Products to try or avoid? PWM Flicker and Temporal Dithering Testing
Why do you think is the reason I can't see it without accessing the registry? and for a non tech savvy guy like myself I have no diea how to access it in the registry.
I'm using the laptop on hybrid mode. Is that a normal function that you can't access colorcontrol when it's using the integrated graphics card? I wonder what Photon does in that instance.
photon78s Seems like dCPU with colorcontrol enabled makes a difference. I'm pretty sure. I can focus much better and there isn't this constant feeling of being blinded by everything. But this is during the night time. It's much better.
Even in game. It's pretty nice. But for some reason my fps is signicantly lower. Laptop been acting weird since I uninstalled the drivers.
So I suppose you use the dGPU function during your every day tasks?
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Glad it is getting better! The gpu it really is designed to run with the studio or game ready driver installed not uninstalled of course. So it's normal gaming fps would be low without driver. Perhaps reinstalling the driver with clean installation would improve fps?
I have on discrete gpu with color control set to no dithering and at night with my DIY gel screen filter placed over the screen. The laptop display is bright. I set it to 50-70 percent brightness indoors and its more comfortable. Also, the default color temperature at least on my panel is too high/bluish. Maybe try also running IRIS or a blue filter all the time not just at night.
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Maybe a fan/thermal paste issue? That would be bad quality control. It should be a beast of a laptop.
I haven't used DDU in a while. I came across this uninstaller as highly rated: https://www.revouninstaller.com/
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Dadab12 doesn't nvidia control panel let you alter the color settings? Could make it warmer color temp? Would you say with dgpu forced it's comfortable at 240hz? I have a 7i I've been sitting on but afraid to try it because my flare-ups are severe. I think the best setup would be 1809 win10 running on it in terms of comfort. One other thing is you can try to find the oldest 40 series driver, someone was mentioning here that a newer driver version was bad but one that was older was better I can't remember the version #. OH also disable the keyboard backlight if you havent.. it rapidly flickers colors BAD. You should see photons video on it, I accidentally saw the vid and it bugged my eyes.
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jordan I can alter the colors in the nvidia control panel I believe.
I';m not sure the 240hz makes it better. I have eye strain.. and nausea. it's like my stomach drops. I thought it was fine, but it's only during the night.
my keyboard backlight is off. That's for sure.
I don't know what to do.. ill try more drivers and perhaps a freshly installed windows, but I don't think I can be productive on this pc. It's so fucking unfortunate. Don't knwo what to do or buy instead. There are the Macbooks but I have no clue about Mac.
edit: Edit: also i can’t install older drivers now? says it’s incompatible with this version of windows. Incompatibility with the graphics hardware.
Only the latest game driver/studio works. what the heck.
Dadab12 why didn’t you return the laptop? have you tried a different one?
its my 2nd modern laptop with "flickering". I returned the first one in sep23 coz thinking it have bad screen (I also ordered and measured it with Opple4 but found no PWM), but now I more sure the problem was (and current problem) not in screen/gpu, it is OS rendering/flickering (younger than w10 1809). Reading this forum I found earlier notices, so perhabs MS tested more than 5 years different types of image-rendering with priority on wide-gamut. Mass implemention started in 2020 ( win10 2004 ), and now people made some PC or laptops upgrade and meet new drivers / OS build and notice headaches.
Its too hard now to buy bad ( PWM ) screen laptop ( not talking about OLED )
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This is unfortunate. Why only during the night? Would non-gaming desktops or laptops be an option for you? That would give you more choices at the very least. I mentioned my T480s (a laptop from 2018) which I run linux mint on and came with license for windows 10 pro. From just what people post on this forum, it looks to me that older pcs (and monitors) are in general "safer".
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I don't know about buying activation keys. I gave up on using windows 10 enterprise LTSC 1809 without activation key and using linux mint for browsing, documents, etc on the T480s. I only have experience with the T480s model not the regular T480 model without the s. I know the T480s is thinner and lighter than the T480.
I bought it used from ebay as it is an obsolete model with the WQHD 2560x1440s display and no nvidia gpu configuration. It came with windows 10 pro pre-installed. This is a computer from 2018 and should be much less expensive than "modern" ThinkPads. Perhaps others can recommend a safe windows 10 version to use that will automatically activate with the T480s.
Booted temporarlly into windows 10 pro and I use hwinfo to determine the panel model and I then bought another panel (B140QAN02.3 also bought from ebay) and swapped out the original lg panel (LP140QH2-SPB1) it came out. Worth the trouble for me as I measure less pixel flicker under the microscope with the alternate panel. Here is where how I learned to swap out the panel. Edit: less but not no pixel flicker and strangely the pixel flicker gets worse as the screen is used over the course of the day. Then the next day/morning, the screen would flicker less again.
My concern is panel lottery and what works for me might not work for everyone. But then this is why folks here are constantly trying out multiple different computers and configurations.
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My thinking is that the more screentime you have, the more you are damaging yourself and the longer the required recovery period even if the screen is technically "perfect" as far as one could objectively measure with current tools and theories. Of course, some are better than others. Even with knowing some guidelines (no flicker, no harsh blue light, etc.) it is still hit and miss and a trial and error process of finding what works.
For myself, I've never noticed significant eyestrain problems until 2022. Over the years, I've used multiple "bad" screens (from crts to ccfl backlights to cheap PWM led backlight monitors) from laptops and desktops that we would consider junk by today's technical standards and those didn't really bother me before. Definitely the tech has changed (hardware in step with software) perhaps with unintended bad consequences and the same with the living environment and the rhythms of daily life.
However, I have changed as well. Gotten weaker over time from stress, overwork, missed opportunities for rest and exercise and the all important recovery from any insult to the body. Perhaps screens I was able to adapt to and tolerate are not anymore due to these cumulative health changes.
My ongoing search for personal health solutions:
Take breaks (I've already mentioned doing the 20-20-20 rule)
Deep relaxation breathing is essential for stress recovery and energy and oxygenation to body and eyeballs
Massage type exercises you can do yourself not just from physical therapist etc. For example pressure points around your eyes, temple, neck, back of your head. Also, don't forget to blink.
Diet and foods to help promote normal blood circulation and detox. I've also mentioned before the eye, liver, kidney connection.
Others are recommending eye patching and special glasses beyond the typical blue light blocking type. Lots of info on this forum.
Some sites to help find "your" monitor (always check and cross check the info):