi_mode=32 1080p 24 Hz
hdmi_mode=33 1080p 25 Hz
hdmi_mode=34 1080p 30 Hz

You can run the full experimental KMS OpenGL but seems you have to limit mem by adding cma=128MB /boot/cmdline.txt so it looks something like this

Code: Select all

dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=serial0,115200 console=tty1 root=PARTUUID=3dc7df30-02 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline fsck.repair=yes rootwait cma=128MB

You could with a heatsink maybe squeeze a bit more out with an OC.
I just have a cheapo 22mm stick on heatsink but seem to manage this and yeah think it is a little better but IMHO there are always micro stutters full screen 1080p when your source is 1080p

Code: Select all

temp_soft_limit=70
arm_freq=1550
gpu_freq=500
core_freq=500
sdram_freq=500
sdram_schmoo=0x02000020
over_voltage=6
sdram_over_voltage=2

[andrum99]

You can try an lower the Hz with
hdmi_mode=32 1080p 24 Hz
hdmi_mode=33 1080p 25 Hz
hdmi_mode=34 1080p 30 Hz

That's not a good idea, as the TV may not support it. And it won't make much difference, since the GPU load will be very similar to 50 or 60Hz. The best idea is to force the Pi to output 1080p by putting the following into /boot/config.txt:

Code: Select all

hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=31

Then check on the TV that the Pi is actually producing that video mode.

[stuartiannaylor]

You can try an lower the Hz with
hdmi_mode=32 1080p 24 Hz
hdmi_mode=33 1080p 25 Hz
hdmi_mode=34 1080p 30 Hz

That's not a good idea, as the TV may not support it. And it won't make much difference, since the GPU load will be very similar to 50 or 60Hz. The best idea is to force the Pi to output 1080p by putting the following into /boot/config.txt:

Code: Select all

hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=31

Then check on the TV that the Pi is actually producing that video mode.

50hz is just a common max if its not supported it just will not display or have some crazy effect.
The OC settings are prob OTT as well but something to play with and tweak, but honestly whatever is done there will be elements of micro stutter that would be a game breaker for me, but each to their own the encode and decode is 30hz doubt it would make a difference but you could try.

[fourteenthrees]

I'm having the same problem on a Raspberry Pi Zero, four video boxes playing glitchy stuff. IThe CPU is also at 100% I do not have a heat synch.

Here is an example of what happens when I try to watch a youtube video:

https://imgur.com/a/QaTfTDC

I installed a Nest security system at my office and wanted to display the live camera share link with a Pi Zero to an HDMI television. I had a Model B+ at home with a TFT and everything worked fine. I was using thModel B/TFT for another project so I took a Pi Zero and tried to set an easy view of this share link with my Pi Zero and maybe a TV or monitor.

I tried displaying on an older Vizio HD TV, a small monitor from my video rig, and finally a computer monitor. I've watched plenty of videos on all the Pi projects I've completed (roughly 4).

Thanks,

Timothy

[stuartiannaylor]

I'm having the same problem on a Raspberry Pi Zero, four video boxes playing glitchy stuff. IThe CPU is also at 100% I do not have a heat synch.

Here is an example of what happens when I try to watch a youtube video:

https://imgur.com/a/QaTfTDC

I installed a Nest security system at my office and wanted to display the live camera share link with a Pi Zero to an HDMI television. I had a Model B+ at home with a TFT and everything worked fine. I was using thModel B/TFT for another project so I took a Pi Zero and tried to set an easy view of this share link with my Pi Zero and maybe a TV or monitor.

I tried displaying on an older Vizio HD TV, a small monitor from my video rig, and finally a computer monitor. I've watched plenty of videos on all the Pi projects I've completed (roughly 4).

Thanks,

Timothy

I thinks its to do with the amount of gpu memory available and which opengl driver setup you use.
Pi3A+ is the same ram and at times got exactly the same 4 boxes with various setups.
Sometimes would get the 4 boxes and then a refresh would fix.

I will prob play with a zero-w later but my usual lite version of stretch-lite and minimal install is this.
https://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_lite_latest

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -y update
sudo apt-get -y dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install -y xserver-xorg-video-fbturbo xserver-xorg-core xinit x11-xserver-utils xfonts-100dpi xfonts-75dpi xfonts-base xfonts-scalable libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-utils  mesa-vdpau-drivers chromium-browser
echo '# avoid sleep
xset s off -dpms
# browse a generic page
chromium-browser --noerrdialogs https://google.co.uk --window-size=1920,1080 --window-position=0,0 --no-first-run'>.xinitrc
echo '
# startx on login
[[ -z $DISPLAY && $XDG_VTNR -eq 1 ]] && exec startx > /dev/null 2>&1'>>.bashrc

Also on the initial sudo raspi-config turn off overscan, set the gpu mem split 128, select console autologin, enable ssh and set up your wifi.
Prob have to do the boot console autologin again as the dist-upgrade seems to overwrite that setting.

Then reboot and you just need to change the https://google.co.uk address to your camera and can also set --start-fullscreen --kiosk and various other options from https://peter.sh/experiments/chromium-c ... -switches/
Never really expected the lowly zero to much with 1080p but will tell you later after I try
Its very dependent on the source as watch lower than 1080p @ 1080p requires less resource and its likely the vids you did watch where.
Still think its doable and like I say will prob have a go later,
PS the thermal tape adhesive heatsinks are just a couple of £ on ebay or amazon but the piZ doubt it would make much difference.

Code: Select all

/opt/vc/bin/vcgencmd measure_temp

think its above 70'c from memory when it throttles an expecting you are much lower.

[EDIT]
Nope gave in poor pi-zero didn't have a chance plays and no 4 box thingy but the mega-stutter and buffering on a 1080p source @ 1080p full screen is pretty awful
Pi3A+ yeah enough horses but zero nope.

[andrum99]

I'm having the same problem on a Raspberry Pi Zero, four video boxes playing glitchy stuff. IThe CPU is also at 100% I do not have a heat synch.

Here is an example of what happens when I try to watch a youtube video:

https://imgur.com/a/QaTfTDC

I installed a Nest security system at my office and wanted to display the live camera share link with a Pi Zero to an HDMI television. I had a Model B+ at home with a TFT and everything worked fine. I was using thModel B/TFT for another project so I took a Pi Zero and tried to set an easy view of this share link with my Pi Zero and maybe a TV or monitor.

I tried displaying on an older Vizio HD TV, a small monitor from my video rig, and finally a computer monitor. I've watched plenty of videos on all the Pi projects I've completed (roughly 4).

Thanks,

Timothy

All models of Pi should work equally well, if configured correctly. You should not have to tweak the GPU memory allocation, although increasing it beyond the default of 128MB can't hurt. It looks like your screen is probably running at 1080p, but just to check, can you tell me what the output of the following command is:

Code: Select all

tvservice -s

[andrum99]

You can try an lower the Hz with
hdmi_mode=32 1080p 24 Hz
hdmi_mode=33 1080p 25 Hz
hdmi_mode=34 1080p 30 Hz

That's not a good idea, as the TV may not support it. And it won't make much difference, since the GPU load will be very similar to 50 or 60Hz. The best idea is to force the Pi to output 1080p by putting the following into /boot/config.txt:

Code: Select all

hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=31

Then check on the TV that the Pi is actually producing that video mode.

50hz is just a common max if its not supported it just will not display or have some crazy effect.
The OC settings are prob OTT as well but something to play with and tweak, but honestly whatever is done there will be elements of micro stutter that would be a game breaker for me, but each to their own the encode and decode is 30hz doubt it would make a difference but you could try.

All 55 inch screens will support 1080p@50 or 60Hz. They may do strange things at lower refresh rates. If 50 or 60Hz works, the OP can try a lower refresh rate later.

[fourteenthrees]

I'm having the same problem on a Raspberry Pi Zero, four video boxes playing glitchy stuff. IThe CPU is also at 100% I do not have a heat synch.

Here is an example of what happens when I try to watch a youtube video:

https://imgur.com/a/QaTfTDC

I installed a Nest security system at my office and wanted to display the live camera share link with a Pi Zero to an HDMI television. I had a Model B+ at home with a TFT and everything worked fine. I was using thModel B/TFT for another project so I took a Pi Zero and tried to set an easy view of this share link with my Pi Zero and maybe a TV or monitor.

I tried displaying on an older Vizio HD TV, a small monitor from my video rig, and finally a computer monitor. I've watched plenty of videos on all the Pi projects I've completed (roughly 4).

Thanks,

Timothy

All models of Pi should work equally well, if configured correctly. You should not have to tweak the GPU memory allocation, although increasing it beyond the default of 128MB can't hurt. It looks like your screen is probably running at 1080p, but just to check, can you tell me what the output of the following command is:

Code: Select all

tvservice -s

The output of your requested command is: state 0x12000a [HDMI DMT (82) RGB full 16:9], 1920x1080 @60.00Hz, progressive

Thanks

[stuartiannaylor]

Gpu memory does very little for video and with 512mb to start with 256mb for gpu will leave the pi practically barren, with a fight between cache/buffer and the last remaining for chromium which might not even run.
I will be honest and say no pi is great at 1080p video its not bad when lower res is upscaled to 1080 resolution, but full source even on the 3b 3a+ still has extremely noticeable micro stutter.
32gb is enough space to hold the pixels for 1080p and likely to be no different to 256mb even if you could run it.
The zero running chromium with a fullscreen 1080p vid if you check the output of `top` its loadavg usually a minimum of 4.

I did check it out and thought maybe it would as do use chromium with magicmirror which actually it does manage.
Get a 2nd user pi2 to pi3 or maybe a new 3a+ and yeah with a slight micro stutter every now and then it will do an ok job.
The VC4 GPU is the weak link on the Pi now it was sort of ok when the Pi1 came out but really showing its age now.
At higher resolution starting with HD it does struggle even on the latest but for what you seem to be using any model but the zero would do.
Save yourself some time...

PS a 2nd user firestick often is about £20 and likely to beat the pants off a pi which is a great bit of kit but HD vid just aint its forte especially the zero.

[andrum99]

The output of your requested command is: state 0x12000a [HDMI DMT (82) RGB full 16:9], 1920x1080 @60.00Hz, progressive

That is 1080p @60Hz, so something else is causing the distortion. What does the output of this command produce:

Code: Select all

vcgencmd get_mem gpu

That will report the amount of memory allocated to the GPU. As long as it is 128MB or above then that will be fine. The distortion you are seeing looks like it is coming from whatever is generating the video. Are you using the experimental GL desktop driver?

[stuartiannaylor]

Suddenly thought why are we killing the zero with Chromium and why not VLC.
Start with a fresh copy of https://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_lite_latest

sudo raspi-config
Set ssh on, overscan off, boot console autologin, mem split 128/192mb as VLC runs in much less so more mem is avail, set your wifi

then edit the vlc --fullscreen https:// line to the ip of your camera or where ever you need to point it

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -y update
sudo apt-get -y dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install -y xserver-xorg-video-fbturbo xserver-xorg-core xinit x11-xserver-utils xfonts-100dpi xfonts-75dpi xfonts-base xfonts-scalable libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-utils  mesa-vdpau-drivers vlc
echo '# avoid sleep
xset s off -dpms
# browse a generic page
vlc --fullscreen  --preferred-resolution 1080 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2L2UGZJAM' > .xinitrc
echo '
# startx on login
[[ -z $DISPLAY && $XDG_VTNR -eq 1 ]] && exec startx > /dev/null 2>&1' >> .bashrc

Tested and works great in comparison to chromium trying to play 1080p on a zero the loadavg is about .8

[fourteenthrees]

Suddenly thought why are we killing the zero with Chromium and why not VLC.
Start with a fresh copy of https://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_lite_latest

sudo raspi-config
Set ssh on, overscan off, boot console autologin, mem split 128/192mb as VLC runs in much less so more mem is avail, set your wifi

then edit the vlc --fullscreen https:// line to the ip of your camera or where ever you need to point it

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -y update
sudo apt-get -y dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install -y xserver-xorg-video-fbturbo xserver-xorg-core xinit x11-xserver-utils xfonts-100dpi xfonts-75dpi xfonts-base xfonts-scalable libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-utils  mesa-vdpau-drivers vlc
echo '# avoid sleep
xset s off -dpms
# browse a generic page
vlc --fullscreen  --preferred-resolution 1080 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2L2UGZJAM' > .xinitrc
echo '
# startx on login
[[ -z $DISPLAY && $XDG_VTNR -eq 1 ]] && exec startx > /dev/null 2>&1' >> .bashrc

Tested and works great in comparison to chromium trying to play 1080p on a zero the loadavg is about .8

I found a model B and swapped the project to that Pi and am now using the Zero with Stretch Lite to host a php script for some other project. The model B ran fine on first try! The Zero, I’d ordered it the day it came out. Maybe it was too old? Not sure if they changed? I appreciate your help, stretch lite does make the Zero run a lot better.

[stuartiannaylor]

Suddenly thought why are we killing the zero with Chromium and why not VLC.
Start with a fresh copy of https://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_lite_latest

sudo raspi-config
Set ssh on, overscan off, boot console autologin, mem split 128/192mb as VLC runs in much less so more mem is avail, set your wifi

then edit the vlc --fullscreen https:// line to the ip of your camera or where ever you need to point it

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -y update
sudo apt-get -y dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install -y xserver-xorg-video-fbturbo xserver-xorg-core xinit x11-xserver-utils xfonts-100dpi xfonts-75dpi xfonts-base xfonts-scalable libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-utils  mesa-vdpau-drivers vlc
echo '# avoid sleep
xset s off -dpms
# browse a generic page
vlc --fullscreen  --preferred-resolution 1080 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2L2UGZJAM' > .xinitrc
echo '
# startx on login
[[ -z $DISPLAY && $XDG_VTNR -eq 1 ]] && exec startx > /dev/null 2>&1' >> .bashrc

Tested and works great in comparison to chromium trying to play 1080p on a zero the loadavg is about .8

I found a model B and swapped the project to that Pi and am now using the Zero with Stretch Lite to host a php script for some other project. The model B ran fine on first try! The Zero, I’d ordered it the day it came out. Maybe it was too old? Not sure if they changed? I appreciate your help, stretch lite does make the Zero run a lot better.

No it didn't change my pi-zero was just like yours, also my pi3A+ on occasion did the same with the 4 box thing.
I don't know if its distro / kernel but running video on any pi via chromium sucks due to micro stutters.
Its been like this for a while and you get micro stutters, I thought I might be able to get a minimal zero chromium working but with a loadavg of > 4 it was just dying.
The above on a B should be like Usain Bolt B+ try VLC as the micro stutter is near perfect in comparison to chromium on the zero but its chromium not the PI zero.
If you ran that last time with chromium just give it a try with VLC just to see the difference and how smooth compared to before has shocked me and something must be wrong with hardware acceleration with Chromium.
I am not even sure on a Zero with the above even if that is software but if it is hardware acceleration it actually works.
You can change the source to http://distribution.bbb3d.renderfarming ... normal.mp4 to check also as the loadavg on the zero is down to 0.80

[fourteenthrees]

Suddenly thought why are we killing the zero with Chromium and why not VLC.
Start with a fresh copy of https://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_lite_latest

sudo raspi-config
Set ssh on, overscan off, boot console autologin, mem split 128/192mb as VLC runs in much less so more mem is avail, set your wifi

then edit the vlc --fullscreen https:// line to the ip of your camera or where ever you need to point it

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -y update
sudo apt-get -y dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install -y xserver-xorg-video-fbturbo xserver-xorg-core xinit x11-xserver-utils xfonts-100dpi xfonts-75dpi xfonts-base xfonts-scalable libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-utils  mesa-vdpau-drivers vlc
echo '# avoid sleep
xset s off -dpms
# browse a generic page
vlc --fullscreen  --preferred-resolution 1080 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2L2UGZJAM' > .xinitrc
echo '
# startx on login
[[ -z $DISPLAY && $XDG_VTNR -eq 1 ]] && exec startx > /dev/null 2>&1' >> .bashrc

Tested and works great in comparison to chromium trying to play 1080p on a zero the loadavg is about .8

I found a model B and swapped the project to that Pi and am now using the Zero with Stretch Lite to host a php script for some other project. The model B ran fine on first try! The Zero, I’d ordered it the day it came out. Maybe it was too old? Not sure if they changed? I appreciate your help, stretch lite does make the Zero run a lot better.

No it didn't change my pi-zero was just like yours, I don't know if its distro / kernel but running video on any pi via chromium sucks.
Its been like this for a while and you get micro stutters, I thought I might be able to get a minimal zero chromium working but with a loadavg of > 4 it was just dying.
The above on a B should be like Usain Bolt B+ try VLC as the micro stutter is near perfect in comparison to chromium, but also works extremely well on the zero but its chromium not the PI zero.
If you ran that last time with chromium just give it a try with VLC just to see the difference and how smooth compared to before has shocked me and something must be wrong with hardware acceleration with Chromium.
I am not even sure on a Zero with the above even if that is software but if it is hardware acceleration it actually works.
You can change the source to http://distribution.bbb3d.renderfarming ... normal.mp4 to check also

I tried VLC but couldn’t get it to talk to the Nest share link. I wish omxplayer could do it, that program worked well for me on video wall art project I made for the house. I made a picture frame that always plays Space Odyssey 2001 on 3.5” PiTFT. I used xscreensaver with a blank screen to make the appearance of full screen. The .sh script I wrote worked really well once I took xterm out of the code in the tutorial I’d found.

[stuartiannaylor]

https://www.ispyconnect.com/userguide-nest.aspx ?

https://www.unifore.net/ip-video-survei ... layer.html ?

Dunno aint got a nest

I am just wondering what the crack is with Chromium its loadavg is like x5 that of vlc and don't think that is just Chromium I think something is wrong with its build.

[andrum99]

https://www.ispyconnect.com/userguide-nest.aspx ?

https://www.unifore.net/ip-video-survei ... layer.html ?

Dunno aint got a nest

I am just wondering what the crack is with Chromium its loadavg is like x5 that of vlc and don't think that is just Chromium I think something is wrong with its build.

You can try loading the previous Pi optimised version of Chromium. You need the old version of the chromium-browser package found at http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbia ... m-browser/. You will probably need a corresponding version of rpi-chromium-mods as well. You might have difficulty getting it to install - it will need some careful manipulation of the packages, or just copy the binaries over the top of the newer files directly. That would be useful as it would give the folks at Raspberry Pi a good data point to see where the problem is coming from.

[stuartiannaylor]

I got a Raspberry3B about December 2016 and generally its been the same since.
I have periods of raspberry play but on every model since at least the above if you actually have 1080p source then Chromium full screen micro stutters and has heavy load.

In Ubuntu x86_64 Chromium is about 10-15% heavier than VLC but causes considerably more load than Chromium (not Chrome) on windows.
Deb & Ubuntu with Chromium never seem to be all that optimised but what happens in Raspbian I am not sure but the load goes through the roof and that has been long term.
Likely my setup as presume I am running just default drivers so my Nvidia card isn't being picked up and the Ubuntu loadavg is likely software decode on an I5 3570k but its raspbian that just goes crazy with load but its strange as check the below.

Pixel has bemused me for some time and just presumed it was Pixel or whatever the name for Raspberry desktop is.
With a Pi3B fresh install 192mb allocated to GPU both VLC and Chromium cause heavy load with Chromium being near 2 & VLC 1.5 Loadavg streaming http://distribution.bbb3d.renderfarming ... normal.mp4 direct.

I am not sure what it is as the above setup running on the same Pi3B with the standalone VLC script from above runs at generally just less than .40 loadavg and what pixel does to VLC is a mystery with the same source of http://distribution.bbb3d.renderfarming ... normal.mp4

Pixel on the Pi with VLC & http://distribution.bbb3d.renderfarming ... normal.mp4 Loadavg 4+ ?!

So which version of chromium as its been like that for a long time but what happens in pixel? What version is needed for that?

I never actually ran VLC like the above Chromium seems a build problem and something seems to be wrong with Pixel.
To be honest I thought much of this was just VC4 and part of why often critical of an aged GPU that seems to constrain pi development terribly.
If anyone else is compiling or testing previous versions of Chromium don't use Pixel for benchmarks use a basic light minimal xorg setup as whatever is choking VLC in pixel is likely to choke your tests.

[andrum99]

So which version of chromium as its been like that for a long time but what happens in pixel? What version is needed for that?

If it has always been like that - microstutters and high load - then it won't get any better by going back a version.

[stuartiannaylor]

Yeah I went back to a jessie version which is not as well optimised but the overall load was much lower then with Chromium it seems to of picked up optimisation at the same pace as overall load which negates and sort of ends up the same.

VLC is absolutely wicked for the zero and actually does do 1080p source and I am being critical when I say its not stutter free which it isn't but they are tiny and not all that frequent.
VLC pi3 with fakeKMS 256mb with http://distribution.bbb3d.renderfarming ... normal.mp4 seems stutter free.

Even tried a version of Chromium OS which is pretty interesting for a Pi3 https://github.com/FydeOS/chromium_os_f ... r72.img.xz

But unfortunately not all that well optimised when you check chrome://gpu

I am still slightly confused to the extra load that pixel seems to give both VLC & Chromium but hey another day for that one.

The fakeKMS GL driver gave the best result but you need to allocate a lot of ram but writing this just reminded me the only thing I haven't checked is the fullKMSGL before and after an rpi-update, might as-well exhaust all possibilities