Promethean Projector Changing Computer Display Settings

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

We have the Promethean short throw projectors in school. We have nearly 50 of these. Every single one of them is changing the resolution on the computer itself. If I turn on the PC, then turn on the projector plug in the VGA it displays at the correct resolution (1140 x 900), but at some point in the day they change them selves to 1024 x 768. On a widescreen board and widescreen PC's this makes the image look really bad. Once it is at 1024 x 768 I can only change it to a 4:3 resolution. The only way to get them back is to do the above. I can't pin down at what point they are changing the resolution.

 

We have tried loads of different display settings in the projectors none have worked. We have tried different graphic drives on the machines as well. We never had this on our old projectors (Mix of Hitachi, Casio LED & Sanyo's).

 

Our computers are all Dell OptiPlex 7010 USSF running Windows 7 x64.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions please?

 

Thanks

 

Edited January 29, 2014 by elsiegee40
Requested by OP

[phillyrovers]

Hi FN-GM,

That sounds like a strange problem. I have a couple of suggestions which will aid in pinpointing what might be causing this, I then also have a question surrounding the exact cabling setup in order that we can assist further if we do not pinpoint the cause.

Initial questions:

1. If you connect the PC directly to the projector into the Computer 1 VGA input on the projector does the issue still occur? (this will need to be a fully pinned VGA cable, such as the one that is supplied with each projector).

2. If you turn all the power management off on one of the PC's does the issue occur?

3. Could you have one PC stay logged on as one user all day and see if the issue occurs?

 

Further questions which could aid:

1. What is the exact cabling setup? (does the PC have a dual head graphics card, or are you using a splitter to get he image to the monitor? or is the monitor acting as the splitter?)

2. Does the output cable then connect to any faceplates or wallboxes, and then the connection panel on the side of the Promethean system?

3. Do you know what input is being used on the projector (Computer 1 or Computer 2)?

4. When the screen resolution changes does it change on the monitor as well?

5. Are you using an extended desktop setup, or cloned?

 

When you mention your users logging in and out could be causing the problem, are they logging out or are they simply switching users?

 

If you could answer the above we should be able to assist further.

 

Thank you

[FN-GM]

Hi Thanks for the reply

 

1. We haven't checked. We don't have a long enough VGA cable to test it with.

2. We have power management disabled. The only thing that applies is a shutdown every night as a scheduled task.

3. I think its ok if the same user is logged on. We don't have any teachers that are in the same room all day so its hard to pin poin t that.

 

1. The PC have 3 graphic outputs. 2 x Display port and 1 x VGA. 1 x Display port is for the monitor. 1 x Display port is free. 1 x VGA is used for the projector. The machine is cloning the display.

2. The VGA comes from the PC into a face plate, that eventually goes into the protector.

3. There is a mix input 1 & input 2 are use.d

4. Yes

5. Cloned

 

They login and login no "switch user"

 

Thanks for the help.

Edited January 22, 2014 by FN-GM

[phillyrovers]

Hi FN-GM,

There are some points I have made below based on your answers.

One of the main tests you are going to have to carry out is the direct connection to the projector computer 1 input, as this will bypass any unsupported or none fully pinned connection panels and wallboxes. The only ones that Promethean support are the ones that we supply, in this case Promethean would of only supplied the connection panel on the side of the metallic frame, any other cabling or wallboxes would not of been provided by Promethean and we need to remove them as possibly causing the issue.

 

Just as an added point the Computer 1 input on the projector is the only port that carries the EDID information for the graphics table, so we would highly recommend that all PC inputs are connected to the Computer 1.

 

If the above test doesn't solve the problem then I would need you to contact Promethean support via PrometheanKB (search for article id: 10901) and then contact support with the attachment created using the article.

 

They will then be able to look more closely at the issue and look at further options for you.

 

Thank you

[FN-GM]

Thanks for that, we will do some testing and see what happens. Thanks

[FN-GM]

Just to update, the issue is happening with computers plugged into VGA port 1. Thanks

[FN-GM]

Right, I have had a machine plugged directly into the metal plate on the board itself. The PC had no monitor plugged in at all, only the projector pluggd in to the PC VGA port. Same thing

[phillyrovers]

Hi FN-GM,

Thank you for the update.

Please could you contact our support team via the KB as mentioned above with the report for the machine you have used?

There are potentially any number of things that could be causing this at this stage (profile refresh, network refresh etc), and our support team should be involved, in order to advise further.

 

Thank you

[FN-GM]

I have already done so, just waiting to hear back. Thanks

[Nibiru]

Something Ive done here is kept hold of some of the old 17" 4x3 monitors that were going to be junked after our last refit and set up most of the projector equipped computers with dual monitors.

 

Monitor 1 is the teachers "private monitor" connected via the dvi cable and is widescreen

Monitor 2 is connected via a splitter to the projector (vga). These are all 4x3 due to the projectors all being 4x3.

 

The desktop is then extended via the win7 display control panel.

 

The teachers soon get used to dragging stuff over to the right which they want to project.

 

This has been a HUGE success here and got me many brownie points, and favourable comments from visiting teachers.

 

There are a few technophobes who dont want to know but fair enough I leave them as is with their odd looking aspect ratios on their cloned screens. As they leave their rooms will be done as well.

 

There are a few minor gotchas you have to watch out for but if theres any interest I'll start a separate thread about that.

 

Ive now equipped my office computer with 3 19" monitors and use all of them via the 3x dvi outputs on the mobo

[GeekyPete]

Can I just check The resolution of 1140x900. Is that a typo? That's not a Widescreen resolution do you mean 1440x900?

 

The only to get this 100% right is to use a projector and monitor with the same native resolution. Anything else is a compromise. It may work, but something is compromised along the way.

 

I've had similar issues with an Epson 9500 long throw projector and a Sony Viao. It all came back to which one the computer recognised first set the resolution. We had to power up and plug in the projector before powering up the laptop. The latest intel Video Drivers I've installed on Toshiba Laptops lets me decide which to use, (Either Built-in + external monitor or External Monitor + Built-in). Which ever I choose as the primary sets the resolution. If you don't have these settings it's worth checking you have the latest drivers. Alternativley you could try extending the desktop as this will give you control over each display separately. I know.. it works diferently, and teachers don't handle change well, and we should have a consistent expericence across all the devices. But the ones I have shown that they can have the PowerPoint notes on one screen and the presentation on the other loved it!

 

If you have 50 of these and they were all bought together new I can't help feeling that someone should have checked what the monitor resolution was.

[FN-GM]

Something Ive done here is kept hold of some of the old 17" 4x3 monitors that were going to be junked after our last refit and set up most of the projector equipped computers with dual monitors.

 

Monitor 1 is the teachers "private monitor" connected via the dvi cable and is widescreen

Monitor 2 is connected via a splitter to the projector (vga). These are all 4x3 due to the projectors all being 4x3.

 

The desktop is then extended via the win7 display control panel.

 

The teachers soon get used to dragging stuff over to the right which they want to project.

 

This has been a HUGE success here and got me many brownie points, and favourable comments from visiting teachers.

 

There are a few technophobes who dont want to know but fair enough I leave them as is with their odd looking aspect ratios on their cloned screens. As they leave their rooms will be done as well.

 

There are a few minor gotchas you have to watch out for but if theres any interest I'll start a separate thread about that.

 

Ive now equipped my office computer with 3 19" monitors and use all of them via the 3x dvi outputs on the mobo

 

We have the resources to do this in all rooms. But we don't have the space for them to live I am afraid.

[FN-GM]

Can I just check The resolution of 1140x900. Is that a typo? That's not a Widescreen resolution do you mean 1440x900?.

 

It should be 1440 x 900 ooops typo!

 

If you have 50 of these and they were all bought together new I can't help feeling that someone should have checked what the monitor resolution was.

 

We did, both monitor and projector support 1440 x 900. But the issue happens when you are plugged into the projector without a monitor.

Edited January 29, 2014 by FN-GM

[GeekyPete]

OK, It appears that the computer is dropping back to a safe default setting. Something is out of spec. In device Manager are both the IWB and the monitor showing the correct model numbers? This is to check that they are using the correct drivers and not generic ones. The next thing to check is that the refresh rate is set correctly on the projector. If it's out of range for either the PC or the Projector it will default back.

[FN-GM]

I will do some digging to find out what the refresh rate should be. At the moment i am just going to work on this with only a projector connected.

 

The issue happens if you boot the computer with the projector turned off. If you turn the projector on first then the PC all is ok.

[Arthur]

If you turn the projector on first then the PC all is ok.

That sounds like typical VGA port flakiness. Do the projectors have HDMI or DisplayPort ports you could try instead?

[FN-GM]

That sounds like typical VGA port flakiness. Do the projectors have HDMI or DisplayPort ports you could try instead?

 

They have HDMI, our PC's do not. Our PC's have display port the projector doesn't. Rather annoying!

[Arthur]

They have HDMI, our PC's do not. Our PC's have DisplayPort the projector doesn't. Rather annoying!

HDMI to DisplayPort cable perhaps?

[FN-GM]

HDMI to DisplayPort cable perhaps?

 

Would probably try if all else fails, but don't really want to buy 50 of these if we don't need to.

[Arthur]

don't really want to buy 50 of these if we don't need to.

Obviously you would try one cable first if all else fails.

[FN-GM]

Obviously you would try one cable first if all else fails.

 

You know what i mean

[FN-GM]

Issue resolved. Changed the following settings on the projector and it fixed it.

 

Menu > Installation 1 > ActivBoard Installation.

The whiteboard setting needs to be set to 16:10.

 

Menu > Installation 2 > Advanced > Low Power Mode.

Please turn this Off (by default this will be On.)

[phillyrovers]

Hi FN-GM,

Thank you for the update.

I suspect that the low power mode is the one that has resolved it, though actually the issue is 2 fold.

When Low Power mode is on, and then the unit switched off, the video board on the projector is switched off, therefore no EDID information is passed back to the PC when the PC is asking what resolutions can be used, as the PC will not get a response.

With Low Power mode off, the video board holds a small amount of power and the PC can ask the projector for its EDID table and receives a response, and therefore chooses the correct screen resolution.

The 16:10 WhiteBoard installation option forces the image to be 16:10 regardless of the screen resolution being passed into the projector, which will make any screen resolution changes to not be as noticeable.

 

However when the projector is turned on AFTER the PC is turned on (this is when you see the issue) the graphics card should be asking the projector for its EDID information, but it appears that for whatever reason it is not doing this, and INTEL will be best placed to answer that one.

 

Hope this explains what might be happening here.

[FN-GM]

Thanks for the explanation