Overclocking and tweaking for performance, what can be done?

[Calmatory]

I understand that Pandora is not meant for overclocking. I also understand that it can easily kill hardware. Let's just say I know what it is.

As being restricted platform, I'd love to see possibilities to tweak and overclock the hardware. As a PC enthusiast I am not new to benchmarking, and that is what I'd love to see on Pandora. Restricted platform means that everyone has a fair chance to shine when it comes to performance. For example with PC benchmarking, most top scores are made with sponsored components(cherry picked, to gain best possible frequenzies). With Pandora however, this is not the case. It is solely up to the user to overclock, tweak the OS, tweak the other hardware related settings(if somehow possible) and to run the test.

I am not expecting this kind of possibilities, but as I've understood, it IS possible to overclock the CPU at least. It IS possible to alter the kernel of the OS to tweak it for maximum performance. What else can be changed? E.g. RAM speed or RAM timings? Overclock the graphics accelerator?

It would just be great to try to squeeze everything out of the hardware, by any means possible. Just to have bragging rights due to "Fastest Pandora on planet!".

 

[fischju]

Other way around, it has a 600mhz to 1ghz rated clock speed and 3 different voltage states to get there. 1ghz is the highest, but lowers CPU life to ~5 years of active use. You can't do much harm overclocking, the system protects itself adequately. You can try to push it further if you so desire.

 

[Calmatory]

How does the system protect itself? Wouldn't be surprised if people got past it somehow.

 

[Kyosys]

I understand that Pandora is not meant for overclocking.

Hahahahahahahahahaha


Actually, the Pandora is meant to be overclocked. It's possible with the software. Up to 900 MHz.

 

[Calmatory]

I understand that Pandora is not meant for overclocking.

Hahahahahahahahahaha


Actually, the Pandora is meant to be overclocked. It's possible with the software. Up to 900 MHz.

Now give me ability to adjust the core voltage via software and save them as presets so the machine will work with the specified settings...

"Up to 900", but what if I want to go +1 GHz? Does there happen to be any thermal sensors embedded in the hardware, by any chance?

 

[Zarneth]

Pandora Defaults to about 600mhz to save battery life, being a portable device.

Unlike x86 chips, ARM chips are designed to be ultra low power and thus low heat.

 

[Calmatory]

Pandora Defaults to about 600mhz to save battery life, being a portable device.

Unlike x86 chips, ARM chips are designed to be ultra low power and thus low heat.

Yeah, but IC's tend to bin higher with lower temperatures, whether or not x86 or ARM.

 

[Kyosys]

I understand that Pandora is not meant for overclocking.

Hahahahahahahahahaha


Actually, the Pandora is meant to be overclocked. It's possible with the software. Up to 900 MHz.

Now give me ability to adjust the core voltage via software and save them as presets so the machine will work with the specified settings...

"Up to 900", but what if I want to go +1 GHz? Does there happen to be any thermal sensors embedded in the hardware, by any chance?

I believe nothing is stopping you from overclocking it even higher

I think I read that somewhere

 

[javaJake]

No, no, you guys got it all wrong. The Pandora's SoC wasn't designed to be overclocked. It was designed to be underclocked. "How low can you go?"

 

[mali]

In the reverse engineering thread there is some info about multipliersettings and such. IIRC the SGX can be clocked up to 266MHz, but don't quote me on this. I asked about overclocking RAM on the other board. and Exophase said, that memory bandwith and latency is not such an issue because OMAP uses DDR memory and the CPU has got a cache. I'm sure there will be some interesting multiplier combinations for OMAPs components. You could create application dependent automated settings, eg. for 3D games you overclock SGX or for Multimedia acceleration through the DSP you reduce CPU clock and so forth.

 

[JayFoxRox]

One of the main reasons why I bought the Pandora is, that everyone has the same hardware, every program I write will work the same way on every system (thats why I wouldn't like if the ram gets another expansion or that there are L2 and R2 solderpads).

Why would you want to overclock your system?
It will only lower your Pandoras lifetime, lower compatibilty and you won't have any advantage from it.

The overclocking abilitys also depend on the chip you get which is influenced by the production process, some chips can be overclocked more than others.
But the arm chips in general will start to become more buggy at higher clock rates, they shouldn't get MUCH hotter.

(Instead of doing hardware mods like this you should try to improve drivers so you get down rendering and loading times for example)

 

[Chaosstorm]

I totally agree with JayFoxRox we need good drivers Instead of overclocking until your pandora melts when you play games on it.

 

[mali]

It won't be possible to improve ImgTech's SGX driver, because it will be a binary blob. If Maciek is successful with reverse engineering, someone knowledgable might be able to write a better driver.
I haven't ever owned a computer I didn't overclock. I don't think that will change with Pandora

 

[darkblu]

speaking of overclocking, let me throw in a funny fictional scenario.

imagine a relatively new but very popular handheld got a new revision. imagine the manufacturer got the new revision's core clocks upped by, say, 30% in complete secrecy. now, imagine you were a developer for that system, and you somehow ended up with a unit from the new revision, where you developed your performance-sensitive app, and then you released it into the wild. then reports started coming in of abysmal performance at some of the customer's units. how would you feel?

 

[Catch23]

I say if you want more performance write all of the software in FLTK

 

[Calmatory]

One of the main reasons why I bought the Pandora is, that everyone has the same hardware, every program I write will work the same way on every system (thats why I wouldn't like if the ram gets another expansion or that there are L2 and R2 solderpads).

Why would you want to overclock your system?
It will only lower your Pandoras lifetime, lower compatibilty and you won't have any advantage from it.

The overclocking abilitys also depend on the chip you get which is influenced by the production process, some chips can be overclocked more than others.
But the arm chips in general will start to become more buggy at higher clock rates, they shouldn't get MUCH hotter.

(Instead of doing hardware mods like this you should try to improve drivers so you get down rendering and loading times for example)

Overclocking is a hobby for me. No matter whether the platform is x86 PC, or a Ti-86 calculator, mobile phone, nettop or whatever else, as long as it can be overclocked I am completely for it. I know the dangers, I know the limits and I know the tricks.

As I said in the OP, I love Pandora for being restricted platform. This opens up a GREAT opportunity to build overclocking community to, something like PC platform already has, just much, much smaller, if anything. For me it seems that there is potential to have some competition between members. Who can push their Pandora to the limits? Who can get the most out of the hardware? Who can get the most out of the drivers and the software? Who can go beyond the limits and cool the device with liquid nitrogen and apply voltage mods and just break the laws of physics with the device?

What I am after is benchmarking. Measuring performance with different ways via software. Pushing the hardware and breaking the recods, with more and more innovative solutions. There is ALWAYS room for improvement. E.g. at the beginning we can only change the bus frequenzy of the CPU and RAM. Then someone starts to hack and fiddle with the hardware via software and finds a way to change the multiplier, then the RAM timings, then GPU frequenzy, then voltages etc. As the ways to achieve more performance extends the records get wiped over and over again.

Overclocking and being xtreme is... a way of life.

 

[mali]

That reminds me of my Casio Cassiopeia E115 Pocket PC(mips processor @133MHz). I did the pencil-trick overclock and added a cut to fit 4x86 heatsink in the CF-Card slot to help cooling the board underneath the CPU. It worked great :lol:
Pocketquake ran at 7fps IIRC :twisted: