# VertRefresh & HorizSync - not in xorg.conf.new?



## neilms (Jul 2, 2012)

I used the method detailed in the handbook to install x windows. However, the handbook says before you continue:



> find out the monitor's VerRefresh and HorizSync ranges



I have no way of locating this infomation for my machines and accordingly was not able to put the values in the xorg.conf file. - Do I have anything to worry about? So far everything seems to be ok.


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## kpedersen (Jul 2, 2012)

Yes, if it all looks fine then you are good to go.

The VertRefresh and HorizSync are impossible to find out for 99% of monitors / LCDs I have owned. All the different websites show conflicting information and frankly I got a little bit annoyed with documentation casually stating that this information comes with the monitor because it is generally a big fat lie.

Luckily we live in the age where these timings are found automatically by the operating system (Xorg) from the hardware and if it doesn't... simply use different hardware lol.

It won*'*t damage your screen (unless the hardware is very poor / already broken). All it could do is not show an image, or display a "Out of sync" message.

In most cases, you shouldn't even need to have an xorg.conf file on your system.


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## wblock@ (Jul 2, 2012)

99% of monitors made fifteen years have some firmware in them.  The video card talks to them over a serial channel, and the monitor identifies the frequencies and resolutions it can handle (see EDID).  Unless you have a broken monitor, it is counterproductive to manually set VertRefresh and HorizSync.  And in fact there are a lot of other magic xorg settings that should be avoided, like ModeLines.  Don't set it unless it is needed.  The way to know it is needed is simple: it doesn't work otherwise.

I'll look at that part of the Handbook for revision.


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## neilms (Jul 2, 2012)

(To Kpederson) I should add that this is not entirely true. I have a 17" WXGA monitor and had to tweak the settings for it to work.


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## kpedersen (Jul 3, 2012)

neilms said:
			
		

> I have a 17" WXGA monitor and had to tweak the settings for it to work.



Fair enough. Which settings out of interest?

On one of my machines I need to set the virtual desktop size so that I can do duel screen but other than that I havn't needed to touch it.

Any resolution changes can usually be done using xrandr.


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