RPI vcgencmd usage

Verified commands
Command outputs are from firmware version 362371.

 

Shows a list of possible commands.

root@raspberrypi:~# vcgencmd commands commands="vcos, ap_output_control, ap_output_post_processing, vchi_test_init, vchi_test_exit, pm_set_policy, pm_get_status, pm_show_stats, pm_start_logging, pm_stop_logging, version, commands, set_vll_dir, led_control, set_backlight, set_logging, get_lcd_info, set_bus_arbiter_mode, cache_flush, otp_dump, codec_enabled, measure_clock, measure_volts, measure_temp, get_config, hdmi_ntsc_freqs, render_bar, disk_notify, inuse_notify, sus_suspend, sus_status, sus_is_enabled, sus_stop_test_thread, egl_platform_switch, mem_validate, mem_oom, mem_reloc_stats, file, vctest_memmap, vctest_start, vctest_stop, vctest_set, vctest_get"

(I've just checked on a more recent firmware version and there's now also  ,   and   commands)

 

Shows clock frequency, clock can be one of arm, core, h264, isp, v3d, uart, pwm, emmc, pixel, vec, hdmi, dpi.

root@raspberrypi:~# \ > for src in arm core h264 isp v3d uart pwm emmc pixel vec hdmi dpi ; do \ >    echo -e "$src:\t$(vcgencmd measure_clock $src)" ; \ > done arm:   frequency(45)=700000000 core:  frequency(1)=250000000 h264:  frequency(28)=0 isp:   frequency(42)=250000000 v3d:   frequency(43)=250000000 uart:  frequency(22)=3000000 pwm:   frequency(25)=0 emmc:  frequency(47)=100000000 pixel: frequency(29)=154000000 vec:   frequency(10)=0 hdmi:  frequency(9)=163682000 dpi:   frequency(4)=0

 

Shows voltage. id can be one of core, sdram_c, sdram_i, sdram_p, and defaults to core if not specified.

root@raspberrypi:~# \ > for id in core sdram_c sdram_i sdram_p ; do \ >    echo -e "$id:\t$(vcgencmd measure_volts $id)" ; \ > done core:  volt=1.20V sdram_c:       volt=1.20V sdram_i:       volt=1.20V sdram_p:       volt=1.23V

 

Shows core temperature of BCM2835 SoC.

root@raspberrypi:~# vcgencmd measure_temp temp=42.8'C

 

Shows if the specified codec is enabled, codec can be one of H263, H264, MPG2, WVC1, MPG4, AGIF, MJPA, MJPB, MJPG, WMV9, MVC0. Please note this was run on a Pi with the MPG2 and VC1 licences enabled.

root@raspberrypi:~# \ > for codec in H264 MPG2 WVC1 MPG4 MJPG WMV9 ; do \ >    echo -e "$codec:\t$(vcgencmd codec_enabled $codec)" ; \ > done H264:  H264=enabled MPG2:  MPG2=enabled WVC1:  WVC1=enabled MPG4:  MPG4=enabled MJPG:  MJPG=enabled WMV9:  WMV9=enabled

If you also follow the instructions in this Forum post then the codec options for VP6 and VP8 (WEBM) also work, this is experimental and unsupported at present so any changes are at your own risk.

  Will print the configurations you have set. Argument can ether be a specific option or int, showing all configs with number-datatype, or str showing all configurations with datatype sting (aka text).

root@raspberrypi:~# vcgencmd get_config int arm_freq=1000 core_freq=500 sdram_freq=600 over_voltage=6 disable_overscan=1 force_pwm_open=1

 

Shows how much memory is split between the CPU (arm) and GPU.

root@raspberrypi:~# vcgencmd get_mem arm && vcgencmd get_mem gpu arm=448M gpu=64M

 

Shows the firmware version

root@raspberrypi:~# vcgencmd version Jan 13 2013 16:24:29 Copyright (c) 2012 Broadcom version 362371 (release)

 

Displays the contents of the OTP (One Time Programmable) memory embedded inside the SoC.

root@raspberrypi:~# vcgencmd otp_dump 08:00000000 09:00000000 10:00000000 11:00000000 12:00000000 13:00000000 14:00000000 15:00000000 16:00280000 17:1020000a 18:1020000a 19:ffffffff 20:ffffffff 21:ffffffff 22:ffffffff 23:ffffffff 24:ffffffff 25:ffffffff 26:ffffffff 27:0000c2c2 28:6c14ba0d 29:93eb45f2 30:0000000e 31:00000000 32:00000000 33:00000000 34:00000000 35:00000000 36:00000000 37:00000000 38:00000000 39:00000000 40:00000000 41:00000000 42:00000000 43:00000000 44:00000000 45:00000000 46:00000000 47:00000000 48:00000000 49:00000000 50:00000000 51:00000000 52:00000000 53:00000000 54:00000000 55:00000000 56:00000000 57:00000000 58:00000000 59:00000000 60:00000000 61:00000000 62:00000000 63:00000000 64:00000000

Locations 28 and 30 store the Serial and Revision values that get displayed by  (the Serial is also used to determine the Ethernet MAC address on Model B boards), and location 32 stores the value of the warranty bit. Purpose of values in other locations is unknown.

 

Currently unusable, might be used in the future to control the backlight of LCD displays

 

Debug function created by Dom, used in OMXPlayer

 

Turns off video output.

 

Turns on video output.

Parameters and function of other vcgencmd commands are not known.

Links

 * This list also lists and describes vcgencmd options