Screen refresh and sending me loopy??

[Dupont666]

Why is it if I work on a computer were the screen refresh rate is on 60Hz, it sends me all spaced out and distant... I can still do the work, but after a few hours it feels like my brain is on another planet.

But when I change the refresh rate to 75Hz or above then im fine.

What causes this, whats the reason that my colleagues dont get affected by this?

And yes I already know im weird and strange.

[broadcaststorm]

Same thing happens with me, although it brings on a headache rather than sending me to another planet!
It was a nightmare at school, as they would not make changes "for an individual user".
TFT screens are fine though.

[The_Burg]

It's to do with the screen refreshing and the rate the flouresents refresh.
I'm the same, get a user with old CRT on 60hz i can't even look at it.
Strangely 56hz is ok.

[Mr Will]

Flickering screens can do odd things to people, the most extreme example of which is photosensitive epilepsy, where a flickering of the correct frequency will cause a full blown fit.

Strangely, different frequencies affect different people, so whereas you are fine on 75hz that might be unbearable for others. Equally you will probably be fine on 50hz despite it being a nominally "worse" refresh rate.

Finally, TFT screens should be fine for everyone as they don't flicker!

[dibbers006]

I can see the lines refreshing out of the corner of my eye sometimes as well.

Technically this shouldn't be possible should it?!

[daveake]

Peripheral vision is much more likely to pick up the flicker, since it uses the rods in the eye which respond more quickly than do the cones use in central vision.

[michaeljclark]

I work for the IT Dept where one of my functions is to prepare PC images.

Buried in the docco for the PC "builds" is a tick box that says to ensure that the Refresh Rate is set to atleast 75Hz. The imaging process can also reset things so again we set the Refresh Rate in the imaging process too.

However it shouldn't affect you if you're using a TFT screen over a CRT

I believe it is an "elf and saftey" requirement to ensure that screens in the workplace are correctly setup.

[Dupont666]

Currently on a HP L1906 or it could be LI906... if this thing is set to 60Hz I cant cope after a few hours.... but its the last thing I remember to change on the display settings as I always have it set as high as possible on my home pcs and its not a recent thing either, had this for years.

[Pigeon]

85Hz on my CRT here. That's OK. TVs are dreadful.

[tossbag]

We view the world at around 25 frames per second, so 75hz is in tune to our natural view of the world (albeit x 300%).
60hz is way out of whack for us and pisses our brains off no end.