How to increase performance on the Simpad?

[jeroen020]

I now finally have some decent CCF's that are optimised for my Simpad, with nice feedback features etc.

The Simpad is great for controlling Netremote, except for one thing: performance. It takes approx. 2 seconds before anything happens. Even hardware buttons are slow, considerably slower than on my PPC2002 Ipaq.

One explanation could be that it takes longer to draw/update the screen on the Simpad, but then I'd expect hardware buttons not to be as slow. The overall processing power of the Simpad is identical to the Ipaq I have, and the general feel of performance on the Simpad is on par with a PPC.

If we get closer to instant-response, the usability of the Simpad is greatly increased. So I hope there's something we can do about the performance, that it's just a small change for Netremote itself or something. Any clues?

[Ben S]

If we get closer to instant-response, the usability of the Simpad is greatly increased. So I hope there's something we can do about the performance, that it's just a small change for Netremote itself or something. Any clues?

Agreed. The unit seems to pretty nifty overall, but the performance is definitely lacking, and I can only assume (like you) that it's the extra 403,200 pixels that are slowing it down.

The problem I've wrestled with is that I can increase performance by quite a bit if I -only- redraw the things that have changed, but the fact that the frames and buttons can be layed out in many overlapping layers, so currently it redraws from back to front "just in case".

[jeroen020]

Mmm, interesting...

So what you're saying is that if you have all dynamic elements in a single layer in a certain part of the CCF, say a wide-and-short rectangular frame in the bottom, and the rest dedicated to 'static' buttons and frames, the redraw and hence overall performance would be much better?

Are these layers Netremote specific, or part of the CCF standard? Could you make/edit layers in Tonto?

Would it be possible to assign specific names or other properties to frames/buttons that are dynamic, and therefore need to be redrawn often, whereas all other buttons are only redrawn when switching to another device in the CCF? Or the other way around, that you assign properties to frames/buttons that are OK to not be redrawn?

Danielo (a friend of mine who also uses the Simpad and NR) suggested that it might also has to do with the clock, perhaps the Simpad is using miliseconds where other platforms use microseconds. I couldn't verify this by using CCF timers, but it might be relevant...

[Ben S]

Uh ... yeah! It should be a bit faster. But it still redraws the entire screen when something changes, because it foolishly assumes that it may need to. This is something I'm looking into. I also have seen recently that GAPI is now supported on the Simpad, so it's possible I could move a lot of the graphic rendering to GAPI. Unfortunately GAPI doesn't support a full 32 bit alpha draw.

When I say "layer" I just mean that it draws from back to front. You can have a frame or button overlaying another frame or button.

It would be great to get the thing running fast, as right now my Fujitsu 166mHz 32 meg machine runs NetRemote a -lot- faster, but wastes battery and is bulky.

[jeroen020]

Thanks for the explanation.

For me, performance is far more criticial than color depth. I'd rather live with a 256 color palette and speedy reflexes than true color and sluggish response...

Just my dime/5.

[Mastiff]

I totally agree. Alpha never were a biggie for me anyway, as my website shows, I prefer funcitonality and ease of use rather than flashyness.

[Aaron]

what color depth does GAPI support?
I'd like speed to but I really love my 65k colors! 256 just does not cut it anymore. I'd hope it at least supports 16 bit color!

[Ben S]

I'm sorry - I should have been more clear. It supports 16 bit, but not an 8 bit alpha. So you can have one color that is transparent, but you can't blend.

[Aaron]

16 bit is fine. If it increases peformance a lot, I'm all for it!

[Ben S]

I'm almost there!

Found some massive performance gains that make button pressing as real-time as the PPC and Win32.

Need to resolve issue of variable change. On variable change the whole screen is still repainting.

Almost there! Available soon!

[Mastiff]

All hail the master! Brilliant, Oh, Wicked One!

[jeroen020]

Being Dutch, I'm always a little less exuberant than Norwegians like Mastiff, but this time I'm fully sharing his joy and admiration...

[Ben S]

Well I'd say it was brilliant if it wasn't something other than my own code that was hobbling me.

Thanks for the support guys!

I reworked variable management in such a way that it repaints only variables that change. Now the Simpad is as fast as the PPC or Win32.

I broke scaling on Win32 in the process, so I need to do some cleanup work, but the next release (0.994(?)) will include a fast version for the Simpad.

Thanks guys!

PS: I know most of you guys are from outside the states - but Happy Thanksgiving anyway!

[jeroen020]

Indeed, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in The Netherlands (Sinterklaas is our local cult), but I'd like to to give you my thanks of course, as we will soon be able to enjoy speedy Simpads!

Have a great weekend!

[Mastiff]

Hope you had a nice turkey day, Ben! And I'm really looking forward to the next version. Even more than I am looking forward to get my SIMpad back from repair. A slight screen problem, probably just a bad connection in a cable.

[sapnho]

A slight screen problem, probably just a bad connection in a cable.

Quite a few simpad had issues with the screen but Siemens Customer Care was very quicky to repair them at no cost.

Most screens had a calibration issue. Mine was picked up by a Siemens representative at the office and brought back just 3 days later at no cost. I was surprised to see great service!

[Mastiff]

Impressive! But mine has to go from Norway to Germany to be repaired. They have never been repaired here in this country.

[Ben S]

What is the screen problem you guys have had? I'm worried that it will be much tougher to get it repaired in the States if something goes wrong.

[sapnho]

If you don't have it now, chances are it will not come up. My second Simpad was broken right from the start.

However, Siemens will probably have a repair center in the US.