Guide: How to run an HP Omen 32 at 90 hz with no frame-skipping, and with an Nvidia GPU

[Delicieuxz]

Here's a guide to run the HP Omen 32 overclocked to 90 hz without frame-skipping, and without getting an 'out of range - putting the display to sleep' message on the screen.

 

 

The HP Omen 32 is a 75 hz FreeSync monitor. Shortly after its release, these monitors were available at a big discount from some places, like Walmart and Amazon, and so I think a lot of people got one hoping for a good 32" VA panel experience on the cheap. Unfortunately, Nvidia GPU owners found that it would frame-skip when at a higher refresh-rate than 60 hz. Overclocking the monitor also seemed like a no-go because the monitor's firmware would display an on-screen message that says 'out of range - display going to sleep', with a 30 second count-down until the monitor shuts itself off.

 

That stuff sucks, but I've recently discovered what makes the monitor frame-skip and how to stop and prevent it. I've also discovered how to successfully overclock the monitor without getting the 'out of range - display going to sleep' message and countdown timer. With work-arounds, I'm running my Omen 32 at 90 hz refresh-rate with no frame-skipping despite having an Nvidia GPU, and I have G-Sync-compatible enabled in the Nvidia control panel to top it all off.

 

 

 

Frame-skipping - and how to stop / prevent it

 

I've discovered that the Omen 32 starts frame-skipping whenever it's allowed to put itself into sleep-mode. So, right-click desktop background -> Display Settings -> Power & Sleep... if, in those settings, the monitor is set to automatically turn itself off after a certain amount of time of inactivity, then the monitor will frame-skip when it's woken and used again. Note: Powering off the monitor manually via the buttons on the back of the panel doesn't cause frame-skipping, and only when it turns off automatically does frame-skipping occur.

 

When frame-skipping has started happening, I've found that just cycling through the monitor's inputs by using the buttons on the back of the monitor stops the frame-skipping completely. And once it's stopped, it won't start again unless the monitor puts itself to sleep again. And so long as the monitor is never let to put itself to sleep, it will never start frame-skipping. Manually turning the monitor off and on again using the button on the panel doesn't cause it to start frame-skipping.

 

So, the solution is to cycle through the monitor inputs using the on-screen display to get rid of the frame-skipping, and then to not let the monitor ever turn itself off automatically.

 

The way I do that is by, in the [right-click desktop background -> Display settings -> Power & sleep] panel in Windows, I set Screen (power off) time to "never", or otherwise something that is unlikely to even occur. For example, I might set it to a lengthy 45 minutes to 2 hours, just as a fail-safe in-case I happen to leave the monitor running when I've gone out somewhere. But if it triggers I'll have to cycle through the display inputs again to get rid of the frame-skipping that will have started. Normally, I will just power off the monitor manually and the screen power off trigger will never occur.

 

Instead of using the Windows automatic monitor power-off setting, I set a classic screen saver to go off at around 10 or 15 minutes. The screen saver settings are found at: Right-click on the desktop -> Personalize -> Lock Screen -> Screen Saver Settings

 

 

After setting these things and cycling through the inputs on the monitor, it will never frame-skip with an Nvidia GPU again at any refresh-rate so long as it's powered off and on manually and isn't allowed to enter into sleep mode.

 

 

 

Overclocking the HP Omen 32

 

Now that the Omen 32 is running smoothly with an Nvidia GPU, maybe you want to get some bonus refresh-rate out of it. Custom resolutions and refresh-rates can be set in the Nvidia control panel, by going to Change Resolution -> Customize, and then checking the box that says "Enable resolutions not exposed by the display", and then clicking on "Create Custom Resolution", and in the new window that appears setting the desired custom refresh-rate, then clicking "test", then if it tests correctly, on the popup that asks "do you want to keep this resolution", click yes.

 

I have had spotty results with most custom refresh-rates, with most of them usually giving a black screen (but sometimes not, don't know why), and some of them having other visual distortions to them. However, 90 hz has consistently worked perfect for me. So, that's what I'm using.

 

Normally, the Omen 32's firmware detects when the monitor is running at more than 75 hz and nefariously displays an 'out of range - display going to sleep' message with a 30 second countdown timer until it goes into sleep-mode (which causes the monitor to frame-skip again). But I've found that the 'out of range' message can be prevented by, similar to the technique of cycling through the monitor's inputs to get rid of frame-skipping, changing the monitor's refresh-rate in a certain way. That certain way is to, in the Nvidia control panel, first set the monitor to 75 hz, and then to next set it to 60 hz, and then to set it at whatever custom hz I want it to be. When I do this process, the 'out of range' message and timer doesn't show up.

 

Unfortunately, every time that I manually turn-off the monitor and turn it back on again, the firmware detects the 90 hz I have it set to and gives me the 'out of range' message and time. And so, if I leave my monitor at 90 hz when I turn it off, when I turn it back on I'll have 30 seconds to open up Nvidia control panel and set the refresh-rate to 75 hz. Then, if I want to still use it at 90 hz without the 'out of range' message, I'll have to set it to 60 hz, and then back to 90 hz.

 

This detour before using my computer after turning on the monitor takes around 25 - 30 seconds. That's a bit of an inconvenience, but when playing a game the extra 15 hz does make an appreciable difference in the silky smoothness of the displayed picture. I don't yet know if I'll want to always have my monitor at 90 hz and go through the process of cycling the hz each time I turn it on, or if I'll just set it to 90 hz when I plan to play a game and then set it back to 75 hz when I'm done playing and leave it at 75 hz for all other times.

 

 

 

Recap

 

So, to use the Omen 32 at 90 hz without frame-skipping on an Nvidia GPU:

 

1. Cycle through the monitor's inputs via the rear panel buttons to stop the frame-skipping. You only have to press the buttons to cycle to the first next input, as the monitor will, if all other inputs are inactive, automatically cycle through all of them before returning to the active desktop input on its own. Then turn off the automatic screen power-off timer in [right-click desktop background -> Display Settings -> Power & Sleep]. Don't let the monitor go into sleep mode and it will never frame-skip again. Set a classic screen saver if you want [right-click desktop background -> Display settings -> Power & sleep].

 

2. Set a custom resolution with 90 hz in the Nvidia control panel, and if you see the 'out of range' message when enabling that resolution, set the monitor in Nvidia control panel first to 75 hz, then to 60 hz, and then to the custom 90 hz resolution, and the 'out of range' message should not appear. If you power off the monitor while it's at 90 hz, the next time it's powered on it will show the 'out of range' message and you'll have to cycle through 75 -> 60 -> 90 hz again.

 

3. Make sure that G-Sync-compatible is enabled for your monitor by, in the Nvidia control panel, going to "Set Up G-SYNC", and then making sure the box titled "Enable G-SYNC,G-SYNC Compatible" is checked, and also check the box that says "Enable settings for the selected display panel". Then you'll have adaptive-sync with your Nvidia GPU on your FreeSync monitor and will never have to use v-sync again. To keep adaptive-sync working properly, in Nvidia control panel, go to "Manage 3D Settings", and then under "Global Settings" scroll down till you see the "Vertical sync" setting, and set it to "Fast", and this will cause all frames beyond the monitor's refresh-rate to be dropped so that the adaptive-sync range is never exceeded. I'm not sure whether the monitor's FreeSync range will first have to be modified with a program like Custom Resolution Utility (instructions) before it will work up to 90. It might, though.

 

 

Getting the Omen 32 to run at 75 hz with an Nvidia GPU without frame-skipping requires no ongoing effort once things are set properly. However, using an overclocked refresh-rate does involve a tiny amount of ongoing effort, either by changing the hz whenever wanting to use the higher hz to play a game, and then setting it back to 75 hz when done playing, or by keeping the monitor at 90 hz and having to go through the 75 -> 60 -> 90 hz refresh-rate cycle each time the monitor is turned on again.

 

 

 

 

Here's a demonstration of my Omen 32 operating at 90 hz without any frame-skipping and without the 'out of range' message, while using a GTX 1070:

 

 

[jose H]

Thanks for the tip I was able to set this up nicely,  i was able to streamline the switching over process by using Resolution Quick Change by 12 noon, you create exe's with the different Hz rates and you can click on them to switch easily. I'm looking into creating a batch script that runs a minute before my pc sleeps and as soon as it wakes up to streamline this process as much as possible

[Danieldragon]

hello i own a omen 32 hp monitor and my graphics card is a gtx 1050 ti with a i3 7100, i did the things that you mentioned and it didnt work for me, still even at 75 hz there is noticeable frame skipping during ufo test and gameplay, what can i do?

[Delicieuxz]

30 minutes ago, Danieldragon said:

hello i own a omen 32 hp monitor and my graphics card is a gtx 1050 ti with a i3 7100, i did the things that you mentioned and it didnt work for me, still even at 75 hz there is noticeable frame skipping during ufo test and gameplay, what can i do?

Hmm. The instructions I wrote have worked for me. I haven't had my monitor start frame-skipping again since I made that post.

 

Even though you say you followed the instructions, could you describe the steps you've taken?

 

The first thing to try would be to set your monitor to 75 hz, then verify that fast-sync is enabled in Nvidia Control Panel, and then cycling through the monitor inputs using the buttons on the back of the monitor. After that, it should not be frame-skipping anymore unless the monitor goes to sleep.

[Danieldragon]

Ok thanks for the reply

1. i switch to 75 hz in the nvidia control panel

2. i set sleep options in both to never in the settings and i found a sleep option in the monitor options in the right buttons set it off too

3. i went through the inputs in the monitor the three of them until i reached the one i was using HDMI 1

4. then i went to the ufo test to see the changes but it was still the same.

PS: i can overclock the monitor to 90hz without error but it frame skips like crazy and much faster

Oh and i don't have G sync enabler in the nvidia panel, maybe is not supported by the card or something i don't know 

Hope this helps.