Artical in CPU magazine explains something interesting about XP refresh rates and eye strain.
Sunday, March 16, 2003 by IPlural | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
It seems that no matter what the performance settings on your Monitor and Video card allows.
By default without making use of the tweaking software that comes with most driver cd's, XP
will not allow your refresh rates to exceed 60 which can and does cause headaches, eye strain,
blurred vision, etc after a period of time looking at the monitor. From what the artical states
you should set your refresh for monitor and videocard to at least 75 - 80 to save your eyes.
Higher if they will allow it, you have to use a utility to do this, and you also have to make
sure it loads on boot up as Windows XP will return the registry settings to the default of 60
on the next boot...
thought if anyone was noticing issues like this, it might make a difference for you..
By default without making use of the tweaking software that comes with most driver cd's, XP
will not allow your refresh rates to exceed 60 which can and does cause headaches, eye strain,
blurred vision, etc after a period of time looking at the monitor. From what the artical states
you should set your refresh for monitor and videocard to at least 75 - 80 to save your eyes.
Higher if they will allow it, you have to use a utility to do this, and you also have to make
sure it loads on boot up as Windows XP will return the registry settings to the default of 60
on the next boot...
thought if anyone was noticing issues like this, it might make a difference for you..
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Koasati
Reply #22 Sunday, March 16, 2003 12:27 PM
Reply #22 Sunday, March 16, 2003 12:27 PM
This is very interesting, considering I've been trying to get my refresh rate above 60hz, but having no luck. I think my monitor is too old to handle it. 
I tried that RefreshForce app, and had a totally unreadable monitor.
I tried that RefreshForce app, and had a totally unreadable monitor.
IPlural
Reply #23 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:15 PM
Reply #23 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:15 PM
with the older non-interlaced monitors, you could force them above but they would then trip interlaced, so it would kind of defeat the purpose 
You know what you could do, CompUSA, Best Buy and the others have the display models on the shelves for a certain time period, and then go through them and clean them up, give you an in house service contract and sell them way below sticker price. When we started out we picked up some Compaq servers like that for our internal use and they worked great, still do though they were sold to a friend for his hosting startup a couple of years ago...
anyway, just a possibility, I've seen 17 inch Sony flat screen monitors go for under $100.00 when they were going off the shelf in a new cardboard box for over $400.00
That was a while back, but...
You know what you could do, CompUSA, Best Buy and the others have the display models on the shelves for a certain time period, and then go through them and clean them up, give you an in house service contract and sell them way below sticker price. When we started out we picked up some Compaq servers like that for our internal use and they worked great, still do though they were sold to a friend for his hosting startup a couple of years ago...
anyway, just a possibility, I've seen 17 inch Sony flat screen monitors go for under $100.00 when they were going off the shelf in a new cardboard box for over $400.00
That was a while back, but...
Jess McGuay
Reply #24 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:21 PM
Reply #24 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:21 PM
Reforce is the program I used with my GF3. It apparently modifies or creates a custom inf for your moniter that locks it into the rates you want. I really had little problem except for DX and ogl Games doing the default to 60 and this fixed that. Think someone already posted a link to the site as this guy made it as donateware. Free to use but if really helpfull financial assist appreciated. Anyway as I dont haveg linkhandy can do websearch for reforce and Refreshlock both by same person ones a try on the fly changer the other is the one that does a perm mod to inf
IPlural
Reply #25 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:35 PM
Reply #25 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:35 PM
RefreshForce's Home
(Version: 1.10)
RefreshForce universally and permanently fixes the Windows 2000/XP refresh rate problem on ANY variation of graphics cards, monitors, or drivers!!! No messing around, no hassle, it WORKS and it's SIMPLE!
Completely fixes the Windows 2000/XP refresh rate problem
Functions regardless of graphics card, and driver versions
One-time execute, no reboot required, and no background program
Ability to push Plug & Play monitor drivers over 85Hz
Support for systems with multiple display adapters
Automatic backup facility
Sophisticated and unique display optimization technology
Ability to actually lower refresh rates as well as increase them, if software causes display corruption
and...
It's freeware!
http://www.pagehosting.co.uk/rf/
(Version: 1.10)
RefreshForce universally and permanently fixes the Windows 2000/XP refresh rate problem on ANY variation of graphics cards, monitors, or drivers!!! No messing around, no hassle, it WORKS and it's SIMPLE!
Completely fixes the Windows 2000/XP refresh rate problem
Functions regardless of graphics card, and driver versions
One-time execute, no reboot required, and no background program
Ability to push Plug & Play monitor drivers over 85Hz
Support for systems with multiple display adapters
Automatic backup facility
Sophisticated and unique display optimization technology
Ability to actually lower refresh rates as well as increase them, if software causes display corruption
and...
It's freeware!
http://www.pagehosting.co.uk/rf/
kthxbye
Reply #26 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:57 PM
Reply #26 Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:57 PM
kthxbye simply happily reads the thread on his notebooks gorgeous little LCD screen, laughing at all this silly talk of refresh rates. 
That said - I've never had any problems with refresh rates resetting to 60 on the 19" monitor attached to my Radeon 8500 upstairs. I went it, set them all at 75Mhz, and I've been happy since. (Honestly, there's little benefit to your eyes pushing it higher than the 75-80 range, and as your refresh rate gets higher, your image quality starts to suffer.)
That said - I've never had any problems with refresh rates resetting to 60 on the 19" monitor attached to my Radeon 8500 upstairs. I went it, set them all at 75Mhz, and I've been happy since. (Honestly, there's little benefit to your eyes pushing it higher than the 75-80 range, and as your refresh rate gets higher, your image quality starts to suffer.)
IPlural
Reply #27 Sunday, March 16, 2003 2:33 PM
Reply #27 Sunday, March 16, 2003 2:33 PM
very true, but lower sure does do a number on some...
even in that artical they said later on that between 75 - 80 was best, because above that the human eye can not discern any difference and it does lower the MTF... *snap* click, Hhhhhhmmmmmm.... what the hell? seen that more than once years back, when there actually WAS a reason for screen savers...
now all they do is eat resources and not give them all back when they restore the desktop!
even in that artical they said later on that between 75 - 80 was best, because above that the human eye can not discern any difference and it does lower the MTF... *snap* click, Hhhhhhmmmmmm.... what the hell? seen that more than once years back, when there actually WAS a reason for screen savers...
now all they do is eat resources and not give them all back when they restore the desktop!
joe christmas
Reply #28 Sunday, March 16, 2003 9:48 PM
Reply #28 Sunday, March 16, 2003 9:48 PM
Go to this link and use this program, its free and it works great,
www.majorgeeks.com/article.php?sid=1457&cat=22
www.majorgeeks.com/article.php?sid=1457&cat=22
Jafo
Reply #29 Sunday, March 16, 2003 9:52 PM
Reply #29 Sunday, March 16, 2003 9:52 PM
http://www.majorgeeks.com/article.php?sid=1457&cat=22
Ya gotta have the 'http://' in front...
Ya gotta have the 'http://' in front...
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Reply #21 Sunday, March 16, 2003 9:32 AM
someone wrote a virus that actually was done to prove that you could kill a monitor with one buy screwing the refresh rates, that was around 1988 if I remember correctly...