Setting exact refresh rate
 

Hello all,

I just want to know how to set the exact monitor refresh rate, eg specifically enter something like 79.9kHz/75Hz instead of specifying the range of refresh rate values... I use xf86config to create the config file and Xconfigurator to set things up, but the refresh rate still ends up a bit too low for my liking (eyes get tired very easily...). Can someone help me out? At the moment, I'm running 1024x768 with ~69kHz/85Hz (horizontal/vertical, or is it the other way around?) With windows, I could go ~75kHz/85Hz on the same resolution, if not higher. Any ideas on how I could specify the refresh rate?

I know this topic has been discussed a fair bit on the forums, but I just couldn't find one that dealt with setting a specific rate. My apologies if I have missed something.

Regards,
Michael.

What you are talking about doing is writing your own modelines to the /etc/X11/XF86Conf-4 or XF86Config file in the monitor section. I personally don't but that is where you will do it. If you search for modelines you will probably come up with plenty to work with.

Hey taz,

Thank you for your reply... could you be a little more specific? I'm a newbie to Linux, so the more detail, the better. I'm looking at /etc/X11/XF86Config file (no Conf-4 file there) and I can see all these monitor settings like, for example:

# 1024x768 @ 70 Hz, 56.5 kHz hsync
Modeline "1024x768" 75 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync

Thing I don't get is - how do I select them? There are lots of settings listed, but I can't find anywhere where it explicitly states which one I should be using.

BTW, the monitor I am using is a DELL D1025HT. Thanks in advance,

Michael.

What you need is the Colas Xfree Modeline Generator, (make sure you have your hardware specs handy).

Aussie, thanks for your reply but that site doesn't work... I give it all my specs and it just takes me to a blank page :(

Any other ideas? I'm using windows (yeah yeah, I know...) now and the monitor config screen shows 77.2kHz / 85Hz at 1152 x 864. In Linux, the best configuration I've been able to reach so far is 65khz /85Hz at 1024 x 768, but that resolution is a bit too low for my liking. I can also go for 80kHz / 75Hz at 1280 x 1024, but the refresh rate is a bit too low still. For a resolution of 1152 x 864 in Linux, the refresh combination is something like 60kHz / 65Hz, which seems a bit weird. I'm no expert with these settings, but shouldn't there be some sort of trade-off? Shouldn't I be able to have the same resolution and refresh rate for Linux as I do with windows?

Ideas people? Any comments would be very appreciated.

Korshun.

It works fine for me (using konqueror). Have a read of the XFree86 Video Timings HOWTO and a quick google also gives a swag of hits.