Vivian on 19/3/2013 at 23:08
Hey guys, trying to work something out and google doesn't seem especially helpful. Following this (
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/04/week-in-tech-overclock-your-monitor-with-nvidia/) helpful RPS article I tried fiddling about with forcing my monitors refresh rate as high as it would go. Using the EVGA tool, I can apparently push my monitor up to 100Hz before things go a bit dodgy. The nvidia control panel and windows display settings confirm a refresh of 100.
So great, right? Only thing is, if I turn v-sync on, fraps shows a pretty universal max framerate of 75fps in a variety of games. Seeing as v-sync should cap at the refresh rate, does this mean that my monitor is, in fact, only capable of 75Hz? Is there anyway to independently check refresh rate? I mean, it's not that big a deal, it's just bugging me now.
Any ideas, welcome.
Viv
Gryzemuis on 20/3/2013 at 23:19
I would believe the number that fraps shows you over any other number.
It might be that games have hard-coded max-fps limits in them. Or in their hidden configuration and ini files. I just tried that evga tool from the RPS article myself. My Asus VE278Q would go to 65 Hz. At 66 Hz the screen would become blurry. So I have decided to stick at 60 Hz.
I tried it with Deus Ex HR. The game ran at 60 fps, when my screen was configured for 65 Hz. I checked the options, and found a setting for max fps. The value was 60 fps. When I set it to 65 Hz, the game would run at 65 fps.
So what games have you tested ?
I bet more engines will have a hidden fps cap. I believe I've seen settings for max fps in Unreal Engine games (like Dishonored). I mean: in the ini file. There was no such option in the in-game settings menu.
It's worth checking out.
If you have a copy of DXHR, you can at least set the game-setting to 100 fps, and see if that works (with fraps). If you got one game running at higher than 75 fps, then you know your monitor is indeed capable of higher refresh rates.
Vivian on 22/3/2013 at 11:40
Well, for example, If I set the refresh to 100Hz and run HL2. If I turn v-sync off, fraps reports FPS of around 300. If I turn it on, it drops to 75. Same in Thief. In Something a bit more current, like serious sam 3, I obviously don't get 300 FPS, but again, it won't go higher than 75 no matter what bells and whistles I turn off. I'm curious as to what actually happens when I set the refresh to 100Hz now. Maybe it is some kind of limit I'm not aware of.
Al_B on 22/3/2013 at 11:54
Most LCDs have a status display that you can bring up via the physical menu buttons on the monitor. Are you able to check that and see what it thinks the refresh rate is?
Vivian on 22/3/2013 at 12:57
Hey, good point Al, thanks. So the OSD thinks the refresh rate is at whatever the overclocker sets it to, which is encouraging (actually it only says '1Hz' at 100Hz, but that seems to be because it only has two digits, it says '99Hz' at 99Hz. AOC - no compromise on quality). However, I've been checking out some older games, and the relationship seems a bit weird. Thief 2 only goes up to 100 FPS with v-sync off, it seems (75 with v-sync on). AvP classic runs at 120 FPS without v sync, but only at 60 with it on (at 100Hz refresh). Hmm.
Al_B on 22/3/2013 at 13:22
Just to check - did you look at the LCD status when in those games or at the desktop?
Vivian on 22/3/2013 at 13:34
On the desktop. I will check in game in a sec. I think I might have found something though - I was forcing triple-buffering and adaptive v-sync from the nvidia control panel. If I use the in-game v-sync instead, HL2:lost coast actually runs at 100 like it should. If I enable either triple-buffering OR v-sync from the nvidia panel, it runs at 75. So maybe it's a driver issue? I'm dl-ing portal 2 to see if it replicates the behaviour.
AH HAH... so, Al, you were right. Some games were changing the refresh rate back to 75, or 68, or whatever. I had to add -refresh 100 to the steam launch options to get Portal 2 to run at 100FPS with v-sync. And, holy shit. It looks amazing. Way, way smoother. I'll see if this was the case with other games.
Ok - TDP now runs at 68FPS because it sets the refresh rate to 68FPS. Any idea how I change that?
Vivian on 23/3/2013 at 14:19
OK - so, problem fixed. I can now run things at 100 fps with v-sync on, or in another way of saying, I can actually get any FPS above 60 to look right. Looks absolutely amazing. I'm not sure exactly where my cut-off for perception of flicker is, other than somewhere above 60Hz, but games definitely have a more 'real' look to them now. I had to dick around overriding the EDID (electronic monitor signature thing that tells you system what your monitor is capable of), following this guide: (
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/7947-force-dvi-hdmi-resolutions-refresh-rates.html)
It's a little more involved than they make out - in addition to changing the standard timings, I also had to go into the detailed timings and substitut the 'pixel clk' value in block#1 and block #2 timings for the value I got from the EVGA pixel clock tool, and raise the Max. Pxl Clk (MHz) in block#3 and 4's 'monitor range limits' fields to a rounding of the EVGA tool value.
