Monitor Refresh rate problem

[Flightsim]

I have been getting some strange flickerings in games recently and I thought maybe my video card was the problem, but when I checked my OSD menu, it said that the refresh rate was 59Hz! My monitor is a Hitachi CM721F and my video card is a GeForce 4 Ti4400. My desktop is set at 1024x728 at 100Hz with no problems at all, but as soon as I launch a game, my monitor refresh rate automatically goes down to 59Hz, regardless of the resolution, detail settings, or game. Why is this happening? Is it a video card issue or a monitor issue? Both are capable of achieving much higher refresh rates than 59Hz at any resolution. Is this a driver issue? I have the latest drivers for my GeForce 4 and I can't find any new drivers for my monitor. I don't understand this problem and would greatly appreciate any advice. I already sent an E-mail to Hitachi, but I would like to see what advice I can get at Anandtech in the meantime.

 

[Insidious]

Search on "refresh rate" and you will find a zillion posts about this.

You need to run NVidia Detonator Drivers (I've had the best luck with version 30.82, but your miliage may vary) and a tweaking utility.

I prefer RivaTuner, but there are others available to fix the refresh rate thingy. You can read about it here if you are interested.

In short, WindowsXP switches the refresh rate to 60Hz when you change display modes (as in starting a game, etc.). Lots of arguments
about whether this is a WindowsXP or a NVidia problem.

Good luck!

 

[Flightsim]

Insidious- I went with your adivce and downloaded RivaTuner. It looks pretty complicated for computer newbie like me. How do I set the refresh rate to whatever I want?

 

[Imported]

I'd use NVRefreshTool. Easy to work with, but it doesn't work with the new Detonator 40.xx. Great for the other ones though.. simple and straightforward.

 

[Insidious]

when you run RivaTuner, you will see a window with 2 sections. Each section will have a bar with an icon on its right end with a triangle and it is labled 'Customize...'

In the lower section, click on customize triangle. You will see six icons appear. One will be labled 60Hz (you can't miss it). click on this icon. You will see a list of all the possible display modes and the current refresh rate for each. You can command these rates individually, or force them all to the max supported (determined because Rivatuner looked at your monitor .inf file.) I chose to set them all to the max. by clicking on the icon with double, right pointing arrows. Then click the 'install' button and you are done. (You need to reboot)


The thing looks complicated (and can be if you try to tweak the registry settings for all the options available) but if you keep to the basics, it is easy.

Another thing you probably want to do is turn VSync off in Direct 3d and OpenGL modes.

To do this click the same 'customize...' button as we did before. This time click the Direct3D icon. Then select the VSync tab and select "always off" then click the OK button.

Now, click the "customize..." icon one more time and this time select the OpenGL icon. select the VSync tab and select 'always off" then click the OK button. Boot your machine one more time (just for good measure) and you needn't tweak anything again until you install new drivers, or want to experiment with overclocking at some later time.

Hope this was helpful, if not PM me and we'll keep at it

-Sid

 

[Operandi]

It's Windows XP/2000 problem it has nothing to do with what graphics card you have.

If you want something simpler I recommend you check out RefreshLock, as Riva Tuner is overkill if all you want to do is change your refresh rates. Another advantage is you can use it with any graphics card so you won't have to worry about what program to use for what card, and drivers for that matter.

 

[LarryJoe]

I agree Rivatuner is big time over kill. I use Refreshlock as well with the new 40 dets and it works perfectly. Run it once, accept your monitor's default rates and that's it.

 

[Flightsim]

Thanks for the help everyone- it really was the Windows XP problem. Now the flickers are gone. Anandtech rules!!!