Vertical Refresh Rate Too Low

Hello,

I have a WinXP (SP2) system and an Intel 865 motherboard. I'm running a
Matrox G450 (AGP) and a Matrox G450 (PCI) and am using 3 monitors, each set
to 32-bit color and 1024x768 resolution. According to the specifications on
these boards I should be able to set the vertical refresh rate to 160Hz
(although all I want is 100Hz). I'm using an Envision 910 monitor, a Sony
E400 monitor, and a KDS XF-9bi monitor. The Sony is capable of at least
100Hz (maybe more). I have installed the correct drivers for each monitor.
However, when I look at the properties for the monitors none of them show a
choice greater than 85Hz. I've unchecked the "Hide modes that this monitor
cannot display" box but 85Hz is still the top choice. Any
ideas/suggestions?

Thanks,
Ray Mitchell

"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message k.net...
Hello,

I have a WinXP (SP2) system and an Intel 865 motherboard. I'm running a
Matrox G450 (AGP) and a Matrox G450 (PCI) and am using 3 monitors, each set
to 32-bit color and 1024x768 resolution. According to the specifications on
these boards I should be able to set the vertical refresh rate to 160Hz
(although all I want is 100Hz). I'm using an Envision 910 monitor, a Sony
E400 monitor, and a KDS XF-9bi monitor. The Sony is capable of at least
100Hz (maybe more). I have installed the correct drivers for each monitor.
However, when I look at the properties for the monitors none of them show a
choice greater than 85Hz. I've unchecked the "Hide modes that this monitor
cannot display" box but 85Hz is still the top choice. Any
ideas/suggestions?

Yes. Download Matrox's tweak utility from their website.

Rick

Rick,

Thanks for the suggestion. I downloaded and tried the tweak, but it
instructs me to then use the Matrox Monitor Manager to update my monitor
profiles. However, the monitor manager does not support either version of
the G450. Go figure!

Ray

"Rick" wrote in message
...
"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message
k.net...
Hello,

I have a WinXP (SP2) system and an Intel 865 motherboard. I'm running a
Matrox G450 (AGP) and a Matrox G450 (PCI) and am using 3 monitors, each
set
to 32-bit color and 1024x768 resolution. According to the specifications
on
these boards I should be able to set the vertical refresh rate to 160Hz
(although all I want is 100Hz). I'm using an Envision 910 monitor, a
Sony
E400 monitor, and a KDS XF-9bi monitor. The Sony is capable of at least
100Hz (maybe more). I have installed the correct drivers for each
monitor.
However, when I look at the properties for the monitors none of them show
a
choice greater than 85Hz. I've unchecked the "Hide modes that this
monitor
cannot display" box but 85Hz is still the top choice. Any
ideas/suggestions?

Yes. Download Matrox's tweak utility from their website.

Rick

Have you tried adjusting the refresh rate directly through
Powerdesk? Look under the Matrox-specific options.

"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message k.net...
Rick,

Thanks for the suggestion. I downloaded and tried the tweak, but it
instructs me to then use the Matrox Monitor Manager to update my monitor
profiles. However, the monitor manager does not support either version of
the G450. Go figure!

Ray

"Rick" wrote in message
...
"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message
k.net...
Hello,

I have a WinXP (SP2) system and an Intel 865 motherboard. I'm running a
Matrox G450 (AGP) and a Matrox G450 (PCI) and am using 3 monitors, each
set
to 32-bit color and 1024x768 resolution. According to the specifications
on
these boards I should be able to set the vertical refresh rate to 160Hz
(although all I want is 100Hz). I'm using an Envision 910 monitor, a
Sony
E400 monitor, and a KDS XF-9bi monitor. The Sony is capable of at least
100Hz (maybe more). I have installed the correct drivers for each
monitor.
However, when I look at the properties for the monitors none of them show
a
choice greater than 85Hz. I've unchecked the "Hide modes that this
monitor
cannot display" box but 85Hz is still the top choice. Any
ideas/suggestions?

Yes. Download Matrox's tweak utility from their website.

Rick

Rick,

I was able to go in and click the refresh rate 1Hz at a time until it
reached 100Hz, then save it as a custom configuration. Thanks for your
suggestion. What I still don't understand is why this should be necessary.
In the past I've always been able to chose the desired refresh rate in the
monitor settings, but as I mentioned, in this case it only lists rates up to
85Hz.

Ray

"Rick" wrote in message
...
Have you tried adjusting the refresh rate directly through
Powerdesk? Look under the Matrox-specific options.

"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message
k.net...
Rick,

Thanks for the suggestion. I downloaded and tried the tweak, but it
instructs me to then use the Matrox Monitor Manager to update my monitor
profiles. However, the monitor manager does not support either version
of
the G450. Go figure!

Ray

"Rick" wrote in message
...
"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message
k.net...
Hello,

I have a WinXP (SP2) system and an Intel 865 motherboard. I'm running
a
Matrox G450 (AGP) and a Matrox G450 (PCI) and am using 3 monitors,
each
set
to 32-bit color and 1024x768 resolution. According to the
specifications
on
these boards I should be able to set the vertical refresh rate to
160Hz
(although all I want is 100Hz). I'm using an Envision 910 monitor, a
Sony
E400 monitor, and a KDS XF-9bi monitor. The Sony is capable of at
least
100Hz (maybe more). I have installed the correct drivers for each
monitor.
However, when I look at the properties for the monitors none of them
show
a
choice greater than 85Hz. I've unchecked the "Hide modes that this
monitor
cannot display" box but 85Hz is still the top choice. Any
ideas/suggestions?

Yes. Download Matrox's tweak utility from their website.

Rick

"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message ink.net...
Rick,

I was able to go in and click the refresh rate 1Hz at a time until it
reached 100Hz, then save it as a custom configuration. Thanks for your
suggestion. What I still don't understand is why this should be necessary.
In the past I've always been able to chose the desired refresh rate in the
monitor settings, but as I mentioned, in this case it only lists rates up to
85Hz.

I'm not sure why. Maybe they think anything over 85Hz isn't
necessary or discernable? Who knows.

Rick

"Ray Mitchell" wrote in message...
I was able to go in and click the refresh rate 1Hz at a time
until it reached 100Hz, then save it as a custom configuration.

That's always been the best way to do it with the G4xx PowerDesk drivers.
Make sure you save your customisations out as a file so you can instantly
re-import the settings it if you ever have to reinstall your system, or
wipe/reinstall a future Matrox driver build.

What I still don't understand is why this should be necessary.
In the past I've always been able to chose the desired refresh
rate in the monitor settings, but as I mentioned, in this case it
only lists rates up to 85Hz.

The reason for this is that one (or more) of your monitors is using VESA DDC
signalling to broadcast its list of acceptable refresh rates, or
alternatively one of the .inf files used for your monitor(s) contains an
incomplete or incorrect set of refresh rate definitions. In either scenario,
XP will offer you a limited set of refresh rate options in the standard
Display Properties/Monitor selection sheet, and 85Hz is normally the highest
you'd expect to see there.

As you've already found out, the PowerDesk advanced monitor customisation
routine is waaaay more powerful than what you're given as standard with
WinXP. You can do far more than define additional refresh rates with it, so
have a play and see what you can do.
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace .nospam with .com in reply address)

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