DVD sent to projectors is black image

[llewop]

My church has a laptop for powerpoint and the laptop has of course a DVD player. When I play a DVD via WMP (that is all I have) the laptop monitor displays the video fine but the FOH projectors only show a black screen. I have tried the F8 button but no change.
Anybody know what I may be faced with?

[seanandkate]

Often, computers don't have the graphics power to do video for both the computer screen and the monitor at the same time. Try sending it to the projector ONLY.

[Les]

Have you hit Fn+F8?

[rjsheppard23]

Try Fn+F4 i know that works with my laptop.

[NickJones]

It varies on each laptop, might I recommend some presentation software such as Easy Worship, there is a thread in this section about different presentation software, and just some quick advice, although lappies are more portable, desktops give you more power for your money, and that reduces crashes,
Nick

[museav]

Do you see the computer okay until you play the DVD or are you not getting any image from the computer?

[ruinexplorer]

Originally Posted by seanandkate

Often, computers don't have the graphics power to do video for both the computer screen and the monitor at the same time. Try sending it to the projector ONLY.

I agree that this is probably the problem (since you mentioned F8, I assume you are sending a signal to your projector). If you do not have settings to change which screen the video shows on within the program, you can change which is your primary monitor or have your computer use external monitor (projector) as the only source. You can do that in your Display Properties Settings tab. If you choose to have the external monitor be your only source, you will of course need to have the projector on to see what you are doing (and everyone else will see too).

[Arez]

Have you tried mirroring the display?

[NickJones]

A few other things I thought of when re-reading the post:

1. Are you sure it's on the right input? If your venue has more than one input going into the projector, are you sure it's the right one?
2. Are you mirroring your screen? Right click on a blank space on the desktop, select properties, then click on the Settings tab, click on the box with the number two on it, then click the "Extend My Windows Text Box" tick box, now you can drag your video over to the other screen to play. Also this means that you can use PowerPoint to Pre-View all of your slides and click on the ones you want to show, the audience will only see the finished slide that you select. You can also add all of your video to your slide shows.

I can give you more info if this is what you want to do.
If you give us more info, it will make it easier to help you,
Cheers
Nick

[llewop]

I will be out there tomorrow and spend some more time exploring these suggestions. I personally did not have enought time to investigate the problem when it occured and the show had to go on so we improvised. I am sure that there is a solution.
We have a splitter that divided the signal from the laptop to the two projectors. The projectors are about 125' from the laptop.
Yes, I am working on getting a desktop instead.