New laptops

[Martin Conradi]

I've noticed that some recent laptops will display a wmv file in a PPT show
both on the projected screen as well as on the laptop screen. Previously you
could see it only on the projected screen and the video area of the laptop
screen would be black.

We want to buy a new laptop with this ability but store assistants don't
know what I'm talking about. Could anyone give me the correct technical spec
to look for?

Martin Conradi

 

[Guest]

I don't know the exact technical term, but FWIW, I get this effect using the
Presenter view with a Dell Latitude D820 (NVIDIA Quadro NVS 120M display
card, Dell 3400MP projector). I didn't set any options to make it happen;
apparently, PP just does this automatically if the adapter supports it? Or if
it thinks the computer/adapter combination is fast enough? Or something like
that. I know it's a hardware/driver thing, because this same presentation
displayed with the black rectangle on an older laptop (or just possibly an
earlier version of PP?).

Be warned of a couple of downsides, however. You can no longer see the part
of the presenter view that shows the outlilne of your presentation, nor the
presenter notes. The laptop video takes over the whole screen. Also, I had to
turn hardware graphic acceleration quite a long way down (thanks to Ausin
Myers for this suggestion...see my own question for more details) to prevent
the projector blanking out for the first few seconds of each clip while the
adapter switches modes or something.

 

[TAJ Simmons]

Martin,

Long time no see....

I don't know why some laptops do and some don't

I reckon the only safe way, is to test it in-store

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
http://www.awesomebackgrounds.com
free powerpoint templates, tutorials, hints, tips and more...

 

[Martin Conradi]

Thanks John. I'll look into it.

Martin

 

[Martin Conradi]

Hi TAJ,

I find the newsgroup compulsive reading as I continue to learn so much from
it - so force myself to break the habit and abandon it for months at a time
to get on with real work! Nice to see so many of the old names still
contributing.

Martin

 

[Kylie Douma-Mobbs]

martin I have a brand new laptop, ive had in for a couple of months and I
have not had a problem like that before. if I was you I would still check
into it though.
best of luck

kylie

 

[Martin Conradi]

Thanks. I've bought a big Toshiba Sat with a NVidia graphics card which
seems to do the trick. Previously our laptops have had ATI cards. Maybe all
newer laptops have this problem solved but our big, beautiful Vaio (which
self-destructed after 14 months) couldn't do it, nor most hired-in stock.

Martin

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks. I've bought a big Toshiba Sat with a NVidia graphics card which
seems to do the trick. Previously our laptops have had ATI cards. Maybe all
newer laptops have this problem solved but our big, beautiful Vaio (which
self-destructed after 14 months)

Ah, the Sony Upgrade Plan. Hi Martin, good to see you back.

 

[Martin Conradi]

Is EVERYone still around? In a week I've seen just about everyone's names
from the past and a few interesting new ones too. Still, this was always the
best of all possible newsgroups...

and I'm still learning from it too.

Martin

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Is EVERYone still around? In a week I've seen just about everyone's names
from the past and a few interesting new ones too. Still, this was always the
best of all possible newsgroups...

and I'm still learning from it too.

As are we ... that's why it's so hard to pry us loose. <g>