Force DVI/HDMI resolutions and refresh rates

How to Force DVI or HDMI Resolutions and Refresh Rates in Windows 7​

   Information

There have been innumerable posts on SevenForums about things like 59Hz refresh rates and 1080p 16:9 HDTVs that display only 1024x768 when connected with DVI or HDMI. After a ton of research and development I think I've got a working solution for virtually all of these issues.

Starting with Vista, Microsoft has required graphics vendors to read and respect monitor capability information from the display itself if they wanted to pass Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certification. This display capability data is encapsulated in an EDID. Few HDTV manufacturers sought WHQL and it's unclear whether Microsoft tests display EDIDs from monitor manufacturers as a WHQL requirement. Please let me know if you have a WHQL display that seems to have a bad EDID.

As a result, many DVI/HDMI connected HDTVs and some monitors are locked into displaying only those resolutions and refresh rates that are specified in the EDID. No graphics adapter or driver is supposed to allow configurations not listed in the EDID at least as a default. Newer ATI drivers allow for a small number of HD resolutions to be forced but it's been hit or miss for the users I've surveyed and nVidia's offerings don't seem to be a 100% solution either.

The natural solution would appear to be changing the EDID information in the display. Rarely, this is possible with Powestrip if the display stores the EDID in a flash memory but more commonly the EDID is stored in an EPROM that can only be updated with specialized hardware. I've talked with several display vendors during the development of this tutorial and none of them consider a bad EDID grounds for warranty service. So if next to no displays support updating the EDID through software and the manufacturer won't fix the hardware, what are we left to do? Break out the toolkit and warm up the soldering iron?

While that's well within my capabilities it seems to put some end-users off a bit, although I really can't understand why -- I love the smell of solder in the morning! But there has to be a better way right? Again, Microsoft has a solution if you really dig for it and do your homework: How to Use an INF to Override the Monitor EDID While it's not intended for end users, what really fun stuff is? The challenge was to develop a method accessible to a greater audience -- to improve on the solution that Microsoft provides that's intended for hardware manufacturers and make it work for us.

   Warning

Prerequisites

• Read and understand both linked documents above.
• Post questions if anything is unclear before you proceed.
• Don't blame me when you ruin your $3000 HDTV. Smoke can happen.
• Read up on what your displays true capabilities are stick close to them.
• This is more of a coffee tutorial than a beer tutorial...

Procedure

1. Download View attachment Phoenix.zip and extract it to a working folder.
2. Run it and click the registry toolbar button.
3. Click the pencil toolbar button for edit mode.
4. Change the EDID settings to reflect you display's true capabilities
5. Pay special attention to the Standard Timings tab.
6. Detailed Timing blocks 2-4 provide some very interested additional options.
7. Save the EDID to a .DAT file in the working folder.
8. Download moninfo.exe and install it.
9. Open the saved .DAT with MonInfo and make sure it doesn't complain about it
10. If it does post here for help
11. If MonInfo reads in an displays the settings the way you configured them in Phoenix then...
12. Select Create INF... from the file menu and save it to the working folder.
13. Feel free to edit the strings in the INF to your liking.
14. Open Start, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.
15. Select the monitor you want to change, right click and select Update Driver Software
16. Use the tried and true "Have Disk" method to select the INF and install it.
17. Reboot and enjoy your new resolution!

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Screen Refresh Rate in Windows 7
• How to Change the Screen Resolution in Windows 7
• How to Create a Custom Screen Refresh Rate with NVIDIA Control Panel in Windows

 

[bobdynlan]

ok I'm not too sure how to do this and I was hoping someone can make an INF for me if I give all the details as im scared to do it and burn my lcd tv! ok here goes! I have vista64x and nvidia 9800gtx video card which is connected via DVI to a 46" sharp aqous 120mhz.

First you should describe your problem. Hz related? Resolution related?
One problem I see is that your TV does not have an VGA port, only HDMI. The following resolutions are available when using the PC through HDMI:

[B]Resolution        Horizontal    Frequency[/B]
720 x 400           31.5 kHz    70 Hz
--------------------------------------
                    31.5 kHz    60 Hz
640 x 480           37.9 kHz    72 Hz
                    37.5 kHz    75 Hz
--------------------------------------
                    35.1 kHz    56 Hz
800 x 600           37.9 kHz    60 Hz
                    48.1 kHz    72 Hz
                    46.9 kHz    75 Hz
--------------------------------------
                    48.4 kHz    60 Hz
1024 x 768          56.5 kHz    70 Hz
                    60.0 kHz    75 Hz
--------------------------------------
[B]1360 x 768          47.7 kHz    60 Hz[/B]
--------------------------------------
1280 x 1024         64.0 kHz    60 Hz

It's best to use the wide 1360 x 768 resolution, but if you read your TV's user manual, in page 36 there is an interesting note about 1024x768 and 1360x768 not distinguishable when received, so you need to select the “Input Signal” on the Setup menu manually, it will be remembered next time.

Nvidia can also treat your TV as... TV and you would have 720p/1080p signals. No point going further, you don't go to the dentist and tell him that your tooth hurts, without pointing which one

##############################################################

When I input "1920" in the excel file you provide, it shows "Decrease the horizontal resolution" and numerous DIV/0.
I found out it is because my "Min V Rate" is 60 in PED... If I input 56 in the spreadsheet, it works, but is it good ?
With these settings, the spreadsheet does not recommend something as "high" as 60hz... but it's suppose to work @ 60Hz...

Furthermore, I've got a description block featuring timing for 1920 and they are really different from the one calculated by the spreadsheet...

So... Is my EDID file corrupted ?

In reverse:
- NOT.
- That's normal, it follows a different standard (this time, the correct one).
- The culprit it's not "Min V Rate" but "Max. Pxl Clk", and the first thing to try out is to put Safety margin to 0%. If it's still not good, then you should not cheat your Monitor Range Limits.

A 1080p PC signal requires a huge bandwidth, and your device has only 170Mhz. On lower resolutions you can use any timing standard as long as it fits in the Monitor Range Limits. But on high resolutions, using the CVT-reduced blanking is a must, it makes a huge difference in bandwidth.

LCDs do not need blanking intervals and this translates into less bandwidth requirements. Less bandwidth means cheaper components needed by the manufacturer but also overcomes the limits of the interfaces (VGA / DVI/Dual-DVI etc). VESA developed the CVT-reduced blanking standard specially to take advantage of this.

Joke: Samsung really went cheap , +3Mhz would have been enough to pass PED Helper's validation if Safety margin is on 0%(it's point is to provide a headroom, and manufacturers should do the same, but it looks like they dont like this concept).

I believe I said that my part of the guide is geared towards CRT's and similar devices (plasmas and some projectors). Shame on me for not emphasizing it enought. It's not a problem to update the guide for LCD's and recommend CVT-reduced blanking, but I was hoping to skip this technology
Not really, I was waiting for someone to point out the issue and hopefully gaining motivation. Hack, maybe I'll also change my old piece of junk CRT with a LCD after that.

 

[beman36]

thanks bob for ur answer, but I dont really have a problem I just want my refresh rate to be higher than 60MHz... and my screen size is 1824X1026 at 1080P but the refresh is only 60MHz, I would luv to have at least 70MHz and 75MHz or even 120MHz! since my tv is 120MHz (if thats possible) and lastly I do have a vga input but I use DVI since it is superior...

 

[VDV]

It's not a problem to update the guide for LCD's and recommend CVT-reduced blanking, but I was hoping to skip this technology
Not really, I was waiting for someone to point out the issue and hopefully gaining motivation. Hack, maybe I'll also change my old piece of junk CRT with a LCD after that.

Thanks for taking some time to check my problem.

I still don't get something : With the data from the EDID and no safety, we can't achieve 60hz with the formula (and therefore in PED). Then... why does 1080@60hz works perfectly and natively in XP and Vista without the need of any trick ? :huh:
Are those version of windows "overclocking" my pxl clock by 3mhz or are they using "CVT reduced blanking" ?

And... more importantly... what should I do now ?

 

[bobdynlan]

thanks bob for ur answer, but I dont really have a problem I just want my refresh rate to be higher than 60MHz... and my screen size is 1824X1026 at 1080P but the refresh is only 60MHz, I would luv to have at least 70MHz and 75MHz or even 120MHz! since my tv is 120MHz (if thats possible) and lastly I do have a vga input but I use DVI since it is superior...

Sorry, you can't do that. Your TV has only 60Hz on that resolution(and it's not the recommended one for PC usage but generally it works fine). The highest you can go with the vertical frequency is 75Hz, but not for higher than 1024x768 resolution. The 120Hz thing you sow advertised has to be the internal field processing speed of the panel, but in Windows you only have 60 Hz. Looks like you have been a victim of malicious advertising. How about those 600Hz plasmas? Same deal

I still don't get something : With the data from the EDID and no safety, we can't achieve 60hz with the formula (and therefore in PED). Then... why does 1080@60hz works perfectly and natively in XP and Vista without the need of any trick ? :huh:
Are those version of windows "overclocking" my pxl clock by 3mhz or are they using "CVT reduced blanking" ?

And... more importantly... what should I do now ?

They are using "CVT reduced blanking" because it's the only choice in higher resolutions.

You should re-download(same link), I took some time off to create another version geared towards LCDs (based on CVT Standard this time).

 

[VDV]

Again, thank you very much for your time... really...


I've downloaded the excel sheet again, filled the desired resolution (1920), and it gives me the same "detailed settings" from my edid file. Good.

But it simply tells me to set "60", which i've already tried to do by adding a "standard timing" in PED before and it's not working. (same "not supported" warning screen on my TV)

Is win7 using the "detailed timing" information, therefore calculating 59,934Hz and rounding down to 59 ? (which is supposed to be the problem XP doesn't have)
Am I supposed to change the "detailed timing" tab to overcome this ?

edit : Forgot to mention, i've got an ATI videocard, so no "add custom resolution" trick for me

 

[bobdynlan]

...it gives me the same "detailed settings" from my edid file. Good. But it simply tells me to set "60"
...Is win7 using the "detailed timing" information, therefore calculating 59,934Hz and rounding down to 59 ?[...]
Am I supposed to change the "detailed timing" tab to overcome this ?
...Forgot to mention, i've got an ATI videocard, so no "add custom resolution" trick for me

PED Helper for LCD does it's job then. I really hope you use that version cause it directs you to set CVT - reduced blanking.

Windows uses the detailed timings from the EDID as defined. No rounding happens actually, only the visual display is with less precision (like in Excel).

Yes, you need to change that to the values generated by PED Helper. I have one of your EDID dumps, don't know if it's original, but it has 2 detailed timings defined in Block 1 and Block 2, one of them being custom 1360x768 (incorrect AR, should be 1360x765). Which of them is set to be native in your Display CPL? Maybe it would help to have only one definition on Block 1. But I guess the EDID is fine.

That's the reason everyone asking for help should take 2-3 minutes to write their related My system specs. On nVidia it's a lot simpler to do custom res, timings like the needed CVT - reduced blanking. For Ati, this is a must: catalyst screen (only the reduce DVI thing). Without it, your display will default to CVT and because of those 3Mhz less you get Out Of Range.

Please feel free to read more on DVI/cables/bandwidth on this page DVI compatibility for sticklers.

Any screen mode which fits in 165 MHz uses only a single link even if the video card, video cable, and monitor all support dual links.
Screen resolution @ 60 Hz-------------1920 X 1080
Standard blanking DVI pixel clock-------173 MHz - dual link @ 86.5 MHz
Reduced blanking DVI pixel clock--------139 MHz - single link @ 139 MHz
You have maximum 170 Mhz.
Most LCD monitors made before 2004 don't support reduced blanking.

 

[disqualified]

Hi.I have LG Flatron F900B 19" CRT connected to my GTX260 via VGA-VGA extender + DVI-VGA dongle. Still struggling in adding a custom 800x600@125Hz & 640x480@125 to a resolution list. EDID Designer reports 123Hz is a maximum for this display. Dumped original .dat, can anybody help me to create an .inf file for my monitor? Thanks..*


//sorry for my english, working on that*

 

[bobdynlan]

Hi.I have LG Flatron F900B 19" CRT connected to my GTX260 via VGA-VGA extender + DVI-VGA dongle. Still struggling in adding a custom 800x600@125Hz & 640x480@125 to a resolution list. EDID Designer reports 123Hz is a maximum for this display. Dumped original .dat, can anybody help me to create an .inf file for my monitor? Thanks..*


//sorry for my english, working on that*

Your posted edid is for an Acer V233H LCD monitor, and a strange looking one I might say. Looks like you have edited that one to fit your CRT, am I right? If not, please turn off your LCD before doing edid dumps.
123Hz is the maximum suported value on Standard Timings for all displays.
You can go higher than that in Detailed Timings.
No point on using 125Hz, it's better to use the established 120Hz, plays better with Windows (and better suited if your power line is 60Hz, but I guess you live in a 50hz country).

Review part I and II from my extended guide.

 

[disqualified]

Your posted edid is for an Acer V233H LCD monitor, and a strange looking one I might say. Looks like you have edited that one to fit your CRT, am I right? If not, please turn off your LCD before doing edid dumps.
123Hz is the maximum suported value on Standard Timings for all displays.
You can go higher than that in Detailed Timings.

I'm sorry for the wrong file, my prev post is now correct. I have DDC/CI Not supported message in softMCCS, but still interested in 125Hz under 800x600 in win7x64 . Thanks for the help!

P.S:*

No point on using 125Hz, it's better to use the established 120Hz, plays better with Windows (and better suited if your power line is 60Hz, but I guess you live in a 50hz country).

125 makes my q3arena to run smoothly for many years), native rate I think. I'm using this display only for q, qw..*

 

[bobdynlan]

I'm sorry for the wrong file, my prev post is now correct. I have DDC/CI Not supported message in softMCCS, but still interested in 125Hz under 800x600 in win7x64 . Thanks for the help!...
125 makes my q3arena to run smoothly for many years), native rate I think. I'm using this display only for q, qw..*

DDC/CI Not supported does not matter.
Like I said, you can't go higher than 123 on Standard Timings, but I did create a Detailed Timing for 800x600@125Hz.
Native/preferred timing.. 1280x960p at 85Hz (4:3)
Modeline "1280x960" 149.500 1280 1376 1512 1744 960 961 964 1008 -h+v
Detailed timing #1....... 800x600p at 125Hz (4:3)
Modeline "800x600" 87.750 800 856 944 1088 600 601 604 645 -h+v

640 x 480p at 120Hz - VESA STD, 800 x 600p at 120Hz - VESA STD,
1024 x 768p at 100Hz - VESA STD, 1280 x 960p at 85Hz - VESA STD,
1280 x 1024p at 85Hz - VESA STD, 1600 x 1200p at 75Hz - VESA STD

Just change the default monitor driver with the one attached, but that will not give you magically 125Hz in 800x600, you need to create a custom resolution for it.
Add Custom Resolution in Windows: 800 x 600 @ 125Hz GTF
Manual Input Active pixels/Front porch/Sync width/Total pixels/Polarity
Horizontal values: 800 56 88 1088 -
Vertical values: 600 1 3 645 +
And for it to work in games, you also need a refresh rate patcher like Refresh Rate Patcher or RivaTuner. It was better if you did this yourself following the guide, it's not that hard, you know...

I think it's time for you to move up at least to [email protected] on a 19inch with 0.24dot is ... need I say more? It's embarassing for that GTX 260

 

[disqualified]

And for it to work in games, you also need a refresh rate patcher like Refresh Rate Patcher or RivaTuner. It was better if you did this yourself following the guide, it's not that hard, you know...

I think it's time for you to move up at least to [email protected] on a 19inch with 0.24dot is ... need I say more? It's embarassing for that GTX 260

No matter to move up to another resolution because I'm using this display only for q3 gaming , where 800x600@125 with FSAA, anisotropic & vsync is enough for me. I think patchers are not needed, custom resolution will work perfectly in my case. Thanks a lot, again.

 

[VDV]

Anyway, again bobdynlan, thank you very very much for you time, it really helps people here /love

I've spent a few days literally trying everything with absolutely no success... Every drivers I create give the same result : out of sync on VGA input

I've nothing in my ATI Catalyst drivers options to help this problem... so... I tried powerstrip... and it worked !
I've add a fully custom resolution through Powerstrip (with front porch, polarity, etc.) and it worked on the first try. Unfortunately, everytime I reboot I get out of sync, i need to switch to another screen, reload the profile, and switch back to my TV... It sucks, but it's still a great leap forward !

I'm gonna retry having only one detailled setting in my EDID > Inf... I don't understand why it doesn't work >_<

In powerstrip, i've got two additionnal parameters when adding a custom resolution : horizontal and vertical refresh rates
There is nothing like that in the EDID, is it the key to my problem or... not... ?

 

[pdp76]

I just wanted to say this was a kick ass tutorial and the tool you developed made is easy as pie. In XP I could ignore the EDID stuff easily to get 1366x768 on my old Sharp LCD. Windows 7 didn't let me off the bat, I followed your instructions and had it working within 10 minutes!

Ok, so I just noticed a little imperfection. Phoenix only allowed me to create an INF file with 1368 as a horizontal resolution, which translates to a vertical resolution of 769 in 16:9 ratio. That's actually ok because the nVidia Control Panel let me create a custom resolution of 1366x768. However, when I reboot, the resolution of my desktop changes back to 1368x769. This isn't a huge deal as I only lose 2 pixels horizontally and 1 pixel vertically, but I'm just wondering why the custom resolution I set doesn't stick after a reboot? Again, I'm running Windows 7 Pro with an nVidia 6200 with the latest 191.xx drivers.

 

[bobdynlan]

Ok, so I just noticed a little imperfection. Phoenix only allowed me to create an INF file with 1368 as a horizontal resolution, which translates to a vertical resolution of 769 in 16:9 ratio. That's actually ok because the nVidia Control Panel let me create a custom resolution of 1366x768. However, when I reboot, the resolution of my desktop changes back to 1368x769. This isn't a huge deal as I only lose 2 pixels horizontally and 1 pixel vertically, but I'm just wondering why the custom resolution I set doesn't stick after a reboot? Again, I'm running Windows 7 Pro with an nVidia 6200 with the latest 191.xx drivers.

True, in Standard Timings you cannot deviate from the... standard, but in Detailed Timings you can create a mod for the 1366x768 res that will help with your custom resolution sticking after reboot (Example: 85.25 1366 418 72 136 - 0 n 768 30 3 10 - 0).

Why? It's 100% panel manufacturer's fault. A display should be able to receive data from the VGA adaptor at least in the basic form of representation by using device fonts i.e. characters. The standard is to have 8 pixels per character. So the horizontal resolution (width) must be dividable by 8. Another rule is that there is a fixed number of lines in the vertical resolution (height) for the given aspect ratio, you cannot have 768.375 lines.

1366x768 breaks both rules. 1368x769 follows the first one but breaks the second one, and 1360x765 follows both rules.
For purists, 1360x765 and 1:1 (few black lines) gets the correct image. Other then that you will get slight scalling and/or bad aspect ratio. Plus, Windows does not play well without rule one (but a defined Detailed Timing in the EDID and Preferred timing mode checked helps).

I've nothing in my ATI Catalyst drivers options to help this problem... so... I tried powerstrip... and it worked ![...]
In powerstrip, i've got two additionnal parameters when adding a custom resolution : horizontal and vertical refresh rates
There is nothing like that in the EDID, is it the key to my problem or... not... ?

I repeat: You should have that "Reduce DVI frequency at high resolutions", like on the picture in the previous post but only if you use DVI (hence, the name) and that would be the proper key to your problem. Shame on ATI, seems there are many issues with it, search for "catalyst" and "reduce DVI frequency" for more help.

PowerStrip's custom resolution works as a limited solution because it lacks precision (you can only input integer values), but as you found out, it needs additional data. Lucky you, I've updated PED Helper to provide that info, too.

 

[pdp76]

True, in Standard Timings you cannot deviate from the... standard, but in Detailed Timings you can create a mod for the 1366x768 res that will help with your custom resolution sticking after reboot (Example: 85.25 1366 418 72 136 - 0 n 768 30 3 10 - 0).

Why? It's 100% panel manufacturer's fault. A display should be able to receive data from the VGA adaptor at least in the basic form of representation by using device fonts i.e. characters. The standard is to have 8 pixels per character. So the horizontal resolution (width) must be dividable by 8. Another rule is that there is a fixed number of lines in the vertical resolution (height) for the given aspect ratio, you cannot have 768.375 lines.

1366x768 breaks both rules. 1368x769 follows the first one but breaks the second one, and 1360x765 follows both rules.
For purists, 1360x765 and 1:1 (few black lines) gets the correct image. Other then that you will get slight scalling and/or bad aspect ratio. Plus, Windows does not play well without rule one (but a defined Detailed Timing in the EDID and Preferred timing mode checked helps).

Wow, this really helped some more. I tried out the detailed timing numbers you gave me and now I have exactly 1366x768 pixels, no missing 2 horizontal and 1 vertical pixel anymore. I don't quite understand the timing numbers you gave, but apparently they work fine for a Sharp LC37D5U. I'll have to do more research on those timing numbers in the meantime. But big ups to you, thanks!

 

[bobdynlan]

I don't quite understand the timing numbers you gave, but apparently they work fine for a Sharp LC37D5U.

For future reference on non-standard resolutions:
* Input the refresh rate: 60 (this example).
* Input the horizontal resolution: 1366 (this example).
* Choose the aspect ratio: 16 / 9. (this example).
- 1360x768 timing returned by PED Helper.
- Deviation from requested: -6 (pixels). [If deviation=0, it's a standard resolution ]
- Horizontal size is not a multiple of 8 pixels!
- Timing data: 84.75 1360 416 72 136 - 0 n 768 30 3 5 - 0

* Try the closest Horizontal resolution that is a multiple of 8: 1368.
- 1368x769 timing returned by PED Helper.
- Deviation from requested: +1 (lines).
- Aspect ratio is not 16:9 as requested!
- Timing data: 85.25 1368 416 72 136 - 0 n 769 30 3 10 - 0

* First result does not cover the requested resolution and does not follow rule one.
Second result covers the requested resolution and follows rule one, so we choose it for reference.
- Reference timing data: 85.25 1368 416 72 136 - 0 n 769 30 3 10 - 0

* We need to mirror the H/V Active Pxl and H/V Blank modified values so that Sum(H/V Active Pxl + H/V Blank) remains the same.
- H Active Pxl adjustment from 1368 to 1366 = -2
- H Blank adjustment from 416 to 418 = +2
- V Active Pxl adjustment from 769 to 768 = -1
- V Blank adjustment not needed when the deviation is 1.
- Final timing data: 85.25 1366 418 72 136 - 0 n 768 30 3 10 - 0

 

[SecondNipple]

Hi,

under WXP I was able to set 1366x768 through custom resolution. Under W7 it says that the resolution is not supported. Even with Powerstrip I couldn't force it. Now i wanted to edit the EDID, but when I want to select my monitor/TV (Toshiba 32 AV 500 LCD) in Phoenix there are NO entries.
http://i41.tinypic.com/2dmbnnn.jpg

Anyone knows how to fix this?

Furthermore I CAN select 1366x768 by default, but it is a 1080i resolution, supporting only 30hz or less. Any way to force 50hz there?

 

[bobdynlan]

Follow this extended guide
From it:
II. Dump the monitor's EDID (extended display identification data).
Get softMCCS from entech. Select your monitor's name. File -> Save EDID as... and choose Save as type Raylar EDID file (*.dat).

 

[johnhoh]

I have somewhat choppy video on all 4 of my monitors. win7 version 7600, nvidia 6200 driving 2 monitors and motherboard intel 965g driving the other two. Other than the extremely thorough and time consuming fix offered here, is there any other hope for us - is there any fixes we are waiting on? Is going through all the above steps on all my monitors guaranteed to work?

 

[SecondNipple]

Follow this extended guide
From it:
II. Dump the monitor's EDID (extended display identification data).
Get softMCCS from entech. Select your monitor's name. File -> Save EDID as... and choose Save as type Raylar EDID file (*.dat).

Thanks for the hint. Now I got the .dat file. But, when I want to specify a Timing by entering 1366 at the "H. active pixels" box, it automatically switches back to 1360! Also I does not let me enter a refreshrate below 61.