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

 

[Trippytrip]

I know your going to tell me to go back and read again but I did about 10 times already this doesn't work for me. I have tried everything for the last past day having windows 7 64bit installed. I read about 100 forums on how to change the refresh rate, but in my case my monitor is so old(Viewsonic ultrabrite A90f+) that it doesnt show up in phoenix to edit it. I even tried running admin reforce 100hz for still no luck . Looked at every single tutorial related to this problem still nothing. There has to be something else missing. HELP I'm losing my mind lol :[ http://www.viewsonic.com.ph/support/desktopdisplays/crtmonitors/aseries/a90fplus/

 

[Mufas]

I have dell p1130 21' (gtx 280) and I had tried reach 100hz on 1280x1024. Few minutes ago I removed 4th pin from DVI-VGA connector like here:

Now I can uncheck "hide modes that this monitor cannot display" and i can choose 100hz, but after this system detect my monitor as "Generic Non-Pnp monitor". I can update driver to "generic pnp" (profile from Phoenix) and sytem detect my monitor as "Display device on: VGA". When I run softMCCS dcc/ci is not supported on both type of drivers. I removed 4th pin really carefully. Anyone have a any idea?

 

[baarod]

I have dell p1130 21' and I had tried reach 100hz on 1280x1024. Few minutes ago I removed 4th pin from DVI-VGA connector like here:

Now I can uncheck "hide modes that this monitor cannot display" and i can choose 100hz, but after this system detect my monitor as "Generic Non-Pnp monitor". I can update driver to "generic pnp" and sytem detect my monitor as "Display device on: VGA". When I run softMCCS dcc/ci is not supported on both type of drivers. I removed 4th pin really carefully. Anyone have a any idea?

What's the problem?

 

[Mufas]

Before system detect my monitor as "dell p1130" now as "Display device on: VGA" and moninfo don't recognize my monitor.

 

[baarod]

Before system detect my monitor as "dell p1130" now as "Display device on: VGA" and moninfo don't recognize my monitor.

You broke the pin off that enables that function. What did you expect?

 

[Mufas]

I expected that dcc/ci in softMCCS will be supported.

 

[baarod]

I expected that dcc/ci in softMCCS will be supported.

I'm afraid that's an all or nothing proposition. Either let Windows read your display capability or hide it by breaking off a pin. The only middle ground is to override the EDID using my technique. This apparently isn't enough for some folks who are demanding 100MHz refresh rates and other specious requirements.

 

[Mufas]

So why @bobdynlan could force 1xx hz without losing correct information about monitor?

 

[baarod]

So why @bobdynlan could force 1xx hz without losing correct information about monitor?

He's not using dcc/ci in softMCCS and probably loaded a monitor INF file.

 

[oidicle]

I have a 22" LCD monitor that supports only up to 60Hz in its native 1680x1050 resolution... The thing is, under windows 7, in the advanced tab of the screen resolution settings, the value show is always set to 59Hz, even if I change it ang go back to check if it stays @ 60Hz, but it doesn't.... I've noticed that in games too, for those games that automatically configure/detect your graphics settings I've noticed that they say 59Hz refresh rate, I then have to change back to 60Hz....

Do I really have to do anything or is this just something minor, bcoz win 7 recognizes the display with its make and reference name (HP w2207) together with the native resolution....

 

[BigBro10]

Im sure they'll fix it for RTM...although personally i think its you/your hardware.

 

[bobdynlan]

Back from the holidays... and I see Mufas skipped this warning:

Before any hardware modification you must create your monitor profile in Phoenix EDID Designer or other compatible software.

I'll be back with a more detailed procedure, until then you should know it is very important to have a EDID, for this guide - or any other - to work. So don't skip ahead to the breaking of pins, because you will loose that thing you need.
Most monitors do have this extended display identification capability (before the pin breaking) but if you cannot get a EDID dump from your monitor it means:
a) the monitor is ancient = very old CRT that you should replace
b) it has the hardware mod already.
c) could be blocked in software on some ATI cards with some old catalyst (just check Use Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) or driver defaults near Maximum resolution and Maximum refresh rate combo boxes)
In the first two cases, you must find a compatible EDID dump from someone who has the same manufacturer/class/model display like you or recreate a suitable one based on printed manuals and datasheets.

So, after you got a EDID dump from your monitor, after you edited it to your likings, after you have created a monitor driver (*.INF) and only then, you go on breaking pins and stuff, and update the Generic Non-Pnp monitor driver with your custom INF.

Mufas, I guess is not a problem for you to replace your modded cable with the original one, unless you skipped the second warning about not modding unreplaceable cables But congratulation for your success at breaking the correct pin at the first try, HHawk did it at two.
Trippytrip, is your monitor detected as Plug and Play? Pheonix only reads from Windows registry, cannot get a EDID dump - literally. Wait for the detailed procedure, you will need to get in the breaking pins wagon, too.
oidicle, most users gave up and live with this 59hz, you can fix it to 60hz following baarod's guide but it's up to you. You should know that this is not a big deal like it is on CRT monitors. All new displays supports 59hz and 60hz presets as demanded by the VESA standards. Games tend to dislike 59hz preset, movies tend to like them.

The thing with Hz is that is a measure of oscillation, maybe we like it a round steady number but it never is. I live in a PAL world, movies are at 25fps, TVs are at 50(100)Hz, electricity is at 50hz, everybody is happy

 

[baarod]

You can use moninfo to get the edid directly and then save it for use with phoenix to edit then load back into moninfo to create the INF. Where'd all this pin breaking stuff come from anyway? I've never had to do that and I'm up to 23 different displays without a failure. Please read this for more information: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/edid_over.mspx

 

[oidicle]

So I'm not the only one who has this issue... I think I'm one of the people who like a 'round, steady number'.... I'l try fixing to 60Hz, but I guess once I start phoenix I fear I might mess up....

 

[f27wreck]

Just wanted to chime in - I was having the same problem w/ Windows 7 on my 8800 GTX.

I tried virtually everything here, to no avail, but when I was adding my resolution through the NVidia control panel this last time, I selected "GTF" for "Timing Standard" under the advanced settings portion of the dialogue box. For some reason, that allowed me to specify my refresh rate (120) - tested it, checked out, so I loaded it in Quake Live and sure enough, it worked.

I had ran this program - NVIDIA Forums > Refresh Rate Patcher 1.0.1 - "Refresh Rate Patcher," but that didn't work. I don't know if it's a combination of things, or what not, but the GTF option might be worth a shot for those who haven't tried it.

Happy gaming. =o

focus27 | QUAKE LIVE

 

[oidicle]

Just wanted to chime in - I was having the same problem w/ Windows 7 on my 8800 GTX.

I tried virtually everything here, to no avail, but when I was adding my resolution through the NVidia control panel this last time, I selected "GTF" for "Timing Standard" under the advanced settings portion of the dialogue box. For some reason, that allowed me to specify my refresh rate (120) - tested it, checked out, so I loaded it in Quake Live and sure enough, it worked.

I had ran this program - NVIDIA Forums > Refresh Rate Patcher 1.0.1 - "Refresh Rate Patcher," but that didn't work. I don't know if it's a combination of things, or what not, but the GTF option might be worth a shot for those who haven't tried it.

Happy gaming. =o

focus27 | QUAKE LIVE

Niice, thanx dude, that did the trick...

 

[f27wreck]

Niice, thanx dude, that did the trick...

Werd! I wonder why the GTF option works ... I mean, I was -> <- close to doing the pin mod. =o

Anywho, glad it works. I'm going to reload Steam (haven't gotten it back up since my upgrade to Windows 7) and test it w/ some other games, but since Quake Live is openGL, I imagine we're in the clear. =O

 

[VDV]

Hi there !

Got the "59hz bug" in seven too. Unfortunately, my screen (a samsung flat screen TV connected with VGA) simply don't show anything except "format not supported"... It only happens for 1920*1080@60hz... which is of course, the resolution I want to get...

Tried to get the Edid from moninfo > "Invalid EDID"
Tried to get from SoftMCCS > "DDC/CI not supported"

Sooooo... I connected my TV with a DVI > HDMI cable, DDC/CI is still unsupported, bug moninfo gives me something for this "generic pnp monitor".

Question is : can I use the DVI generic edid to create the "VGA" .inf ? Is there any risk to try this ? Some lines and parameters refer to "digital input"... what should I do ?

N.B. : Don't tell me to keep DVI connection, because I can't (and don't want) for numerous reasons. My VGA SHOULD work (it worked with vista...).

Bonus question : is there a way to activate 1920*1080@24/48hz ?

Thanks !

 

[pcsx2fan]

My 21'' CRT support highest 160Hz on 800 by 600 and 163Hz on 640 by 480, they perfectly work on Vista without EDID modification by means of custom resolution on NVIDIA control panel.

As of windows 7 required EDID modification. Phoneix EDID Designer doesn't allow refresh rate higher than 123Hz, it says Refresh Rate must be between 60 and 123. How do i get rid of that 123Hz limitation? any ideas? or Gotta remove the 12th pin?

 

[bobdynlan]

nVidia has fixed this 7-only issue at least in 190.38

I have been waiting for the RTM, hoping it will fix this 7-only issue. Well...it did not. And why should it?! It was nVidia's problem all along. After so many complaints, nVidia FIXED the custom resolution tool for people still using the VGA interface, too. Just in time for the official launch of Windows Seven. From the release notes, I guess it is fixed since 186.18, only tested it now, after removing my hardware pin mod

From the 186.18 nVidia Driver Release Notes: Display Driver Updates - Device Support
•Added support for EDID‐like devices.

From the 190.38 nVidia Driver Release Notes: Single GPU Issues
•After creating a custom resolution with refresh rate of 59 Hz, the new resolution
appears in the Add Resolutions page at 60 Hz and the corresponding check box is
not checked. [571459]

Still not perfect, but it works, the most important thing being that the hardware pin mod is NOT REQUIRED anymore for the few users (including me) that found simple driver modding not working, and had to block the "wrong" EDID reported by the monitor because it was enforced by Windows.

Nvidia driver 185.85 = not working on any 7 version without the pin mode
Nvidia driver 190.38 + Windows 7 RC (7100) = custom resolution working
Nvidia driver 190.38 + Windows 7 RTM (7600) = custom resolution working

Of course this would not work on the default Generic PnP Monitor driver, you still need to get a driver from your manufacturer or create one using the guide above.