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Data Projector

A data projector is a piece of equipment that can be connected to VCRs, DVD players and laptops (or any other device with similar connections) to project onto a white wall or screen.

Data projectors come with USB, audio, VGA and power cables, a remote control, instruction manual and carrying case.

Several classrooms and rooms on campus already have projectors available for use.

Check-out period:

One day for students and faculty.

Connecting Laptop to Data Projector

  1. Boot up the laptop after all the external devices (like the data projector) already plugged into the laptop and with their power on (the lamp does not have to be on, but power does - standby light is lit). If this doesn't automatically send the video signal to both laptop screen and the projector try this next....
  2. In the lower, left corner of the laptop keyboard is a key button labeled "FN". Hold this button down and then press the F8 key. The FN allows for a second function of the F8 to occur (the second function is labeled in blue on the F keys). All Dell laptops use F8 to toggle through the three different options of where the video signal is sent - Internal laptop screen, External monitor, both displays together (options not necessarily in this order). Other F keys are used with other laptop brands. They may be labeled LCD/CRT, or with symbols representing the laptop screen and a computer monitor.

Other things to be aware of...

  1. Occasionally, a more manual setting has to be made on the laptop to send the signal out to the projector.
    • Position the mouse cursor somewhere on your desk-top screen (not activating an icon) right mouse click and select (click on) Properties.
    • Select the Settings tab and make sure your Screen Size (resolution) is not greater than 1024 by 768 pixels.
      Note: The Circulation projector can handle the next higher resolution but it prefers this setting or lower.
    • Select Advanced, and then select the Monitor tab (or Display).
      There are variations in different computers and will be differences if you are not hooked up to a projector or external monitor, i.e. if you're not connected to a data projector, you have one less options.
    • Look at this window and see if it show maybe three options to activate - the internal laptop screen, an external monitor, and maybe a TV screen. The idea is to tell the laptop to turn on the function of the external monitor at the same resolution as the laptop (or at least to the resolution the projector can handle) and have the same image (primary image) that's on the laptop be on the projector.
      Now - as long as the projector lamp is turned on, and the data cable is connected from the laptop to the #1 INPUT in the back of the projector, and the INPUT select on the projector is selected to RGB 1 (or computer 1 input), you should see your presentation image up on the screen.
  2. Sometimes the native resolution of the data projector does not match the resolution the laptop is set to. So, to get a better, more crisp resolution, it's best to have the laptop resolution match the native resolution of the data projector.