Possible Causes / Resolutions:


If you're experiencing a problem contact Media Services at 323-259-2854 or mediaservices@oxy.edu and  

let us know your location - we'll send someone out to you immediately when we are staffed, or evaluate the room as soon as we're back on campus.


Hours:

8am-8pm M-Th, and 8am-6pm Friday (Academic Year hours)

8am-5pm M-F (Summer & Semester break hours)


1. Media system input isn't correct or needs to re-sync


  • Check which input button is highlighted and which cable you have connected - in most rooms the laptop connection will be called either HDMI or VGA depending on which cable you have connected. In some rooms the input is named Laptop. 


    HDMI (preferred)                             VGA
    HDMI connection 

    VGA Connection

  • If the correct input is already highlighted, press the input button to initiate the connection again, or switch to a different input and then switch back. 


2. Laptop is not sending signal or the resolution settings are incorrect


Change the display mode setting and/or the resolution of the laptop. 

Windows OS: 
  • Go to Settings > System > Display 
  • Scroll down to Multiple Displays (if no display is detected, proceed to #3) 
  • Choose Duplicate these displays or Extend these displays.
  • If the laptop's native resolution isn't displaying, try setting the resolution to 1280x720, 1366×768, or 1920x1080 - some high-resolution laptops can't be scaled down by the system, but sending one of these standard resolutions can work.
Mac OS: 
  • Go to System Preferences > Displays 
  • Click on the Arrangement tab (if this tab isn't present, no display is detected - proceed to #3)
  • Check the box to choose mirrored or uncheck for extended mode.
  • If the laptop's native resolution isn't displaying, try setting the resolution to 1280x800, 1440×900, or 1920x1200 (16:10 aspect ratios, available on many projectors), or 1280x720, 1366×768, or 1920x1080 (16:9 aspect ratios, available on monitors) - some high-resolution laptops can't be scaled down by the room system, but sending one of these standard resolutions from the laptop can work.
Mirrored/Duplicated mode: audience & presenter see the same view 
Extended mode: presenter sees a different view; necessary for Powerpoint or Google's Presenter Notes view

3. Laptop is not seeing a connected projector or display


If connected via HDMI or VGA:
  1. Unplug/ replug the connection cable/adapter.
  2. If that doesn't work, power the room system off / on.
  3. If that doesn't work, restart the laptop. 
If laptop is connected via a USB-3 adapter:
  1. Move the cable to a USB-3 connection on the opposite side of the laptop if available (connections on the same side of the laptop will likely exhibit the same problem). If this works, continue with your presentation now and restart the laptop later, as soon as you have a chance to do so.
  2. Disconnect the cable and restart the laptop to initiate the connection again.
  3. While the laptop restarts, power the room system off / on again. 
In many cases, the problem is on the laptop side even if it has recently connected without any issue to another external monitor or room system - the laptop can 'misremember' or fail to update the connection status to a particular system, requiring a restart to clear the memory of the computer's video bus that manages the connection.


4. The VGA or HDMI cable or an adapter may have gone bad

  • Switch to the other type of connection or use a different adapter if possible. 
  • Report the problem to us at 323-259-2854 or mediaservices@oxy.edu. We'll send someone out ASAP.

5. There's a problem with the room system itself