Screen Freeze!

[banjoman]

I've several projectors around the school that have the ability to freeze the screen and display an image on the smartboards to the students, lesson objectives etc. This allows the teacher to view confidential emails, registers etc on their PC screens without interrupting the flow of the lesson.

I've also got a load of older projectors without this functionality, and several teachers requesting this ability.
I know I could add additional graphic cards, and extend the desktop etc, but a lot of the pc’s we have are either too old 4-5 years plus (and I don’t want to purchase legacy cards), or don't have the room to accommodate the additional card.
My question is this, is there any 3rd party software (this i doubt) or hardware that could produce the desired results.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and also responding.

[Michael]

I think you've answered your own question - this is done at hardware level (a feature of the projector) and with machines being too old, it should all be included within your ICT Action Plan. Maybe for this upcoming April machines/projectors could be replaced?

[banjoman]

Hi Michael, I thought as much. I just wanted to confirm my original gut feeling, and at least know that I attempted to find an easy and cost effective resolution.
ICT Strategy here I come!

[p858snake]

Do you have any spare projectors around which you could swap them with (for example projectors doing presentations in the main office/s folyers, projectors that hardly ever get used, projectors that departments have stored away in a classroom cabinet/storeroom/room for those once in a year event where they actually get used) so that teachers get what they want till you can replace them?

[pscott]

dabs4work - StarTech.com USB 2.0 to VGA Dual Display Adapter - graphics adapter (USB2VGA)

Couldn't you use USB Video cards?

[kryocotech]

I realize this post may be a bit cold by now, but if anyone is still following I thought it would be worth mentioning that there are some relatively inexpensive hardware options that address this issue that were not available at the time of this posting.