Set up a projector for club meetings
Choose your connection type
If your club’s projector is producing a fuzzy, substandard image, make sure you’re not using an old analogue cable (such as composite, S-video or VGA) to connect it to your video source. You’ll get much sharper images using a digital connection, such as HDMI. If you have a 4K projector, be sure to use an HDMI cable marked ‘High Speed’, otherwise 4K video is likely to stutter or simply not play at all. There’s no need to buy anything expensive – the Amazon Basics High-speed cable (£4 from www.snipca. com/32589) will work just fine.
Stream wirelessly
Another option is to stream content, such as a presentation, to your projector wirelessly. Some projectors have wireless technology built in; if not, you can use a Chromecast device (£30 from www. snipca.com/32588). This plugs directly into your projector’s HDMI port and is powered by USB. If you don’t have a spare USB port on your projector to power it, you’ll need to plug the USB cable into a mains adapter.
Once set up, you can stream to your Chromecast from smartphones, tablets and PCS. To do the latter, ensure your Chromecast device is up and running, then open Chrome on your PC, click the menu button (three vertical dots, top right), then select Cast. Next, click Sources, choose ‘Cast desktop’, then click your Chromecast device (ours is called BHA Chrome - see screenshot below left). You can then select whether to stream a single window or your entire desktop. Bear in mind there will be a small delay between what you do on screen and what is projected, but it’s usually no more than one second.
Use external storage
Alternatively, try loading your content to a USB stick or external hard drive and connecting it. Your projector should switch to its ‘external storage’ input at this point. If not, you’ll need to change the input using the appropriate button on your projector or using its remote control. It’s not always plain sailing, though.
Although most projectors can read popular file formats (such as JPG image files), they may struggle with lesscommon formats. If so, convert them beforehand using an image editor such as Irfanview (free from www.irfanview. com). If your projector fails to recognise your USB storage device, it could be because it’s formatted in NTFS. To try the older FAT32 file system instead, first copy all content from the USB drive to your PC, then open File Explorer (Windows key+e). Right-click the drive, select ‘Format…’, and make sure ‘File system’ is set to FAT32 (see screenshot below). Click Start then, once formatting is complete, load your content back on to the USB stick or drive.
Create a remote control
Most projectors come with remote controls that include navigation buttons. However, depending on your projector and how you connect it to your PC, these don’t always work. You can ask someone else to assist you during the presentation but this can ruin your flow. Instead, use Unified Remote, which turns your phone into a remote control for your PC, with large navigation buttons that vibrate as you touch them (see screenshot above).
Go to www.unifiedremote.com to download the Unified Remote server for your PC and install the app on your IOS or Android device. As long as your PC and phone are using the same wireless network, the two will connect when you open the app. The free version includes basic remote controls (such as for playing and stopping videos), but to control Powerpoint slideshows and more, you’ll need to buy the full version for £3.89.
Mount your projector on high
If you regularly run club events that require a projector (and you always use the same venue), consider buying a mount and attaching it to the ceiling. This not only lets you project well above any annoying obstructions, but also prevents the projector being knocked by members of your audience. Most manufacturers sell mounts for their projectors, but you can also buy universal models (such as this £16 Amazon Basics mount www.snipca.com/32591). Check your projector is under the mount’s weight limit before purchasing, and bear in mind you may also need longer power and video cables.