Is setting your card to a lower custom resolution dangerous?

Question

I have a laptop computer with integrated Core i5 Intel HD graphics..

I want to use the vga output to connect to an old tech CRT tv that has an RGB input port, So I'm using a vga to RGB cable. I heard that the cable will not work until I set the output of the vga port to that compatible with the TV i.e the resolutions and refresh rate..

on opening the custom resolution section of the Intel HD graphics I get a scary warning about possible damages on using custom resolutions etc.. but no proper mention of what conditions will actually cause the damage.

so if i decrease the resolution and refesh rate to say PAL standards will that hamper the hardware??

Solution

Is that this message ?

"Altering resolutions may (i) reduce system stability and useful life of the system and chip-set; (ii) cause the chip-set and other system components to fail; (iii) cause reductions in system performance; (iv) cause additional heat and other damage; and (v) affect system data integrity"

Source of similar message: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-029478.htm

Answer:

No, it won't do any harm.

In the past there was some discussion that using a higher refresh-rate / resolution could damage your CRT monitor (the only ones that were used that time). And although it would be possible, nobody showed a monitor who got damaged by those frequencies.

And using smaller resolution won't damage your monitor, nor your Intel graphic chipset.

Edit: if it's that the message taht appears when you change resolutionm, it's (almost) the same message that appears in Intel manuals about tuning:

• http://downloadmirror.intel.com/19482/eng/DP67BG_PerfTuningGuide01.pdf
• http://downloadmirror.intel.com/19487/eng/DH67BL_PerfTuningGuide01.pdf

And those warnings are about problems that might appear when people try to overclock their systems, i. e., using it in frequencies higher than the original ones. It's a simple warning that will eliminate resposability from Intel in case something bad happens.

Using a lower frequency / resolution could only make your chipset work slower.

Comments

[user1062760]

Is that this message ?....yes it is indeed that one. have you ever tried it yourself?

[woliveirajr]

Didn't tried that recently, don't have any CRT monitor anymore... in the past, no graphic card gave that message to me.

[user1062760]

Hmm.. So should I conclude that it wont leave any permanent effect on either TV or Chipset?

[woliveirajr]

Yes, you can conclude that. Take the specifications of the TV (or if it's the PAL system, take the PAL specifications) and use them on the chipset...

[Lloyd Dominic]

But, what if I set the resolution higher (i.e. from 1366x768 to 1920x1080)? Will it damage something?

[woliveirajr]

Don't think so, specially in modern monitors. This was a problem in earlier analogic electronics, where you could trip over limits or cause damage by using something in the limits for a long time. Nowadays it's very unlikely to cause damages by setting parameters.