[NBLUG/talk] Refresh Rates (was monitor resolution question)

[Justin Thiessen]

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003, E Frank Ball wrote:

> I didn't say I couldn't work things out without the gui, but it sure
> makes it a lot easier.  Just hit return a few times, select the
> resolution and color depth and I'm done.

<grin>  Once I'd written a few by hand I was perfectly happy using an
automated tool.  But it was fun seeing what I could squeeze out of all the
discarded monitors I've used over the years (NEC Multisync II, IBM
6091/19, HP 98785A, NEC Multisync 5D, etc...), and I learned a lot more
about the basics of CRTs & X doing so.  Plus which most of the automatic
configuration tools aren't set up to extract optimal performance out of
fixed- or very limited-frequency monitors.

I will admit that 41Hz interlace looked really bad on the Multisync II.

> I've got an HP D2826 15" monitor which is one of the picky ones, that
> does tell you what it can do.  I have a dozen linux boxes out on the
> manufacturing floor at Agilent, and people think they can just put
> whatever monitor they feel like on them and they should work.  I always
> set them up with the D2826, because it's easy, and then any other
> monitor they find will work.

Gotcha.  A support situation is totally different than a personal use one.

> SuSE used to ship a spreadsheet called modegen that was handy for
> figuring out modelines.  It runs on sc.  I have it stashed here:

I've seen it mentioned but never used it.  Have you tried the Colas
modeline generator?  If so, do you think that modegen is significantly
more useful?  I keep getting tempted to try and write an interactive
mode-generation and tweaking tool.  I.e. - generate a new video mode, try
it out, adjust various params (like xvidtune), and once satisfied, write a
new XF86Config file.

Justin