Projecting on Whiteboard Issue !

**drewinc** · 20th November 2007, 02:45 PM

Ok this one has done my noodle in .

Laptop Dell D630. Projector Sanyo

Ok I have this problem, When I plug the laptop into the projector it bleeps to tell me it has found a second display, but when i try and switch to dual display it doesnt allow me, when i go to graphic properties it says that only one display is found.

This is what does my head in -- If i unplug the projector (at the faceplate) and plug the vga cable to an external lcd monitor - the laptop bleeps again to say it has found a second display. I switch to dual monitor and it works perfectly. This gets better - I then unplug from the lcd monitor and plug directly into the faceplate - and presto without doing anything the display is on the projector.

Any ideas as to why it will only work if the cable is plugged first into an lcd monitor. And this is only affecting the Dell 630 laptops.

Any suggestions before i flung the lot :-)

**pedster666** · 21st November 2007, 12:30 PM

we hhave had problems like that will dell and fujitsu laptops, normaly 2 use the board we have to have the display only on the project and not the laptop... strange :P in the we got rid and got STONE laptops and pcs

**pallen** · 21st November 2007, 12:51 PM

Is the projector set up to search for any connections everytime a new device is connected? We have a similar problem with a projector that insists on scanning every possible device that could be connected. As a result it seems the laptop doesn't always detect that the projector is connected when it is searching for a composite device. Switching the laptop screen to project only on the projector seems to work, but having a dual display seems a bit hit and miss.

Although if you had a similar problem I would have thought it would have affected every laptop and not just the dells. Not much help really :?

**pedster666** · 21st November 2007, 01:17 PM

we found this to be a fault on the laptop, cos this happened on 4 different types of projector, only seems to be dells and fujitus, as our stone, ergo and toshiba laptops all work first time on all makes of projector.

does your dell laptop work on any other projector other than the sanyo??

**c.ward** · 21st November 2007, 01:26 PM

Have you tried the function F8 key combination to set the VGA to dual output mode?

This combination works on the Dell D505 and D510.

**elsiegee40** · 21st November 2007, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by c.ward

Have you tried the function F8 key combination to set the VGA to dual output mode?

This combination works on the Dell D505 and D510.

Could also try F5... it took me ages to find it on one of our laptops! (Sony)

**pedster666** · 21st November 2007, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by elsiegee40

Originally Posted by c.ward

Have you tried the function F8 key combination to set the VGA to dual output mode?

This combination works on the Dell D505 and D510.

Could also try F5... it took me ages to find it on one of our laptops! (Sony)

there also F3, F4 and F7 lol just give them all a shot

**IrritableTech** · 21st November 2007, 03:38 PM

As a test, try the projector on a shorter vga cable. I had this once and it came down to cable length but only in the detection process.

**drewinc** · 22nd November 2007, 01:28 PM

Thank you for all your replies , All our laptops are dells ( A range of 505 , 610 and 630 ) The projectors all seemed fine until the new 630 arrived. And it does only affect certain classrooms.

We tried the fn + f8, right clicked on the desktop graphic properties, it just doesnt seem to be getting a signal to the projector. I wish i could shorten the cable but the length runs from the faceplate up the wall in the ceiling and then to the ceiling mounted projector.

I have resorted to putting a video splitter box between the faceplate and laptop to make the laptop think its sending to an lcd monitor - which is working but not an ideal solution.

**mac_shinobi** · 22nd November 2007, 01:32 PM

Do the dell 630's have an intel graphics chipset thats onboard ( presuming here )

If so maybe try ( if they are available ) updating the graphics card drivers to the latest ones and see if that helps ?

Im assuming when you say you go to graphics properties you are using the intel utility to swap between single display and dual display ?

Also with projectors you have to make sure that the refresh rate is set to 60 hz or something that is compatable with the projector ( all in the projectors manual im guessing )

**drewinc** · 22nd November 2007, 02:00 PM

tried rebuilding the laptop from scratch with updated drivers , and have gone through all the settings on the projector -

its just strange that the projector works only after plugging the vga cable into a lcd screen first. Id be ok with it if it didnt work at all,

**Mr_M_Cox** · 22nd November 2007, 02:07 PM

i to have had this problem in the past and found that there are lots of possable fixes, most of which have been mentioned above.

one other thing to check is that the resolution of the laptops display is low enough for the projector to handle.

i have found set it to the lowest setting and work up from there is the best way to go.

hope that helps

**c.ward** · 22nd November 2007, 02:07 PM

Check the BIOS of the laptop, on some of our Toshiba laptops there is a section for VGA output.... one of the available options is simultaneous... meaning project to both external monitor and laptop screen.

Also if it was one of the "F" keys their would be a monitor symbol on it!

Craig

**western** · 22nd November 2007, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by c.ward

Check the BIOS of the laptop, on some of our Toshiba laptops there is a section for VGA output.... one of the available options is simultaneous... meaning project to both external monitor and laptop screen.

Also if it was one of the "F" keys their would be a monitor symbol on it!

Craig

the above is the best way - on the dells use the actual graphic driver software and there is a simultaneous perminant option. select this and the function f key will never have to be done again!