As dynamx founder Davis Cox knows from personal experience, the notebook PC presenter faces many challenges when relying upon projection systems provided by host sites such as client or hotel meeting rooms. He has gathered some tips that will help you avoid problems between your notebook computer and the LCD projectors you will find in your travels.

EXTERNAL VGA PORT: You plug the projector into your notebook and nothing happens. Could be the VGA signal is not coming out of the notebook's external port. Practice connecting your notebook PC to an external monitor. External monitors hook up to your notebook PC through the external VGA port on the back or side of your PC. This is the same port to which you will connect an LCD projector. Most notebook PCs require some special key functions to accomplish this. Different PC models require different function key combinations. If you are not sure about yours, check the notebook's reference manual or have someone show you how to hook it up to an external monitor. Be sure to write down the key sequence for future reference. Most later model notebooks will allow you to preset this functionality in your system BIOS. Your reference manual will have all the details.

RESOLUTION/REFRESH RATE: You plug the LCD projector into your notebook and the image is not good. One problem could be incompatibility of resolution between the PC and the projector. Since the projector's native resolution is fixed (although all projectors can handle lower resolution and most can produce an image from a source one "step" higher), you will have to change the resolution on your PC, so practice doing this. You should know how to change your notebook's resolution back and forth among SXGA (1280x1024), XGA (1024x768), SVGA (800x600), and VGA (640x480). This is easy with Windows 95 and above; just go into the "Settings" menu, choose "Control Panel" then "Display". You should also know how to change the refresh rate for your notebook's monitor, because refresh rate incompatibility sometimes causes problems with certain LCD projectors. At least know the resolution and refresh rate of your notebook's monitor. Sometimes you might have to change your color set to 256 colors. If you have wavy lines in your projected image, find the projector's SYNC button (on the menu bar) and tap it a few times.

SIMULSCAN: So you have changed the resolution on your PC and the image still looks funny. This might be solved by turning off your notebook's screen. Know how to switch your notebook's VGA signal from monitor to external VGA to both (commonly referred to as "simulscan"). This term is used to describe what's happening when you can view your image on the notebook's monitor and as projected by the LCD projector simultaneously. Know how to turn off your notebook's screen while allowing the signal to continue to drive the external VGA port with a monitor or LCD projector attached. Sometimes the notebook's monitor driver gets in the way of the external VGA driver. Some manufacturers have assumed that if you have a device attached to your external port, you won't be using the monitor of your notebook so they turn off the screen automatically when you plug in a monitor or projector. Some IBM ThinkPads do this, for example. It is necessary to do this for a good signal between some notebook-projector combinations. The external VGA electronics and driver are not likely to be as good in your notebook as on your desktop therefore neither is the projected image. Using the setting that produces only a projected image (i.e. turning off "simulscan") will produce the best possible image for your audience.

VIDEO PROJECTION: You want to project video from your VCR or Camcorder. Use the LCD projector. All modern LCD and DLP projectors can also project video from a VCR player or other video signal (great for videoconferencing, etc). Both data and video (computer and VCR) devices can be hooked up simultaneously and you can switch between the two effortlessly with a remote control or the push of a button. Presenters who would normally request a VCR and TV combination can use a VCR and LCD projector instead. With this arrangement the audience will view a much larger image. The LCD unit has built-in speakers that are adequate for most audiences. For larger audiences the sound can be tied in to the house speaker system or external amplified speakers may be attached.

MAC USERS: Projectors are designed to handle PCs and MACs and usually have the necessary adapter cables for both except for PowerBooks. If you can successfully attach an external VGA monitor to your PowerBook, you should have no trouble with LCD projectors. PowerBooks have a special short cable to connect them to a VGA monitor and some of the newer ones allow a direct use of the VGA cable. Be sure to take the short cable with you when you travel to do presentations. The first four tips above also apply to MAC users.

SCREEN SAVERS AND POWER SAVERS: In the middle of your presentation, your screen goes blank. Turn off your screen savers and power mode options on your PC. You don't want to be in the middle of your presentation and lose control of the images on your screen.

SOFTWARE: Your projected image is not as good as the one on your screen. And it never will be for reasons too numerous to go into in this limited space. Choose light backgrounds with dark letters and objects for your PowerPoint slides. This combination is easier to see than white or light letters on a dark background. Most of the PowerPoint pre-designed templates (wizards) are of the latter variety so you will have to design your own templates. It will be worth it in the long run.

BACKUP: Be prepared! In addition to your laptop, make sure you also have with you your Windows CD, your Office CD, and the serial numbers for each so that you can reinstall the software if necessary. The prudent presenter will also have his/her PowerPoint slides on transparencies as a backup in case the host facility is not equipped with electronic presentation capability.