build: raise net.core.rmem_max on receiver installs

UDP receive buffers clamp to net.core.rmem_max, whose stock Debian
default (~208 KB) is smaller than one VBV-bounded keyframe burst at
moderate-to-high bitrates. The resulting packet loss damages every
keyframe, drop-on-damage discards them silently, and the receiver
shows a black screen with no journal errors while the sender streams
happily. The install script now raises rmem_max to 4 MB and persists
the sysctl; buffers are allocated lazily, so this costs no RAM at
rest. Wi-Fi-only boards (Pi Zero 2 W) remain bandwidth-bound — the
RUNBOOK points at --bitrate as the tuning knob.
This commit is contained in:
2026-09-07 13:59:56 +02:00
parent 343c6b45e6
commit 236584c240
2 changed files with 14 additions and 2 deletions
+4 -2
View File
@@ -133,8 +133,10 @@ Optional flags: `--port`, `--peer HOST[:PORT]`, `--bitrate KBPS`,
Notes: the encoder runs a VBV that caps keyframe bursts to roughly two Notes: the encoder runs a VBV that caps keyframe bursts to roughly two
frame periods of bytes, and the receiver requests a 4MB UDP receive frame periods of bytes, and the receiver requests a 4MB UDP receive
buffer (clamped by `net.core.rmem_max`). For very high `--bitrate` buffer (clamped by `net.core.rmem_max`; the install script raises it to
values, raise `net.core.rmem_max` on the receiver machine. 4 MB and persists the change). The remaining bottleneck on Wi-Fi-only
boards is the wireless link itself — lower `--bitrate` until the stream
is stable.
The headless equivalent runs as part of `meson test` (`udp loopback` test): The headless equivalent runs as part of `meson test` (`udp loopback` test):
synthetic frames → encode → packetize → localhost UDP → depacketize → synthetic frames → encode → packetize → localhost UDP → depacketize →
+10
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@@ -145,6 +145,16 @@ install -m 755 "${BUILD_DIR}/src/app/screencast" "${INSTALL_DIR}/screencast"
systemctl enable --now avahi-daemon 2>/dev/null || true systemctl enable --now avahi-daemon 2>/dev/null || true
# UDP receive buffers clamp to net.core.rmem_max (stock Debian: ~208 KB).
# A keyframe burst at higher bitrates is larger than that, and the packet
# loss it causes makes every keyframe undecodable (black screen). Applied
# idempotently; buffers are allocated lazily, so this costs no RAM at rest.
if [ "$(cat /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_max)" -lt 4194304 ]; then
log "raising net.core.rmem_max to 4 MB for RTP burst absorption"
sysctl -w net.core.rmem_max=4194304 >/dev/null
printf 'net.core.rmem_max=4194304\n' > /etc/sysctl.d/99-screencast-rmem.conf
fi
# --- systemd autostart -------------------------------------------------------- # --- systemd autostart --------------------------------------------------------
if [ "${ENABLE_SERVICE}" = "1" ] && command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1; then if [ "${ENABLE_SERVICE}" = "1" ] && command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
log "installing the systemd service (autostart on boot)" log "installing the systemd service (autostart on boot)"