Presentation mode is off...

I'm sorry your original post didn't say you weren't getting a display up on the projector. I assume you have tried toggling the display with fn-F8, if not try that. If that doesn't work then move on to setting things manually.



If your laptop has an ATI graphics chipset right click anywhere on the desktop and select Catalyst Control Center. If you can make sure to switch to advanced mode. Now click the Displays Manager in the list on the left. In the lower part of the window, set the Desktop Area to 1024X768. Next right click on the CRT icon and select the clone option. Finally click the OK button. Note: Right under the CRT icon it should list an attatched display. If it doesn't then a bad vga cable or connection is the likely culprit.



For an Intel graphics chipset right click anywhere on the desktop and select graphics options. If there is an output to option select that and then clone main+monitor. If there is no output option then your laptop isn't detecting the projector. Again try a different VGA cable and check all connections.



For an Nvidia graphics chipset, things get a little more complicated as the exact method used varies much more so depending on the exact chipset, driver revision and options set than for ATI or Intel but the basic process is similar. Use the above methods as a guideline. Keep looking until you get to a displays manager and a clone option.



If none of these apply you can try using Windows extended desktop technology. Right click on the desktop, select properties then click the settings tab and finally click the advanced button. If your projector has been detected you should have the option the extend your desktop on to the second display. If this worked then you'll have to set up PowerPoint to use the second display. To this start PowerPoint. click the "slideshow" drop down menu and select "Set up Show..." option. In the window that opens there is an option the right for Multiple Monitors. Set "Display slideshow on" to secondary monitor and check the Show Presenter view box and click okay. Now your slideshow should show up on the projector and your laptop will have a completely different display with extra controls, a timer and any notes you added to your slides.



If none of this works then try your computer with another projector or even just another external monitor AND try another computer with this projector. This will help track down the problem. Remember the vast majority of problems can be tracked down to cabling and/or connection problems. Make sure none of the pins on your VGA cables are bent or pushed in too far. Also, and I can't stress this enough, make sure your computer resolution is set to 1024X768 or 800X600. Your projector might choke on any other setting. I'm sorry your original post didn't say you weren't getting a display up on the projector. I assume you have tried toggling the display with fn-F8, if not try that. If that doesn't work then move on to setting things manually.

If your laptop has an ATI graphics chipset right click anywhere on the desktop and select Catalyst Control Center. If you can make sure to switch to advanced mode. Now click the Displays Manager in the list on the left. In the lower part of the window, set the Desktop Area to 1024X768. Next right click on the CRT icon and select the clone option. Finally click the OK button. Note: Right under the CRT icon it should list an attatched display. If it doesn't then a bad vga cable or connection is the likely culprit.

For an Intel graphics chipset right click anywhere on the desktop and select graphics options. If there is an output to option select that and then clone main+monitor. If there is no output option then your laptop isn't detecting the projector. Again try a different VGA cable and check all connections.

For an Nvidia graphics chipset, things get a little more complicated as the exact method used varies much more so depending on the exact chipset, driver revision and options set than for ATI or Intel but the basic process is similar. Use the above methods as a guideline. Keep looking until you get to a displays manager and a clone option.

If none of these apply you can try using Windows extended desktop technology. Right click on the desktop, select properties then click the settings tab and finally click the advanced button. If your projector has been detected you should have the option the extend your desktop on to the second display. If this worked then you'll have to set up PowerPoint to use the second display. To this start PowerPoint. click the "slideshow" drop down menu and select "Set up Show..." option. In the window that opens there is an option the right for Multiple Monitors. Set "Display slideshow on" to secondary monitor and check the Show Presenter view box and click okay. Now your slideshow should show up on the projector and your laptop will have a completely different display with extra controls, a timer and any notes you added to your slides.

If none of this works then try your computer with another projector or even just another external monitor AND try another computer with this projector. This will help track down the problem. Remember the vast majority of problems can be tracked down to cabling and/or connection problems. Make sure none of the pins on your VGA cables are bent or pushed in too far. Also, and I can't stress this enough, make sure your computer resolution is set to 1024X768 or 800X600. Your projector might choke on any other setting.

Connecting to a plasma display can be a little different than a projector but as before start with a resolution of 1024X768 or if you computer will allow it, try 1280X720 (this is equivalent to 720p). For a Dell toggle your display with the fn-F8 hotkey combo. In this case you may want Presentation mode turned on. You can do this with the Dell Quickset utility. Look in the lower right corner for a QS icon in the tray and right click it for options and help. Connecting to a plasma display can be a little different than a projector but as before start with a resolution of 1024X768 or if you computer will allow it, try 1280X720 (this is equivalent to 720p). For a Dell toggle your display with the fn-F8 hotkey combo. In this case you may want Presentation mode turned on. You can do this with the Dell Quickset utility. Look in the lower right corner for a QS icon in the tray and right click it for options and help.