Common Classroom Technology Troubleshooting

This article covers common issues you may experience with classroom technology, and how to troubleshoot them, including:

Troubleshooting Computer Projection

There are multiple ways to give a presentation or use an external display with your computer.

To change how your projector, monitor, or other external display works with your computer, connect it to your computer, then, for Windows computers, hold the Windows ⊞ key and press the "P" key, or make changes in System Settings on Mac computers.

For Windows Computers

These instructions apply to any Windows computer with more than one display, whether a projector, monitor, or television.

Switching Projection Options

The keyboard shortcut for switching between duplicate and extended mode: ⊞ Win + P

  1. Press and hold the Windows ⊞ key and click the "P" key on your Windows keyboard. 
  2. The Project "toast pop-up" window will appear in the lower-right corner of your main display, with a highlight rectangle around the currently selected option, which by default, should be Duplicate [2]. 
    Screenshot of the projection options on Windows computers.
     
  3. Click on the projection option that works best for your needs
  4. The projector will change to the option you chose. 

Projection Options

The options for presentations to the projector from a Windows computer are:

  • PC screen only [1]  - only the PC screen will display
  • Duplicate [2] - the projector or other device connected to the computer will duplicate the computer screen
  • Extend [3] - The device connected will act as an extension of the PC screen horizontally so you can move the cursor past the edge and onto the other display
  • Second screen only [4] - Windows will disable the PC display and output only on the projector or secondary monitor

When presenting content to a classroom, some professors may prefer to have exactly the same information displayed on both the teacher station's monitor and the classroom projector. This would be the Duplicate [2] display mode.

Some professors prefer the content displayed to the classroom to be different from what is being shown on the teaching station. Common reasons for this are the use of Microsoft PowerPoint's Presenter View, which can be configured to show the presentation on the projector while the presenter's notes are on the teacher's station. This would be the Extend [3] mode.

For Mac Computers

  1. Click on the Apple menu icon [1] and select System Settings [2] from the drop-down menu. 
    Screenshot of the Apple menu with System Settings highlighted.
     
  2. In the System Settings window, select Displays [3] from the left-hand column, and then click the Arrange [4] button.
    Screenshot of the System Settings window on Mac.
     
  3. On the Arrange Displays window, you are instructed to:
    1. Mirror displays, hold the Option key while dragging the display icons on top of each other. 
      Screenshot of the Mirror Displays setting.
       
    2. Rearrange displays, drag the display icons to the desired position. 
      Screenshot of the Rearrange Displays setting.
       
  4. Click the Done button. 

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Troubleshooting Computer Audio 

If no sound is coming from the ceiling speakers:

  1.  Check the media player volume (YouTube, Windows Media Player, VLC, or DVD Player)
  2.  Check the sound control panel on the PC (speaker icon is located on the lower right-hand corner of the desktop).

     
  3.  Increase the volume on the Extron console (located on the podium)


     
  4.  If still no sound, right-click the sound control panel on the PC, click playback devices and change the device.                     

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Troubleshooting Computer Resolution

  1. Open Start, select Settings
  2.  Click > System 
  3.  Click > Display
  4. Under Scale and layout, check the setting under Resolution.

     
  5. We suggest you use the 1280 X 768 for rooms with older projectors. For newer projectors we recommend 1920 x 1080.

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Troubleshooting Presenter View in PowerPoint

While in PowerPoint, select the Slide Show tab and check Use Presenter View.

If PowerPoint does not show on projector and notes do not show on the monitor, hold down the following laptop keys simultaneously:

and confirm Extend is selected.

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Troubleshooting Blue Projector Screen

  1. On the Extron Console click:

  1. Laptop/HDMI then click back to PC.

Signing Out of Computer

  1. Click on the Windows icon in the lower left corner of your desktop. 
  2. Click on the Account Setting icon in the pop-up menu.
  1. Click on the Sign Out option.

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