"Breaking" the 60Hz refresh barrier?

[hetz]

Hi,

I have Thinkpad T42 (2373-CUG, Radeon 9600, 64MB RAM) and I connected a 20" LG monitor with the resolution 1680x1050.

My problem: The thinkpad only lets me use 60Hz on that mode.

I tried to use ATI's drivers from the ATI web site, IBM latest drivers, the famour DriverHeaven mod, and yet it still doesn't give me on that resolution anything above 60Hz.

Is there a way to hack this barrier?

Thanks,
Hetz

[FTC]

Hi,

First, if the monitor is an LCD one, (i.e non CRT), it makes no real sense to change the refresh frequency, due to the technical characteristics of these (makes no difference).

Now, and assuming you have a CRT one, then it is the monitor or monitor driver which will have to inform the display card drivers that such resolution/frequecies are supported. So first thing first is to make sure that you have the proper/latest monitor drivers installed for your monitor (go to LG site and look for those). If this does not work then there are program such as the REFORCE which will allow you to force yor desired resolutions. (Also the Atitray tools have a refreshlock override settings).

[hetz]

the monitor is LCD, but since I came from the CRT world, I thought that it matters..

Anyway, the monitor DOES report back to the driver that it supports 75Hz (I can see it in the "display" tab in the ATI driver info), it shows both in DDC and EDID, but in the Monitor section, it insists using 60Hz.

I can understand your point that it doesn't matter, but I cannot understand why the picture is shown a little "fuzzy". It's not the monitor (I tried it on my other machines here at home, looks perfect), so is there anyway to improve the picture?

Thanks,
Hetz

[Mikem95626]

Did you use a DVI connection on your other computers? I know that makes a big difference on my LCD's.

[hetz]

I don't have the port replicator / Docking station..

I can get some VGA->DVI convertor. Would that help?

Thanks,
Hetz

[FTC]

I don't think a VGA->DVI adapter would help. This would still drive the VGA signal through the DVI connector (I think it is called DVI-A and not DVI-D signal or alike). Having a real DVI signal would help though, such as getting it through a port replicator or alike.
Changing the refresh rate would not make the image look sharper.

Note also that the display tab of the ATI driver does only show the maximum refresh rate for any of your allowed resolutions, so it could be very well that 75 hz is supported for 1024x768 but not for 1280 x 1024 or higher... (this is exactly the case of my monitor, an Acer AL732).. so if the 'monitor' tab does not let you change to a higher refresh rate you ought to belive it...

[Gustavo]

For a LCD monitor 60 Hz is the optimal refresh rate. Thats how it is today anyway , I dont know with LED light monitors though that can be a different matter.

Just waiting for IMOD(Interferometric modulator displays) to hit the market though they are not affected by ambient conditions that is you can use them in broad daylight with no reflections and have very wide viewing angles.
That will be sweet...