piCore 14.0 (32 and 64 bit) release

[aus9]

In preview I am getting server error already posted before about so removing lots changing terms etc

inxi -Gxxx | grep loaded....Display: server: X.org driver: X: loaded: fbturbo gpu: bcm2708_fb

I have not fiddled with partition 1 configs.

swapping out that xf86-video-fbturbo for xf86-video-fbdev for Xorg.tcz.dep
Full reboot....yep desktop appears

inxi -Gxxx | grep loaded....Display: server: X.org driver: X: loaded: fbdev unloaded: modesetting

I do not know enough about RPi to know if I am supposed to have modesetting

[Juanito]

modesetting needs graphics-KERNEL

[Paul_123]

Do we still want xf86-video-fbturbo, which doesn't work in aarch64, stops xorg-3d from working in armv* and is not maintained as the default or can we move to xf86-video-fbdev?

I'm not sure fbturbo did anything significant for the Raspi, and we should just move to keep 32 and 64 bit as close as we can.

[CNK]

Do we still want xf86-video-fbturbo, which doesn't work in aarch64, stops xorg-3d from working in armv* and is not maintained as the default or can we move to xf86-video-fbdev?

I'm not sure fbturbo did anything significant for the Raspi, and we should just move to keep 32 and 64 bit as close as we can.

I don't know how well it works currently in practice, but this RPi forum post describes how fbturbo was supposed to improve X performance.

But I think that was before the Linux kernel's vc4 DRM driver was available via the Xorg "modesetting" driver. I'm not sure how well that's supported in Xorg on PiCore (EDIT: I see vc4.ko is in graphics-KERNEL.tcz, so I guess that's all you need), but in theory it would be better than either fbdev or fbturbo because it uses the GPU (I think). It's not clear how much help it is for 2D acceleration though.

[aus9]

Hi Juanito
thanks but not showing modesetting....lets leave it as I have other issues

[aus9]

Hi Paul_123

I stole a bit of your build script which reads

# Export variables needed for compilation

case $(uname -m) in
   arm*)
      export CFLAGS="-flto=auto -Os -pipe -march=armv6zk -mtune=arm1176jzf-s -mfpu=vfp"
      export CXXFLAGS="-flto=auto -Os -pipe -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -march=armv6zk -mtune=arm1176jzf-s -mfpu=vfp"
   ;;
   aarch64)
      export CFLAGS="-flto=auto -Os -pipe -march=armv8-a+crc -mtune=cortex-a72"
      export CXXFLAGS="-flto=auto -Os -pipe -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -march=armv8-a+crc -mtune=cortex-a72"
   ;;
esac
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/local/lib/pkgconfig:/usr/lib/pkgconfig

I am attempting to copy and paste initially from my TC64 via openssh.  I am connected but inputting above...too much stuff to post but the end bits suggest it is not working as

Code: [Select]

SNIP
locale                                     zstdmt
locate                                     zsync
logger
root@box:/tmp# export CXXFLAGS="-flto=auto -Os -pipe -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -march=armv8-a+crc -mtune=cortex-a72"
root@box:/tmp# ;;
sh: syntax error: unexpected ";;"
root@box:/tmp# esac
sh: syntax error: unexpected "esac"
root@box:/tmp# export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/local/lib/pkgconfig:/usr/lib/pkgconfig
root@box:/tmp# uname -m
armv7l
root@box:/tmp# echo $CFLAGS
-flto=auto -Os -pipe -march=armv8-a+crc -mtune=cortex-a72
this is my first attempt to use an arch test set flag
After sshing in....I become root via sudo su
I can do it manually but any clues?

Is not possible to do it by openssh?

###############

something is wrong with first bit...it fails and then flags are being set by the arm8 commands

[Juanito]

In aarch64 and armv7l it gives this:

Code: [Select]

inxi -Gxxx | grep loaded
  Display: server: X.org driver: X: loaded: modesetting dri: vc4

[aus9]

in post 20 I was using openssh copy and paste into a terminal on TC64 sshed to RPi

in this post I am on RPi with copy and paste just the flags to aterm. I am root

Code: [Select]

root@box:/tmp# export CFLAGS="-flto=auto -Os -pipe -march=armv6zk -mtune=arm1176 jzf-s -mfpu=vfp"
root@box:/tmp#
.                                   logname
:                                   logread
X                                   losetup
Xnest                               ls

SNIP

logger                              zcat
login                               zsync
root@box:/tmp# export CXXFLAGS="-flto=auto -Os -pipe -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -
march=armv6zk -mtune=arm1176jzf-s -mfpu=vfp"
last line is not yet input....so me thinks its first line?

EDIT if I input the bits starting from -pipe.....I am not seeing any garbage

[Paul_123]

My build systems are all headless, so I'm ssh'd into them all the time.  I've never seen cut and paste problems like that.

I use putty for my ssh client.

[aus9]

hmmm well the good news is that back on RPi I can use rxvt. I still get garbage when I copy and paste from
case $(uname -m) in.......(to) esac but

Code: [Select]

echo $CFLAGS && echo $CXXFLAGS is returning the corrrect flags. So it looks like I will build natively.
tomorrow awaits.

thanks for your feedback

[cosminbro]

Congrats for the effort to release version no 14!
I have one issue: I use Roon Bridge to listen to music, and in Tiny Core v 14 sound quality seems to be lower than on picore 13. It could be from new kernel, or the new ALSA, or I don’t know. Maybe someone has experimented the same.

[Paul_123]

Sound quality is so subjective.  I cannot say that I noticed anything.

Are you using any of the alsa plugins/conversions or the alsa hw:xxxxx   devices?

[cosminbro]

I agree with you that is subjective, generally speaking.
But I'm an audiophile with high-end audio gears, so any small difference in SQ is immediately perceived.
I'm using exactly the same hardware components, and stable version is Roon Bridge on piCore 64 13.1.0

And I use alsa hw:xxxx device

[aus9]

on piCore64-14.x I use firefox-perf which does not need apulse, and can play youtubes without pulseaudio. Its sound sounds good to my ears.

I tend to convert to mp3 which I know causes a loss of quality and play it thru parole on bcm2835 but swapped headphones for a desktop line out. I have always kept some fav mp3s. I can not detect any significant drop in quality given its already a drop in quality. The fact that I use mp3s should confirm I am not an audiophile. 

[Paul_123]

Lol aus9.   Not discounting cosminbro, but I stream a lot of internet radio.  So I’m not a good candidate for evaluation either.

Since you are using the hw:xxxx card, that should mostly rule out alsa.   But the newer kernel is for sure a possibility.  There are many reports that old 3.x and early 4.x kernels sound better.  But we have to keep up with rpi versions for new hardware support.   We use basically the same kernel that RaspiOS uses.

There are many blog posts around that explain tweaks to kernel runtime parameters that are perceived to make improvements.