I would sure appreciate any help in getting this projector
to show what's on the screen...

I have a "Great Quality"laptop ZX-something, with XP Home
Version. Projector is a Dell 3200MP. The projector manual
is basically just a list of specs -- not a manual at all.
The "quick start" manual is written in 500 languages -- all
of which say nothing but just point at buttons with little
symbols on them. Real nice.

Anyway, I can't get the projector to display what's on the
screen and no where are any instructions on any settings to
change - either on the projector or the computer. I've
looking My Computer / Devices -- nothing. Also, set the
resolution of the screen to everything from 600x800 on
up - same results.

Here's what I have tried.... power up the laptop, then
connect the projector cable(s) -- there are two cable USB
and something else - looks like external monitor cable - I
don't know - it's not at this location so I can't see it.

Anyway, makes no difference whether I connect either one or
both of the cables. The laptop makes that little beep noise
when the USB is connected, but I still get the blue
"searching for signal" screen on the projector.

Dell's site is worthless. Also didn't find anything on the
newsgroups, here's my guesses....

1 - There's a hot key somewhere -- God only knows which of
the 5000 key combinations it could be. It's NOT any of
those listed in the (pardon the expression) "manual" --
including Function F8, etc. I've tried them all.

2 - One (wrong) idea was that the computer display was set
to the wrong resolution. Wrong. There are only 2
resolutions on this laptop - 600x800 and the next higher
one - whatever the heck that is. Neither one makes any
difference.

Hope someone can give me some pointers. This has got to be
a simple operation - just can't figure it out by trial and
error.

Fred

I've only had a projector connected to my laptop (Compaq) a couple of times
but I think I had to go to the Control Panel for Display, or right click the
mouse when it was on a blank part of the display screen to get the
appropriate menu. Then I could select to have the image displayed on the
screen, the projector, or both.
I think the projector had to be turned on and connected to the laptop before
the laptop was started up.

"Fred" <testing@testing1212mouse.com> wrote in message
news:zclEe.665$sc3.625@trnddc07...

Thanks, William. Will give it a try.

"William Andersen" <wgander@cox.net> wrote in message
news:LwmEe.17533$HV1.15025@fed1read07...

More info .... I powered up PC and projector. Connected to
monitor port and USB port (tried each and both). No cigar.
The Function-F12 key has a monitor icon on it but hitting it
with the Function key does nothing. Same for all the other
Function keys. Also, right clicking on the desktop and
settings has nothing to chose from. Ditto from Control
Panel. Can someone who uses a projector pls give me some
basic "step 1, step 2" instructions. Using XP Home version.
Thanks.

Fred

"William Andersen" <wgander@cox.net> wrote in message
news:LwmEe.17533$HV1.15025@fed1read07...

Fred wrote:
selects, usually in this order and assuming built in lcd is active: 1st
click, external monitor (whether this is a projector or a desktop
monitor...the laptop doesn't care)--lcd off; 2nd click: lcd + external
monitor; 3rd click, back to lcd only.

Some notebooks will sense the external monitor if it's connected and active
on boot up...but may then come up with the lcd switched off.

This, IMHO, is a serious failure on the part of most (all?) notebook
manufacturers. There should be a solid indication of just which mode the
computer is in. Instead, you have to wait--often several seconds--for the
next setting to take effect. That's where many users mess up. They click
and see nothing happening, then click again...and again....

There should be two LED's which indicate the display mode--one for lcd, one
for external--and which act instantly. Projectors usually take a little bit
of time to sync up the the laptops mode of display, and remain blank until
then.

Hit the function key sequence (Fn+whatever, for your laptop) *ONCE* and wait
to see what happens. Count to ten. If it's not what you wanted, do it
again, and WAIT! Repeat as often as it takes to get into the correct mode.
Be patient. If you're in a high-pressure situation (I've been there...it's
easy to get flustered) with people watching and waiting for the display to
come up, practice at home with your desktop monitor. It should work pretty
much the same.

jak

yeah, I had problems with it too.

Fn + F5 will bring up this box with symbols for your laptop and monitor,
hit F5 again and the highlighted pair of icons shifts to the next which will
show only the external monitor, then laptop AND external, each time you hit
Fn and F5 the highlighted icon shifts. It should dummy down the display to
match the lowest common denominator.

I think it works best off the serial port.

this reply is echoed to the z-prophoto mailing list at yahoogroups.com

Thanks Jak! Will give this a try and report back.

"jakdedert" <jdedert@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:2jyEe.21278$do5.20010@bignews5.bellsouth.net. ..

Many thanks, Zeit!

Any idea what Great Quality's website is? I do a search
for it and end up with anything from motor oil to screen
doors.

"zeitgeist" <blkhatwhtdog@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:gZmdnQhPcvIbjXnfRVn-rQ@comcast.com...

I don't know, that was the OP's wording, I suspect its just slang for a
great quality laptop without saying what it was, maybe google laptop and ZX
will come up some brand names.

one thing, check out the graphic chip set, my laptop won't let me calibrate
it with a monico puck, even though I have an external LCD monitor to view
images.


"Fred" <testing@testing1212mouse.com> wrote in message
news:IT%Ee.5623$dM3.3372@trnddc04...