Subj : Graphics driver quest To : Ky Moffet From : Barry Martin Date : Sat Sep 13 2025 07:16:00 Hi Ky! (I know: overquoting!) > > Found when rebooting XP VM the black background of the VirtualBox logo s > > noisy but the rest is clear. > > Same for when using Remmina: the remote machine will display noise with > > its Terminal screen but everything else is clean. > > So the fix is simple: run the new monitor at 60 Hz. Corrects the noise > > problem immediately: I had XP running, Terminal noise at 75 Hz. Bring p > > Display Settings, switch to 60 Hz: noise vanishes. > KM> Sometimes the support for a given refresh rate is not all there, > KM> and it will either fallback to 60Hz or you'll get artifacts. I > KM> presume that's why I've got one monitor that is decidedly more > KM> clear at 60Hz than at 75Hz, despite that it runs at 75Hz when > KM> asked to do so. Have another where probably the video card wasn't > KM> seeing the monitor quite right, and it would persistently reset > KM> from 75Hz to 60Hz (and this wasn't ancient hardware). > OK, sort of makes sense, and maybe a hare more if I add to the answer > the possibility the 75 Hz portion of the driver understood the graphical > areas but not the Terminal/Command Line sections because "old school". > (Terminal window was noisy but graphical portion was clear - moved the > noisy Terminal to the other monitor which maxed out at 60 Hz and the > window was now fine; split between the two and half noisy and half > good.) KM> Yeah, you can get artifacting in one program but not in another, KM> so not a huge surprise that the terminal was different. Initially I was figuring along the lines of Terminal being old school and without graphics, or at least minimal graphics. That sort of got voided because while Terminals in the "overlay" (^*) options were noisy Terminal in the primary screen were not. *^ "Overlay" meaning using programmes like VirtualBox and Remmina to obtain another machine screen over my main one. KM> Does sound like it's cuz one has halfbaked support. Sometimes all KM> you can do is experiment til you find the combo that works. It was sort of fun experimenting what caused the noise. Found in one e-mail an up_arrow graphic was a little noisy on the new 75 Hz screen but not on the old 60 Hz screen. So much for that Terminal Theory! LIS, switching the new monitor to 60 Hz resolved the noise issue. KM> I just tried two monitors on the Fedora box, works fine, after KM> some thrashing around to figure out that you really do have to KM> designate a primary or it'll just put up a random login screen KM> background and nothing else. I've not done that: here the computer desk is a corner-style and has a hutch on it (used to house a CRT). One monitor in there, the other monitor is on the wall to the right. I can't do the usual side-by-side but do slide off to it the documents and projects on hold. > KM> So... falls under "they don't entirely understand each other" and > KM> 60Mhz is usually good enough, unless you're in need of > KM> gamer-grade refresh rates. > Duuuude! When I scroll my messages I don't want smearing! > Yes, using the 60 Hz refresh rate seems more than adequate. KM> Modern monitors are more than equal to a BBS's scrolling text!! Probably always have been. ...I don't recall the model number but was part of the Sanders Associates 720; the text character was written out sort of like cursive as one continous line. Think how a neon sign has its glass tube bent to create the letters. (Usual method is multiple straight traces to create the letter.) ¯ ® ¯ BarryMartin3@MyMetronet.NET ® ¯ ® .... Say again? "Optional modem required." - On a computer software package. --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.47 þ wcECHO 4.2 ÷ ILink: The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA --- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462 * Origin: ILink: CFBBS | cfbbs.no-ip.com (454:1/1) .