New Custom Debian ARM64 Build 4.4.154.c83 is finally here!

I installed TigerVNC and xfce4 for it’s desktop services. It took a lot of configuration, but I’m running the client 3000x2000 24 bit so that it is full screen on my Surface Book Win 10 VNC client.

1 Like

After balancing the trade offs, I decided to stay with my 2 monitor setups for now, since my Rock Pi 4 normally uses 4.x watts and tops out at 8.5W, but every time I fire up my Intel 8086K+RTX 2080 next to it, it shoots up to 150W easily :sweat_smile:

I trade desktop space for electricity.

Just finished my ‘maker’ station. Can’t part with the Surface Pro as the primary computer for internet banking, purchases, shopping, etc. Then, there’s the Rock Pi 4B, plus 2 RPi B3+ w/breadboards and a Pi ZeroW for downsizing end products.
Need to use VNC to reduce keyboards, mice, and TV inputs.

BTW, sorry to report that Debian arm64’s HDMI output wasn’t recognized by the new 4K Toshiba FireTV. Had to run Debian Stretch armhf, instead. This also resolved the issue I was having with playing audio in YouTube videos. Stretch allows me to set the rockchip,es…codec configuration to ‘Analog Input’ as the default. Chromium works with that setting on armhf.

Best regards :sunglasses::sunglasses:

The HDMI and YouTube audio issue are strange, as l have been using both the whole time didn’t see any of them, I can’t even think of where to look.

@TheHermit,

I installed TightVNC server this way: “sudo apt-get install tightvncserver” and it installed all the dependencies (including fonts) for me. In the past I’ve had to install the fonts after the fact. I quick Google search should let you know what to install. It’s a relatively easy fix. I run all my SBC’s headless.

1 Like

Re-installed Debian ARM64 and it works fine on the 4K TV, now. The only logical conclusion is that I’m too stupid to know which HDMI inputs the device was on during the initial setup. The TV is wall mounted, so the inputs are not visible.
Sorry for the false alarm, folks.
Unfortunately, I’m still having the same problem playing YouTube videos. Chromium videos only connect to the rockchip codec if it is configured as an output or duplex device (Pulse Audio Volume Control). When configured as such, with both HDMI codec and rockchip codec outputs, only the rockchip codec output shows volume level. HDMI codec output only becomes active whenever the rockchip codec is not configured as an output (or duplex).

On one hand, Chromium requires the rockchip codec to be an audio output to handle the audio signal. On the other hand, HDMI codec requires that it is not.

On the armhf build, Chromium will connect to the rockchip codec when it is configured as an input. As such, the rockchip codec doesn’t ‘take the output away’ from the HDMI codec. I suspect that this is an older version of Chromium, so that’s where I’ll start.
Any recommendations for alternative browsers on this build?

I also saw another post praising the YouTube playback performance on this build. The post mentioned some additional installations, which I will research.
Beyond that, I have to wonder about my router’s configuration, since I am apparently the only one having this issue.

Lot’s to do. Will keep you posted.
Thanks again (and again, and again…):smirk:

I’ve never used HDMI audio output, the old monitor I used with RP4 has no speaker. I’ll tried out on my other monitor which has a small built-in speaker see how it goes.

Wondered about that :slight_smile: Still, it’s difficult to imagine I’m the only one using HDMI.
Installed stretch and learned that Chromium is ver 63.0.3239.84. Did update/upgrade to ver 72.0.3626.122-1.
TightVNC server requires login after reboot, which has locked me out twice, now. Have changed ‘linaro’ password and given ‘sudo’ new passwd beforehand, but still get locked out. hmm… Linaro is not authorized to create new users or change group membership? How can I login with admin rights?

Anyway, now I’m on today’s second reload of stretch image and notice that Chromium is being ‘kept back’ from being upgraded. Has this been done by git-hub, only hours ago? Consistency would be very helpful.

I changed the password too (always the first thing to do) and added new user then disabled Linaro. I didn’t had any issue, but changing hostname incorrectly did locked me out once.

Got it… kinda. Now, I can only log in as ‘root’ w/new sudo passwd. I can add the ‘sudo’ service, but the ‘User Settings’ dialog box hangs on loading. Pulse Audio Volume, and Chromium stopped opening.

Time to re-image, again.:tired_face:

Thanks for the tip. Installation went fine, although I needed to install the fonts separately. Instructions were at the end of install. I’m prompted for a password on first run of ‘vncserver’ and am notified that I will need to login afterwards. OK, fine.
But, I’m unable to start a remote session from the RealVNC viewer on Windows 10. Worse than that, I can only log into the Rock Pi desktop as ‘root’, using the TightVNC password. Hardly anything runs under this logon. No Chromium, Volume Control, nor ‘Users and Groups’.
Before I reimage a 3rd time, what am I missing?

Thanks

Check your Windows firewall. Also, if you run “sudo vncserver” it will be a VNC session for the root user. If you are logged in as linaro just run “vncserver” without the sudo and it will run as that user.

I don’t think so. You may want to start over with a fresh image so you’re not chasing unnecessary problems.

The password you setup when you first run “vncserver” for each user is the password for the VNC session only. It’s not for local login.

1 Like

I’m using TigerVNC and VNC Viewer on Windows 10 without any issues (now) I did, however, see some of these issues when my XFCE4 configurations had errors. I had to log on locally and manually correct some of the configuration errors which were reported in the VNC logs in the vnc folder. After cleaning my errors (yep, I made them) the desktop and VNC server came up fine. it works perfectly now. I suspect it was your VNC xserver desktop configuration that caused your problems.

Amazing build, but when I run glmark2-es2

It throws these errors
libGL error: MESA-LOADER: failed to retrieve device information
libGL error: unable to load driver: rockchip_dri.so
libGL error: driver pointer missing
libGL error: failed to load driver: rockchip
libGL error: MESA-LOADER: failed to retrieve device information
libGL error: unable to load driver: rockchip_dri.so
libGL error: driver pointer missing
libGL error: failed to load driver: rockchip

What package should I install in order to correct this error?

And also, I’m getting screen tearing when watching Youtube videos and moving windows around, what are some ways I can correct this issue?

There has been issues with Youtube video, mostly some residue after exit from playing full screen video for relatively long, not sure if there will be a fix. I blamed Chromium, Openbox etc, but I’m now inclined it’s the CPU/GPU related since it’s not happening on my x86 running the same software combination, could be the driver or simply overheating, will see after installing the bigger heatsink.

I’m not sure about tearing, maybe that’s normal for SBC? This is my first Pi device, anyone has Raspberry Pi 3B+ or other alternatives I’d like to know.

Anyone tried this script to improve video playback?


Please provide feedback in that thread too so they can improve it further.

Maybe it only works with Armbian images from here
https://www.armbian.com/rock-pi-4/

Also try Vivaldi browser instead of Chrome for better video playback.