Dell 2209WA can't set 75Hz refresh rate

mkkot · 12-18-09, 11:52 AM

Hello for the first time,

As a CRT user with 9 years of experience I've bought Dell 2209WA (which has terrible greys when looking from the angle BTW) and the first thing I was interested was why my movie playback is so jerky (not that I'm watching movies on PC :P). Sync to VBlank option helped significantly but I would like to see how it works with 75Hz refresh rate instead of default 60Hz. Dell claims here that it should work: http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...Specifications

So I did:

Code:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "DELL 2209WA"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 83.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
    # 1680x1050 74.89 Hz (CVT 1.76MA) hsync: 82.31 kHz; pclk: 187.00 MHz
    Modeline "1680x1050_75.00"  187.00  1680 1800 1976 2272  1050 1053 1059 1099 -hsync +vsync

EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    Option         "NoLogo" "1"
    BoardName      "GeForce 7300 GT"
    Option         "DynamicTwinView" "FALSE" # to get xrandr working
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "1680x1050_75 +0+0"
      SubSection     "Display"
      Modes      "1680x1050_75"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

As the answer I got:

Code:

(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   Validating Mode "1680x1050_75.00":
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     1680 x 1050 @ 75 Hz
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     Mode Source: X Configuration file ModeLine
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       Pixel Clock      : 187.00 MHz
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       HRes, HSyncStart : 1680, 1800
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       HSyncEnd, HTotal : 1976, 2272
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       VRes, VSyncStart : 1050, 1053
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       VSyncEnd, VTotal : 1059, 1099
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       H/V Polarity     : -/+
(WW) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     Mode is rejected: PixelClock (187.0 MHz) too high for EDID
(WW) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     (EDID Max: 160.0 MHz).

Then I found:

Code:

Option "ModeValidation" "NoMaxPClkCheck"

And added into Section "Screen" of xorg.conf. Then I got this:

Code:

(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0): Raw EDID bytes:
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0): 
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   00 ff ff ff ff ff ff 00  10 ac 11 f0 4c 34 54 33
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   29 13 01 03 80 2f 1e 78  2e ee 95 a3 54 4c 99 26
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   0f 50 54 a5 4b 00 71 4f  81 80 b3 00 01 01 01 01
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   01 01 01 01 01 01 21 39  90 30 62 1a 27 40 68 b0
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   36 00 da 28 11 00 00 1c  00 00 00 ff 00 48 37 33
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   35 48 39 41 39 33 54 34  4c 0a 00 00 00 fc 00 44
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   45 4c 4c 20 32 32 30 39  57 41 0a 20 00 00 00 fd
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   00 38 4b 1e 53 10 00 0a  20 20 20 20 20 20 00 e6
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0): 
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0): --- End of EDID for DELL 2209WA (DFP-1) ---
(--) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0): 
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0): Mode Validation Overrides for DELL 2209WA (DFP-1):
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     NoMaxPClkCheck
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0): Frequency information for DELL 2209WA (DFP-1):
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   HorizSync   : 30.000-83.000 kHz
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   VertRefresh : 56.000-75.000 Hz
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     (HorizSync from EDID)
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     (VertRefresh from EDID)

But still(!):

Code:

(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):   Validating Mode "1680x1050_75.00":
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     1680 x 1050 @ 75 Hz
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     Mode Source: X Configuration file ModeLine
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       Pixel Clock      : 187.00 MHz
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       HRes, HSyncStart : 1680, 1800
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       HSyncEnd, HTotal : 1976, 2272
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       VRes, VSyncStart : 1050, 1053
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       VSyncEnd, VTotal : 1059, 1099
(II) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):       H/V Polarity     : -/+
(WW) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     Mode is rejected: PixelClock (187.0 MHz) too high for EDID
(WW) Dec 18 18:25:47 NVIDIA(0):     (EDID Max: 160.0 MHz).

Code:

[mk@linux ~]$ nvidia-settings -q RefreshRate

  Attribute 'RefreshRate' (linux:0.0; display device: DFP-1): 59,95 Hz.

I'm using Arch 64 bit with X server 1.7.3.901 (10703901), Nvidia 190.42, GeForce 7300 GT and a DVI cable. Any idea why I can't get 75Hz?

Another thing, maybe this could be somehow fixed so next users won't need to be "masters of known universe" (quoting xine's conf) to set refresh rate.

nvidia-bug-report.sh shows no relevant information, just:

Code:

Start of NVIDIA bug report log file.  Please include this file
when reporting a graphics driver bug via the nV News NVIDIA
Linux forum (see www.nvnews.net) or by sending email to
'linux-bugs@nvidia.com'.

nvidia-bug-report.sh Version: 4401223

Date: pią, 18 gru 2009, 18:56:51 CET
uname: Linux linux 2.6.31-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue Nov 10 19:01:40 CET 2009 x86_64 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5600+ AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

**AaronP** · 12-18-09, 12:58 PM

Please attach the entire bug report to your post.

Without your bug report, it's hard to tell exactly what's going wrong. However, it does appear that the mode you provided for 1680x1050@75 exceeds the monitor's capabilities as specified in the EDID. If you want to override that check (which is not recommended), the option is NoEDIDMaxPClkCheck, not NoMaxPClkCheck (which validates against the GPU's pixel clock limit, not the EDID's pixel clock limit).

Sazar · 12-18-09, 01:59 PM

Your issue for the jerkiness may lie with the software. LCD's typically are 59/60Hz at native resolution. LCD's obviously operate differently than CRT's so this doesn't make any difference to your actual playback. You can over-ride as others will likely tell you, but this is not recommended.

Try fixing the jerkiness through an alternate method instead.

mkkot · 12-20-09, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronP

Please attach the entire bug report to your post.

Without your bug report, it's hard to tell exactly what's going wrong. However, it does appear that the mode you provided for 1680x1050@75 exceeds the monitor's capabilities as specified in the EDID. If you want to override that check (which is not recommended), the option is NoEDIDMaxPClkCheck, not NoMaxPClkCheck (which validates against the GPU's pixel clock limit, not the EDID's pixel clock limit).

Hurray, it works. Is there any place where I can find all of those 'magic' options?

It didn't solve jerky playback problem, though.

Also xrandr and nvidia-settings are in conflict here:

Code:

[mk@linux ~]$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 240, current 1680 x 1050, maximum 1680 x 1050
default connected 1680x1050+0+0 0mm x 0mm
   1680x1050      75.0*    60.0

[mk@linux ~]$ nvidia-settings -q RefreshRate

  Attribute 'RefreshRate' (linux:0.0; display device: DFP-1): 59,95 Hz
   1680x1050      75.0*    60.0

Well, I think I got what I wanted, thanks for help.

If you wish to look on logs from the moment before I passed NoMaxPClkCheck, here it goes.

**mullet** · 12-20-09, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sazar

Your issue for the jerkiness may lie with the software. LCD's typically are 59/60Hz at native resolution. LCD's obviously operate differently than CRT's so this doesn't make any difference to your actual playback. You can over-ride as others will likely tell you, but this is not recommended.

Try fixing the jerkiness through an alternate method instead.

+1 never set a LCD above 60.

**AaronP** · 12-20-09, 11:33 AM

The options are all documented in the README.

As for the refresh rate, the correct value is the one reported by nvidia-settings. You may need to go to the display device tab and uncheck "Force full GPU scaling", or it will always scale your screen to your TV's preferred mode, which appears to be 59.95 Hz.

mkkot · 12-21-09, 06:11 AM

@AaronP
Are you sure nvidia-settings -q RefreshRate is right this time? I have Option "DynamicTwinView" "FALSE" which makes impossible to read resolution from nvidia-settings GUI. So I guess xrandr tells me true about 75Hz.

@mullet

But producer tellls me I can set 75Hz! Nevertheless, I won't use it all the time.

**AaronP** · 12-21-09, 01:45 PM

Yes, I'm sure.

12-18-09, 12:58 PM	#2
AaronP NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,487	Re: Dell 2209WA can't set 75Hz refresh rate Please attach the entire bug report to your post. Without your bug report, it's hard to tell exactly what's going wrong. However, it does appear that the mode you provided for 1680x1050@75 exceeds the monitor's capabilities as specified in the EDID. If you want to override that check (which is not recommended), the option is NoEDIDMaxPClkCheck, not NoMaxPClkCheck (which validates against the GPU's pixel clock limit, not the EDID's pixel clock limit).

12-18-09, 01:59 PM	#3
Sazar Sayonara !!! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 9,297	Re: Dell 2209WA can't set 75Hz refresh rate Your issue for the jerkiness may lie with the software. LCD's typically are 59/60Hz at native resolution. LCD's obviously operate differently than CRT's so this doesn't make any difference to your actual playback. You can over-ride as others will likely tell you, but this is not recommended. Try fixing the jerkiness through an alternate method instead. __________________ Help to find cures for Alzheimer's, Mad Cow (BSE), CJD, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease, and many Cancers. Folding@Home - Is it in you?

12-20-09, 11:33 AM	#6
AaronP NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,487	Re: Dell 2209WA can't set 75Hz refresh rate The options are all documented in the README. As for the refresh rate, the correct value is the one reported by nvidia-settings. You may need to go to the display device tab and uncheck "Force full GPU scaling", or it will always scale your screen to your TV's preferred mode, which appears to be 59.95 Hz.

12-21-09, 06:11 AM	#7
mkkot Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4	Re: Dell 2209WA can't set 75Hz refresh rate @AaronP Are you sure nvidia-settings -q RefreshRate is right this time? I have Option "DynamicTwinView" "FALSE" which makes impossible to read resolution from nvidia-settings GUI. So I guess xrandr tells me true about 75Hz. @mullet But producer tellls me I can set 75Hz! Nevertheless, I won't use it all the time. Last edited by mkkot; 12-29-09 at 06:32 AM.

12-21-09, 01:45 PM	#8
AaronP NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,487	Re: Dell 2209WA can't set 75Hz refresh rate Yes, I'm sure.