How to increase screen refresh rate (won't go past 60Hz)

[JavaTheHutt]

I have a 17-inch Toshiba laptop with a resolution of 1600x900 and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. However, on some backgrounds, I can clearly see my screen flickering. With the preservation of my eyes in mind, it would be greatly beneficial to know if I can increase this or not. I go here:

Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Display\Screen Resolution

and click "Advanced Settings". Under "Monitor Settings", the pull-down bar only gives me the option of 60Hz (the "Hide modes that this monitor cannot display" is whited out). Is it possible to increase the refresh rate?

EDIT: I have a generic PnP monitor on Intel HD graphics
EDIT#2: I just noticed the similar threads section at the bottom, and found that LCD monitors are supposed to be 60 Hz. But then how do I reduce the flicker?

 

[alphanumeric]

To my knowledge LCD screens shouldn't flicker at all regardless of the refresh rate? They don't refresh, the pixel is either on or off. How old is this laptop? Maybe your back light is failing? Other than that, without being able to see what you see, its hard to comment?

 

[JavaTheHutt]

The laptop is less than 1 month old. And I don't mean that the flickering is so bad that I can barely see the screen, I guess I may have used the wrong wording in my original post. I just mean that on certain (ie - not all) backgrounds I can see my screen flickering (I can see everything clearly, its just more of a nuisance than anything). It's just that I don't want to cause myself any unnecessary eye strain.

Also, I just searched on youtube for what a screen flicker looks like. Mine is a very minor version of the type that renders one unable to see. I guess the light flickering that I see might just be normal; however, I have never seen it before on my desktop, and its monitor was approximately the same size and proximity from my eyes as my laptop is.

 

[alphanumeric]

I know on my old 19 inch CRT monitor 60hz would give me a headache, especially with a white background. I now have two 19 inch 1280x1024 LCD's and have never ever seen a flicker. I don't know what to suggest, update your drivers I guess?

 

[sygnus21]

You're not going to be able to change the refresh rate on that laptop monitor unless it was specifically designed to run at a higher rate, which is most likely not the case as the common refresh rate for LCD monitors (including laptop) is 60Hz

While flicker does not occur on LCD displays, it is still necessary to avoid modifying graphics data except during the retrace phase to prevent tearing from an image that is rendered faster than the display operates (LCDs normally always refresh at 60 frame/s).

Refresh rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also......

TFT screens do not refresh in the same way as a CRT screen does, where the image is redrawn at a certain rate. A TFT monitor will only support refresh rates coming from your graphics card between 60Hz and 75Hz (ignoring modern 120Hz monitors for a moment). Anything outside this will result in a "signal out of range" message or similar. The “recommended” refresh rate for a TFT is 60hz, a value which would be difficult to use on a CRT. The “maximum” refresh rate of a TFT is 75hz, but sometimes if you are using a DVI connection the refresh is capped at 60hz anyway.

Monitor Specifications - scroll down to Refresh Rate

 

[TVeblen]

If I am reading this correctly you have a laptop and you have connected a PnP monitor to it. Is that correct?

If so then:
Which display is blinking - the laptop or the PnP monitor?
Is the PnP monitor an LCD or a CRT?
Connected by VGA, or HDMI cable?

Does your laptop have a dedicated video chip (ATI or Nvidia) or just the Intel graphics?

 

[Barman58]

One other possible cause for perceived flicker on a laptop LCD screen is the room lighting, this has been a long term issue in industry with fluorescent tube illumination.

If you have this type of illumination you may find that changing your location will cure it, (a possible reason that you do not see the flicker on the desktop) - the way it is done in industry is to use a special control box on twin tubes that controls the strobing of the tubes to produce a steady light source, but this is of course a major outlay.

 

[JavaTheHutt]

One other possible cause for perceived flicker on a laptop LCD screen is the room lighting, this has been a long term issue in industry with fluorescent tube illumination.

I shut off the lights and still saw the flickering, so no dice

If I am reading this correctly you have a laptop and you have connected a PnP monitor to it. Is that correct?

If so then:
Which display is blinking - the laptop or the PnP monitor?
Is the PnP monitor an LCD or a CRT?
Connected by VGA, or HDMI cable?

Does your laptop have a dedicated video chip (ATI or Nvidia) or just the Intel graphics?

I have one display, which is the laptop. I use Speccy (same maker as CCleaner), which tells me the specs of my computer. It said that I have a "Generic PnP monitor on Intel HD Graphics". No extra monitor, no dedicated video chip.

Also, I tried to update my drivers through intel's website but I kept running into errors with it. I guess I'll just have to live with it

 

[TVeblen]

What is the exact model number of the laptop?

 

[Britton30]

If it just one month old, I would return it to the store. You should see no flickering.

 

[TVeblen]

If it just one month old, I would return it to the store. You should see no flickering.

Best answer yet!

 

[qawzno]

My God...

I have a 17-inch Toshiba laptop with a resolution of 1600x900 and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. However, on some backgrounds, I can clearly see my screen flickering. With the preservation of my eyes in mind, it would be greatly beneficial to know if I can increase this or not. I go here:

Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Display\Screen Resolution

and click "Advanced Settings". Under "Monitor Settings", the pull-down bar only gives me the option of 60Hz (the "Hide modes that this monitor cannot display" is whited out). Is it possible to increase the refresh rate?

EDIT: I have a generic PnP monitor on Intel HD graphics
EDIT#2: I just noticed the similar threads section at the bottom, and found that LCD monitors are supposed to be 60 Hz. But then how do I reduce the flicker?

I literally went thru all the bs of making this account because the responses to this are just soo terrible.

I'm sure you have figured out your issue at this point but people saying, "you can't" and "LCD's don't refresh" are obviously completely stupid.

If you want to increase your refresh rate simply google "overclocking". It's the most common pc hardware mod on earth.

Most devices are set factory at 60ghz but are easily overclocked.

Just BE WARNED: If you DO NOT HAVE adequate cooling or a weak graphics card or low RAM, you may destroy your PC/Laptop. I have done it more than once, it's happening to someone this very moment.

So, just be careful and step it up incrementally. I read somewhere that the eye can not even discern anything over 100 FPS, but this is not an agreed upon statement by any means. If you're interested in the topic, check this out:

How many frames per second can the human eye see? - very knowledgeably written and quite interesting...

At any rate (no pun intended, ah.ah... ya I'm cool..), just google overclocking and you'll see a billion different programs to do it.

And even if you're not trying to increase your FPS for gamming, etc., if you work on a PC all staring at a screen, (like I do...), a higher refresh rate is easier on the eyes, depending on sensitivity. Many people don't know wtf you're talking about nor do they care. At work I use between 72 & 80 depending on the machine and the work.

Good luck and overclock at your own risk!

-JCK

 

[Britton30]

qawzno, all I can say to your response is :roflmao::sarc:

 

[sygnus21]

I literally went thru all the bs of making this account because the responses to this are just soo terrible.

Geez where were you when you needed you 3 years ago :huh:

Anyway I'm sure admin will appreciate your effort in getting us straightened out.

Peace

 

[badger906]

overclocking doesnt increase your panels refresh rate.. just the amount of frames it can generate per second...

but if a panel only has a refresh rate of 60hz it will only ever refresh at 60 frames per second, so anything generated beyond that in an ideal world is pointless.
I say ideal world as the frames per second would have to perfectly match the refresh rate and never dip below or go above it.

the fact that the op is talking about their desktop completely makes youre entire post and going through the "bs" of signing up (is it really that hard to spell your name and email address..) pointless.. if the ops laptop cant produce and match the refresh rate on a static desktop something is seriously wrong.. that and overclocking WILL NOT have any benifit..

and to another point.. why were you trawling through a 3 year old post.. you must have been googling a similar question to be brought here...

 

[johnebadbak]

you can reduce the resolution to lower value and increase the refresh rate to a higher value by click adapter/list all modes in the advance settings

 

[TVeblen]

Aw. He's banned. They always ban the entertaining ones....

 

[Britton30]

you can reduce the resolution to lower value and increase the refresh rate to a higher value by click adapter/list all modes in the advance settings

It won't work. Panels are still hard wired to a native rate.