Projection Troubleshooting

How to approach the projector not displaying correctly

There are times that, for one reason or another, when we setup our projection systems we get a distorted image, choppy video or nothing at all. These are the first steps getting everything displaying properly again.
Go here for quick reference of Display Settings

Troubleshooting Steps

No Display

  1. Check Connections - Make sure each cable along the signal path is securely plugged in. Also be sure to check the power on the converter in the process.
  2. Check Projector Input - This is a very important step. There are times that in the process of setup/teardown the projector input gets accidentally changed. Verify that it is on the correct input for your campus (either DVI or HDMI). Do this by selecting it on the remote and verifying that the display in the top corner matches the input you need.

Distorted or Choppy Display

  1. Verify Mac Display Settings - We use AJA HA5 HDMI→SDI converters to send signal to our projectors. The converters can receive signals up to 1080p but our projectors can only project 720p (Lincoln & Barracks are exceptions). Therefore if the Mac auto-detects the display resolution it will change to send the “Best for Display”, in this case 1080p. This most often happens when a display is unplugged and plugged back in after the computer is powered on. So here is what to check:
    • Go to Display Settings
    • Select “Gather Windows” in the bottom corner to see the projector send’s settings window
    • Select “Scaled” → 720p
    • Select “60 Hertz (NTSC)”
    • Note There are 2 exceptions. Barracks Row and Lincoln Theater should be set to “Best for Display” (Which translates to BR-1080i, LT-1080p)
  2. Verify ProPresenter Settings - Once we have the Mac settings have been set properly open ProPresenter and follow these steps:
    • Go to “Preferences…” found under the ProPresenter 6 Menu
    • Select the “Display” tab
    • Verify that the “Output” is filling but not beyond the output screen boundaries.
    • If it is press the “Full Screen” button and it should snap to the correct resolution. (Width: 1280, Height: 720, exception BR/LT)
    • You may need to restart ProPresenter for this to take full effect

Additional Steps

  1. Restart Computer - Another good solution to these issues is to restart the Mac after everything is plugged in
  2. Contact Staff - If after trying all the above options things still aren’t working then contact Mike, Jason, or Jay Jay to help further diagnose and solve the issue.