MAC OS-X

1. Connect your Macintosh to your rental projector prior to your actual presentation.
2. Open the System Preferences, and then select DISPLAYS.
3. If you plan to use "mirroring" (what you see on laptop is what the audience sees) you should ideally select 1024x768. If you are using PowerPoint or KeyNote for your talk, you do not need to turn on mirroring.
4. When a second Monitor is connected, the redraw should occur automatically.
5. If your PowerBook did not detect the added monitor, select "Detect Displays" from the DISPLAYS panel to make it find the monitor. Once the monitor is connected, set the external display to 1024x768 (60 Hz). A confirmation dialog will appear on the external display (or both if mirroring is on), and you have 15 seconds to click "CONFIRM" to make these settings stick. Click CONFIRM to lock in these settings.
6. If you wish to mirror your displays, select Mirror Displays. You may have to change the display resolution again if a previous setting had them set differently, but this can quickly be done from the same menu drop down. Again, select 1024x768.
7. It is suggested that you turn off all Screen Savers and Power Saving settings, both of which can be found in the System Preferences. Also, we suggest that you use your power supply, as this will make your presentation work more smoothly by preventing the computer from going to sleep or shutting down due to a low battery.
8. Testing: Sleep your machine with no monitor connected. Wake up the machine FULLY, and then attach your projector. It should immediately come up in the last known mode. If not, practice with the menu bar drop-down menu item for the monitors to be able to quickly switch to the proper modes.
9. Be sure to test this process a few times before you arrive at your actual presentation.

Windows Based Pc (Using Mirror Mode)

1. Connect the projector to your Windows PC.
2. On the Laptop display, RIGHT CLICK on the desktop and select Properties.
3. Click on the SETTINGS tab. If you want your displays Mirrored (what you see on laptop is what the audience sees) you should make sure the box next to "Extend my Windows desktop into this monitor" is UNCHECKED. If you see a "mirroring" box, be sure to check it.
4. NOTE: The following steps apply if you are running your PC in MIRROR mode only. For non-mirror mode, click here.
5. Drag the screen slider to 1024x768. Typically, the external monitor may limit this setting. If your screen display is higher, it might not display on the projector, so you might want to test this before you are ready to speak. Drag the color quality to Highest (32 bit) if available, or Medium (16 bit) if the first is not available.
6. Now, select FN and press the function key. This key is usually donated by a small monitor icon, the text CRT/LCD, and usually is found on F8 or even F5. Press the appropriate _proper function button ONCE and wait. After a few seconds, the second display should come on. Be patient, this can take up to 5 seconds. On the projector, it may take up to 10 seconds for the projector to detect your system and switch. Note: a second press of this function will (usually) switch to EXTERNAL monitor only. A third press will go INTERNAL only, and around the circle for each press after that. Also note that some laptops may do this sequence in a different order, so learn your system so you can quickly switch to the mode you want.
7. Click on the ADVANCED button. If "apply the new display settings without restarting" is not selected, select it. Under Screen Refresh Rate, select 60 Hz. Click APPLY and CONFIRM the choice. Click OK to close the ADVANCED dialog window. Close the Display Properties Dialog. You should now see a mirroring of your monitor on the second monitor.
8. Testing: As a test, disconnect the second monitor, put your laptop to sleep. Wake it up and let it fully come up (log-in if necessary), and then reconnect the external monitor. On some machines, it should quickly display the screen in the last known setting (you may need to wait up to 10 seconds.) If it does not display correctly, press the monitor switching function key ONCE. Again, note that it may take up to 10 seconds to display, so be patient. If only the projector now displays, a few presses of the switching function key should bring it around to both displays again. If you cannot get the projector to display, recheck all your connections and settings stated above.
9. Note that when using the Projector, after pressing the function key for the monitor change, it may take up to 10 seconds for the monitor to find and lock on to your machine. Just wait for it. Pressing the fkey again may simply mess up your settings or switch the projector off.
10. Not all laptops work the same way. Please be sure to learn how yours works before you arrive at your presentation.

Windows Based PC (Non-Mirroring)

1. If you do NOT want mirrored displays (internal and external display different things), CHECK the box next to the line that says "Extend my Windows desktop into this monitor." This SHOULD cause the external monitor to display a picture which is an EXTENSION of the current desktop.
2. In the Settings Dialog, the internal monitor will be displayed as a "1" and the external as a "2". Click ONCE on the "2".
3. With the "2" selected, drag the Screen Resolution slider left or right until the resolution reads "1024x768". Also set the Color Quality to Highest (32 bit) if available, or Medium (16 bit) if the first is not available.
4. Click on the ADVANCED button. If "apply the new display settings without restarting" is not selected, select it.
5. Select the MONITOR tab. Under Screen Refresh Rate, select 60 Hz. Click APPLY and CONFIRM the choice. Click OK to close the ADVANCED dialog. Your system is now set for an extended desktop. When connected to the monitor, you MAY need to use the switching function key to once again turn on this option, but on the systems I tested, the extended desktop just came right up when the monitor was connected. Again, I suggested some testing with this mode to know how your laptop will perform when connected to an external display BEFORE coming up to speak.
6. Note that in this mode, items dragged to the extended desktop can be "lost" there if the external monitor is disconnected, as they live on the extended desktop which is no longer available. Also note that while the extended desktop is enabled, this 'second' desktop part may continue to live, meaning the cursor and object can be dragged off the screen to this area and not be viewable on a single internal monitor. To resolve this issue, right click on the desktop, select Properties, select Settings, click on the "2" box, and UNCHECK the extend option. Any items left on that extended desktop should now snap to the right edge of the internal screen.