Tips Based on Experience
Oct 18 '01
The Bottom Line Learn how to get the most out of your projector.
Know the hardware resolution of the projector. Set your source to output at that resolution. If the projector has a 1024x768 display, then set your computer display to 1024x768, for example. If your video resolution does not match the projector resolution, the projector will have to interpolate to compensate. This means that it will scale the image to its native resolution, and the resulting image will not be as sharp as it could be.
If you are using a laptop, turn off the LCD panel and set it to output to a monitor only. If you have to set the laptop's display to the resolution of the projector, then one of three things will happen:
1. The laptop will faithfully output at that resolution, and there will be no problem. This usually won't be the case, however. If you're lucky, this will happen if the laptop's LCD panel's native resolution happens to be the same as the projector's. This also happens if you set the laptop to output to an external monitor only, with the LCD panel shut off. The laptop doesn't have to worry about matching the signal to the LCD display.
2. The laptop will scale the display up or down to its own native resolution. Unfortunately, the output to the projector will also be scaled. Say your projector's native resolution is 1024x768, but your laptop's display is 1152x860. No matter what you set the display resolution to, most likely the laptop will be sending an 1152x860 signal to the projector. The projector will have to interpolate, reducing the quality of the image. Worse, the laptop will also interpolate if the display is not set to its native resolution. The end result is double interpolation, which looks really bad. This is why you should turn the LCD panel off.
3. The laptop might place a black border around the display. It will honor your display setting, and will map each pixel one-to-one to the laptop's display. If you set an 1152x860 laptop display to 1024x768, then it will show a smaller 1024x768 image in the center of its display with a black border around it. Unfortunately, the video output will probably echo what you see on the LCD panel: An 1152x860 image with a black border around it. The projector will still have to interpolate to match its native resolution, and you will have a fuzzy, smaller image projected onto your screen. You will probably not notice the black border in the projection, because it will just merge into the projection screen.
Turn on font smoothing in your display settings. This gives your presentation professional-quality text without jagged edges. Depending on your system, you will have to hunt for this setting. Some older systems do not come with it. You can add this functionality by purchasing the Microsoft Plus! pack or Adobe Type Manager. Note than Windows 98 and above have this built-in. Go to the Display control panel, under the Effects tab, and turn on "smooth edges of screen fonts". Note that really tiny text will become blurry. If you want to use tiny text in your presentations, use the font "Small Fonts", which is a set of bitmap fonts which won't be smoothed.
Read the manual for your projector. This will give you extra tips on getting the most out of the unit. It will also give you important guidelines on preserving your investment and making the projector last. One often-overlooked feature is called a keystone adjustment. This allows you to compensate for the distortion caused by a tilted projector angled upward toward a vertical screen.
Most projectors don't like to be powered down completely when you finish using them. They need time to run the fan to cool themselves off before being powered down. This extends the life of the projector and reduces the fire hazard of hot parts. Most projectors will turn their fans off by themselves when they are cool enough. May come with both a power button and a power switch. Pressing the button turns off the lamp and allows the fan to run. Some will turn off the lamp when you shut off or disconnect the computer.
Never touch a projector bulb with your fingers. Oils in your skin will get on the bulb. These cause an extreme temperature difference when the bulb is powered on, and the glass will crack, destroying the expensive bulb. Always use something like tissue paper to handle bulbs. Most bulbs come packages in a little plastic wrapper. You can use that to handle the bulb.
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Member: Greg Searle
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Computer graphics designer and software developer with interests in technology, home improvement, and family life.
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