DOS Refresh rates

[bandana163]

Does anybody know of a program which can alter the refresh rates under DOS ?
For example: my monitor can offer 120Hz in 640X480 in Windows, but has a default of 60Hz for DOS. I've seen no programs which could change refresh rates in DOS so far. Have you ?

 

[Jeff7]

I've not either; DOS runs at like 640x400 or something a bit off like that. I had been looking for a solution for awhile too; the closest thing I found was HZtool, which supports "old" operating systems like Win95-98, but the author of that said "DOS is dead." So he never gave support for it. It would need to be a program most likely, something memory resident - not a simple setting.
Why do you need the higher refresh rate in DOS? An application I'm assuming...I used to play Simfarm, but the low refresh rate just got to me, so I just had to stop playing it completely. I don't use any DOS programs anymore, but the move to WinXP probably helped that.

 

[bandana163]

I use XP, too. HzTools never worked for me, I use RefreshLock in XP, but it doesn't solve everything. I sometimes play Doom 1-2, Blood and old RPGs like Albion which have no Win versions, but the 60-70Hz I get makes my eyes really stressed. Anyway, I'm suprised that only a handful of people care about this. I haven't seen any articles about this anywhere before.

 

[Jeff7]

Of course, this could stem from the fact that there aren't many DOS drivers for any videocards made in the last several years - with no drivers to interface with, setting a refresh rate would be very difficult, if not impossible.

 

[bandana163]

When I was using 'filter glasses' or what in front of my 14'', I didn't notice the 60Hz. Today's 17'' and bigger filter glasses are, however pretty useless because of the higher refresh rates: almost nobody requires them - for Win, at least. It's funny, however, that a lot of people are talking about abandonwares and old DOS classics. I don't think that everybody enjoys 60Hz at home. There are a lot of games like Dungeon Keeper which have tons of fans - and no such help with the refresh rates I know of.

 

[Peter]

Really old graphics cards, like ATi's first Rage-8 cards or Trident's 8900/9000 series and the famous Tseng ET4000 - they all had tools to tweak the refresh rates for standard resolutions. With the demise of DOS altogether, these utility programs have vanished.

 

[bandana163]

I've have a Tseng ET6000 on the shelf even now, but I don't have any such utilities.
Anyway, the idea is very good: does anybody know of such software ?

 

[EeyoreX]

IMO, I don't really think the idea is all that good. Why continue to develop for a dead (or dying) OS? It simply wouldn't pay as there really are not that many people in the grand scheme of things playing DOS games or need a refresh rate above the default. Even many businesses who currently use DOS based apps are migrating to newer software because DOS support, both hardware and software, is going fast. Auto manufacturers need to assure parts for vehicles are available for 10 years after the vehicle's model year. Then, they no longer are required to do so. Why should the "parts" for a nearly 30 year-old OS be? I think you will be hard pressed to find m/any people to develop such tools. Especially as someone said, with the lack of DOS drivers for modern graphics adapters.

\Dan

 

[bandana163]

I see your point, but I still can't understand why I can't find any of that kind of software around.
This is a problem for all who use old games on newer, bigger monitors, and it's pretty strange that nobody made a program to help so far. Or has somebody made one? Does anybody know?

 

[Deanodarlo]

I have a program called "vbesetup" kicking around my HD - I'm intending to use it on my Classic Pentium 233MMX rig for DOS programs.

Here is what's in the readme:

VBETSR/VBESETUP


These settings will copy your current Windows refresh rates
and use them in Dos applications.

Once you have set the refresh rate in Windows, place
VBETSR.COM & VBESETUP.EXE in the autoexec.bat.

The proper form in your autoexec.bat is:

set mga=[the area where the mga.inf is located]
c:\ [directory] \vbetsr.com
c:\ [directory] \vbesetup.exe

If it's useful just type in the filename in google and grab youself a copy.