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Multicore smartphones - how to use their full potential
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Kiska Send message Joined: 31 Mar 12 Posts: 302 Credit: 3,067,762 RAC: 0 ![]() |
On my S8+, I have to go to, Device Management -> Performance setting, and select High performance. To not have cores automatically turn off or downclock when my screen turns off Maybe your device might have these settings for you to change OpenCL-Z claims the Mali G71 has a compute performance of 130 GFLOPS, so I am going to see if I get some GPU tasks running |
![]() Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 ![]() |
@Keith, I left the battery temp at 40C (recommended), the device never reached that temp, it's always low to mid-20s. @Kiska, no Device Management on that phone, no performance settings either. . |
![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 29 Apr 01 Posts: 13164 Credit: 1,160,866,277 RAC: 1,873 ![]() ![]() |
@Jord, OK, just was throwing out all the parameters that can be changed or set in Preferences that might prevent the phone from running tasks with the screen off. None of my devices have performance settings either. Old hardware. Two older generation Kindle tablets and an old Galaxy S3 phone. Only running one task on the oldest Kindle and the phone. Two tasks on the quad core Kindle. What is the cpu type in the phone you are having issues with? Seti@Home classic workunits:20,676 CPU time:74,226 hours ![]() ![]() A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association) |
Grant (SSSF) Send message Joined: 19 Aug 99 Posts: 13914 Credit: 208,696,464 RAC: 304 ![]() ![]() |
Some android tablets default to low power mode when the screen turns off, and by default the screen generally turns off when not in use, or when on the charger. By enabling Developer options/mode they then make other options, such as screen staying on while on charger, available. Anything similar for Android phones? Grant Darwin NT |
![]() Send message Joined: 3 Apr 99 Posts: 998 Credit: 9,101,544 RAC: 65 ![]() ![]() |
Thanks to you all for your suggestions ! I will test Keep Screen On for my aging Polaroid A4 android smartphone, which can disable my maximum imposed 30 minutes screen saver time (No Screen Off is simple to use, but can't bypass the 30 minutes imposed limit). In a week or two I'll be able to see if it can significantly improve on my Average turnaround time of 2.23 days. On my Galaxy Tab E No Screen Off seems to work, and it remains to be seen if its Average turnaround time of 1.38 days can be improved upon. So, the biggest question is what tools we have to adjust such power-saving features of Android devices?Over Christmas I'm planning to test with No Screen Off and if that doesn't work, with XPosed Framework so that the screen doesn't turn off - and hopefully the CPU doesn't either. I'll have to find something to put the phone in so the screen is covered. ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kiska Send message Joined: 31 Mar 12 Posts: 302 Credit: 3,067,762 RAC: 0 ![]() |
@Kiska, no Device Management on that phone, no performance settings either. . On my other Android device, its Settings -> Battery. You can turn off "Intelligent power saving standby" Also on my device there is a battery saver function, turn that off, and set it to never turn on You just need to look for it EDIT: On my S2, its Settings -> Battery. And in the Battery mode menu change it to performance. But that is with the Cyanogenmod 12.1 installed on it, so it may differ from stock |
JLDun ![]() Send message Joined: 21 Apr 06 Posts: 574 Credit: 196,101 RAC: 0 ![]() |
...other options, such as screen staying on while on charger, available. Most of the phones I've used have a "Display" option in settings, which includes a 'Screen Timeout' option by default - without using the Developer options - and various amounts of time to turn the screen off; and usually the final option is (depending on exact wording) "Keep screen always on". I tend to ignore it if it's bedside. ![]() ![]() |
![]() Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 ![]() |
By enabling Developer options/mode they then make other options, such as screen staying on while on charger, available. Thanks for the idea! The phone is now lying face-down on my night stand, continuously running two Seti tasks. I also know now why the CPU would clock down as the temperatures in this state are high. For just two cores running at full blast (and a third being used by the OS), temps have gone up from 25C to 45C and they're still rising. Glad it's cold in the bedroom. The option is Preferences->Developer options->Stay awake (Screen will never sleep while charging) I ran No Screen Off on that phone before but it would do so for only 10 minutes (600 seconds). I didn't dare try the other one when I read one or more people bricked their device with it. So this is the easier thing to do. Of course enabling the Developer options is a pre (Open Settings> About> Software Information> More. Then tap “Build number†seven times to enable Developer options in the main preferences menu.) Where I wouldn't mind leaving the phone alone and walk out the house, I'll unplug it before doing so later on. Especially with the higher heat build-up of the CPU and charger, I'd rather be home when it's doing stuff. |
![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 11 Sep 99 Posts: 6534 Credit: 196,805,888 RAC: 57 ![]() ![]() |
By enabling Developer options/mode they then make other options, such as screen staying on while on charger, available. Reducing the screen brightness can help lower the heat build up on some devices. SETI@home classic workunits: 93,865 CPU time: 863,447 hours ![]() |
![]() Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 ![]() |
Brightness is set to lowest possible. I always have my devices run at low brightness, as higher brightness eats battery. I found that after unplugging the phone and replugging it, that the Stay Awake option needs to be turned off and back on for it to work again. Else the screen will go off - and thus the CPU back into power safe mode. @Keith, forgot to answer: Quad core ARM Cortex-A7, Mediatek MT6589, 32bit. |
![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 29 Apr 01 Posts: 13164 Credit: 1,160,866,277 RAC: 1,873 ![]() ![]() |
@Jord, that's what I wondered. Whether the newer processors were the culprit. The new processors all implement VERY aggressive power saving features. Like being able to turn off whole parts of the chip in one clock cycle. I suspect that this type of design is at the root of the issue. Older hardware was never this efficient. My phone only lasts at most a couple of hours on a fully charged new battery. The current phones today are able to run for 10-12 hours. Seti@Home classic workunits:20,676 CPU time:74,226 hours ![]() ![]() A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association) |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 31212 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32 ![]() ![]() |
@Jord, might be the related to issue I'm reporting on Mac's and UPS on the Dev board. The O/S saying I know better than you do. |
![]() Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 ![]() |
Keith wrote: @Jord, that's what I wondered. Whether the newer processors were the culprit.The Huawei G700-U10 is a smart phone from 2013, so it isn't exactly new. The chip in it is from December 2012. The phone was lying dormant in my night stand until I woke it back up in October. I've been having it run Seti - and some Beta - since that time. Gary wrote: @Jord, might be the related to issue I'm reporting on Mac's and UPS on the Dev board. The O/S saying I know better than you do.Ah, but is it the OS that powers the CPU down, or the CPU? And can one directly compare Android with Apple's MacOS Sierra? |
![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 29 Apr 01 Posts: 13164 Credit: 1,160,866,277 RAC: 1,873 ![]() ![]() |
OK, that is very different information from list of ARM processors I looked at. It didn't list any of the Cortex A7 processors till much later. My mistake. It has to be the OS that tells the CPU and system to save energy however it decides is best. Seti@Home classic workunits:20,676 CPU time:74,226 hours ![]() ![]() A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association) |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 31212 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32 ![]() ![]() |
Keith wrote:@Jord, that's what I wondered. Whether the newer processors were the culprit.The Huawei G700-U10 is a smart phone from 2013, so it isn't exactly new. The chip in it is from December 2012. The phone was lying dormant in my night stand until I woke it back up in October. I've been having it run Seti - and some Beta - since that time. Other than both being Unix/Posix like perhaps not. But then one man's great idea gets ripped off by everyone else. And it isn't Droid and OSX but ARM and Intel. So it could be some new "hot" feature in the O/S standard. |
![]() Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 ![]() |
I've run two armv7-vfpv3-nopie with the "Stay awake" screen on solution, will now run two armv7-vfpv3-nopie with the screen off, for a direct comparison at application level. Task https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/result.php?resultid=6232865961 run time 111,141.49 CPU time 103,559.00, ratio 1,0732190345600092700779265925704 Task https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/result.php?resultid=6233840691 run time 86,673.59 CPU time 79,544.87, ratio 1,0896188528562558465429637385792 Using two cores, max CPU temp was 49.9C, ambient room temperature 12C. I don't want to know what temps will be with more cores... |
Kiska Send message Joined: 31 Mar 12 Posts: 302 Credit: 3,067,762 RAC: 0 ![]() |
I don't want to know what temps will be with more cores... Its all passively cooled, and not designed for sustained workloads. I would go as far as to run only 1 unit, 49C that close to the battery can't mean good things |
![]() ![]() Send message Joined: 16 Jun 01 Posts: 6325 Credit: 106,370,077 RAC: 121 ![]() ![]() |
In my case switching OFF second CPU core linked with absence of interaction with phone. While I touch screen and move sme GUI element along it - second core remains active, When I stop - second core switchess OFF. So, I need some program like "autoclicker" that would do small GUI load to fool OS that full CPU power is required. I hope this wild allow BOIC to use both cores. (Though, if it's really affinity-limited this would just increase power consumption w/o helping BOINC a lot). SETI apps news We're not gonna fight them. We're gonna transcend them. |
Grant (SSSF) Send message Joined: 19 Aug 99 Posts: 13914 Credit: 208,696,464 RAC: 304 ![]() ![]() |
I don't want to know what temps will be with more cores... Or put a couple of small pencils down to place the phone on for better cooling. Grant Darwin NT |
![]() Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 ![]() |
The phone is lying with the display down on a flat wooden surface. I agree that it isn't safe to potentially put the battery to be in close proximity of such heat. On the BOINC forums someone posted how he put six or more Android phones in a box together, with the batteries removed, and all powered directly via USB connections. That may be the only safe way. Well, for added security, fill the box with sand and put it on the balcony. ;-) Edit: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Recycle-Android-Phones-for-BOINC-or-Folding// |
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