Refresh Rate Fix XP/2k

Typedef Enum · Mar 2, 2002

Hey guys,

I thought there might be some people here who would be interested in knowing how to workaround this issue using the latest nVidia drivers...

I'll just copy/paste what I posted on our front page...

1. Download Rivatuner

2. Run regedit.exe

3. Look here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEHARDWAREDEVICEMAPVIDEO

The "Video0" key (assuming you have 1 display adapter) will point you to the correct location in the registry where the nVidia parameters are stored. Go ahead and double-click the key.

4. There are a few ways to do this, but the easiest way is to simply copy the GUID in the "Value data:" field, and then do a search in Regedit. IE:

RegistryMachineSystemCurrentControlSetControlVideo{F51F3E5F-EA27-42B3-8FE7-BDA43872CAC8}

cost of BluRay beyond the realm of consumer price points.

On an overall tech basis I'm certainly pulling for BluRay even if the initial cost of the products are high(realisticly the only people that would find it worth while in the near future are those that are willing to pay a premium for home theatre gear). If they do decide for lower bitrate/higher compression levels where will that leave the console manufacturers for the next gen? It doesn't seem that DVDs will be a truly viable media format for the next generation.

borzwazie · Mar 5, 2002

Thanks for the info...

I really like my GF3 but why on earth do we have this problem? This is a bug that's been around since at least the XP detonator set, and it's annoying as hell. I don't have this problem with any other video card I own, so why do I have it with this one?

Can anyone shed any light on why we have this problem? Is it a hardware/MS/nVidia bug?

Windfire · Mar 5, 2002

I assume this is related to refresh rates being stuck at 60Hz in Win2k/XP.

If we do this, what does it buy us exactly?

borzwazie · Mar 5, 2002

All your games will end up running at 60hz. I get annoyed by monitor flicker at that refresh rate, so I like the refresh rate to be 75Hz or greater. Hence, a refresh rate fix.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: borzwazie on 2002-03-05 19:27 ]</font>

Windfire · Mar 5, 2002

I agree, I like 85Hz for all resolutions.

My question is, following these instuctions buys us what???? Do we now have the ability to set Refresh via the tweak program?

Specificaly, he states:
"11. Close Regedit, fire up RivaTuner, and then select the 60 Hz. option under Customize->60 Hz."

Why would I want to select 60? I guess I'm missing something. Shouldn't that say "you're preferred refresh"?

pcchen · Mar 5, 2002

IMHO there should be an option in the driver or something to set the default refresh rate for every resolution, for those games which don't bother to set refresh rate.

Mize · Mar 5, 2002

There is a RefreshFix program that many (MOST?) Radeon 8500 users have been using.

It allows the user to select the refresh rate for all resolutions. I'm certain something like it could be done for the nvidia drivers.

http://www.radeon2.ru/refreshfix_eng.html

Mize

borzwazie · Mar 5, 2002

No no, we have a refresh fix program, it just isn't working with the newer driver series yet.

The problem is that the driver doesn't bother to look up what you have set for a refresh rate at 2D resolutions to set the 3D refresh rate.

So, no matter what you set the 2D (the desktop) refresh rate to, you end up with the default (safe) refresh rate of 60Hz in 3D, which is handled separately. This, I think, is dumb.

So, what we want here is driver writers to pay attention to this kind of detail, which apparently both ATI and nVidia have neglected. Dunno about Kyro.

MPI · Mar 5, 2002

AFAIK, it doesn't have anything to do with the drivers. It's a bug in NT/2k/XP which has been there ever since NT4. The problem is there for all types of cards and makes. The ball is really in M$'s court.

But a cleaner workaround in the drivers would be nice indeed, like Matrox's Powerdesk stuff. The "refreshfix" is a hack where you simply remove all refresh-rates from the registry below your wished rate. It works, but that shouldn't really be necessary.

Typedef Enum · Mar 6, 2002

I think I'm correct in saying this...but if you were to ask Microsoft about this issue, they would not regard this as a bug either.

I think people assume that, because Win9x/Me used to rely on the OS...and the NT/2k/XP kernel does not, it should be regarded as a bug. However, it's my impression that it should be left to the game developer to properly address the issue of refresh rates.

Granted, we all know that very few games actually do this...and at the end of the day, all you give a crap about is the ability to NOT fall back to 60 Hz. If MS doesn't quite feel like amending their OS's in the same fashion as Win9x, then nVidia should (IMHO)...It would be a very easy thing to implement, and it sure would cut down on the number of questions/help-threads/etc. on this issue.

Honestly, I get the impression that they (meaning any/all the above) don't really care too much about it.

In answer to the question, RivaTuner will simply modify the registry in order to select only the highest supported refresh rates...As was pointed out earlier, the 'fix' is to simply remove all those other refresh rates that aren't used...This is the reason why Win2k/NT/XP fall back to 60 Hz., because it's the first refresh-rate listed.

MPI · Mar 6, 2002

On 2002-03-06 17:35, Typedef Enum wrote:
I think I'm correct in saying this...but if you were to ask Microsoft about this issue, they would not regard this as a bug either.

I think people assume that, because Win9x/Me used to rely on the OS...and the NT/2k/XP kernel does not, it should be regarded as a bug. However, it's my impression that it should be left to the game developer to properly address the issue of refresh rates.

No, Microsoft probably don't see it as a bug, it's a feature.

Honestly a bug like that would be extremely easy to fix.

But I STRONGLY disagree that the developer should care about what bloody refreshrate I use. Actually this whole refreshrate deal should be transparent to the user with a PnP card and a PnP monitor. At least he/she should have the option to have a hands-off approach without having to go to the optometrist afterwards. It's _messed_ up!

Here's a site dedicated to this:

http://xp-refresh.net/

borzwazie · Mar 6, 2002

I don't think game developers ought to worry about my monitor refresh rate...that sounds like a good way to end up with a fried monitor.

The people that _should_ care are the driver writers. After all, if their card drives my monitor at a rate greater than it can handle, it smokes! (it's happened to me).

I don't see the big deal with the 3D drivers being able to read the set 2D refresh rate and set the 3D rate to the same.

Typedef Enum · Mar 7, 2002

MPI,

I totally agree with you...100%...I'm basically relaying to you a conversation I had with somebody from nVidia about this same topic...

I'm very much a "bottom-line" type of person, and that's my mantra @ work...I always put things in that perspective when confronted with an issue...

No matter who should do what...or who's to blaim...or pointing fingers one way or the other...The simple fact is that a bunch of people are left scratching their heads, wondering why they have this stupid 60 Hz limitation...and are just looking for a workaround. We all know it can be done, and there's no justification by the ATI's and nVidia's of the World NOT to address this issue in their drivers (one way or another).

Humus · Mar 7, 2002

Well, AFAIK if the monitor supports DDC and it's enabled the ATi drivers will default to 75Hz if supported at that res. I'm using UniTuner though to get 85Hz.

Reverend · Mar 8, 2002

Humus, THANK YOU for UniTuner. It solves the problem for me (no, I don't mind the 2megs the GameUtil.exe takes up to ensure things run the way I want them to).

Did you get any card from Keith?

Humus · Mar 8, 2002

Nope, not yet at least. I managed to get a reply from him and he asked me if I had been accepted as a registered developer yet and got my access enabled for their developer site with beta drivers and stuff, which I hadn't at that time, which I told him. But later the same day I got a mail with my password etc, so I sent another mail telling him that it had been enabled, but he hasn't replied on that yet (think it was this monday).

Interestingly, I didn't have to sign a NDA for nVidia, while ATi required me to do that. I guess it's on it's way back to canada now (if it haven't arrived yet), so my access at ATi's site should be enabled soon too.

Windfire · Mar 8, 2002

Humus, I assume the UniTuner only corrects the refresh rate issue with ATI cards or does it work for Nvidia drivers as well?

Humus · Mar 9, 2002

It works for all cards.

Refresh Rate Fix XP/2k

Typedef Enum

borzwazie

Windfire

borzwazie

Windfire

pcchen

Moderator

Mize

3dfx Fan

borzwazie

MPI

Typedef Enum

MPI

borzwazie

Typedef Enum

Humus

Crazy coder

Reverend

Humus

Crazy coder

Windfire

Humus

Crazy coder

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