Projectors and DVDs

[Drednaught]

I just obtained a projector for presentations and since my laptop (Toshiba Satellite) also plays DVD movies, I figured I'd be good to go showing a flick.

No Go. When I start the flick I get the DVD player on both laptop and projector, but the video only displays on the laptop... the "screen" on the projector stays blank. The desktop and player are there, but no video.

I'm running XP on the laptop. Any suggestions about what I might have set up improperly?

I'd appreciate any advice.

[jpmedic]

Most of the time you have to hit an F key usaully F5 or F10 give it a try ,, referr to your owners manual.

Hope this works

[smurfy]

Hi Drednaught, welcome to CTH.
When playing the DVD, is it is full-screen mode on the laptop screen or still windowed?
What player are you using?
Are you connecting the projector to the "VGA out" port or the "S-Video out" port on the laptop?

[Drednaught]

I've tried it in both full screen and partial screen mode, and I've tried both of the connectors... VGA and S-video.

The screen image is getting to the projector, which displays the desktop and the video player. Just the video player screen is blank.

In fact, before the DVD spins up and the video player has a logo of some kind in the screen area, that shows up. It's just the video that doesn't.

I'm using an Optima EP739.

I'm guessing that it is a setting in the laptop software but I've exhausted my imagination for now.

[smurfy]

Thanks for those answers.

What player are you using?

A: I'm using an Optima EP739.
Sorry, the question was actually about the software - In what "video player" software is the DVD playing?

[Drednaught]

Sorry Smurfy -

I've tried several players: InterActual Player; InterVideo WinDVD 4; and Nero Show Time.

Each time, what I see on the -projected- screen is the correct desktop, the player controls/skin, and the window which will display the video. No video appears, even though it is playing on the laptop screen.

So, I know my port is working because I can see a projected image of my laptop, and I know my laptop is working properly because the video displays there.

I continue to be stumped, although I expect it is still just a software switch somewhere.

Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.

[Murray S.]

Howdy:

We had the same problem here at work.. Found out that we had to use an RCA plug to connect video out on the laptop to the video in port on the projector..

Worked like a charm after that !!

Murray

[Drednaught]

Ah... no RCA on the laptop, but I'll try some of the other ports and look for a video out. Thanks for the tip.

[smurfy]

I'm picking this could be a limitation of the graphics chip in the laptop.
What happens if you try it in full-screen mode instead of windowed in the player?

What model Toshiba laptop is it?

[Drednaught]

Alas, I suspect you may be right about the graphics card limitation, although then I wonder why it is there is an S-video out port.

It is a Toshiba Satellite 1955 S805. I went to the Toshiba help website and they had a precise fix for this problem, involving going into the Display menu, settings, then advanced, then checking the box that allows video mirroring. Gee. My only problem when I got there, is that "video mirroring" isn't an option within my software. Not there even after downloading the newest of the NVIDIA drivers.

Methinks I may have to break down and (gasp!) call the Toshiba helpline.

[Drednaught]

Bringing this to a close:
After calling Toshiba, I was informed that the Optima projector I was using does not allow simultaneous video (on source computer & on projector). So, by using the Fn-F5 keys and switching to external monitor only, the video shows up.

Thanks to everybody who responded.

[macneia]

When you connect one of these digital projectors to a laptop (proper name = notebook), the purple 'Function' key when pressed along with the F7 key (varies according to make of notebook) cycles through, in no particular order:
View notebook screen only;
View notebook and projector screen together, and
View projector screen only.
This is extremely important information when senior management are 'confused' as to why their normally controllable notebook does not work and you are called in to 'fix' the problem!
PPPPPP (5 x P's) = Prior Preparation Prevents Pi*s Poor Perfomance.
Manuals are also helpful (but not as much as CTH)

Al

[Spider]

Originally Posted by jpmedic

Most of the time you have to hit an F key usaully F5

Originally Posted by Drednaught

After calling Toshiba...Fn-F5 keys

First post...good call jpmedic

You have not gone unnoticed.

[ABE]

I Tried Using The Rca Plugs And It Did Not Work. I Check The Configuration Of Th Display And I Have To Set It Up To Monitor. It Did Not Work With Tv. I Still Not Able To Display It. I Can Get Some Help. Any One With The Solution?