[lug] Linux laptop projector woes

[Nate Duehr]

See below.

On Tue, Jul 24, 2001 at 10:46:48AM -0600, Glenn Murray wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 24 Jul 2001, J. Wayde Allen wrote:
> > ...  Since we are trying to troubleshoot your
> > problem without the benefit of being able to tinker with the hardware or
> > see exactly what the failure is that you are describing, you kind of need
> > to be able to provide some really basic info such as what kind of machine
> > you are using.  We may be able to give you a manufacturer-independent
> > solution, but the make of the machine might provide us with the clues
> > needed to make the diagnosis.  A couple guys have tried to help by
> > offering you some ideas, but they are having to guess at your hardware
> > type.  Why not simply tell them?

[snipped quotes]

> What kind of laptop or projector I am using is not the point.  I'm
> dealing with three different makes of laptop here and the next time I
> present it will probably be on a fourth.  I don't know what kind it
> will be, nor will I know what kind of projector it will be.  The
> Windoze world seems to handle this fine.  I am trying to learn what
> sort of general configuration changes are necessary and how to make
> them on the fly.

Using different hardware without testing it before the presentation is
suicide.  Good luck.  No presenter worth his salt tries to change
hardware every presentation and expects everything to work unless they
pay someone a LOT of money to make sure it's all working for them
(testing again).  As I told one guy who was mad all the PC's were set up
to dual-boot OS2 and Windows in the training lab one time when he went
to train a class (he'd been overseas for months) -- as he complained to
the boss ..."somebody shouldn't be MESSING with the TRAINING PC's."... I
shot back, "Somebody should have CHECKED the TRAINING PC's before
walking in on Monday morning to teach a class!".  End of discussion on
THAT topic...

> The particular laptop I was using at NIST was not a Toshiba, though
> the projector on which it works here is a Toshiba.  The laptop under
> Windows and Linux is running at 1024x768, 16 bpp color.  The Toshiba
> projector has a plate saying "Resolution 1024x768".

At what refresh rate?

> I've confirmed that it works with the Toshiba.  The projector display
> is not as good as with Windoze, it's flickery and seems to have tiny
> "waves" going down the display, but it's quite usable.

Again, you don't have the full picture here... 1024X768 is NOT the only
variable involved here.

> My thanks to all who responded,
> Glenn Murray

You would better than thank us if you'd provide more technical details
as requested.  Us simply asking what models of laptop and what models of
projectors is not unreasonable, you must admit.  If you don't know
because they'll change every time, you could have simply stated that and
we'd have provided as much information as possible.  This isn't a
professional tech-support desk, but we all try to follow the "community"
social standards that have built Linux into a very useful OS in a
relatively short time.

You have a volunteer group who may or may not know the
answer, all interested in the final "fix" (we'd all like to know what's
causing your problem too, and learn from it) and you argue with us about
what information we "need to know".  Fine, but that makes further
replies from us LESS likely -- we have other things to do.

Good luck, 

-- 
Nate Duehr <nate at natetech.com>

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