Bad Thad's Computer Hardware


	*Plug-N-Pray Monitors* Access I Most people are unaware of an important setting on a computer called the "adapter refresh rate". Adapter is computer speak for a "video card". This setting tells your monitor to update the screen at a set interval measured in Hertz, Hz, (cycles per second). Obviously, the higher the setting the faster your screen is updated by the video card. Refresh rates less than about 70 Hz cause visible "flicker" in the display. Test your monitor right now. Look to the left or right of your screen, focus on an object and view the monitor from the corner of your eye. If you can see flicker in the screen, your refresh rate is causing you eye strain.
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Check Your Refresh Rate

Check your refresh rate using the following sequence: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display > Settings > Advanced > Adapter Tab. Look at the setting for "Adapter Refresh Rate" and check all the available rates. Chances are it is set at "Optimal" or "Adapter Default"...this is BAD. If you have a decent video card and monitor (plug-n-pray or PNP), the highest setting available is most likely 75 Hz. If you want the easy path, select 75 Hz and your eye strain problems will vanish. If you want to do it right, READ ON !

The "Bug"

The problem you are seeing with refresh rates is related to a serious issue with the Windows Plug-n-Pray monitor specification. This flaw results in Windows setting a refresh rate lower than the computer system can actually handle. You ALWAYS want the fastest refresh rate that your system can do. Don't let Windows set this value for you, it always picks the wrong setting.

How To Fix

You need the proper, latest, greatest INF file for your monitor. What's an INF file? This is the Windows hardware information file. I have a KDS monitor and my INF is simply called "kds.inf". This file tells Windows exactly what kind of monitor you have and what it's capabilities are. Without this file, Windows defaults to the dreaded "plug-n-pray" monitor INF file.

Follow the click sequence from above, but now click the "Monitor" tab. If you see the type listed as "Plug-n-Pray" monitor, then you've got the Microsoft "bug". Check to see if your monitor is listed in the Windows monitor types by clicking the "Change" button. While this is probably not the best fix for now, it is usually better than using the PNP specification monitor INF. To set up your system properly, you need to obtain the newest INF file from your monitor manufacturer. Check the web first. Most manufacturers have INF files available for download. These are VERY small files and will download in a few seconds. Once you have the proper INF file, go back to the "Monitor" tab in the advanced section and click the change button. Point it to wherever you saved the INF file and follow the screen prompts.

Now, when you go to set the adapter refresh rate, you will see some new options. Choose the highest refresh rate available, click apply, and you're done !

My Experience

My KDS VS-7e (0.26" dp) monitor went from the PNP INF high of 75 Hz, to the KDS INF high of 100 Hz. With Sceptre brand monitors under Windows NT 4.0, I have seen this go from a max of 70 Hz to 100 Hz ! WOW, a whopping 30 MHz increase. Anybody running a monitor at 100 Hz will probably never have eye strain.

Be aware that refresh rates are not only hardware dependent, they are directly rated to the screen resolution, a.k.a Windows "Screen Size". Changing the screen size to lower numbers usually results in options for a faster refresh rate. I use a 17" monitor and a resolution of "1024x768" running at 85Hz. When I change to 800x600 mode, the maximum refresh rate available is 100 Hz.

Summary

The Windows monitor PNP specification is flawed, don't trust it. Set your monitors refresh rate as high as possible, your eyes will thank Bad Thad.