How many people does it take to present with a computer?

[spidey07]

So I've been in corporate world in IT for long time now.

Why is it that an entire room of otherwise very sharp people cannot get a computer to display it's screen on a projector? It ALWAYS takes a good 5+ minutes or longer before the magical combination of key presses on the AV system and the computer to show what the presenter is presenting.

Why do these AV systems not have a magic button that say "I'm plugging in a computer, display that" and why don't laptops have a magic button that says "I'm presenting, do that"

I swear every meeting I go to you have 5 people who are otherwise very sharp trying to figure out how to plug into the AV/projector system and actually make it happen.

comment or vote in the poll please.

 

[Jeff7181]

I've never had a problem at my school. I just grab the VGA cable that's hanging free and plug it into my laptop, the projector detects the source and puts it up on the screen and my laptop goes into presentation mode, turning power saving features off.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
I've never had a problem at my school. I just grab the VGA cable that's hanging free and plug it into my laptop, the projector detects the source and puts it up on the screen and my laptop goes into presentation mode, turning power saving features off.

Damn macintosh people.

GRRR. If only it were that simple.

These AV rooms are for video conferencing as well. All you have to do is magically press the right buttons on the remotes to select the source. AND magically press the right buttons on your laptop. These actions must be synchronized to the tune of C on a full moon. If your timing is off then it just ain't gonna happen.

 

[Jeff7181]

Not a Mac... Latitude D520 with Vista Business.

 

[herm0016]

i dont have problems with my xp pro on my dell lappy either. just have to know what you are doing. or if your a prof, ask the students to do it.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: herm0016
i dont have problems with my xp pro on my dell lappy either. just have to know what you are doing. or if your a prof, ask the students to do it.

While that seems nice. Every meeting I've ever been to with a presenter takes a good 5+ minutes of fiddling with AV remotes and the laptop to get the actual presentation on the screen.

Sometimes longer.

Why is there not a button on the AV system that says "hey! computer, want to present! DO!"

No! There are 2-3 remotes with pictures on each button. Which picture button do you use? You have no idea...every button looks like "I wanna present!"

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: herm0016
i dont have problems with my xp pro on my dell lappy either. just have to know what you are doing. or if your a prof, ask the students to do it.

While that seems nice. Every meeting I've ever been to with a presenter takes a good 5+ minutes of fiddling with AV remotes and the laptop to get the actual presentation on the screen.

Sometimes longer.

Why is there not a button on the AV system that says "hey! computer, want to present! DO!"

No! There are 2-3 remotes with pictures on each button. Which picture button do you use? You have no idea...every button looks like "I wanna present!"

Why is there more than one remote? Is there more than one projector?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: herm0016
i dont have problems with my xp pro on my dell lappy either. just have to know what you are doing. or if your a prof, ask the students to do it.

While that seems nice. Every meeting I've ever been to with a presenter takes a good 5+ minutes of fiddling with AV remotes and the laptop to get the actual presentation on the screen.

Sometimes longer.

Why is there not a button on the AV system that says "hey! computer, want to present! DO!"

No! There are 2-3 remotes with pictures on each button. Which picture button do you use? You have no idea...every button looks like "I wanna present!"

Why is there more than one remote? Is there more than one projector?

There's the video conferencing remote (the one that dials), there is the sound remote, there is the projector remote, there are the buttons on the input station (vga, audio, video, etc).

My girl can operate the 3 remotes in my home theater, but put a few people into a room to present on AV rooms and it's like a bunch of apes trying to figure out how to get to the banana. I'm one of those apes and home theater is a serious hobby of mine. It's mind boggling.

-edit-
Interesting results on the second question.

 

[ultimatebob]

Can't you just skip the remote and push the buttons on the projector itself? Most projectors that I've seen have a fairly large on/off button and a "input toggle" button. It usually doesn't take more than 3 button presses to get that working.

The only time I've had trouble with a projector was when the moron who used it before me didn't know what they were going and totally messed up the screen controls. If that's the case, than I feel sorry for you.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Can't you just skip the remote and push the buttons on the projector itself? Most projectors that I've seen have a fairly large on/off button and a "input toggle" button. It usually doesn't take more than 3 button presses to get that working.

The only time I've had trouble with a projector was when the moron who used it before me didn't know what they were going and totally messed up the screen controls. If that's the case, than I feel sorry for you.

I'm talking about an AV room. You can't reach or touch the projector. This is where the remotes come into play.

You enter a room that has multiple remotes. There are various video and sound inputs throughout the room. Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to display your laptop's screen on the main screen.

You have 5 minutes.

GO!

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Why do these AV systems not have a magic button that say "I'm plugging in a computer, display that" and why don't laptops have a magic button that says "I'm presenting, do that"

my $550 Acer Extensa laptop has a function key for switching displays (and actually had bundled software that would allow a single key press for 'presentation mode'. however, that software is gone as I formatted and started clean. Though, I could download that tool).
the extensa series, even though its a budget series that seems to be only found at Best Buy.. is geared towards business use, and is styled in such a way (actually, very similar to their Travelmate line, styled the same exact way).

 

[spidey07]

But your function key is a toggle, and you removed the functionality.

Have you never been through this?

"press function key and F5"
WAIT!
No
STOP
press Fkey and F5 again
STOP
Wait!
What?
Almost got it.
OK - try again
We're so close.

 

[lokiju]

I've only had issues with the newer Dells that are widescreen.

Those work better if you hook up the projector first and then turn it on, it will then force the output to a 4:3 ratio.

 

[Anubis]

we have no such issues here
everyone seems to be able to use the projectors and such

this could be because in all the meeting rooms with projectors there is a comp that is always hooked up to it and has no monitor

 

[TXHokie]

I'd make a boatload of money if I could get it all working everytime smoothly with a big EASY Staples button.

 

[pontifex]

we set the projector system to the PC or Laptop function, then connect the PC/Laptop, then press function + whatever key has the monitor changing stuff until it displays a pic of the pc with a projector.

done.