# Is there a limit on refresh rates for analogue monitor connections?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-on-refresh-rates-for-analogue-monitor-connections/419460
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 17, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-on-refresh-rates-for-analogue-monitor-connections/419460 "2007-09-17T04:04:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-on-refresh-rates-for-analogue-monitor-connections/419460/1 "2007-09-17T04:04:52Z")
My old Radeon 9200 broke, so I went and picked up a new Geforce 6200 today.
I wasn’t paying attention and the store clerk handed me a version of the 6200 with no DVI connection. I realized this upon unpacking at home, and thought, OK, no biggie, my new LCD monitor does both analogue and digital.
I have just spent the last 2 hours trying to get the stupid POS to work in the correct resolution (1680x1050) and a refresh rate higher than 60hz. It seems that the card will do every resolution at every refresh rate EXCEPT the right one.
Having any resolution other than 1680x1050 gives me a hideous washed out picture, but at that resolution the refresh rate gives me hideous screen flicker. Since the new 6200 is supposedly a more advanced card, I can think of no reason for this other than some limitation on analogue connections that doesn’t allow that particular combination. I know refresh rates really have no relevance for an LCD monitor, and in any case the card will happily do HIGHER resolutions at HIGHER refresh rates, so I don’t understand what’s going on here.
So should I go back to the store and get one with a DVI, and will that solve my problem? It will cost me $10 extra, I’m not really worried about the cost as much as I am the hassle of going to the store during work hours (got busy work week ahead) so if there is some easy software solution, I’d be happy to hear it.
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### Author:  [@PuddingCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PuddingCat)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2007, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-on-refresh-rates-for-analogue-monitor-connections/419460/2 "2007-09-17T12:47:29Z")
There is a limit to the maximum refresh rate on both analogue and digital monitors. The bandwidth of the RAMDAC to be precise.
I would say your problem is more down to pushing an analogue signal at such a high resolution. Using an analogue card with a digital LCD means the monitor has to try to sync and convert the incoming analogue signal to map to the digital display. One side effect which you have seen is a washy, wiggly picture.
Take it back and get a DVI version - this will give you a rock steady picture. I was going to talk about the refresh rate you are pushing into the LCD but the end result is as before - you need a DVI card.
tim
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-on-refresh-rates-for-analogue-monitor-connections/419460/3 "2007-09-17T15:55:10Z")
You’ve got a LCD monitor, not a CRT. Refresh rate shouldn’t matter. I wonder if the problem is that the 6200 can’t really cope with the odd screen size. For a Nvidia card, I’d suggest getting one of the 7 series rather than the 6 series. But why not get a direct replacement ATI card?
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### Author:  [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2007, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-on-refresh-rates-for-analogue-monitor-connections/419460/4 "2007-09-18T03:28:09Z")
I think it really was an issue with the monitor’s analogue to digital conversion. I just plugged in the new 6200 with DVI, and the picture was perfect. I didn’t change anything, the “refresh rate” is still set at 60hz.
> [@](#):
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> For a Nvidia card, I’d suggest getting one of the 7 series rather than the 6 series. But why not get a direct replacement ATI card?
They had 7300s for $129, the 6200 with dvi was $69 with $10 rebate. I’m trying to do things on the cheap here, the rest of the computer isn’t exactly a hot rod so any more graphics power would be wasted anyway.