ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

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Hazu
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ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by Hazu » 02 Nov 2018, 10:09

Hello,

today I've got my ASUS VG248QZ monitor (144 Hz) and after configuration I realized that there is (almost) no diffrence between 60 Hz and 144 Hz (60, 85, 100, 120 [Hz] also tested, same situation). It was laggy as hell. I couldn't believe it monitor fault that's why I connected this display to my brother PC and It was working same way. Finally I've run frame skipping test and took 2 pictures, first one - ASUS VG248QZ, and 2nd - BenQ ZOWIE XL2411.

ASUS VG248QZ
Image

BenQ ZOWIE XL2411
Image

I've done this ''test'' a few times but results were always the same.

GPU: MSI GTX 1080 and MSI GTX 970 in 2nd PC
Cable: DVI-D Dual Link (1 - Asus, 2 - BenQ one)

I'm wondering if it's VG248QZ model ''fault'' or only mine is broken. Thanks for any help.
Regards

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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by RealNC » 02 Nov 2018, 12:19

Do you have two monitors connected? Try only the Asus with no other display connected. Disconnect the BenQ and reboot with only the Asus. If that fixes it, then it looks like your graphics card has some issues driving two 144Hz displays at once.
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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 02 Nov 2018, 13:29

Yes, try that first.

Running a 60Hz monitor simultaneously with a 144Hz monitor can cause strange frameskipping problems on the 144Hz monitors (And add lag to the 144Hz monitor too!)

So, for competitive gameplay, always prefer solo highest-Hz monitor (or download DisplayFusion to automate turning off secondary monitors on a hotkey).

If that fails, try another computer (different GPU too. Even try a laptop).
If that fails, try exchanging (RMA) just in case it's a single-monitor defect.
Chief Blur Buster wrote:POSSIBILITY: Firmware issue

Try at least 2 computers, at least 2 GPUs, and least 2 monitor samples (RMA warranty exchange), and if the same result happen, then, one has to possibly wonder about a firmware issue. It's unfortunately more common than it should be, but it would be a first for ASUS -- they've been very good at avoiding frameskipping bugs.

Longshot (ASUS is normally better than this, but..) but: I've seen firmware bugs too. It happened to AOC a couple of times (once on their 144Hz, and again on an early 240Hz FreeSync monitor). Most particularly in the very early model an AOC 144Hz monitor. And certain early-firmware 240Hz monitors. Where highest Hz such as 144Hz or 240Hz malfunction in a very frameskippy way. That was happening to several brands of 240Hz monitors (to a lesser extent). It's very annoying when firmware bugs cause frameskipping during high-Hz operation, because it is such a simple TestUFO test at http://www.testufo.com/frameskipping ... You'd think the manufacturers would test fully, but they don't always.

Manufacturers sometimes reach out to me to test monitors for them -- Sometimes I end up being an accidental beta tester -- I have a couple of unannounced monitors (That I haven't written about yet) that I'm responsible for validating the strobe quality on. There are some manufacturers I give mucho kudos to being willing to learn from Blur Busters.

The knowledge difference between manufacturers and even two different models, can be quite vast, being designed by completely separate engineering teams within the same company with totally different experiences. Sometimes that siloing is necessary (e.g. keeping the GSYNC team in a separate department than the FreeSync team because of NVIDIA NDA's and stuff like that). But that also silos the knowledge, and one department can frameskip (e.g. first firmware of 240Hz AOC FreeSync) while the other department is perfect (e.g. AOC G-SYNC).
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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by RealNC » 02 Nov 2018, 13:50

Chief Blur Buster wrote:Running a 60Hz monitor simultaneously with a 144Hz monitor can cause strange frameskipping problems on the 144Hz monitors (And add lag to the 144Hz monitor too!)
They're both 144Hz monitors.
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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by Hazu » 02 Nov 2018, 14:07

Sorry, I didn't mention that first what I've done was leaving only one monitor (144 Hz one) running, no diffrence.
Also I was testing this monitor on diffrent PC, which one was running Benq (144 Hz), also no diffrence. I'll try to exchange dislpay, not canceling this sale yet.

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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by pxelated » 04 Nov 2018, 20:16

I have the exact same issue with 2 RMA'd ASUS VG248QZ monitors. This must be a firmware problem. I will take the monitor back tomorrow and get my money back as this is unacceptable.

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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 05 Nov 2018, 23:03

Eeek.

This problem afflicted early firmwares of AOC G2460FQ until AOC fixed it in newer firmwares. Google "AOC 144Hz frameskipping" and you'll see hundreds of frustrated RMAs.

The "Frameskipping 144Hz" monitors (some called them "Fake 144Hz" because they only showed 60 unique refresh cycles out of 144, frameskipping over the rest).

Usually manufacturers figure this out rather quickly -- but this is the first time I've heard of ASUS do this. They've been very good frameskipping wise, so it must be a newer, less educated department that wanted to create a cheaper budget 144Hz monitor (without NVIDIA/GSYNC patents or intellectual property), and made a firmware boo-boo. It's frustrating to end users when it happens, and no monitor manufacture is immune.

One could do several tests with different-size blanking intervals via NVIDIA Custom Resolution or ToastyX CRU -- and see if VBI size changes fixes the frameskipping like it did on certain models of 240Hz monitors. Switching between CVT and CVT Reduced. Switching to Manual timings and embiggening the Vertical Total and/or Horizontal Total, seeing what happens.

Also try a different cable, e.g. DIsplayPort instead of HDMI. The frameskipping disappeared on certain early-firmware 144Hz AOCs when switching port.

_____

End user firmware upgradeability

I recommend all monitor manufacturers to do a Samsung and make all of their gaming monitors user firmware upgradeable. For that, I give accolades to the firmware upgradeability of Samsung CHG70 series monitors, and I wish all manufacturers would follow this boat -- how nice it would be to download a firmware upgrade to fix frameskipping on a single button click? And save lots of money on handling RMAs.

On the other hand, adding firmware upgradeability can increase costs of a monitor, since it's more programming/engineering.

That said, some of this is just software programming to create the necessary upgrader utility. Even a Linux thumbdrive can firmware-upgrade a BenQ XL2720Z without needing to use an MSTAR ISP -- by making the graphics card output directly emulate the behaviour of an ISP without needing to buy that firmware-upgrading dongle. Although not 100% of all graphics cards support it, and Microsoft Windows does not provide enough necessary APIs -- a monitor manufacturer could still provide a thumbdrive creator that can do an automatic firmware upgrade. Basically a bootable Linux image with a firmware auto-upgrader. Many existing monitors could theoretically be made one-click firmware upgradeable by users this way, via a bootable thumbdrive.
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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by Hazu » 15 Nov 2018, 15:11

Thank you for your replies.
Today I've got new monitor from RMA and unfortunately it has frame skipping again. Everything above 60 Hz had frame skipping but then I've found that on 1024x768 resolutiuon and 75 Hz there is no frame skipping (even 1 frame). It's really smooth but this resolution is not usable for me. Tommorow I'll buy DP and check how it goes.

FHD 144 Hz, DVI-D Dual link:
Image


1024x768 75 Hz, HDMI / DVI-D Dual link:

Image

If DP is not solution here I'll return this monitor and what do you think about this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Alienware-25-Gam ... op?ie=UTF8


edit:

I forgot mention that monitor which I've got is manufactured in August 2018, also Asus support has wrote smth like that about this model: ''.This version of the monitor does not have NVIDIA 3D , that's why it is cheaper than the VG248QE. Both these monitor's panels are 144hz and should be running crisp.''

edit2:
In custom Resolution Utility by ToastyX I've added LCD reduced 75 Hz 1920x1080 profile and it works (I'm getting info: ''cable incorrect. Please use dual-link DVI cable'', but it works), everything above 75hz is ending by frame skipping.

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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by RealNC » 16 Nov 2018, 05:38

Well, it looks like Asus still sells broken monitors to people hoping nobody notices...

That is not good. I would suggest you get a completely different monitor then and forget about the VG248QZ.
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Re: ASUS VG248QZ - Frame Skipping

Post by QOPTOP » 21 Nov 2018, 16:56

Hey guys i was about to get this monitor but fortunately got to find this thread so OP did you manage to get a fix or should i avoid this monitor @Hazu

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