LCD refresh rate differences...

[Bibin]

If anyone could do me the favor of testing on your machine, I have compiled a small archive containing software that will accurately tell you what the maximum refresh of your LCD is. It is hosted at http://mikejmoffitt.com/bin/lcdtest.zip and includes a small batch file that will run a freeware Sega Mega Drive emulator with non-commercial software, and it will report the maximum FPS it can push with vertical sync on.

On a 60hz system it will report ~60fps, and on one with a 50hz display it will report ~50fps.

Both T43p's I have report 50fps, with or without display drivers.
My X40 and X41 both report 50fps.
My X41 TABLET reports 60fps (and there is a noticable difference in the smoothness of a moving object in a 60fps video)
My X41 using an X41 tablet LCD screen and cable reports 50fps...
A T40 with a radeon 7500 and 1024x768 LCD reported 60fps.
A T40 with a radeon 9000 and 1024x768 LCD reported 60fps.
My X200 with, and without, an AFFS LCD, would do 60fps.

I want to know if I can make my T43p run at 60hz, either by changing the LCD, messing with the VGA BIOS, anything. 50hz is not acceptable for what I do with it however.

Windows claims it's at 60hz, the ATI graphic utility claims it's at 60hz, (on the x41 I have the intel utility says the same thing...), yet I verified using software I wrote what my eyes saw - the LCD updates its image at 50hz!

A good test of this is Kega Fusion, an emulator of the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis, which clearly shows the maximum frames per second it can render to the display device. While running on the ThinkPad's internal LCD, it is capped at 50fps, or 50hz. Running on an external monitor, it's at 60fps (which is the correct amount). Changing the resolution or any speed settings changes nothing. This happens on my T43p, and on an X41 I had owned in the past.

I have a strong feeling either the chipset or the LCD is responsible. I mention the chipset as the X41 has I believe the same chipset and exhibits the same problem across the board...

This problem doesn't just affect the one game, it's everything I do on the system. It's not a big problem for most things but as a game developer and programmer I need my LCD updating at the correct interval, otherwise I can't tell a performance drag from a refresh drag... Having the FPS of the software not match the refresh of the monitor (LCDs do refresh, just not in the same fashion as a CRT) makes the software appear to stutter.

I am uploading a video now outlining the behaviour. If anyone knows what to do about this, it would be very helpful.

[Bibin]

Bump; does anyone know anything about this? I know I'm not the only one.

[jdrou]

What version of Windows? Do you have the Thinkpad display INF file installed?
I know my X61 and I believe all the other Thinkpad lines of that same generation use a 50Hz refresh rate but it's clearly shown as such in Windows XP at least. My X201 allows both 50 and 60Hz rates. I don't recall what the X40 shows; I'll check next time I'm home.
For me this was an issue since I had a couple of games that were would refuse to run at a refresh less than 60Hz.

[Bibin]

Windows XP, however in Windows 7, Windows 2000, and various linux flavours it does the same thing (though linux, specifically xrandr, is honest and says 50hz and refuses to change). With and without the inf, it does the same thing.

The X40 I'm fairly sure isn't affected from what I remember of mine. My X200 was a proper 60hz.

[Bibin]

Bump, updated my post.

[Bibin]

Anyone?