Projector causing connected laptop vga port to short

[kgleeso]

Hi.

 

New user to this, just wondering if someone can help me.

 

Having problem with Smart board in one of my classrooms. It has been installed for approx 1.5 years.

 

It was connected to a dell laptop which recently (last 2 months) has been unable to connect up to board via the vga port. Got it checked out by a technician who told me it seems to have been shorted.

 

While this laptop was sent to the technician, the teacher was using a spare toshiba laptop. It worked fine for a week or two but now does not connect with the board via the vga port. Technician again told me that it looks like the same problem.

 

However to check this I would have to connect up another laptop which I'm not willing to do.

 

Before I contact the people who installed the board, does anyone know if this has this ever happened before to a Smart Board they,ve used or might it be its installation?

 

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

Edited February 7, 2010 by kgleeso
error

[glennda]

by the smart board, im guessing you mean the projector? does it go through a video splitter or anything like that? if it does might be worth testing it connected to another projector.

 

If not then i would suggest the short is either in the cable or the projector is doing something it shouldn't, trying replacing the projecotor with a spare if you have one, or if you want to risk another laptop trying buying a long vga lead and run from the projector to the laptop,

 

I know that most of the companys that fit these systems make the cables themselves so thats where you short might be if it is miss wired.

[mattstevenson2005]

make sure the laptop is not going through a vga splitter, we have that problem here as soon as we plug the laptop in to the projector without going through a splitter it works straight away

 

matt

[Educare_AV]

I have seen this too, I was told it is caused by a build up of static from unplugging and replugging the VGA in often.

 

Doe's it connect to a metal or plastic faceplate out of interest?

[SimpleSi]

As others have said - its a projector/projector cabling issue not a Smartboard one - the Smartboard connects via a USB lead

 

Its hard to diagnose these sort of faults remotely

Technician again told me that it looks like the same problem.

 

Unless you've a reason to think otherwise - trust their judgement.

 

If I was to decide to try another (old) laptop - I'd actually swap the projector to another location (and the tatty laptop) and see what happens - if the fault moves then its the projector.

 

If the fault happened again in orig class - then its the cabling/connectors.

 

But your between a rock and hard place with this one

 

regards

 

Simon

[kgleeso]

Thanks for the above help. It has clarified somethings for me.

 

Yes it must be the projector/cable and not the Smart Board thats causing the problem.

 

It doesn't connect via faceplate but directly with cable and is not using a vga splitter.

 

Karen

[kgleeso]

Hi

 

Just to let you know what response I have gotten from the company I have been dealing with:

 

I appreciate your concern particularly after the second laptop failed in such a short space of time. I can assure you that a projector or cabling fault is not the source of the problem.

 

We have been installing data projectors since the mid 1990s and have never encountered this type of problem. I have spoken with the Unifi 45 manufacturer’s service department and they have never experienced a similar issue. I have also spoken with another major projector manufacturer who assured me that they have never encountered a case where a projector damaged a laptop it was connected to.

 

When a laptop is connected to a device such as a data projector or external monitor, the laptop assumes an active role sending the signal down the cable to the projector which assumes a passive role simply receiving the data from the laptop and displaying it. The signal flow in this case excludes the risk of a projector fault damaging a PC or laptop. If there were any inherent cabling faults such faults would have come to light as soon as a laptop was first connected to the system. If a cabling fault had recently developed the projector would simply have failed to display a signal from our engineer’s laptop on his recent service call out.

 

Do understand that what he is saying is making sense too. So still at a loss to what is causing the VGA ports to go. Any other suggestions out there on what is causing my problem as going to connect up the third laptop and risk it now in next couple of days? Maybe best to chance it and see what happens!

 

Thanks

Karen

[SimpleSi]

I can assure you that a projector or cabling fault is not the source of the problem.

 

Without a detailed test of both the cabling and the projector - this statement is not justified.

 

We've all seen faults that have only occurred once in out lifetimes

 

The balance of probability is that the fault lies with either the cable or the projector due to the fact that 2 laptops have failed.

 

The next most likely possibility is deliberate sabotage of the laptops VGA ports.

 

But as I said before, without swapping cables and equipment around - it will be very tricky to find the fault

 

regards

 

Simon

[glennda]

When a laptop is connected to a device such as a data projector or external monitor, the laptop assumes an active role sending the signal down the cable to the projector which assumes a passive role simply receiving the data from the laptop and displaying it. The signal flow in this case excludes the risk of a projector fault damaging a PC or laptop. If there were any inherent cabling faults such faults would have come to light as soon as a laptop was first connected to the system. If a cabling fault had recently developed the projector would simply have failed to display a signal from our engineer’s laptop on his recent service call out. [/i]

 

 

if the cable was damaged then the signal could be being sent back to laptop, and the projector/screen must send info back as otherwise the laptop would be unable to know that there was a monitor attached wouldn't it?

[jocal69]

I have had the same issue. I have gone through about 12 gateway/mpc laptops in the last two weeks... all smart or promethean users who have suddenly had a dead vga port. Of course, our warranty on these machines went away when MPC went belly up, so I'm at a loss. Paying $300 for a replacement board is really not an option.. We have had boards in the district for a while and haven't had this issue until the most recent round of installs. The installs were done by two different installers, so I don't think it's the install. I'm with most of the people here, I don't think it has anything to do with the board, but is some type of static issue. I just really don't know how to resolve the issue. Any suggestions?

 

-Jocal

[Educare_AV]

You could buy something like this.

 

USB 2.0 to VGA Adapter | USB Converters & Extenders | USB & FireWire | LINDY UK

 

It will convert a VGA port into USB, so you would not have to replace the main board on laptop.

 

Hope this helps

[jocal69]

I've seen these around, but have heard that you can not view a video file on some of these. Does anyone have any experience using these? Would this be a good solution? Thanks

 

-jocal

[Educare_AV]

Hi, I have used these in the past before and have performed well. Not sure about displaying video through them, can't see it being a problem. Best to call Lindy support to check i'm sure if this was an issue it would be noted on there site.