# Why 50Hz not 60Hz for LCD refresh on Thinkpad T43? [SOLVED]

## dhave

I have a Thinkpad T43 with ATI X300 64Mb graphics. On Windows, the default resolution is 1400x1050@60Hz. For some reason, under Linux, the default resolution is 1400x1050@50Hz.

Here's the output of "xrandr -q":

```
 SZ:    Pixels          Physical       Refresh

*0   1400 x 1050   ( 404mm x 303mm )  *50  

 1   1280 x 1024   ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 2   1152 x 864    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 3   1024 x 768    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 4    800 x 600    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 5    640 x 480    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 6    640 x 400    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 7    640 x 350    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 8    512 x 384    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 9    400 x 300    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 10   320 x 240    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

 11   320 x 200    ( 404mm x 303mm )   50  

Current rotation - normal

Current reflection - none

Rotations possible - normal 

Reflections possible - none
```

I've tried all kinds of ways to override that 50Hz refresh rate in xorg.conf: Ignoring EDID, inserting a custom vrefresh rate, even using the gtf utility to calculate a modeline for 1400x1050@60. Nothing seems to change anything.

As a quick check, when I run "xrandr -r 60", I get "Rate 60 not available for this size."

When I run "xrandr -r 50", the system accepts it.

I not terribly bothered by the 50Hz, except that I notice a slight flutter when XFCE comes up. Also, I'd just like the system to run at what I presume to be optimal specs.

Can anyone advise me? Thanks.

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## sugar

 *Quote:*   

> Much of the discussion of refresh rate does not apply to LCD monitors. This is because while a phosphor on a CRT will begin to dim as soon as the electron beam passes it, LCD cells open to pass a continuous stream of light, and do not dim until instructed to produce a darker color.

 

wikipedia article on refresh rate

afaia, it doesn't make any difference.

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## dhave

 *sugar wrote:*   

>  *Quote:*   Much of the discussion of refresh rate does not apply to LCD monitors. This is because while a phosphor on a CRT will begin to dim as soon as the electron beam passes it, LCD cells open to pass a continuous stream of light, and do not dim until instructed to produce a darker color. 
> 
> wikipedia article on refresh rate
> 
> afaia, it doesn't make any difference.

 

O.K, thanks, I guess I can live with that. I still don't see why Windows reports one refresh rate and Linux another, and why I can't change the rate at all, at least on my notebook's LCD.

Maybe I should worry about global warming instead.

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