Which function Dell Latitude key do I use to allow projector output to work?

It has the VGA port to allow you to do so; the machine is designed to allow you to do this....so what's the problem?

Connecting an External Monitor or Data Projector
You can switch to an external monitor or data projector by two methods. 1. Connect the external monitor to the laptop's video port, power up the external monitor first and the laptop. The video information will automatically switch to the external monitor. 2. If you power up the laptop first then you can switch the video output to the external monitor by pressing the Fn key and one of the Function keys, depending upon your make and model laptop. You can also toggle between the external monitor or both LCD screen plus the external monitor or back to LCD screen only by pressing the Fn key plus one of the function key. Here is a list of key combinations for some of the laptops :- IBM ThinkPad = Fn + F7 HP and Compaq = Fn + F4 Toshiba = Fn + F5 Dell = Fn + F8

Connecting an External Monitor or Data Projector
You can switch to an external monitor or data projector by two methods. 1. Connect the external monitor to the laptop's video port, power up the external monitor first and the laptop. The video information will automatically switch to the external monitor. 2. If you power up the laptop first then you can switch the video output to the external monitor by pressing the Fn key and one of the Function keys, depending upon your make and model laptop. You can also toggle between the external monitor or both LCD screen plus the external monitor or back to LCD screen only by pressing the Fn key plus one of the function key. Here is a list of key combinations for some of the laptops :- IBM ThinkPad = Fn + F7 HP and Compaq = Fn + F4 Toshiba = Fn + F5 Dell = Fn + F8

You can switch to an external monitor or data projector by two methods. 1. Connect the external monitor to the laptop's video port, power up the external monitor first and the laptop. The video information will automatically switch to the external monitor. 2. If you power up the laptop first then you can switch the video output to the external monitor by pressing the Fn key and one of the Function keys, depending upon your make and model laptop. You can also toggle between the external monitor or both LCD screen plus the external monitor or back to LCD screen only by pressing the Fn key plus one of the function key. Here is a list of key combinations for some of the laptops :- IBM ThinkPad = Fn + F7 HP and Compaq = Fn + F4 Toshiba = Fn + F5 Dell = Fn + F8

@praskumar79

Things to check:

1. Is your display automatically transfer to the projetor right away when you plug the VGA/HDMI cable to the computer? If not, and Fn+F8 doesn't do anything, try to press the Windows Key+P (the windows key looks like this ). This will allow you to switch between displays. (see image below).



2. If you choose one of the display mode above and it still won't clone/extend the image on your computer to the projector, try to use a different cable. If still no go, try to re-install the display driver and see if that fixes it. If same issue, there might be a problem with your VGA/HDMI/Display port and needs to be serviced.

Good luck

Fn + F8
It cycles through three options:
Internal LCD - Both - External output

Cheers

you hold FN and tap f8, and it SHOULD switch. You can try using any external monitor to see if it works. If another monitor works, it is not the machine, but the projector. you can also check the bios to see if the vga port is enabled, or, check your video driver to ensure it is enabled.

check device manager to be sure your video card is functioning properly. If it looks good in device manager, shut off the pc, connect the external monitor/projector to the pc and start up the pc with the external device powered on. if no video from external device, then the video card/external connector is probably bad. Contact Dell if in warranty.

maybe the fn/f8 keys are not working. Can you get a safe mode boot prompt by repeatedly pressing the f8 key immediately following power up on the laptop? if no, f8 key is likely dead and you need a new keyboard. If f8 is okay, does the fn key work with other functions? if no, fn key is bad - new keyboard.

Hope this helps!

after connecting the projector just press function key and F4 . After pressing these key the projector connected automatically

Hi there if you have plugged into your external vga port all you have to do is press fn + f8 that should now show the image on both laptop and external ie projector



Regards Al "alstech"


Display Functions
<Fn><F8>
Switches the video image to the next display in the following sequence: the integrated display only, the integrated display and an external CRT monitor simultaneously, an external CRT monitor only, the integrated display and an external DVI monitor simultaneously, and an external DVI monitor only.
<Fn> + up-arrow key
Increases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor)
<Fn> + down-arrow key
Decreases brightness on the integrated display only (not on an external monitor)