True 120Hz from PC to TV

Published Feb 18, 2019 by in: Projectors TV

Updated 2019 Edition

Presenting updated instructions for 120 Hz refresh rate on existing 1080p or 4K televisions or DLP projector, on this page’s sixth anniversary, 2013-2019!

Unlock True 120 Hz Refresh Rate On Your Television!

Purpose: Use TV as a 120Hz computer monitor. Smoother motion and less input lag.
Supported Displays: Many HDTVs have hidden true 120Hz support. This includes Active 3D HDTV’s (the type that use electronic shutter glasses), as well as 4K Ultra HD televisions.
Alternatives: See List of 120Hz, 144Hz and 240Hz Monitors for computer monitors instead.

Many Televisions Unofficially Support True 120 Hz From A PC

Many TV’s do 120Hz internally for a different purpose (e.g. motion interpolation, active 3D). These TV’s support the dot clocks necessary for a true 120Hz refresh rate. Historically, this was called “refresh rate overclocking”. However, most newer HDTVs already support true native 120 Hz as an unadvertised feature.

Benefits of 120 Hz Instead of 60 Hz

  • 120 Hz has 50% less motion blur than 60 Hz, for text scrolling, panning, and video games.
  • 120 Hz feels faster and has less input lag than 60 Hz in your computer games
  • 120 Hz allows you to natively play HFR 120fps video on your computer.

EASY Instructions: When Your Television Has Automatic 120 Hz Support

  1. Try the easy instructions at Oh No, I’m At The Wrong Refresh Rate.
  2. If 120 Hz does not show up, try testing a lower resolution and see if 120 Hz shows up.
    Try 1920×1080 on a 4K HDTV.
    Try 1280×720 on a 1080p HDTV.
    Try 1280×800 on a DLP projector.
  3. If 120 Hz shows up and it works, you’re done!
    Now test your new 120Hz at www.testufo.com

ADVANCED Instructions: Manually Force 120 Hz Output From PC To TV

If the EASY instructions above fails, you will have to instead force 120 Hz into your HDTV since the HDTV is not advertising its ability to support 120 Hz. Try one of the following Custom Refresh Rate methods:

  • Use NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Catalyst Control Center if you have an AMD or NVIDIA GPU.
    Right-click an empty area of your Windows desktop and launch. Then follow these steps:

    If using the full resolution fails,
    Try testing 1920×1080 on a 4K HDTV.
    Try testing 1280×720 on a 1080p HDTV.
    Try testing 1280×800 on a DLP projector.
  • Or Install ToastyX Custom Resolution Utility
    This is a method that works on both GeForce and Radeon.
    (For GeForce, NVIDIA’s Custom Resolution feature can also be used).
    toastyx
    If using the full resolution fails,
    Try testing 1920×1080 on a 4K HDTV.
    Try testing 1280×720 on a 1080p HDTV.
    Try testing 1280×800 on a DLP projector.
  • Or Expert Hacker Method:
    Install a Manual EDID override. This is the hardest method, recommended only for advanced users. If you need to get familiar with how EDID overrides are installed, see 3D Vision Blog Instructions (different purpose), and Microsoft technical info.

DISCLAIMER: Follow these instructions at own risk. Blur Busters disclaims all responsibility for any possible damage or disruptions. Historically, nobody has ever reported television damage from doing this. However, please follow the Tips below for software recovery instructions if you accidentally misconfigure your computer.

Important Tips

  1. Try the EASY Instructions First.
    Do the ADVANCED Instructions only if the EASY instructions don’t work.
  2. If Using Multiple Displays, Make Your HDTV the Primary Monitor for Reliable 120 Hz
    If you are connecting multiple screens to a computer or laptop.

         

  3. If Using Multiple Displays, Choose “Extend Desktop To This Display”
    When using multi-monitor, 120 Hz is easier when not duplicating or mirroring.

         

  4. If Full Resolution Fails, Try Testing 120 Hz At Lower Resolutions
    Try testing 1920×1080 on a 4K HDTV.
    Try testing 1280×720 on a 1080p HDTV.
    Try testing 1280×800 on a DLP projector.
  5. Test Other GPU Outputs
    Only some of the GPU outputs may support 120 Hz.
  6. Test Other Television Inputs
    Only some of the television inputs may support 120 Hz.
  7. Test Other Cables or Adaptors
    If you have a very old HDMI cable (over 10 years old), try a newer HDMI cable.
    If you have a single-link DVI cable or DVI-to-HDMI adaptor, you can only do 120 Hz at 1280×720.
    You need dual-link DVI cable in order to do 120 Hz at 1920×1080 over DVI.
  8. ADVANCED: Test ToastyX Reduced Blanking Interval in a Custom Resolution Utility
    Some older televisions only “almost” reaches 120Hz, but not quite.  For example, 115 Hz or 118 Hz.  To fix such a minor shortfall, reduce the timings (smaller numbers for Front Porch, Back Porch and Sync) to maintain same dotclock while raising refresh rate. Using “Reduced” instead of “Automatic” within ToastyX Custom Resolution Utility, can do this too. This may allow success at 120Hz
  9. ADVANCED: Uninstalling ToastyX CRU To Fix Everything
    If you have problems with ToastyX Custom Resolution Utility, just run “reset-all.exe” to undo the changes made by the ToastyX Custom Resolution Utility.
  10. ADVANCED: Fix In Safe Boot Mode
    Your screen may go blank, black, and/or display distorted graphics until you reset back to 60 Hz. Normally, the refresh rate test should automatically switch back to 60 Hz if you are unable to successfully confirm 120 Hz. In the event you accidentally get stuck in an unviewable resolution or refresh rate, you can reboot into Safe Mode via pressing F8 while turning on your computer. From there, you can switch back to 60 Hz via Control Panel.

Verify That Your Television Is Correctly Display 120 Hz

  1. View The Motion Test at www.testufo.com
    The 120 fps UFO should have approximately half the motion blur of the 60 fps UFO.
  2. Do A Frame Skipping Test
    If the 120fps and 60fps UFOs look identical, run the TestUFO: Frame Skipping Check.
    If your television is skipping refresh cycles, try a lower resolution such as 720p instead of 1080p.

No fake frames. No interpolation tricks. No Motionflow voodoo. True 120Hz!

If you have a success report in doing 120 Hz HDTV refresh rate, please feel free to post your TV model in the Blur Busters Forums!

144 Comments For “True 120Hz from PC to TV”

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danscan11
Member
danscan11

Hey Chief Blur Buster and people. Just wanted to say again thanks for the help with the Seiki TV. I was on Amazon saw the TV on sale for a price almost as much as the Samsung I have now which I bought on Amazon not too long ago. So I saw if I could return the Samsung which I can and I ordered the Seiki through your website to give you guys credit. The electronic gods have been looking out for me apparently!!! So stars aligned and the seas hath parted. Will be delivered in 2 days 🙂

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11 years 11 months ago
Mark Rejhon
Author
Mark Rejhon

Great to hear! (Thanks for ordering through Blur Busters). Yes, the sale on the SEIKI 50″ HDTV is pretty good, you caught it on time — just before the sale ended.

Remember when you get it, you will want to obtain the free ToastyX Custom Resolution Utility to make your computer output 120Hz (at 1920×1080) to your TV. However, the newest version of the television’s firmware may allow 120Hz to be automatically detected without needing ToastyX. Keep an eye out for it!

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11 years 11 months ago
Neo
Member
Neo

Hi there, new guy here. 🙂

According to the press release for the Sears (USA) exclusive 55″ ($1500) Seiki 4KTV it is a native 120 Hz input (1080p) display. Hopefully the fact this spec was included in the official press release means it’s a fully supported feature with mature firmware and not merely a hackable. 4K naysayers should check out the new prices.

39″ $500 ($520 on sears.com right now) reg $700
50″ $750 ($760 on sears.com right now) reg $1300
55″ $850 Black Friday promo reg $1500

http://bfads.net/Black-Friday/Sears/Ad?page=61#viewer

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11 years 11 months ago
Mark Rejhon
Author
Mark Rejhon

Good price. That said, Amazon has a sale too!

To help support the operation of Blur Busters, we suggest using this link: SEIKI Amazon Link ($791, free shipping, for 50″).

Note that the 50″ one is the only that reliably runs 1920x1080p @ 120Hz, with very low PC gaming input lag! (The 39″ model frameskips at 120Hz).

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11 years 11 months ago
danscan11
Member
danscan11

Samsung UN50EH6000 50-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV this is my current TV I havent seen any confirmation on this but thought I’d put it up if someone has overridden it or cannot since I feel like I mightv’e messed up. I am getting 75-85 fps on Metro Last Light.

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11 years 11 months ago
PoWn3d_0704
Member
PoWn3d_0704

Hey, I’ve got a Asus somethingQE 144hz monitor that is currently at 120hz with 2D light boost. Needlessly to say, I can’t go back to 60hz.

With the upcoming SteamOS and SteamBoxes, I’m looking to get a 120hz TV. Obviously, there are no TVs that accept 120hz natively.

But I’m also looking for something more like 70-80″ as opposed to 50″. Do you have any confirmed OCs of a TV that large? If not, what type of TV would be my best bet for a successful 1080p 120hz OC? Thanks in advance.

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11 years 11 months ago
Mark Rejhon
Author
Mark Rejhon

We haven’t heard of any confirmed OC’s on such sizes. However, there’s another idea: Have you considered getting a projector?

Optoma GT720, GT750, or GT760 — they run at 720p @ 120Hz with LightBoost-like black frame insertion.

The BENQ GT720/GT750/GT760 projector is less than $1000 and give you a gigantic wall-sized LightBoost image (over 100 inch size). Although only 1280x720p, but makes up for that in big size & motion blur reduction capability (in 120Hz 3D mode), especially if you have a light-controlled room such as a basement. Several success reports on these.

There are 1080p DLP projectors that claim to be 3D capable (and thus, 120Hz candidate with 3D crosstalk reduction strobing that also happens to simultaneously eliminate motion blur), but are as of not yet tested, and are much more expensive.

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11 years 11 months ago
danscan11
Member
danscan11

I know you probably read my post and replies but as advice I would look at 3d capable, 240hz since bottom line is 240 probably means 120 and so on, or 2k-4k HD. I was just over looking for one myself I saw a bunch of samsung EDID overrides and a lot of samsungs 120 capable. I found this link to be helpful Im guessing your a hard-core PC gamer Im more of a breaking into hard-core gaming. To the moderators if a outside link is off limits I didn’t mean to break any rules on purpose.
http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/input-lag
So if you check it out it might help you go from 4-5 choices down to 1-2 when you find something that size.

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11 years 11 months ago
Mark Rejhon
Author
Mark Rejhon

The Sony I mentioned has lower input lag, so that’s a pretty safe choice, IMHO.

Not all Sony’s can run at “120Hz”, but there’s been several reports for the Sony I mentioned. Even if a TV has 3D, you don’t need to use it, but the existence of 3D often leads to better motion clarity during 2D, because panels designed for 3D need to be designed to refresh faster in order to make 3D possible. The faster refreshing techniques often also reduce motion blur for 2D use. So good 3D TV’s often produce better motion clarity (on average) during non-3D playing.

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11 years 11 months ago
wpDiscuz

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