CPU clock speed slider

[Foxgod]

I was wondering if the Pandora 2 could have a slider switch on the side, that allows you to clock the processor on the fly.


For the Pandora 1, we will soon be able to set the clock speed with a tray icon, wich is a neat feature, but howabout adding a slider switch to the pandora 2, so that we dont have to go back to the OS anymore to set the clock speed for the Panda.

 

[WizardStan]

Why? What problem would it really solve? How often are you in an application and just suddenly need to overclock but didn't think that overclocking would be helpful in advance of running the application? I have never, in 2 years of owning a Pandora, ever needed to do that, so I'm curious about the use case you have in mind.

 

[huniper]

I believe it is possible to execute a script using a hotkey on the current pandora. I'm not too sure how to set it up but you could just have


<ALT+*some key*> execute a script that has

sh /usr/pandora/scripts/op_cpuspeed.sh 880

and make a couple of them for a couple different speeds.


I'm not sure how this would affect the running program, and you would probably have to turn off the cpu speed warning.


Although, I do agree with WizardStan that there should be no need for this, just set the speed before you enter the program.

 

[Foxgod]

Why? What problem would it really solve? How often are you in an application and just suddenly need to overclock but didn't think that overclocking would be helpful in advance of running the application? I have never, in 2 years of owning a Pandora, ever needed to do that, so I'm curious about the use case you have in mind.

For example, dos box games, some run too fast, on low clockspeeds, while other games need overclocking.


Sometimes in emulators (n64) overclocking is required too.


But i think it would mostly benefit in computer emulation, where lower clock speeds tend to be required sometimes.


Its just a piece of convenience.

 

[patnik]

I think huniper`s "hotkey script" suggestion sounds much more sensible, and safer, as opposed to a CPU-slide switch.


I can already see the numerous complaints/requests topics on "How to disable the CPU Slide/Rocker/Dial?? My Pandora loses charge wayyy too frequently !!!" if such a hardware modification were to be done on a revision or future iteration. But for someone with hardware hack skills they probably can achieve this on their unit if they so wish. But for a device such as this that is meant to be pocketable, just an unneeded aggravation.


If the Pandora software collection could obtain a program that is similar to "CwCheat" for the Sony PSP CFW enabled units, whereby when you run your PND program ( like DOSBox which may run full screen, I`ll assume, as I haven`t played that as yet on my Pandora ) you press a hotkey combo.Then, CwCheat pops up transparently while pausing (user setting) your program, you choose your options like CPU-speed adjustment, rapid fire setting, cheat/RAW/hex code hacking and creation,button/key reassignment, save file creating/loading, load text file ( nifty for FAQs/hints/readme), etc. Then just hit the hotkey combo/exit button again and continue using your DOSBox or whatever .pnd program at the time. When you completely exit DOSbox or whatever, the "CwCheat" gets terminated as well, by default. So you resume regular user default Pandora CPU-speed. As it is currently programmed in the firmware in almost all "Pandorae."


Just a quick thought I wanted to post while reading this topic. Heh.

 

[Neelix]

I dunno.... seems to be a recipe for dozens of support threads made by people complaining that their system is slow... which turns out to be because they bumped the slider and didn't realise it.


- Neelix


EDIT: h34r:

 

[TangentDelta]

Instead of a smooth sliding slider that could easily be bumped, what about a little clicky slider that increments in 10's of MHz? To make speed selection easier, what about having a ruler or something above it so you can see the speed it's set to without quitting the emulator?

 

[Binky]

I think it would make more sense to have a couple flat, (on)-off-(on) switches that could be set to whatever the user fancied - including overclocking if you felt the need

 

[patnik]

M.Weston is the one who designed the hardware, or did most of the hardware designing, correct? Maybe we all should have his input/feedback as to pros and cons of implementing an active, "on-the-fly" adjustable CPU-speed hard switch ( rocker,slider, dial ) as opposed to the present setup. And how much it will add to the overall cost.


Presently, I don`t see a need for such a switch to be implemented ( especially one that directly controls the processor ). I think that if you have a similar setup such as how it is setup to adjust screen brightness currently in the firmware, that would be more than enough, like what huniper suggests - hotkey scripts to raise/lower speed, with an onscreen transparent indicator for verification.


My views may change as time passes, though.

 

[huniper]

Anyone remember the turbo button that was on some old PCs?

Only thing I can think that has had a physical toggle to change the CPU speed.The CPU never ran faster than it's default speed; the button actually under clocked the processor for compatibility with older software.

 

[TangentDelta]

Anyone remember the turbo button that was on some old PCs?


-snip-


Only thing I can think that has had a physical toggle to change the CPU speed.The CPU never ran faster than it's default speed; the button actually under clocked the processor for compatibility with older software.

I remember that on my first PC. Had to use it alot for the older DOS games, otherwise they wouldn't play at all.

 

[Exophase]

M.Weston is the one who designed the hardware, or did most of the hardware designing, correct? Maybe we all should have his input/feedback as to pros and cons of implementing an active, "on-the-fly" adjustable CPU-speed hard switch ( rocker,slider, dial ) as opposed to the present setup. And how much it will add to the overall cost.


Presently, I don`t see a need for such a switch to be implemented ( especially one that directly controls the processor ). I think that if you have a similar setup such as how it is setup to adjust screen brightness currently in the firmware, that would be more than enough, like what huniper suggests - hotkey scripts to raise/lower speed, with an onscreen transparent indicator for verification.


My views may change as time passes, though.

A switch that directly controls the processor clock speed isn't feasible. I'm sure there are oscillators you can vary with a potentiometer but all the clock speed adjustment on in modern SoCs is handled by programming internal PLLs. The clock the SoC gets needs to stay fixed.

 

[notaz]

Yeah it would have to be fake, software would have to read the slider and then program PLLs, which are (almost?) always in the SoC.

 

[WizardStan]

For example, dos box games, some run too fast, on low clockspeeds, while other games need overclocking.


Sometimes in emulators (n64) overclocking is required too.


But i think it would mostly benefit in computer emulation, where lower clock speeds tend to be required sometimes.

Right, but how would a slider solve these problems? For the emulators, you just tell it to overclock to the maximum speed you can that makes it run well and let the power management system do its job for those that don't need it. Most emulators are smart enough to keep things running at the speed they're intended to run regardless of how much excess MHz you have.


For emulators like DosBox which tend to run a "computer" as fast as possible, there are hot keys for increasing and decreasing the emulated CPU instructions which is likely to give you a better performance balance than reducing the speed of the actual processor.


It seems like a feature that would get very little use.


Now, adding some kind of generic scroll wheel attached to a pair of GPIO pins, that might be handy. Scroll up or down to act as key presses which a user can then assign to increasing/decreasing emulation speed. Or anything. Scrolling in web browser, menu selection, very versatile in a context sensitive environment.

 

[Exophase]

Now, adding some kind of generic scroll wheel attached to a pair of GPIO pins, that might be handy. Scroll up or down to act as key presses which a user can then assign to increasing/decreasing emulation speed. Or anything. Scrolling in web browser, menu selection, very versatile in a context sensitive environment.

I agree with this, but it could be difficult to justify the cost and board/housing space requirements..


Frankly, I wouldn't be opposed to just turning the volume wheel into this. On the condition that the volume part is always handled by default in the OS, and that the programs have to specifically override it. And that they're nice enough to ask the user first, or the user can force out this behavior. But I know some people are really attached to an analog volume wheel so this might not go over very well.

 

[Foxgod]

Howabout just adding some extra blank keyboard buttons, that can be used to script any funtion to that someone wants?

 

[albo]

Howabout just adding some extra blank keyboard buttons, that can be used to script any funtion to that someone wants?

That is a must have

 

[Foxgod]

Howabout just adding some extra blank keyboard buttons, that can be used to script any funtion to that someone wants?

That is a must have

Il make a new topic

 

[WizardStan]

If a P2 has the L2/R2 actually exposed somewhere (as opposed to just pads) problem solved, just make those two the generic "up/down" buttons, be they for scrolling or changing emulation speed or actually serving as L2/R2 buttons.

 

[SNESFAN]

What would be neat is if there was someway of using a system wide popup, what was that app that was made for the rebirth competition?


But make it persistant across all applications and have several toggles and sliders for screen brightness etc (sound should stay as a physical control)


I dont find myself changing things like cpu speed and brightness that often, but would like the ability to change it without having to exit emulators etc. Hotkeys would be another option as long as it was straight forward (visual icon on keyboard)


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