Settings for dataprojector

[Chris Watts]

When I take my laptop to venues to give presentations, I often find that the
data projector is badly set up - brightness, contrast etc. Is there a test
slide that I can use to assist with correcting this rather than running
through my actual presentation.

I have a user account set up specifically for use when giving presentations.
My laptop has a widescreen display but many data projectors do not cope well
with this. Can I set up a different screen resolution just for this user
account? And what resolution would be best?

TIA
Chris

 

[Guest]

Most projectors on the market have a native resolution of 1024x768 (XGA). In
general, you will be safe sending that to any projector. There are some
units out there with higher reolutions but they are not in wide use yet.

Brightness and contrast settings depend on the room and how much ambient
light the projected image is exposed to. If the projector image is way off
in more than one way (brightness, contrast, color, sync) try setting
everything to factory default in the projector. There is usually a menu
selection for doing so.

DisplayMate (http://www.displaymate.com/infodmw.html) has many test images
available at cost. There may be some free ones out there. You can also use
your own digital images of landscapes and people (for skin tones).

..................TD

 

[Ute Simon]

I like to use the "wheel of color", which has all the Standard Colors of
PowerPoint. You can download it here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/197937
(though the knowledge base article states it's for PPT 2000, it can be used
in newer versions as well).

Best regards,
Ute

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

When I take my laptop to venues to give presentations, I often find that the
data projector is badly set up - brightness, contrast etc. Is there a test
slide that I can use to assist with correcting this rather than running
through my actual presentation.

Another newsgroup member has just contributed a presentation that may help with
this. Until I have a chance to make it available, though, have a look here:

Color Calibration on the Cheap
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00448.htm

I have a user account set up specifically for use when giving presentations.
My laptop has a widescreen display but many data projectors do not cope well
with this. Can I set up a different screen resolution just for this user
account?

That's an excellent idea. I believe screen settings are one of the things that
travel with user accounts, but it's easy enough to find out for sure. Try it.

And what resolution would be best?

Ideally, the PC's screen resolution should be matched to the maximum resolution
the projector's capable of. If in doubt, 1024x768 seems safest these days.