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Blackburn Room: Using Your Windows Laptop
The Lectern and Crestron input panels both supply standard HDMI and VGA video ports and a 1/8-inch stereo audio port for connecting laptops and other devices to the Room AV system.
These options should be sufficient for most laptops but should you have a mini-HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, or other output standard, you will need to ensure that you have an appropriate cable to convert this signal to HDMI or VGA. Due to the variety and rarity of other connectors, we are unable to accommodate all of them.
Connecting your Windows Laptop
Selecting Audio/Video Cables
- Connect your laptop using an HDMI or VGA cable at the Crestron Panel or the Lectern.
- If your laptop has an HDMI port:
- Connect the HDMI cable to your laptop HDMI port. Insert straight and with minimal pressure.
- If your laptop can't send audio over the HDMI port, you can connect the 1/8-inch stereo audio cable (integrated into the VGA cable) to your headphone port. Please note: do not connect the VGA video connector.
- If your laptop has a VGA port:
- Connect the VGA cable to your laptop VGA port. Insert straight and with minimal pressure.
- Connect the 1/8-inch stereo audio cable (integrated into the VGA cable) to your headphone port.
- Note: Make certain an HDMI cable is not connected to a device at the same location. If so, its signal will override your VGA signal.
Displaying Your Laptop Video
- On the Crestron Panel, touch the blank or introductory screen to activate the Room AV System.
- Select your presentation source on the Crestron Panel:
- Select
Lectern Laptop
if have connected your laptop at the Lectern, - Select
Wall Laptop
if you have connected your laptop at the Crestron Panel, and
- Select the projector(s) you want to use to display your laptop:
Send to Both Projectors
,Send to Presenter Left Projector
, orSend to Presenter Right Projector
.
Configuring Windows to Use the Projectors
- Configure your laptop to send a video signal to the projector. Most Windows laptops will automatically mirror or Duplicate the laptop's screen to the projectors.
- On Windows Vista and later:
- To manually configure the projector to replicate/mirror the laptop display:
- Hold the
Windows Key
and pressP
to open the DisplaySwitcher utility and selectDuplicate
.
- To manually configure the projector to act as a second, independent monitor (this is useful when you want to display PowerPoint presenter notes on the laptop and the presentation full-screen on the projector):
- Hold the
Windows Key
and pressP
to open the DisplaySwitcher utility and selectExtend
.
- To manually configure the laptop to send no signal to the projector:
- Hold the
Windows Key
and pressP
to open the DisplaySwitcher utility and selectComputer only
.
- Alternate methods that may also work on Windows XP and earlier:
- On some laptops, holding
Alt
while pressingF8
will cycle throughDuplicate
,Computer Only
, andProjector Only
modes. - The Windows Display control panel (aka Screen Resolution) will allow these display modes to be selected.
- On Windows Vista and later
- Right-click on an empty space on the desktop, and
- Select
Screen Resolution
from the context menu, - From the
Multiple Displays
dropdown,- Select
Duplicate these displays
orExtend these displays
as desired.
- On Windows XP and earlier
- Right-click on an empty space on the desktop, and
- Select
Properties
from the context menu, - Select the
Settings
tab, - Select the second, inactive monitor,
- Enable the Checkbox beside
Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor
.
Configuring Windows to Use the Room Speakers
- Configure your laptop to send an audio signal to the room speakers
- On Windows Vista and later:
- Open the
Sound
control panel, - Select the
Playback
tab, - Select the appropriate playback device
- If using an HDMI cable, select
Crestron
(Name may vary depending on manufacturer) - If using the headphone port, select
Speakers
- Press the
Set Default
button at the bottom of the dialog. - Adjust the laptop volume as necessary.
- On Windows XP and earlier
- Open the
Sounds and Audio Devices
control panel, - Select the
Audio
tab, - Under
Playback
, select the appropriate playback device from the dropdown list- If using an HDMI cable, select
Crestron
(Name may vary depending on manufacturer) - If using the headphone port, select
Speakers
- Press
OK
- Adjust the laptop volume as necessary.
Configuring PowerPoint for Projector and Laptop
Microsoft PowerPoint can display your presentation on the projector while displaying your notes on your laptop.
- Configure your laptop to extend the desktop onto the projectors as described above.
- Open your presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Select the
Slide Show
tab, - In the
Monitors
section, enable the checkbox labeledUse Presenter View
to enable viewing the presenter's notes, - Adjust the
Show On:
drop down menu to indicate your audience will view onMonitor 2…
Finishing Your Session
When you are finished presenting, please:
- At the Crestron Panel, select
Turn Off
on the lower right side of the display and when prompted confirm your desire to log off. This will turn off the projectors, roll up the projection screens, and turn up the lights. - Disconnect the video and audio cables from your laptop.
- Return any Presentation Aids borrowed from the room to their storage locations.