Colin's Weekly Tip: Monitor Refresh Rates (24/07/02)

[Colin]

After prolonged periods of time in front of the computer, do you get headaches or eye strain? Many times this problem can be traced to the monitor running at a low refresh rate. Luckily this is a rather easy fix. =)<BR> <BR>Click on the "Start" button, go to "Settings" and then "Control Panel". Once you're inside there, go to "Display". From there click the "Settings" tab and then the "Advanced" button. <BR> <BR>Here in Win9x based OS's go to the "Adapter" tab and you should see the "Monitor Settings". Under that should be a number followed by the "Hertz". The sweet spot is 75 Hz or above and in general you want to get that number as high as possible.<BR> <BR>In Win2k/XP OS's you want to click the "Monitor" tab. There you'll see "Monitor Settings" and you should do the same as what's written above. <BR><BR>When you press the "Apply" or "OK" button your monitor will blink and you should be set!<BR><BR>Now you be able stay in front of your computer for long periods of time and not have any problems! =)

[CHE]

I vacuumed all of the jumpers off of my motherboard once <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif" border="0"> Watch for that, too <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">

[Part16John]

hahaha, thats pretty funny CHE, at least you learned your lesson, hopefully<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">

[Sterfry]

For some reason I don't have a choice as to what my refresh rate is. I think it used to be there, but maybe the nVIDIA Detonator 41.09 drivers made it disappear, or maybe it's my GeForce 3 Ti 200, I don't know.

[Colin]

Sterfry what driver is your monitor using? Try changing it to Plug and Play, that will probably get the refresh rate options back. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

[CompSnake]

if i set my refresh rate any higher then 75 it starts to humm

[Colin]

CompSnake what monitor are you using and what do you have around it?

[Avid6eek]

My monitor is currently on 65Hz. I set it to 75Hz and the edgest started to flicker.

[Colin]

Shiznit what resolution are you using? Setting a higher refresh rate requires more electricitiy and if you have bad power, it's possible that the edge would start to move.<BR><BR>I get that myself in my new apartment, the electricy is quite bad, brownouts and such all the time. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">

[Avid6eek]

I'm not having a bad power issue, my monitor doesn't support that high of a resolution. I'm currently running at 1600x1200 and at that res, my monitor only supports 65Hz. At 65Hz I don't see any flickers, so it's not a problem, I just thought I'd try what you said.

[Colin]

Oh... Well there's no guarentee's if you go above a monitor's rated spec's! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">

[Avid6eek]

lol, thanks for mentioning it in your original post. I didn't think it would work, but I never tried it. Now you got the NooBs around here burning out their monitors <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">

[Colin]

Haha... Ya, you're a "n00b"! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">

[CompSnake]

<br><br><< <i>CompSnake what monitor are you using and what do you have around it?</i> >><br><br><BR>its a 17' aopen a70s<BR>whats around it? well right now there's 2 pop cans, speakers, a flashlight, a old cpu fan, a phone, a printer, my modem, my mouse, a nail clipper, a cd case, a piece of paper, a cp with pens in it, a claculator, some more cds, oh and a desk under all that, and a keyboard which i am typing on

[Colin]

CompSnake it's possible that your monitor is getting some EMI from the other devices... Try isolating your monitor and see if you have the same problems.

[CompSnake]

and where shall it be placed? on the floor?<BR>sorry,, desk is full<BR>and im a lazy lazy man

[Polykranopalous]

just put in on the ground... and u are very lazy

[Colin]

CompSnake, what I would do if I were you is attach them your speakers to the wall. With your speakers right in front of you, you're probably not getting the most out of your speakers anyway. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">

[CompSnake]

umm, i dont think that would work to well, but ill give her a try

[CompSnake]

ok there up there, thanx for the tip, sounds a lot better

[Colin]

How about the monitor? Still the same thing?

[CompSnake]

havent tried yet<BR>ill do it now

[CompSnake]

didnt help, dont worrie about it, 75hz is good enough

[Avid6eek]

Many phone have magnents in them and if you put them buy your monitor it can bend the grill (temporarily until you move the magnent) and distort all the colors. I know this isn't going to help the humming, but it's just FYI.

[joepoole]

hey colin do you know how to make a file to put in the send to folder so that you can make shortcuts to files in the quicklauch bar like the one that sends them to the desktop? it doesnt seem like its that big of a deal but I love to explore new softwares all the time so im constantly changing my quicklaunch icons.

[Colin]

<br><br><< <i>hey colin do you know how to make a file to put in the send to folder so that you can make shortcuts to files in the quicklauch bar like the one that sends them to the desktop? it doesnt seem like its that big of a deal but I love to explore new softwares all the time so im constantly changing my quicklaunch icons.</i> >><br><br>Damn I didn't see this! Sorry about that joepoole! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0"> <BR><BR>Unfortunately to answer your question, I do not know now to put something into the Send to option.

[geodekl]

<< hey colin do you know how to make a file to put in the send to folder so that you can make shortcuts to files in the quicklauch bar like the one that sends them to the desktop? it doesnt seem like its that big of a deal but I love to explore new softwares all the time so im constantly changing my quicklaunch icons. >><BR><BR>I don't know how to directly add the quicklaunch toolbar to the sendto folder, but you can get essentially the same effect like so:<BR><BR>Make a new folder on your desktop. Put a SHORTCUT to this new folder into your sendto folder (which is a hidden folder usually found in c:windows). Drag the new folder onto your taskbar, but not in the quicklaunch area. This creates a new toolbar on your taskbar. To add programs to it, right click on the program executable and choose "send to desktop - create shortcut". Now you can right click on the new shortcut and send it to the toolbar folder you made. The extra step is important, if you try to send your program file directly to the toolbar folder, you will copy the executable instead of creating a shortcut in the folder. You don't need to keep the extra shortcut on your desktop; it can be deleted. You can turn off the name of the toolbar by rightclicking on it and unchecking "show title". The folder will continue to exist on your desktop or wherever you choose to store it even while you have it on the toolbar, and closing the toolbar will not affect the folder.<BR><BR>I'm sure there's an easier way to do this, but I haven't found it yet. Personally, I just use sendto to make shortcuts on my desktop then drag them onto the quicklaunch toolbar. ; )

[@COMPUTER_HACK]

If you right click on the Quick Launch bar and click Open Folder it should say what your Quick Launch folder is.<BR><BR>Mine is C:Documents and Settings******Application DataMicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick Launch. Same as 2k, different for 9x,ME

[mrbios]

on this refrsh rate thing i have a tick box saying hide all rates the monitor can not display but when i untick it and set it to something its not spossed to be able to display it still works but is this effecting the monitor in anyway setting it higher??

[GNXtreme]

you can physically burn out the monitor running it at too high of a frequency...my friend did this to his 19 Dell Trinitron...now it no worky...and that is an expensive oops....

[mrbios]

so is it best i put it bak on 60hz cause its on 70hz at the mo and it only seems to want to run at 60hz when i tick the show all modes monitor can display thing

[Hotlynx2]

Yes you need to check the owners manual to see what refresh rate each screen size will suport. I have a 17' kds and at 800x600 it suposed to go to 120MHZ but I ran it at 100mhz and ocasonally it would lose sync after rebooting so I reset it to 85 MHZ and it seems to be ok there.

[HellMuT]

my monitor can only go to 60 mhz..

[Zefram]

To improve your screen refresh rate, why don't you find the latest driver for your PC monitor? it is usually available in the manufacturer website, and the driver is usually come with color management file. <BR>Mine is 17 inch LCD LG studioworks, before loading the driver, i used the default windows driver and it only allows 75hz in 1024X768. Pushed it up to 85, it out of sync. After downloading the driver i used the LCD screen in 90hz without problem.<BR><BR>P/S : LCD screen don't flicker, i know <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> But higher refresh rate eliminates ghosling image find previously on LCD screen.<BR>Do you know that sometimes damaged CRT screen is repairable by changing the fuse inside ($2)? So, don't just throw them, check the fuse!<BR><BR>LCD IS GREAT FOR GAMING, JUST SQUEEZE SOME $$$ TO FIND ONE!

[SilentHalo]

Adding an item to the "Send To" field is actually rather easy. To do so, you have to locate your "Send To" folder first of all, which will be located in C:Documents and Settings[user name]Send To From here, you can add any shotcuts you wish, including the Quick Launch bar. To do this, simply make a shortcut pointing to C:Documents and Settings[user name]Application DataMicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick Launch, and place that shortcut in your Send To folder. Tada! All done. You've got yourself a "Send To Quicklaunch" option!