Headaches from CRT??

[cutie_pyie]

Hi Guys, (and other Gals)

Just a couple quicky questions please.

I have a Dell 8100 Pentium-4, 1.3GHz, 256MB RD800 RAM with a Dell M781s 17" monitor, a Nvidia Geforce 2 MX/MX400 AGP card with 32MB memory.
I believe the drivers are version 4.13.01.2832.

The refresh rate for the monitor is set to "optimal" whatever that 'really' is.
The other choices listed are:
Adapter Default
60Hz
70Hz
72Hz
75Hz
85Hz
100Hz
120Hz


Lately I have been getting bad headaches, especially in the back of my neck when using the computer (mostly surfing and reading Email)! Could it be from the flicker or refresh rate of the monitor?? and

What should the refresh rate be set at if not the 'optimal' setting?
Do I need a newer driver for this graphic card?

Thank you all for ur help in this matter, it is really a pain in the neck!!:p

Sincerely,
Cin:-@

[MJCfromCT]

If your monitor can support it, try 75 or 85hz, 60hz is where you really can have uncomfortable viewing.

[Peter M]

You shouldn't set higher than 85, for some reason the human brain fatigues faster at 100.

As for whether you should choose 75 or 85 ... normally 85 is better, but some graphics cards and monitors start to become blurry at the higher frequency. Should you have to step back to 75, you should test whether your _brain_ sees it flicker. Open a window, maximize it so you have bright white display. Stand back, and look at something just _past_ the monitor. If you see the monitor flicker when you don't look at it directly, then you need to crank the refresh rate up.