Projector dimming only when internet browsers open

[mstrstewart]

An issue that seems to be recurring this year is dim projectors. At first, we thought it was probably due to lamp life. However, I discovered that the desktop, file explorer, and doc cam software would all be projected with no dimness. When chrome or IE was open, however, the bottom half of the projected image would be almost black while the top would still be pretty dim too, but readable. If I closed the browser, the issue went away. The projector plugged into a Chromebook had no issues.

 

I feel that the issue has more to do with the PC, a Dell Optiplex 3030 running Windows 10 v1809 enterprise. The PC was updated, and then reimaged this summer

 

Thanks for any feedback!

[FishCustard]

I don't have any ideas beyond perhaps trying with a different model of PC to further narrow the problem down.

 

I'm mostly posting to keep track of the thread, because this is one of the weirdest issues I've ever heard of and I have to know why it's happening!

[6Foot2]

How are you sharing the image with the projector? [splitter/Cloned desktop/Extended desktop/Other?]

[mstrstewart]

It is connected via VGA on both ends. I also had it connected to a doc cam directly which works fine from that source, but the passthrough from the pc has the same issue as above

 

desktop is duplicated displays

Edited August 16, 2019 by mstrstewart
clarification

[6Foot2]

Oh, well. I was hopeful that I had seen a (somewhat) similar problem where we were using a Y shared VGA cable.

 

In our case the whole image was dim, no matter which application was running. We solved it by replacing the cable with a splitter box.

[mstrstewart]

yes, we had that similar issue too, but are now moving to mostly just usb to doc cams and duplicating pc to projector, with exceptions of teachers that want to have switching capability some of the doc cams have or dual monitors in which it is extended and duplicated.

 

The above issue is set up PC<-VGA->Doc Cam<-VGA->projector, though PC<-VGA->projector is the same

[bald_pig]

Hook up a monitor to the vga to see if it does the same, will see whether it's the projector doing some weird eco thing or the pc.

[southhamster]

Does it do the same with HDMI? May help to eliminate it.

[Andrew_C]

Is there some weird setting on the PC whereby the browser is trying to "draw over" something or do some weird split-screen thing? Is it exactly 1/2 the screen - implying something is doing it deliberately, or just a chunk?

 

Try yet another browser?