[GUIDE] Smooth playback with madVR and no Smooth Motion/Reclock

[Siso]

You have a 21:9 screen?

In any case, are those numbers working if you use them to create a custom resolution? If they are, launch a movie, wait the right amount of time (as suggested in the guide, at least 30 minutes is ideal) and take note of what madVR tells you in its playback stats. Are frames repeated? Dropped? With what frequency? You take note of that and follow the calculations explained in the guide to have a new refresh rate to aim for.

You input that in Pixel Clock Calculator and modify the custom resolution you created before. You launch the movie again and see that frames dropped/repeated are now less frequent. You can adjust again, and again and again, as long as you manage to get better results, aiming toward perfection.

As suggested, once you get to the "one frame repeat/drop" every 6 hours or better... it's merely an exercise toward perfection, because you will never be watching something for 6 hours without pause.

PS
I don't understand what you mean by "how do you multiply them"... I can only suggest to read the guide again, it's step by step... you can't go wrong.

What I meant was - which values I should write in PCC - for minimum and maximum horizontal blank and minimum and maximum vertical blank.

[ashlar42]

This guide is amazing, its a bit hard to follow specially if you are not a native english speaker like me, but in general solved my problem with dropped frames every 40 seconds in 60hz. Now my refresh rate is something like 59.94xxx and I have a frame dropped after 5 or so hours, amazing! a shame I have a random weird shuttering problem sometimes, but I think is not related to the refresh rate.

Thank you so much for this guide, is really useful.Thanks for taking the time to write this, much appreciated. Glad you found it helpful.

[huhn]

No, its a jumpy irregular stutter, like the videocard or the cpu having trouble with the file. But its really weird because its happening with every file, even with sd content. Also, I just tested some videos on a different hdd with a different os installation (on the same pc) with a similar config (its my gaming hdd) and its the same, I think my videocard might be dying....

a screen of the OSD should tell everything

[Dorohedoro]

Thanks for taking the time to write this, much appreciated. Glad you found it helpful.

I'm really grateful, thank to you I can get rid of reclock and now I can send the sound untouched to my receiver.


a screen of the OSD should tell everything

Sure!

http://i.imgur.com/8FVfFBA.jpg

Thanks!

[huhn]

the file is played with a heavy 3:2 judder. if you get other issues it could be the screen having problem with the custom refresh rate.

but in the end a custom 59p refresh rate is pointless for 23p sources

[sauma144]

I have some stupid questions:
1) Do I have to redo everything in case of an update of my current GPU drivers?
2) Do I have to redo everything in case of a new graphic card?
3) Do I have to redo everything in case of a new display monitor?
4) Isn't it more simple to ask madshi for adding a reclock option inside madVR like on MPDN, Kodi, ...

[huhn]

1. as far as i know no
2. yes of cause every GPU has a different clock
3. depends
4. impossible madVR isn't an audio renderer and "only" an audio renderer can do this the madVR solution to this problem is smoothmotion.

this is pretty easy to do it's not rocket science once you understand it.

[Dorohedoro]

the file is played with a heavy 3:2 judder. if you get other issues it could be the screen having problem with the custom refresh rate.

but in the end a custom 59p refresh rate is pointless for 23p sources

Thanks, I'm going to try another refresh rate (23hz and 48hz)

[ashlar42]

Thanks, I'm going to try another refresh rate (23hz and 48hz)Yes, maybe I considered this implicit when writing the guide, but you clearly need to go for direct multipliers of the video framerate for your refresh rate.

[ashlar42]

What I meant was - which values I should write in PCC - for minimum and maximum horizontal blank and minimum and maximum vertical blank.From the guide:Comparing the standard LCD timings offered by CRU, fill in the minimum blanking and maximum blanking. As a minimum I tend to use the value offered by standard timings, with 2-300 more pixels as a maximum. Being more precise requires knowing the exact specifications of the screen you are using and it's clearly beyond the scope of this guide. What I suggest is what I've been doing, nothing more.
The point is that the higher the maximum blanking space you give, the more combinations of different timings you get to try out.

[Siso]

From the guide:
The point is that the higher the maximum blanking space you give, the more combinations of different timings you get to try out.

I see, in my case horizontal blanking is 160, and vertical blanking is 37, as shown in my previous screenshot. So by your guide I can add from 2 to 300 to these values?

[ashlar42]

I see, in my case horizontal blanking is 160, and vertical blanking is 37, as shown in my previous screenshot. So by your guide I can add from 2 to 300 to these values?Yes, this is trial and error. Whatever tool you use for custom resolutions always asks to confirm that the resolution is working, so if it is not... it simply reverts to the one working.

Having higher maximum blanking values, as an analogy, pretty much gives Pixel Clock Calculator a bigger "canvas to paint on".

The thing to understand is that the only pixels that are going to be visible are the one under Active entries. All the rest is not visible but is "calculated", as such it influences timings. Again, this is simplifying things but just to give you a general idea.

Edit: but please, do follow the steps in the guide. Never think, especially at the beginning, "I understand this". If you follow the steps you can't go wrong.

[Dorohedoro]

Yes, maybe I considered this implicit when writing the guide, but you clearly need to go for direct multipliers of the video framerate for your refresh rate.

but you should know that this guide also works with 60hz, my stuttering problem is not related with the refresh rate.

[huhn]

no it doesn't "work" you still have 12 repeated frames a sec with and with out this guide.

1 more dropped or repeated frame every 40sec to 10 mins doesn't make a difference.

[Dorohedoro]

Are you sure? I see everything smooth with the resulting refresh rate (around 59.9400) the problem I have is with the irregular shuttering and its totally random, its like the gpu cant deal with the videos.

I've doing some testings with 23hz and 48hz and I also have that random stutter. Im going to upgrade my videocard soon.

[ashlar42]

Dorohedoro, I think there's some confusion between what you are saying and what huhn is saying. When watching 24fps material at 60Hz, what you get is even frames played back 24 times per second and odd frames played back 36 times per second. This is why huhn says you are getting 12 repeated frames per second.

I have to be honest and say that I've never tried this, so I don't actually know how madVR is going to report it in its stats. In your screen capture it says one frame repeat every 8.09 hours and that might be related simply to the relationship between audio clock and video clock (the subject of this whole guide). But that has nothing to do with the fact that playing back 24fps material at 60Hz will lead to the aforementioned 3:2 judder. Which is something that people find more or less noticeable (to me it's akin to pestilence on my screen :D ). But it's there.

To play 24/23.976fps material you need 23/24Hz refresh rate.

When you get that "random stuttering" you refer to, what is madVR reporting in its stats (CTRL+J)?

[nussman]

if I dont use frame doubler deinterlace (0 threshold) in ffdshow the weird irregular judder will be worse.

I think this could cause "random stuttering".
Disable reclock, disable ffdshow, use LAV with madVR and then try huhn and ashlar42' advices. :)

[sauma144]

1. as far as i know no
2. yes of cause every GPU has a different clock
3. depends
4. impossible madVR isn't an audio renderer and "only" an audio renderer can do this the madVR solution to this problem is smoothmotion.

this is pretty easy to do it's not rocket science once you understand it.

Thanks! :)
It's maybe easy but a one click solution would be better.

[mitchmalibu]

Hi,

Great guide, I managed on the first try to get no repeated / dropped frames every 11 hours (23.976Hz), which is more than enough. However, do you know if it's possible to use custom color settings with these newly created custom resolutions ? I usually set the color settings to 4:2:2, 10bit, limited in the nvidia control panel (these seem to work best with my tv), but using these seems to break the custom clock settings I managed to get with CRU. I saw that CRU offered the possibility to generate 4:2:0 resolution, but the quality loss is a bit too much for my tastes.

thanks !

[ashlar42]

Hi,

Great guide, I managed on the first try to get no repeated / dropped frames every 11 hours (23.976Hz), which is more than enough. However, do you know if it's possible to use custom color settings with these newly created custom resolutions ? I usually set the color settings to 4:2:2, 10bit, limited in the nvidia control panel (these seem to work best with my tv), but using these seems to break the custom clock settings I managed to get with CRU. I saw that CRU offered the possibility to generate 4:2:0 resolution, but the quality loss is a bit too much for my tastes.

thanks !I did not have this problem and I managed to get 10bit playback in madVR FSE mode... I think you should ask on CRU forums for such an in-depth question.

[Romkilla]

Thank you very much for your tutorial.


With the tutorial PCC parameters and resolution 3840x2160@ 23.976Hz(madvr says 23.97457Hz)
It helped me to go from 1 frame repeated every 4 minutes to 1 frame drop every 59.44 minutes.

Unfortunately i can't do better than this, i need help :

1 frame drop every 59.44(x60=3566.4)
1 / (3566.4 * 23.976) = 0.00001169481
23.976 * 1.00001169481 = 23.97628039(48)

I'm i right with the calculation?

Because when i apply the new value from PCC into CRU nothing changes (just a little few Hz)

When i'm playing the video test the display is 23,97457Hz.
Should i use this value somehow?

It's the most difficult tutorial i ever tried to replicate.
I'm a french maths dumb and maybe missing something with the translation.

Any kind of help will be really appreciated.
Thanks.

[Asmodian]

It can be impossible, depending on display and GPU, to get better than that. Also, make sure you need better than that; do you actually get any frame drops when watching a two hour movie?

madVR's estimates are only estimates, test what you actually get for dropped frames.

[ashlar42]

Thank you very much for your tutorial.


With the tutorial PCC parameters and resolution 3840x2160@ 23.976Hz(madvr says 23.97457Hz)
It helped me to go from 1 frame repeated every 4 minutes to 1 frame drop every 59.44 minutes.

Unfortunately i can't do better than this, i need help :

1 frame drop every 59.44(x60=3566.4)
1 / (3566.4 * 23.976) = 0.00001169481
23.976 * 1.00001169481 = 23.97628039(48)

I'm i right with the calculation?

Because when i apply the new value from PCC into CRU nothing changes (just a little few Hz)

When i'm playing the video test the display is 23,97457Hz.
Should i use this value somehow?

It's the most difficult tutorial i ever tried to replicate.
I'm a french maths dumb and maybe missing something with the translation.I've tried keeping it as simple as possible but there's no going around the math involved (which is not too complicated but still...).

In any case, you are saying that madVR currently reports:

display 23.97457Hz
1 frame drop every 59.44 minutes

Correct? If it is, your calculations are correct.

What you are not telling us if what happens once you input the new timings for a 23.97628039Hz refresh rate. What does madVR report as refresh? Because you say it reports 23.97457Hz, which is what it was reporting with the old refresh rate.

In PCC I get this as a first result of resolution to try:

208.81 MHz 3984 x 2186 @ 23.976280235 Hz (+0.000000235 Hz)

Have you tried this? Because, as I wrote, unfortunately some combinations simply don't work, for reasons that are beyond my understanding. Try different combinations until you get results. In your case the need to increase the refresh rate is clearly pointed out by the frames being dropped. I'd be surprised if you won't be able to reach frames dropped in the range of hours, instead of minutes.

[QBhd]

The problem is he is not iterating, but continuing to multiply the adjustment against 23.976... Another problem people seem to have is the fixation on the reported refresh from madVR, it really should not even be considered except as a curiosity. 23.976 is a decent start for this process, but once you input 23.976 into PCC you will get an entirely new refresh rate that has 6 more significant figures of precision. That is the refresh rate that needs to be used to make your first calculation/adjustment based on your first drop/repeat data from madVR.

A ==> PCC ==>B
B ==> CRU ==>Playback to figure x, where x is the adjustment based on the madVR drop/repeat rate (s,min,hrs,days)
xB ==> PCC ==>C
C ==> CRU ==>Playback to figure y, where y is the adjustment based on the madVR drop/repeat rate (s,min,hrs,days)
yC ==> PCC ==>D

etc etc etc

QB

[ashlar42]

Yes, the process is iterative. But the first step he's doing is correct. He uses precise 24/1.001 timings and checks what happens. He gets 1 frame drop every 59.44 minutes.

He then does:

1 frame drop every 59.44(x60=3566.4)
1 / (3566.4 * 23.976) = 0.00001169481
23.976 * 1.00001169481 = 23.97628039(48)

And 23.97628039 is the refresh rate he should try and aim for. The iteration begins the next time.
To be more precise he could do (24/1.001)*1.00001169481 which gives a refresh rate to aim for of 23.97630437, for which PCC gives this as the closest approximation:

219.87 MHz 4224 x 2171 @ 23.976304384 Hz (+0.000000014 Hz)

It's only in the "second pass" that the formula will become:

23.976304384 (this is the above refresh rate, in case we use that) * (whatever the result of frames dropped/repeated calculation is going to be).

[Romkilla]

Hello, i'm sorry to reply so late, i'm a lot busy with my work.
My calculation where wrong because madvr was switching to a 2160p23 custom resolution i have created in the nvidia control panel. This is why nothing where changing and i apologize for this.
Without any custom resolution my real deviation is:
1 frame repeat every 4.42 min with a display at 23.97860 Hz
1 / (265.2 * 23.976) = 0.00015727139
23.976 * 0.99984272861 = 23.97222926(12)
But with this refresh rate i'm having kind of same delay but with frame drop this time.
Told you i'm a little bit dumb but at least this time the display refresh rate change to 23.971...something.

I'm again lost with this beacause i think my calculations are right.
Thanks for your time and your help.

[huhn]

check out the new madVR version https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=146228

* added new "display modes" -> "custom modes" settings tab

[ashlar42]

Yes, the new options in madVR strive to achieve what I tried to explain here. Doing it automatically instead of manually.

[Romkilla]

The integration in MadVR look to be THE solution, anyway i want to understand your tutorial and the way the things are going on. And i want to thank you again "ashlar42" for the time you put helping me and other people. Again i don't understand why has i tried to explained my calculations are leading me to a 23.971... refresh rate.
:thanks:

[mkanet]

I'm curious, is there any benefit to using this method for 60.000Hz/60fps playback (while madVR's Smooth Motion is always on)? I'm seeing 1 frame repeat every 42.22 seconds for 23.976fps material. 0 dropped frames.

[huhn]

no useless in this case. with active smoothmotion the repeat/drop a frame every X is worthless.

[ashlar42]

The integration in MadVR look to be THE solution, anyway i want to understand your tutorial and the way the things are going on. And i want to thank you again "ashlar42" for the time you put helping me and other people. Again i don't understand why has i tried to explained my calculations are leading me to a 23.971... refresh rate.
:thanks:As mentioned in the guide, unfortunately while the principle is sound, the interaction between drivers, GPU and screen can lead to "strange" results. Try different timings, close ones to where you want to get and see if things get better.
Pixel Clock Calculator offers many different timings, try different ones.

I'm glad you appreciate the guide. :)

[hautfr]

Hello all,
Would it be possible please to get the pictures at the beginning of this guide as the initial hosting provider website is down? Alternatively another tutorial for the iteration process for a dummy?
NB: I can't use MadVR new custom modes with my JVC and NVIDIA, does not work, none of the modes are accepted.
Thank you for any help you might provide.

[Klaus1189]

Use CRU with the suggested numbers of madVR. This is driver related, but CRU should be fine.

[ashlar42]

Hello all,
Would it be possible please to get the pictures at the beginning of this guide as the initial hosting provider website is down? Alternatively another tutorial for the iteration process for a dummy?
NB: I can't use MadVR new custom modes with my JVC and NVIDIA, does not work, none of the modes are accepted.
Thank you for any help you might provide.I have them saved. I'll update the opening post.
Edit: nope... I spoke too soon. Damn!

[hautfr]

I have them saved. I'll update the opening post.
Edit: nope... I spoke too soon. Damn!

Hi ashlar42,
Any chance of re-uploading the pictures (or do new ones?) please, this guide would be very useful to me and others but without the pictures very complicated to follow...
All the best and Happy New Year to all.

[ashlar42]

Hi ashlar42,
Any chance of re-uploading the pictures (or do new ones?) please, this guide would be very useful to me and others but without the pictures very complicated to follow...
All the best and Happy New Year to all.I can only retake the pictures. I'll need some time to do that, sorry. :(

[hautfr]

Dear ashlar42,
No chance to re-take pictures yet please?
Many thanks

[ashlar42]

I will redo the process on a 1080p screen soon. I will grab new screenshots then.

[Wam7]

I will redo the process on a 1080p screen soon. I will grab new screenshots then.I sincerely hope you are still with us and doing well.

I'd love to give this a try to see if I can get smoother playback using my 4K TV. I've sync'd the refresh rate of the TV to 24Hz but still not getting smooth playback.

Any chance you could do those pictures again?

[ashlar42]

I sincerely hope you are still with us and doing well.

I'd love to give this a try to see if I can get smoother playback using my 4K TV. I've sync'd the refresh rate of the TV to 24Hz but still not getting smooth playback.

Any chance you could do those pictures again?Oh, man... I'm truly sorry. Pandemic hit and this thing went completely out of my mind.

Tried redoing it on my daughter's PC (she's got a 1080p 144Hz monitor). I managed to screw it up so badly I had to enter recovery mode to have a picture after booting into Windows.

At this point the most likely thing to happen is me redoing this when I finally get a 4K TV. No way I risk messing up my daughter's PC a second time. :-D

[Charky]

In case anyone wonders, this method still works in 2023, with maybe a few updates.

My setup : Win 11, RTX 3090, latest driver (537.42) --> Denon X2800H --> LG OLED 65C2.

A bit of context: I need custom resolutions because on my setup, out of the box, I have a dropped frame every 47 minutes with 23.976 fps content. I have an Atmos setup, so reclock/videoclock is off the table. Madvr custom modes mostly don't work (the tab won't even show up on my Win 11 install). Nvidia control panel (NVCP) is completely buggy and more often than not won't let user create, modify or even delete custom resolutions, or they won't work. My last chance was this thread, and CRU.

And it worked!

After a few rounds of measurements, I managed to go from 1 dropped frame every 47 minutes (with stock timings) to 1 dropped/repeated frame every 1.13 hours, then 6.11 hours, then 10ish hours. Which is well enough for me. I don't watch 10 hours movies. And you probably don't either.

Here are a few random tips I learnt the hard way during the last 24 hours:

- As of now, the latest version of CRU is 1.5.2 : https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU (you might want to read that first post).

- If you're trying to create a custom 2160p23(.976) resolution, the only thing you probably need to do is use CRU to create an "extension block" containing a (custom) "detailed resolution" within a "Display ID" (1.3 worked for me). I ticked "preferred" and put it above the existing extension block, but I'm not sure any of this actually matters.

- On a TV or a projector, you should probably use CRU provided "Automatic HDTV" timings as a baseline (select that, enter the target frequency (in my case 23.976 Hz) then select "manual", the values are kept). Create a custom resolution with default timings, then work from there using the method and formulas described in the first post of this thread to measure clock deviation, to find better timings, and to gradually EDIT this custom resolution. Repeat a few times until you reach someting that works well enough for you.

- You need to delete any similar resolutions within the CTA-861 extension block (click on that, then "edit", then TV resolutions, etc.). That part puzzled me for hours before I found the solution deep inside madvr official thread. I had to delete existing 2160p24 to make my 2160p23 custom resolution kick in. Don't ask me why, it just worked. Before I did that, my custom resolution was not actually applied or I experienced crashes.

- Beware : NVCP-created custom resolutions override CRU custom resolutions. So you need to delete any nvidia custom resolution you might have previously created. Sometimes NVCP won't let you delete a custom resolution. If that happens, you don't need a clean driver install, you can instead use a piece of software called "Nvidia Custom Resolutions Backup Tool" (which, as the name doesn't suggest, can also delete them in windows registry :D) : https://forums.guru3d.com/threads/nvidia-custom-resolutions-backup-tool.373845/

- You need to restart your GPU driver every time you change a thing in CRU. You can use CRU-provided restart(64).exe but hey, now there's a windows shortcut for that : win+ctrl+shift+B. Useful to fix most black screen issues without rebooting.

- You can import-export your EDID with CRU. When you find working timings, export to back up. When you screw up, import your last good settings.

- In the worst cases, CRU can prevent windows from booting. Use windows safe mode or, even better, une another display (or another GPU port), to boot windows and to reset CRU. with reset-all.exe

Hope that helps someone!

And of course, a million thanks to original poster (if he's still around) :)

[ashlar42]

And of course, a million thanks to original poster (if he's still around) :)
Always glad to see this is still helping people. I never managed to redo the screenshots and the whole guide would need a reworking. But the principles hold true, as you've seen.

Thanks for thanking me, I really do appreciate it.

[skarafaz]

Hi guys! Thanks to this thread I managed to set up a custom 2160p23 resolution that gives me 1 frame drop every 2 days (that I think is enough), but... I'm still experiencing a lot of judder during playback! Do you have any ideas about what might be the cause of the problem? I'm going mad.

[giraffejumper]

Hi guys! Thanks to this thread I managed to set up a custom 2160p23 resolution that gives me 1 frame drop every 2 days (that I think is enough), but... I'm still experiencing a lot of judder during playback! Do you have any ideas about what might be the cause of the problem? I'm going mad.

I wish I had advice for your judder.
But PLEASE feel free to let us know how you did this with a 4k display.
This guide is wonderful and I would like to use it for my Epson projector, but it seems like it was made when most people still had 1080p equipment.
And I'm apparently going to need to take college classes to figure out how to use CRU lol.
I was led here when I was trying to get the built in madvr custom resolution working, but my driver keeps rejecting it.

[giraffejumper]

In case anyone wonders, this method still works in 2023, with maybe a few updates.

My setup : Win 11, RTX 3090, latest driver (537.42) --> Denon X2800H --> LG OLED 65C2.

A bit of context: I need custom resolutions because on my setup, out of the box, I have a dropped frame every 47 minutes with 23.976 fps content. I have an Atmos setup, so reclock/videoclock is off the table. Madvr custom modes mostly don't work (the tab won't even show up on my Win 11 install). Nvidia control panel (NVCP) is completely buggy and more often than not won't let user create, modify or even delete custom resolutions, or they won't work. My last chance was this thread, and CRU.

And it worked!

After a few rounds of measurements, I managed to go from 1 dropped frame every 47 minutes (with stock timings) to 1 dropped/repeated frame every 1.13 hours, then 6.11 hours, then 10ish hours. Which is well enough for me. I don't watch 10 hours movies. And you probably don't either.

Here are a few random tips I learnt the hard way during the last 24 hours:

- As of now, the latest version of CRU is 1.5.2 : https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU (you might want to read that first post).

- If you're trying to create a custom 2160p23(.976) resolution, the only thing you probably need to do is use CRU to create an "extension block" containing a (custom) "detailed resolution" within a "Display ID" (1.3 worked for me). I ticked "preferred" and put it above the existing extension block, but I'm not sure any of this actually matters.

- On a TV or a projector, you should probably use CRU provided "Automatic HDTV" timings as a baseline (select that, enter the target frequency (in my case 23.976 Hz) then select "manual", the values are kept). Create a custom resolution with default timings, then work from there using the method and formulas described in the first post of this thread to measure clock deviation, to find better timings, and to gradually EDIT this custom resolution. Repeat a few times until you reach someting that works well enough for you.

- You need to delete any similar resolutions within the CTA-861 extension block (click on that, then "edit", then TV resolutions, etc.). That part puzzled me for hours before I found the solution deep inside madvr official thread. I had to delete existing 2160p24 to make my 2160p23 custom resolution kick in. Don't ask me why, it just worked. Before I did that, my custom resolution was not actually applied or I experienced crashes.

- Beware : NVCP-created custom resolutions override CRU custom resolutions. So you need to delete any nvidia custom resolution you might have previously created. Sometimes NVCP won't let you delete a custom resolution. If that happens, you don't need a clean driver install, you can instead use a piece of software called "Nvidia Custom Resolutions Backup Tool" (which, as the name doesn't suggest, can also delete them in windows registry :D) : https://forums.guru3d.com/threads/nvidia-custom-resolutions-backup-tool.373845/

- You need to restart your GPU driver every time you change a thing in CRU. You can use CRU-provided restart(64).exe but hey, now there's a windows shortcut for that : win+ctrl+shift+B. Useful to fix most black screen issues without rebooting.

- You can import-export your EDID with CRU. When you find working timings, export to back up. When you screw up, import your last good settings.

- In the worst cases, CRU can prevent windows from booting. Use windows safe mode or, even better, une another display (or another GPU port), to boot windows and to reset CRU. with reset-all.exe

Hope that helps someone!

And of course, a million thanks to original poster (if he's still around) :)

Thanks for posting this!
I'm so lost trying to figure out how to do this all with higher resolutions.
I plan to read the whole CRU forum to hopefully learn to correctly use this program lol.
Wish someone made a decent Youtube video for it like everything else.

[rjgn]

In case anyone wonders, this method still works in 2023, with maybe a few updates.

My setup : Win 11, RTX 3090, latest driver (537.42) --> Denon X2800H --> LG OLED 65C2.

A bit of context: I need custom resolutions because on my setup, out of the box, I have a dropped frame every 47 minutes with 23.976 fps content. I have an Atmos setup, so reclock/videoclock is off the table. Madvr custom modes mostly don't work (the tab won't even show up on my Win 11 install). Nvidia control panel (NVCP) is completely buggy and more often than not won't let user create, modify or even delete custom resolutions, or they won't work. My last chance was this thread, and CRU.

And it worked!

After a few rounds of measurements, I managed to go from 1 dropped frame every 47 minutes (with stock timings) to 1 dropped/repeated frame every 1.13 hours, then 6.11 hours, then 10ish hours. Which is well enough for me. I don't watch 10 hours movies. And you probably don't either.

Here are a few random tips I learnt the hard way during the last 24 hours:

- As of now, the latest version of CRU is 1.5.2 : https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU (you might want to read that first post).

- If you're trying to create a custom 2160p23(.976) resolution, the only thing you probably need to do is use CRU to create an "extension block" containing a (custom) "detailed resolution" within a "Display ID" (1.3 worked for me). I ticked "preferred" and put it above the existing extension block, but I'm not sure any of this actually matters.

- On a TV or a projector, you should probably use CRU provided "Automatic HDTV" timings as a baseline (select that, enter the target frequency (in my case 23.976 Hz) then select "manual", the values are kept). Create a custom resolution with default timings, then work from there using the method and formulas described in the first post of this thread to measure clock deviation, to find better timings, and to gradually EDIT this custom resolution. Repeat a few times until you reach someting that works well enough for you.

- You need to delete any similar resolutions within the CTA-861 extension block (click on that, then "edit", then TV resolutions, etc.). That part puzzled me for hours before I found the solution deep inside madvr official thread. I had to delete existing 2160p24 to make my 2160p23 custom resolution kick in. Don't ask me why, it just worked. Before I did that, my custom resolution was not actually applied or I experienced crashes.

- Beware : NVCP-created custom resolutions override CRU custom resolutions. So you need to delete any nvidia custom resolution you might have previously created. Sometimes NVCP won't let you delete a custom resolution. If that happens, you don't need a clean driver install, you can instead use a piece of software called "Nvidia Custom Resolutions Backup Tool" (which, as the name doesn't suggest, can also delete them in windows registry :D) : https://forums.guru3d.com/threads/nvidia-custom-resolutions-backup-tool.373845/

- You need to restart your GPU driver every time you change a thing in CRU. You can use CRU-provided restart(64).exe but hey, now there's a windows shortcut for that : win+ctrl+shift+B. Useful to fix most black screen issues without rebooting.

- You can import-export your EDID with CRU. When you find working timings, export to back up. When you screw up, import your last good settings.

- In the worst cases, CRU can prevent windows from booting. Use windows safe mode or, even better, une another display (or another GPU port), to boot windows and to reset CRU. with reset-all.exe

Hope that helps someone!

And of course, a million thanks to original poster (if he's still around) :)


I spent spent 3 whole days trying to get this to work!

In the end no matter what I did, I just couldn't get anywhere near the results I should have. I double, triple check my calculations, etc.

However I ended up using CRU to create a totally new extension block (which seemed to make the madvr custom tab pop up) and almost on my first try customizing the 23.97 refresh through madvr I ended up with a dropped frame every 3.6 days!

I have a similar setup, Denon AVR, LG olded, but really I was looking to get perfect playback on my Epson PJ. Which I've now got.

So even though I didn't end up using this exact method thanks to everyone here for some inspiration.

[hautfr]

Hello all,
First of all thank you for this guide and all the good work.

My set-up: Win10 Pro / Nvidia GTX1080 (442.74 / 64bits) / MPC-BE – MadVR / JVC DLA-RS46 (X35).

I am trying to set-up Custom Resolutions 3840x2160 at various frequencies (23, 24, 25, 30, 59, 60). Such resolutions are already available in Windows/NVidia CP, but require optimization to avoid significant drop/repeat frames.

I have tried to use MadVR for this but it does not work as it triggers the “JVC pink bug”, so I have probably no other option than doing it manually with CRU/PCC as explained here, but I need more clarity on it and therefore I am raising questions (sorry if they are stupid, I am quite a newbie…).

What I did so far:
- With CRU, main page, I have deleted all detailed resolutions and standard resolutions, and created an extension block CTA-861 to which I added data blocks HDMI, HDMI 2.0, colorimetry, video capability, HDR static metadata according to https://www.avsforum.com/threads/nvidia-custom-resolutions.3127652/

- With CRU, I then added detailed resolutions within the extension block for 3840x2160 as per above, using the “automatic HDTV” as a start and then going “manual”.

Question 1: So far, is it correct what I did please?

Now I am trying to follow your guide to optimize the detailed resolutions above mentioned. So, starting with the 3840x2160 @23(.976):

- In PCC: input 3840 x 2160 @ 24 / 1.001, 6 decimals, rest is default. It gives me 3960 x 2184 with pixel clock 207.36.

- In CRU, under extension block, and its detailed resolution 3840x2160@23p, I have entered the above as follows: 3960 and 2184 under “total horizontal” and “total vertical” (keeping active vertical and active horizontal unchanged at 3840 and 2160 respectively) and 207.36 under “Pixel clock”. Then restarted the driver.

- Then I read a 23.976 video with MPC-BE / MadVR and after 30 min it says “1 repeat frame every 4.38 minutes”.

- I then calculated the new frequency to aim for:
4.38 min = 4.38 x 60 = 262.8 sec, then 1 / (23.976 x 262.8) = 0.0001587076676 and then (1 – 0. 0001587076676) x 23.976 = 23.97219482 Mhz

- Then in PCC I input 3840 x 2160 and 23.97219482, 6 decimals. It gives: 4016 x 2192 for a pixel clock of 211.028957 MHz.

- Back to CRU under extension block, and its detailed resolution 3840x2160@23p, I have entered the above as follows: 4016 and 2192 under “total horizontal” and “total vertical” (keeping active vertical and active horizontal unchanged at 3840 and 2160 respectively) and 211.028957 under “Pixel clock”. Then restarted the driver.

Question 2: is this correct so far?

- Play again a 23.976 video, it gives 1 frame repeat every 4.40 min or 264 sec, not much of an improvement but now starts the iteration … and the tricky part for me as I might take the wrong numbers:

Calculating again the new frequency to target:
1/ (23.97219482 x 264) = 0.0001580113467

Question 3: on the above am I correct taking the previously calculated frequency and not 23.976?

And then 1 - 0.0001580113467 gives 0.9998419887, and to get to the new frequency I do: 23.97219482 x 0.9998419887 = 23.96840694

Question 4: am I correct here using 23.97219482 and not 23.976?

Then inputing this in PCC 4016 x 2192 and 23.97219482 then iterate with CRU etc.?

Question 5: in PCC, I have to input 4016 x 2192 (and NOT 3840 x 2160) together with 23.97219482 ?


As you see I am a bit lost on which number(s) should be “iterated” or not. Any clarification is more than welcome. The guide without pictures is quite hard to follow for a newbie…
Many thanks to you all.