XL2411Z V2, my findings so far [settings, VT1500 trick, etc]

Adjusting BENQ Blur Reduction and DyAc (Dynamic Acceleration) including Blur Busters Strobe Utility. Supports most BenQ/Zowie Z-Series monitors (XL2411, XL2420, XL2720, XL2735, XL2540, XL2546)
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masterotaku
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XL2411Z V2, my findings so far [settings, VT1500 trick, etc]

Post by masterotaku » 09 Apr 2014, 14:18

After upgrading my monitor with the new firmware, I've been trying to get the best settings for lots of frequencies, so I'll share with you what I found out.

First of all, you'll need ToastyX Pixel Clock Patcher:
http://www.monitortests.com/forum/Threa ... ck-Patcher
http://www.monitortests.com/forum/Threa ... ck-Patcher

Now, about the Vertical Total trick when creating a custom resolution, the absolute maximum value I could use was 1502VT. One more pixel at any given frequency gives me an out of range error. Some refresh rates were more problematic than the rest, meaning that they didn't work with 1502VT and/or required different timings.

All custom resolutions follow this example unless I say otherwise:
Image

This is a list of all custom frequencies I created:

50Hz -> 1360VT
55Hz -> 1502VT
58Hz -> 1502VT
60Hz -> 1360VT (see screenshot of the timings below)
61Hz -> 1502VT
65Hz -> 1502VT
72Hz -> 1360VT (CVT timings)
75Hz -> 1360VT (CVT timings)
80Hz -> 1502VT
85Hz -> 1502VT (Warning: buggy for XL2720Z users. 1350VT is fine. Reported by Falkentyne.)
90Hz -> 1502VT
95Hz -> 1502VT
96Hz -> 1498VT
100Hz -> 1500VT
110Hz -> 1502VT
120Hz -> 1502VT
121Hz -> 1155VT (It uses Lighboost!!! Please, if someone doesn't have a 3D Vision Kit, try it and report your results.)
125Hz -> 1500VT
128Hz -> 1500VT

Data order is "Refresh rate" -> "Vertical Total". The strobe phase may vary, because you can increase a bit that number depending on the strobe duty (strobe length) desired. Most of my measurements were done at 004 strobe duty (0.667ms strobe length), and some of them at 003 (0.5ms). More strobe duty equals less strobe phase without affecting brightness and length.
Example: at 120Hz, strobe duty 004, if you change strobe phase from 046 to 047, it will give the same result as s.d. 003 and s.p. 047.

000 strobe phase is usually a safe number with only a bit of crosstalk at the top of the screen, but the numbers of my list have less input lag. One frame ahead, I think. In case there's a bit of crosstalk with my settings, it will be at the bottom of the screen instead of the top.

If you pass some point, you'll notice that brightness lowers, meaning that the strobe length is changing alonside the strobe phase (as explained before). Be careful when you change your refresh rate upwards, because if you go from 90Hz with s.p. 058 to 120Hz, you'll get a black screen, unless you disable blur reduction. At least it can be toggled with one button even if you see nothing.

Approximately, frequencies of 80Hz and below that work with 1502VT (and some at 1360VT) have absolutely zero crosstalk. 50Hz has too much crosstalk for my taste, and it requires a low strobe duty or else crosstalk covers great percentage of the screen.

Timings for 60Hz:
Image

Now, a list of the strobe duty setting and its corresponding strobe length in miliseconds (this needs a spoiler tag, but it doesn't work):

001 0,1667
002 0,3333
003 0,5000
004 0,6667
005 0,8333
006 1,0000
007 1,1667
008 1,3333
009 1,5000
010 1,6667
011 1,8333
012 2,0000
013 2,1667
014 2,3333
015 2,5000
016 2,6667
017 2,8333
018 3,0000
019 3,1667
020 3,3333
021 3,5000
022 3,6667
023 3,8333
024 4,0000
025 4,1667
026 4,3333
027 4,5000
028 4,6667
029 4,8333
030 5,0000

I'll keep my post updated if I discover something else.

Edit nº1: changed the 60Hz values.
Edit nº2: at last good values for 60Hz that hide all crosstalk. Removed 76Hz mode because it sometimes led to a "out of range" screen. Added some other modes.
Edit nº 3: removed the strobe phase setting. Adjust it as you want (for example 000 or just before it reduces brightness). Changed some VT pixels because at some refresh rates, 1502VT caused some "waves" going up or down in the image. Added 121Hz. It seems like some VT makes the monitor switch to Lightboost automatically. It's around 1150 and 1160 VT, for example.
Last edited by masterotaku on 02 Jan 2015, 04:50, edited 4 times in total.
CPU: Intel Core i7 7700K @ 4.9GHz
GPU: Gainward Phoenix 1080 GLH
RAM: GSkill Ripjaws Z 3866MHz CL19
Motherboard: Gigabyte Gaming M5 Z270
Monitor: Asus PG278QR

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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 09 Apr 2014, 14:27

Good stuff testing Blur Reduction!
masterotaku wrote:60Hz -> 094 -> 1260VT (Even 1261 doesn't work. A pity, because 60Hz is very important.)
Try changing other numbers before trying larger VT's. Try shrinking or enlarging the Horizontal Total, the Sync pixels, and the Front/Back porch, before enlarging the Vertical Total. See how much further you can get.

I got VT1400 to work at 60Hz on my XL2720Z:

Image

The XL2411Z might have different timing tolerances than the XL2720Z.

One thing I will be testing soon, is whether I have less input lag doing the VT1350 trick via the Front Porch versus the Back Porch. The VT1350 and VT1500 trick has the potential to reduce input lag without BENQ Blur Reduction too (when using Instant Mode), because of the accelerated-scanout effect. (Especially when being used during VSYNC ON, for people who prefer that)
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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far [settings, VT1500 trick,

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 09 Apr 2014, 14:51

For PlayStation4 / Xbox One / Console Users: Note, if calibrating Strobe Utility for a game console or HDTV settop box, you need to use standard HDTV 1080p 60Hz timings (1125 Vertical Total) and calibrate Strobe Utility for that setting, before switching to the HDMI input that your game console or TV settop box is connected to. That's because consoles aren't outputting the VT1350 or VT1500 tweak.

For consoles; You don't need to keep the computer connected afterwards; you can even unplug the monitor and move it to a different room, after calibrating with Strobe Utility.
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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far

Post by masterotaku » 09 Apr 2014, 15:48

Chief Blur Buster wrote:Good stuff testing Blur Reduction!
Thanks! :D I'm just trying to help.
Chief Blur Buster wrote: Try changing other numbers before trying larger VT's. Try shrinking or enlarging the Horizontal Total, the Sync pixels, and the Front/Back porch, before enlarging the Vertical Total. See how much further you can get.
The XL2411Z might have different timing tolerances than the XL2720Z.
I think our monitors support different timings. Your settings didn't work for me, I got a black screen. I've updated the first post with the highest stable values I've found for now:

60Hz -> 100 -> 1266VT (2160HT)

Crazy settings like 2700 horizontal total made the image appear at 1400VT and it was strobing fine, but that annoying cable error appeared. I spent a good 15 minutes trying different values, but 1266VT with 2160HT was the highest that worked for me (for now).
Chief Blur Buster wrote:One thing I will be testing soon, is whether I have less input lag doing the VT1350 trick via the Front Porch versus the Back Porch.
Great! Let's see how far we can go with these monitors ;) .

Edit: this monitor is awesome in many ways, but this is still bothering me:
Image
Those damned overdrive artifacts :evil: . The photo was taken at 960px/s. At higher speeds, it's worse. It's pretty noticeable while gaming. In games, it looks like a transparent afterimage of the moving objects. It seems impossible to hide, no matter the settings. For me, it's the only downside of the monitor. Chief, maybe you can convince BenQ to make a V3 firmware that allows us to customize the overdrive settings more. The jump from AMA off to AMA high is too big.
Last edited by masterotaku on 09 Apr 2014, 16:17, edited 1 time in total.
CPU: Intel Core i7 7700K @ 4.9GHz
GPU: Gainward Phoenix 1080 GLH
RAM: GSkill Ripjaws Z 3866MHz CL19
Motherboard: Gigabyte Gaming M5 Z270
Monitor: Asus PG278QR

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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far [settings, VT1500 trick,

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 09 Apr 2014, 16:14

Interesting, that the different Z models behave slightly differently with the VT1350+ tweaks!

As for the input lag, it is my current belief that the beginning of the refresh cycle typically begins at the active image, then followed by front porch, then sync, then back porch. It's all a matter of where the graphics card begin outputting the pixels, since it's a continuous stream of refresh cycles, and the card may be beginning its refresh cycle with the blanking interval, or with the active image. If the active image is output first, then the current VT1350 tweaks are optimal and would have less average global latency than not doing the VT1350 tweak. If the main sync pixels of the blanking interval gets output first, then adjusting the front porch to a larger value would reduce input lag, since in a refresh sequence, the front porch gets output right after the sync, but before the active image. But if the refresh begins with the active pixels, then there would be no difference whether to adjust front porch or back porch or Vertical Total. Input lag tests are needed to determine how adjusting the values affects input lag.
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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far [settings, VT1500 trick,

Post by masterotaku » 09 Apr 2014, 16:19

Interesting thoughts :) . Maybe that can make some effect about what I edited my last post. Any opinion on that?
CPU: Intel Core i7 7700K @ 4.9GHz
GPU: Gainward Phoenix 1080 GLH
RAM: GSkill Ripjaws Z 3866MHz CL19
Motherboard: Gigabyte Gaming M5 Z270
Monitor: Asus PG278QR

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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far

Post by Falkentyne » 09 Apr 2014, 16:34

Chief Blur Buster wrote:Good stuff testing Blur Reduction!
masterotaku wrote:60Hz -> 094 -> 1260VT (Even 1261 doesn't work. A pity, because 60Hz is very important.)
Try changing other numbers before trying larger VT's. Try shrinking or enlarging the Horizontal Total, the Sync pixels, and the Front/Back porch, before enlarging the Vertical Total. See how much further you can get.

I got VT1400 to work at 60Hz on my XL2720Z:

Image

The XL2411Z might have different timing tolerances than the XL2720Z.

One thing I will be testing soon, is whether I have less input lag doing the VT1350 trick via the Front Porch versus the Back Porch. The VT1350 and VT1500 trick has the potential to reduce input lag without BENQ Blur Reduction too (when using Instant Mode), because of the accelerated-scanout effect. (Especially when being used during VSYNC ON, for people who prefer that)
Your VT1400 60 hz timing doesn't work for me. (2720Z monitor also, on a 290X video card). Put the exact same numbers in CRU, 88/4, 44/5, 2080/1400, rebooted-->Black screen when I went to test.

This is either a difference between CRU and Nvidia custom resolution utility and/or something between AMD and Nvidia cards. (your kHz refresh rate and pixel clock were lower when I entered this into CRU, also). Remember you said 50hz (stock 50hz) single strobe works on your 2720Z (did you test 50hz on 2720z or 2420Z?) and GeForce, but on my system, 50hz strobe doesn't work and just makes the monitor reset :(

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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far [settings, VT1500 trick,

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 09 Apr 2014, 20:25

I may have a very slightly different variant of the V2 firmware; I'm going to find out. I have a very early (October) XL2720Z unit.

Try setting Crosstalk to 0 before doing the VT1400 trick. Does the screen show up this time?
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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 09 Apr 2014, 20:36

masterotaku wrote:Those damned overdrive artifacts :evil: . The photo was taken at 960px/s. At higher speeds, it's worse. It's pretty noticeable while gaming. In games, it looks like a transparent afterimage of the moving objects. It seems impossible to hide, no matter the settings. For me, it's the only downside of the monitor. Chief, maybe you can convince BenQ to make a V3 firmware that allows us to customize the overdrive settings more. The jump from AMA off to AMA high is too big.
Don't adjust AMA during BENQ Blur Reduction --
Turn OFF then ON BENQ Blur Reduction or adjust persistence in Strobe Utility; the AMA setting will automatically reset to settings optimized for BENQ Blur Reduction.
That tends to look best in games, in my experience.
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Re: XL2411Z V2, my findings so far [settings, VT1500 trick,

Post by Falkentyne » 09 Apr 2014, 20:42

Crosstalk is already at 0 :) (far left).
The screen is completely black. No out of sync or error messages, and the monitor isn't in power save mode, either. 1260 VT works, though, as the OP said.

Gotta be a timing difference. Yours says 180 mhz pixel clock, mine says 174.72 at your settings, and the horiz kHz is 84, while yours shows 87.

BTW, I forgot but I think it went into power save mode when I tried a 1600 vertical total at 100hz, etc.

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