I'm seeing in the 2209WA megathread that it's possible to run it at 75Hz, but it takes a little technical work to do. I'd like to start this separate thread to put together clear instructions on how to do so for both nVidia and ATi users, and also to find out if all 2209WA monitors can do it, or only some. I don't own these monitors myself, but my brother-in-law has two, so I'll quote what's been said on this topic so far that I can find:
myshkinbob said:At least with nvidia drivers, to get my 2209wa in 1680x1050 @75Hz over DVI, you have to set up a custom resolution. When setting up the custom resolution you must select Advanced >> and change the Timing standard to CVT Reduced Blanking. If it's left on Auto then the GDI refresh rate is 75Hz but the "actual refresh rate" (as the nv control panel calls it) remains at 60Hz, verified still 60Hz in the panel OSD. The custom resolution won't actually use CVT reduced blanking by the way, it'll use DMT timing mode.
I've no explanation for why that is, it might just be a nvidia control panel bug with the auto timing mode. Either way, the panel's OSD and nvidia control panel will only report an actual refresh rate of 75Hz if you use the Advanced >> button to control the timings.
I had this behaviour in Vista x86 and Windows 7 x64 both.
Once the panel is getting a genuine 1680x1050@75Hz signal it works nicely. I did some tearing tests to verify the screen does physically refresh at 75Hz, i.e. the panel's internal signal processing doesn't reduce it back to 60Hz like some monitors will.
If anyone wants to double-check that, i used Portal with net_graph 3 enabled in console to see my current FPS, first with v-sync disabled to find a nice area where tearing is easily visible, then switched to v-sync enabled, checked the net_graph was locked at 75 FPS and verified the tearing was gone. If the screen was downsampling the 75Hz to 60Hz, then 75Hz v-sync would still show tearing, akin to 75fps at 60Hz without v-sync.
I only have a weakling 8800GTS 640MB so i often can't run the latest games with v-sync enabled to get rid of tearing, so i'm happy to say the jump up to 75Hz reduces tearing quite noticeably on this screen. It's still there a bit, and you can still tell a difference when v-sync is enabled, but it's definitely an improvement.
Aside from making tearing in games much less of an issue, it's also pretty good for removing judder from HD blu-ray movies watched on the 2209WA. 24fps into 60Hz always gives some ugliness on panning shots, but it's almost eliminated with 24fps into 75Hz. A 72Hz custom res is also an option, although personally i use Reclock to speed up the movie to 25fps and resample the audio, for perfect v-sync movie playback.
zod96 said:When I set my to 75hz it the OS reports it as 75hz but on the OSD of the LCD it says only 60hz, so which is it? Is the OS reporting it wrong or the LCD?
ToastyX said:With NVIDIA cards, you have to add a custom resolution using the advanced timing option, and use the CVT reduced blanking timing standard, otherwise the driver lies to the OS. The LCD is reporting the correct rate.
Malatesta said:When I try this my monitor gives me an error on a black screen that says my timings are not supported by the monitor. Looks like the 75Hz no workie for me.
ToastyX said:It should work. I don't know why it wouldn't. Maybe the timings it chose for you aren't compatible.
Try these manual timings:
Horizontal front porch: 48
Active horizontal pixels: 1680
Horizontal total: 1840
Horizontal sync width: 32
Horizontal sync polarity: -
Vertical front porch: 3
Active vertical lines: 1050
Vertical total: 1087
Vertical sync width: 6
Vertical sync polarity: +
Then set the desired refresh rate to 75 Hz.
It will actually accept up to 76.647 Hz using those timings. Going any higher causes it to intermittently reject the resolution, so don't go above that. The monitor will report 77 Hz since it rounds up.