Do you know how to connect two projectors to one laptop? If you have to give a presentation in a large room, to a big group of people, you might want to connect your laptop to a couple of projectors at the same time.
The images can be split into two opposite ends of the room, thus making it easy for everyone to see the image on your display. But, how do you connect two projectors to the same laptop?
To do this, you are going to need to invest in a bit of hardware. For starters, you are going to need a splitter cable or a specialized adapter. That primarily depends on the model of the projector or the kind of laptop you are using.
You can check if your laptop has the specific ports, but if it doesn’t, you will want to buy an adapter, such as one that supports DisplayPort or HDMI. The single side cable will first be connected to the video output port on your laptop, or if you don’t have one, to an adapter.
Then, another cable will be fixed to the splitter or on the adapter side, which will hook up to the Video input port on your projector. The same process shall have to repeat when connecting another projector to your laptop.
How To Connect Two Projectors To One Laptop
As mentioned above, the only additional piece of hardware that you are going to require to connect your laptop with two projectors at the same time is a splitter cable.
If you don’t have one and need an adapter for your laptop, you might want to invest in one as well. Both of these products are relatively inexpensive, and you can easily get them from your local computer store.
However, when buying a splitter cable, you need to make sure that you buy one with the right length, especially since you will be giving the presentation in a large room.
The quality of video that is projected on both the projectors is going to be the same, but if you start adding another in the mix, the video quality is going to deteriorate considerably. So, let’s get started with the connection.
Step 1: Check the Video Output Port
Most standard laptops usually come with an HDMI output port. Some older variants also come with the VGA port, so you might have to make do with a VGA cable instead. You need to check which kind of port is installed on your laptop, before you can go out and buy a cable for it.
Step 2: Check the Input Port on the Projector
The next step is to take a look at the input port on your projector. Most projectors usually come with a VGA port, though advanced models now also include HDMI or even DVI. Some projectors also come with the DisplayPort packed in, which is relatively new.
Step 3: Buy a Splitter
Let’s assume that both your laptop and your projector have the HDMI input and output port. You will have to purchase a HDMI splitter, which comes with a single HDMI output head, and two HDMI input heads.
The length of the cable, as we have discussed, must be measured beforehand. But, what if you have a VGA port on your laptop, but an HDMI or a DVI port on your projector? Again, no need to worry. You should consider buying a VGA to HDMI or DVI adapter, whichever one is appropriate.
The Output side that connects with your laptop must have the corresponding output head, while the side that comes with the adapter must have the same ports as the projector. Then, you just need to connect the single side cable on the Output port on your laptop, and you are good to go.
Step 4: Connect the Two Together
Now, you have to establish a connection between the laptop and the projector. First, check to make sure that both the projector and the laptop are turned off. Then, connect the single side cable to the Output port that’s on your laptop.
Now, connect one of the cables on the adapter side to the input port on one of the projectors, and do the same with the other. Check to ensure that the cables are properly placed and that there’s nothing coming in the way. Once you are done and the setup is complete, it’s time to move ahead.
Step 5: Turn on the Devices
Now, you just need to power on both the devices until they have both booted up, and you can get started with the configuration for the display output.
Step 6: Configuring the Laptop
Last, but not least, you have to configure your laptop. Press the button that helps you view the external devices, or just write “display” in the search bar.
You will be able to see a host of settings about how to view the screen on the laptop. You can change the resolution, split the image, extend it, or make as many changes as you like.
Solving Common Projector Problems
There are quite a few issues that might arise when connecting a couple of projectors to your laptop. Learning how to fix them is important and can save you from embarrassment and problems when you are up on the big stage.
Display Toggle Issues
The display toggle is basically designed to help you choose how the images are displayed on the projector or on your laptop. For instance, when you turn on extended mode, you can view images on separate projectors once they are extended.
Then, if your laptop defaults to an extended mode, which is the common setting for most laptops, all you need to do is press the Windows and the P key. Then, you can select the appropriate display setting accordingly.
The Projector Fails to Turn Off
Then, another issue might arise where the projector refuses to switch off even after you have pressed the power button. In most cases, this problem is caused by a poorly fitted lamp inside the projector. The only course of action available to you is to take the projector to a professional and get it checked and fixed.
The Projector Doesn’t Show an Image
If you fail to see an image even after setting up everything correctly, the problem might be caused because you haven’t selected the right input sources on your projector. If the projector came with a remote, check to see if the right input source is selected on both the projectors.
Poor Quality Image
If the image quality is considerably poor on your laptop, you might want to clean the lens first. The green panel should also be cleaned to ensure the quality of the image.
If the image is blurry or if the resolution of the display is incredibly low, you might have to tinker with the settings on the computer to fix it. A misaligned computer resolution can be a big problem.
Adjust the resolution on your laptop to fix this. These are just some of the things that you should know about how to connect two projectors to one laptop to give a seamless presentation in a large room!
