Projectors

[Schniapereli]

We recently had an assembly where we set up a projector from a laptop. I had set up projectors a lot of times from VHS or DVD players, and knew all of the connections, how to keystone, change the settings on the projector, etc. But, I had the laptop hooked up to the projector using a serial cable, but the projector was getting no signal. I struggled with this for a while looking in the computer display preferences, trying to figure out how to get the laptop to send the signal over to the projector. After a while, another AV nerd walks up and presses a few keys on the keyboard, and out pops the picture. This got me thinking about how much I don't know about AV, and how I need to know more than I do when similar things happen.

After setting up a laptop to a computer (Windows) what are the buttons you press to display it. (Ctrl -Something-?)

Also, for a Mac laptop, if you have a serial adaptor, then is there a similar thing you have to do for that? I have seen a past TD struggle with setting up a Mac, and could only get the red channel for a while. If I am ever in the same situation, how do you fix that?

Any other basic rules for getting the signal from a laptop, or computer to a projector? Any information would be helpful.

[soundlight]

If it's a dell laptop, it's usually the "Fn" function key and the "F8" key together. Many other laptops will probably have a hidden function key on the keyboard if you read all of the lettering on the function keys.

[Van]

When you say serial cable I assume you mean the db15 vga connector ?

[soundlight]

To be technically correct, it's a DB-15HD connector, a standard DB15 connector has only two rows of contacts and is wider. The HD model puts 15 pins in a housing that usually holds nine (db-9 housing). The preventative measure for trying to interconnect DB-9 and DB-15HD connectors is the difference in genders for the ports on your computer.

[icewolf08]

To answer your question about using a Mac and a projector. If you are using a Mac laptop (Powerbook, iBook, MacBook, or MacBook Pro) chances are you will need an adapter to connect to your projector. If your projector supports a DVI input then you are in better shape. I believe that the new Mac laptops ship with a DVI to VGA (DB-15HD), at least they used to. If you are using a Mac desktop it will either had a VGA out or a DVI. If it has a DVI out, you may need an adapter if your projector doesn't support DVI.

Once you get your mac connected tot he projector all you have to do is push F7 until you enter the display mode you want. You can choose between desktop mirroring (same display on the computer and projector) or extended desktop (exactly what it sounds like).

When you use desktop mirroring mode, the laptop display will adjust to mach the resolution of the projector. If you need to switch resolutions head over to "Displays" in "System Preferences".

[Footer]

Getting multiple displays to work on a windows box is really on a case by case basis. nVidia handles multiple displays much different then ATI and Intel. The windows display settings get you to a point, but usually you will have to dig a bit deeper to actually turn the port on.

[Schniapereli]

Yes, by serial I meant the db-15HD VGA connector. (I have heard so many names for those, and I don't know where to use which one. Is there a good site for this? I've heard of RS 232, (EIA 232) and RS 485 (EIA 485) and am not sure if they are connectors, or protocols, or whatever...)

For the Mac, our projectors do not have DVI inputs, but they have some other kind that they used a connector to make it VGA. I beleive the one that plugged into the mac looked like this.

But, I am not sure. I do not remember exactly. I think it is called "mini-VGA"
I don't know anything about macs, except how to turn one on, or use one as a boat anchor , so I could be very wrong.

[soundlight]

Macbook pro's have DVI's, but older/smaller macs (ibook, etc) have the special mac video port as you have shown in that picture. It requires a special mac-only adapter to get to VGA.

And yeah, that's what those handles on the mac desktops are for - hooking on an anchor chain!

[PhantomD]

[aussiedrawl]Hmmph you must have a Mac because I ain't seen none of those connectors on a Windows laptop around, and I consider myself a bit of an Assembly AV expert by now buddy! [/aussiedrawl]

On most non-mac laptops hold down the Fn Key (between Ctrl and Windows) and while still holding Fn, tap F5 (F8 on Dell, F3 on some older models). A box will popup, keep tapping until the box shows CRT/LCD as selected.

Basic rules in order:

Connect all leads up, do not turn anything on

Turn projector on

Turn laptop on

Loginto laptop

If projector has not been detected during boot (XP logo on screen), then use the Fn+F5 key combo to select the output settings you desire (once logged in).

[koncept]

in reference to your question about connectors, a good starting point is the last two pages of this http://www.networktechinc.com/pdf/q4catalog.pdf they specialize in kvms. i was hoping to find the other one i used previously but couldn't.