Bigbox lag

[noiseordinance]

First, thanks for all that you guys do with Launchbox / Bigbox. It really is a thing of beauty, and a million times better than Hyperspin in my opinion (and this is coming from someone who's spent a lot of time on Hyperspin).

So I'm finding that Bigbox is somewhat laggy. Whether using a wired or wireless XBOX360 controller, or a wired keyboard, there is intermittent delay when flipping through the menu items. This occurs whether flipping through my gaming catalog, or in the options. 

Here's my setup:

Windows 10
i5 4460 @ 3.2GHZ
8GB RAM
GTX 650 Ti Boost 2GB GPU
Samsung EVO 840 SSD for OS / Launchbox install with images
WD 500GB 7200RPM HD with emulators and roms (currently only 100 NES ROMS, 70 SNES ROMS)

I've tried disabling all menu animations and have not had improvement. I've also tried a few Bigbox themes with no improvement. 

Any pointers would be awesome!

[SentaiBrad]

There are several threads on the forums about performance, and we all go through several different plans of attack, try searching one of them up.

In short though, you should try disabling any active scanning software you have. like ram cleaners, av software, firewalls. You should be up-to-date with all of your drivers, IOBit's Driver Booster will help a ton. Making sure your PC is cleaned and operating well will help as well. IOBit Advanced System Care is my favorite, it does lots of cool stuff and can help make sure your PC is clean. These are the settings that I run every few days to clean up: https://i.imgur.com/s54zX5G.png

When running on a system for the first time, and every few months, I also run System Optimization, Vulnerability Fix and Internet Boost. There are processes that you can also disable to help make a lean and mean Windows 10 install. There are lists out there for safe processes to disable if you're curious.

Also, LB being on an SSD technically helps, but the CPU is the most important thing. The GPU is second when it comes to Big Box. The SSD helps, but raw read and write speed doesn't do as much. I watched the system monitor go when recaching my entire library, and the CPU, RAM and then HDD were the most used. LaunchBox and Big Box also have two different caches, so make sure Big Box is fully done caching. If it's still caching, then it could also create lag. You certainly don't have a bad CPU, GPU or amount of RAM, but Windows wants as much as it can handle, and then the rest is being used for all programs and processes open.

This is a tad quick and dirty, because we've all repeated our tips and tricks several times, so other threads may go in to it a bit deeper if you're not shy of searching. If you have any more questions though, feel free to ask.

[noiseordinance]

Thanks much for the thoughtful reply! You guys are awesome.

This is all on a fresh install of Windows 10, but I'll run some of the processes that you recommended. I'm also noticing that in addition to some menu lag, it doesn't pick up some of the keystrokes. Like if I hit up / down in the menu 10 times, it might only register 9. I might add that I'm launching Bigbox from Kodi, and don't have any menu lag / missed keystrokes in Kodi. Ahh well, not a huge deal. I'll keep toying around to see if I can figure something out.

Thanks again!

[akatoosh]

Rather than create a new thread I thought I'd reply to this one. I have the same problem. I don't think my CPU is an issue- I have an i5 7600k, GTX 970 and am using an SSD. The issue is the same; flipping through games/platforms is less responsive than I'd like it to be. It seems to have a delay and not respond to button presses depending on how fast I'm moving through them. Similar to what the OP said; if I push 'left' ten times, it might only actually move left about 5 or 6, which feels pretty janky in use. I've gone through all performance troubleshooting steps that I've seen, even down to disabling animations. I can live with it but I'd like to know if theres a way to fix it. 

[noiseordinance]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I've since updated my box to 16GB RAM with no changes. It's sorta frustrating to use my controller to flip through Kodi seamlessly, and then get into Bigbox and have an unresponsive UI. I will say that my initial post was incorrect... I said I was having the problem with both wired and wireless devices, but my wired device was a USB cable attached to a keyboard, but turns out it was only for charging, and was not truly wired. I've since hooked up a wired SNES controller, and this does seem to help. So in my case, it might be a wireless issue.

akatoosh, have you tried a wired controller or keyboard? Any improvement?

What I don't get is my house is isolated from the world, and I have just a single 5ghz wireless network in my house. I realize this could be an wireless interference issue (at least in part) but I don't get why all of my control devices work beautifully in Kodi and other applications, but lackluster in Bigbox. 

[akatoosh]

12 minutes ago, noiseordinance said:

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I've since updated my box to 16GB RAM with no changes. It's sorta frustrating to use my controller to flip through Kodi seamlessly, and then get into Bigbox and have an unresponsive UI. I will say that my initial post was incorrect... I said I was having the problem with both wired and wireless devices, but my wired device was a USB cable attached to a keyboard, but turns out it was only for charging, and was not truly wired. I've since hooked up a wired SNES controller, and this does seem to help. So in my case, it might be a wireless issue.

akatoosh, have you tried a wired controller or keyboard? Any improvement?

What I don't get is my house is isolated from the world, and I have just a single 5ghz wireless network in my house. I realize this could be an wireless interference issue (at least in part) but I don't get why all of my control devices work beautifully in Kodi and other applications, but lackluster in Bigbox. 

I don't think it's a wireless issue since as you said, my wireless controllers work fine everywhere else. I have a wireless keyboard but haven't noticed it happens with that. I'll report back.

[Guywiththegun]

I'm getting lag too. The worst is going into and out of platform categories. Really sucks.

[akatoosh]

14 hours ago, Guywiththegun said:

I'm getting lag too. The worst is going into and out of platform categories. Really sucks.

Yeah, I love Launchbox and Big Box, worth the buy, but Kodi on my Raspberry Pi has better performance.

[Lordmonkus]

For the vast majority of people performance with BigBox is quite good especially on modern hardware. I even run it on pretty old out of date hardware and it is fine.

I can only suggest to look at the Performance thread I just linked and your system for possible software conflicts causing issues. One example of recent software causing issues and not just with BigBox but other programs as well is Nvidias Geforce Experience software.

Saying that Kodi runs better on your Pi is a not a direct comparison because a Pi is a known set piece of hardware and has far less stuff running in the background along side it while a Windows based PC has a near infinite amount of possible hardware combinations and even more possible software conflicts.

[akatoosh]

24 minutes ago, Lordmonkus said:

For the vast majority of people performance with BigBox is quite good especially on modern hardware. I even run it on pretty old out of date hardware and it is fine.

I can only suggest to look at the Performance thread I just linked and your system for possible software conflicts causing issues. One example of recent software causing issues and not just with BigBox but other programs as well is Nvidias Geforce Experience software.

Saying that Kodi runs better on your Pi is a not a direct comparison because a Pi is a known set piece of hardware and has far less stuff running in the background along side it while a Windows based PC has a near infinite amount of possible hardware combinations and even more possible software conflicts.

I've checked the performance thread and unfortunately nothing there has solved my issue. I've done everything from disabling services to installing the video codec and disabling AV software. I don't have Geforce experience installed; I actually have hardly anything in the background. I've recently reinstalled windows and since it's a dedicated gaming machine, the only programs I use are Steam and steam games, emulators and launchbox. This happened both before and after the fresh install.

My brother also experiences the issue of scrolling through content in big box being 'jittery', and he has vastly different hardware than I. 

If it helps, these are my specs:

GTX 970

i5 7600k

8GB DDR4 2400 RAM

Windows 10 (latest)

512GB Crucial M.2 SSD

3TB Seagate HDD (Games storage)

Edited February 21, 2018 by akatoosh
DDR4

[akatoosh]

So, just curious, can I lower the background image quality?

[noiseordinance]

So kinda bringing up an old topic that I’m still racking my brain over. Still having unresponsive x360 wireless controllers in Bigbox. I’ll be flipping through my game selection and it’ll be scrolling nicely and then just start having intermittent unresponsiveness where it’s not receiving the controller commands. It doesn’t do this with wired keyboard or even my wireless Logitech keyboard, just my x360 controllers. 

The controllers work perfectly in Kodi, Steam in full screen mode, and even Hyperspin (yuck). 

 

Ive now completely reinstalled my copy of Windows 10 and fresh Launchbox / Bigbox install and no improvement I’ve used different themes, no improvement. 

 

I feel like something funky has to be going on with Launchbox itself. Is there any reason why Launchbox would have issues with my controllers when no other apps do?

[OneUpWill]

I have the same issue with BigBox as well. I've searched numerous topics and have tried several things to resolve the issue (clearing the cache, reducing image size, removing active file scanners, etc). I have launchbox configured on my system SSD and even performed a fresh install. I really like the front-end, but it's gotten to the point where I just don't use it because of the annoying lag when browsing through the platforms or games list. 

I have read of other people having a similar issue, but not any documented fixes or solutions of them actually resolving the problem. Maybe I'll see if I can find a non x-input controller and see if the issues remain. But I'd be curious if someone else has had this issue and could offer any suggestions.

[noiseordinance]

I have done the same; moved the entire directory to SSD, refreshed cache, all of the recommendations on the Lordmonkus post, ran every virus scan known to man, tried a bajillion themes, I've literally racked my brain on this. When I reformed Windows 10, the first and only thing I installed was Launchbox / Bigbox and the same problem. For me, this is very specific to Bigbox and X360 controllers only; I have virtually eliminated every confounding variable I can think of. I'm also at the point of either buying a different controller, or switching to a different front end. As it is, when I show off my fancy front end, people love the look but comment on the intermittent, unresponsive navigation. 

 

The shame is that I have four X360 controllers with rechargeable battery packs and such. I'd hate to give them up, and I don't really like the feel of Playstation controllers. Are Xbone controllers x-input as well?

Edited June 22, 2018 by noiseordinance

[OneUpWill]

Yes, the Xbox One controllers use x-input. A lot of controllers do actually. There are some out there that actually allow you to switch between x-input and direct input. And just for reference, I have always used an Xbox One controller, so I don't think switching from a 360 pad would resolve the issue for you. 

 

I've also used a DualShock 4, but was also using an x-input wrapper and saw no change. I'm fairly certain I also tried a dualshock 4 as direct-input and still saw the lag. But it's been a while since I tinkered with the setup. I might try it again with a generic gamepad just to see if it actually changes. 

[Retro808]

They are xinput but I am not sure if the issue related to xinput vs dinput. I have a Xbox One controller I use on machine and 8Bitdo controllers I use on another in xinput setting with no lag issue mentioned. I have tested several other controllers without being able to replicate the issue. I do not have a Xbox 360 controller to test.. 

[DOS76]

Something is not normal there shouldn't really be any difference between your keyboard and your controller in this regard. I have all xinput controllers and don't have this issue either.

[noiseordinance]

Maybe since all four of my controllers replicate this, it could be my xbox wireless receiver? That still doesn't make much sense since navigating the GUI in Steam / Kodi / Hyperspin / every video game is smooth and flawless. Argh. I really don't wanna give up Launchbox. 

[ma22xx]

Just wanted to +1 the controller input issue.  I actually thought the application was getting bogged down til I saw this thread and thought to test the keyboard when the response is being slow.  No issue on the keyboard but controller will intermittently slow down to the point that you have to wait a second or two between presses.  Seems to happen more after launching a game and returning focus back to BigBox.  If I do a fresh launch of BigBox...I can scroll through a list of games from the controller quickly by holding up/down.  After launching a game and returning I find that controller input is hit or miss and if I hold up/down it will change the entry once every few seconds as opposed to multiple times per second.  Keyboard input does not have the same problem.  I'm using a Shield controller hard wired to the PC (also happens when gamestreaming...which is why i was testing with it plugged in direct).  Most games are using retroarch with the sdl2 input driver...not sure if that's related.

[emudude]

Glad I saw this, I've always had this lag when trying to scroll through games. I love bigbox way too much to ever give it up, but this has been a minor annoyance at times. Like many in this thread, I feel I have a more than capable PC - i5 6600k @ 4.7GHz, OC'ed GTX 1080, 16GB RAM at 3000MHz, and all of launchbox (including pictures and videos) are running from an SSD.