Many classrooms, conference rooms, and auditoriums on campus have video projectors installed, allowing the connection of a laptop computer for projection. In some cases, audio from the laptop is also supported. This guide helps to explain the types of connections available in these rooms, and the steps involved in connecting a laptop to these systems.

Note that there are several different models of projectors installed in these rooms. As a result, the layout of the remote control and details of how to turn on and off the projector and select input sources can vary room to room. For more specific information on the use of a particular projector installed in a classroom, refer to the details of your specific room

 

About the Supported Connections

The most common video connection standard for laptops is VGA, which carries an analog RGB signal. These connect using a high-density 15-pin connector. This is the standard supported in all CoE rooms where a video projector is installed.

The following photos show a typical VGA port as found on a laptop, and also the VGA cable that will be in the room supporting projection.

VGA Port on a Laptop	VGA cable as found in a room supporting projection

In rooms where audio is supported, a plug just like those found on headphones will be provided in the room. Plug this into the headphone jack on your laptop if you would like any sound from your laptop to be played on the audio system in the room. The following photos show a typical headphone jack as found on a laptop, and also the audio cable that will be in the room supporting audio.

Headphone jack on a Laptop	Audio cable as found in a room supporting projection

 

Other Connection Types

There are other computer video connectors that you may encounter on your laptop. Most of these can be adapted to work with the VGA cable in the room. One of these standards is DVI, which sends the video in digital form from the computer to the display. Most laptops with a DVI port will support analog over DVI (also called DVI-I). This means you can use an inexpensive adapter to convert this port to VGA. Pictures of a DVI-I port and DVD to VGA adapter are shown below.

DVI video port on Laptop	DVI to VGA adapter

 

Projecting from a Laptop - Step by Step

In general, the order in which you do things with computers and projectors does make a difference. When powered up, some laptops check all the ports and connectors to see what's hooked up. If the projector is not connected during startup, the laptop may not activate the external video connector. As a result, it is recommended to follow the directions below in order.

Step 1:  The first step that must be taken is to physically connect the two devices using a standard VGA cable.

Important note: Some laptops like the Sony Vaio, the Apple iBook and new G4 Powerbooks do not have standard VGA monitor connectors. Make sure you have any adapters or docking ports with you that are required to connect to a VGA cable.

Step 2:  Turn on the projector, let it warm up (usually about 30 seconds) and select the proper computer input using the projector's remote control. How the button is labeled will differ based on the model of the projector.

Step 3:  Turn on or wake up your computer. Note that it is recommended to bring your AC power adapter for your laptop and keep it plugged in during your presentation. Otherwise, the laptop may go into sleep or power save mode during your lecture or presentation.

Step 4:  The last step is to set your laptop to the correct resolution. Most projectors will scale almost any resolution to fit the screen, but the clarity of the image will be best when the projector is running at its native resolution.

For most of today’s projectors, the recommended resolution is 1024x768.  The resolution setting can be changed on your laptop by following the steps below.

For PC Users:

1. Right click on an empty part of the desktop and select “Properties” in the pop-up menu.
2. Select the “Settings” tab, and in the screen resolution box, drag the bar until 1024x768 can be seen below it.  Finish by selecting the “OK” button.

For Mac OS 9:

1. Under the Apple menu, select “Control Panels”
2. Select the “Monitors” control panel
3. Select the “Monitor” button.
4. Select the “1024x768” setting.

For MAC OS X users:

1. Under the Apple menu, select “System Preferences”.
2. On the Hardware row, select the “Displays” preference icon.
3. Within “Displays”, select the “Display” tab.
4. Select the “1024x768" or "1024x768 non-stretched” setting

In almost all cases, the projector should now be displaying what you see on your
computer screen.  If not, follow the instructions below.

 

Troubleshooting

Check the Projector Source

If the video is not displaying at all on the projector, first check if the projector has the correct source selected. Most projectors have many inputs to accommodate VCRs, DVD players, and usually two more more computer inputs. The projector's remote control will have buttons corresponding to these sources. The button for the computer input being used is likely labeled "Laptop", "Computer". or sometimes "Comp". Try pressing the correct source button and see if that solves the problem.

Verify the Laptop is Outputting Video

If the projector is on the correct source but the image still is not appearing, then check that the laptop is configured to output video. To save power, most laptops turn off the external VGA port when nothing is connected. The procedure to turn it on depends on the laptop model, so you may have to check your laptop's manual. Below are some common procedures for activating the external VGA port on a laptop.

For PC users: If you get an image on the laptop screen but not on the projector, check the following:

1. On your laptop's keyboard, find the key marked "FUNCTION" or "FN" (usually on the lower left corner of the keyboard).
2. Then, search for a key that has either the letters "LCD/CRT" or a little monitor icon. Most often, it will be the F8 key.
3. Press and hold the FUNCTION key while pressing the LCD/CRT key that you located before. Each time this combination is pressed, the laptop should toggle the screen image through a cycle like this: Image on Laptop Screen | Image on Projector | Image on Both

For MAC OS 9 users:
Macs don't use the keyboard controls that PCs do, but instead use a software control panel. If you don't get an image on the projector, try the following:

1. Close the lid to put the laptop into sleep mode.
2. Open the lid with the projector VGA cable attached.
3. Options such as display mirroring can be adjusted in the "Monitors" Control Panel located under the Apple Menu.

For MAC OS X users:

1. Close the lid to put the laptop into sleep mode.
2. Open the lid with the projector VGA cable attached.
3. Options such as display mirroring can be adjusted in the "Displays" Preference Panel located in "System Preferences" under the Apple Menu.

 

 

Using the Classroom Button Panels

Most classrooms are equipped with a button panel to operate the A/V equipment installed in the room. This button panel provides an easy to use and consistent interface to the A/V features of a room, and eliminates the need for a projector remote control. Rooms with button panels also feature more advanced problem detection and reporting, which increases room reliability.

The button panel is usually located on the wall near the front of the room or built into the lectern. It can be used to turn the projector on and off, select which sources to display, adjust volume levels, and also to report problems with the A/V system. Pressing any of the source buttons will turn on the projector and display the desired source. Which sources are available will vary by classroom. Some common sources include: a laptop intput, DVD/VCR, and a document camera.

When you are finished using the A/V system, just press the "Off" button on the bottom left to turn the projector off. When using the button panel, keep in mind that some devices take a moment to respond to your commands. The projector, for example, can take about 30 seconds to warm up when first turned on. It also may take a minute or more to cool down. During these delays, the orange light for the button you pressed will blink, and operation of other buttons may not be allowed until the delay has passed.

Important: Do not use the buttons on the projector itself. Use the button panel described here instead.

Screens

Classrooms are equipped with either manual (pull down) or electric (motorized) projection screens. Rooms with electric screens may have a separate switch on the wall to raise and lower the screen. In some rooms, the screen will be raised and lowered automatically when the projector is turned off or on. In rooms with this feature, a button is provided on the button panel labeled "Screen", which acts as a toggle to manually raise and lower the screen if desired.

Reporting Problems

A problem report button is included on the button panel. If you believe the A/V system in the room is malfunctioning, you can use this button to notify support staff. The button acts as a toggle; when the red light above the button is lit, the room is flagged as having a problem. If you are able to resolve the issue yourself, you can clear the problem report by pressing the button again until the red light is out.

Please note that although support staff will make every effort to correct the issue promptly, immediate response to problem reports is not always possible. If an imediate response is not possible, every effort will be made to check on the room during the next break in classes.