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-refresh launch option
posted in Q/A Help
1
#1
0 Frags +

My TF2 alt-tabs very slowly, and I figured it had started happening again because of an update, but then I realized I should check my launch options. I had -refresh 120 in my launch options, so I decided to remove it since I'd read before it doesn't matter and TF2 uses your desktop refresh rate. However, my game felt incredibly choppy and (presumably) was refreshing at 60Hz. Removing it did make my alt-tabbing instant though as it used to be.

I should also mention that when I'm simply moving my mouse on my desktop or scrolling up and down in a browser, it normally feels like it's at 60Hz, but switches between that and 120. Since TF2 supposedly uses desktop refresh rate, I'm assuming something is wrong with my graphics settings elsewhere.

Any ideas?

ASUS GTX570
BenQ XL2420T
FX8350

My TF2 alt-tabs very slowly, and I figured it had started happening again because of an update, but then I realized I should check my launch options. I had -refresh 120 in my launch options, so I decided to remove it since I'd read before it doesn't matter and TF2 uses your desktop refresh rate. However, my game felt incredibly choppy and (presumably) was refreshing at 60Hz. Removing it did make my alt-tabbing instant though as it used to be.

I should also mention that when I'm simply moving my mouse on my desktop or scrolling up and down in a browser, it normally feels like it's at 60Hz, but switches between that and 120. Since TF2 supposedly uses desktop refresh rate, I'm assuming something is wrong with my graphics settings elsewhere.

Any ideas?

ASUS GTX570
BenQ XL2420T
FX8350
2
#2
1 Frags +

-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.

-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.
3
#3
0 Frags +

Are you running Dx8?

Are you running Dx8?
4
#4
3 Frags +

Right-click on Desktop, select Screen Resolution, select monitor, click Advanced settings. In the monitor tab you can change your refresh rate.

If it says 120 Hz already, then I have no idea what's wrong.

Right-click on Desktop, select Screen Resolution, select monitor, click Advanced settings. In the monitor tab you can change your refresh rate.

If it says 120 Hz already, then I have no idea what's wrong.
5
#5
0 Frags +
Cloudmaker2Are you running Dx8?

Yes

Drew-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.

I had it set to 120hz where hooky mentioned. I set it to 120 in my Nvidia control panel and it seems to have fixed it.

[quote=Cloudmaker2]Are you running Dx8?[/quote]
Yes

[quote=Drew]-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.[/quote]

I had it set to 120hz where hooky mentioned. I set it to 120 in my Nvidia control panel and it seems to have fixed it.
6
#6
0 Frags +
Drew-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.

Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.

EDIT: Found the quote from Chris:

-freq, -refresh – STOP. USING. IT. The frequency used is, by default, the same as used at the desktop. Don’t screw with it, or if Valve removes the restriction to allow -freq to change frequency outside of range some day, a lot of people around here will end up with broken monitors because they entered the thing without understanding what it does.
[quote=Drew]-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.[/quote]
Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.

EDIT: Found the quote from Chris:
[quote]-freq, -refresh – STOP. USING. IT. The frequency used is, by default, the same as used at the desktop. Don’t screw with it, or if Valve removes the restriction to allow -freq to change frequency outside of range some day, a lot of people around here will end up with broken monitors because they entered the thing without understanding what it does.[/quote]
7
#7
0 Frags +
HallowDrew-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.
Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.

I'm certain that using -refresh made a difference when my desktop refresh wasn't 120hz.

[quote=Hallow][quote=Drew]-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.[/quote]
Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.[/quote]

I'm certain that using -refresh made a difference when my desktop refresh wasn't 120hz.
8
#8
0 Frags +
reillyHallowDrew-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.
Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.

I'm certain that using -refresh made a difference when my desktop refresh wasn't 120hz.

I have no idea how all of that works to be honest, and that quote is almost 3 years old, so obviously it might've changed.

I assume that there's an easy way to try; -refresh 60 (or -freq 60) with 120hz desktop rate.

EDIT: Found this post: http://teamfortress.tv/forum/thread/10009-tf2-stuttering-with-new-144hz-monitor/1#post-7

[quote=reilly][quote=Hallow][quote=Drew]-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.[/quote]
Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.[/quote]

I'm certain that using -refresh made a difference when my desktop refresh wasn't 120hz.[/quote]
I have no idea how all of that works to be honest, and that quote is almost 3 years old, so obviously it might've changed.

I assume that there's an easy way to try; -refresh 60 (or -freq 60) with 120hz desktop rate.

EDIT: Found this post: http://teamfortress.tv/forum/thread/10009-tf2-stuttering-with-new-144hz-monitor/1#post-7
9
#9
0 Frags +
HallowreillyHallow-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.
Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.
I assume that there's an easy way to try; -refresh 60 (or -freq 60) with 120hz desktop rate.

I've tried this myself as well already. I can have my desktop @ 144Hz and launch at 60Hz and vice versa.

[quote=Hallow][quote=reilly][quote=Hallow]-refresh and -freq work as they should. You can use it to force a different refresh rate from your desktop.

You should be able to check your actual refresh rate from your monitor's OSD.[/quote]
Are you sure about this? Pretty sure Chris (or Anakin) insisted on both of them being useless.[/quote]
I assume that there's an easy way to try; -refresh 60 (or -freq 60) with 120hz desktop rate.
[/quote]

I've tried this myself as well already. I can have my desktop @ 144Hz and launch at 60Hz and vice versa.
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