[trustno2]

It seems like getting projectors to run is really the hardest problem in computer science.

[jimbokun]

I've been in Computer Science graduate courses and lectures in one of the top programs in the US where it seemed like every week the first 5 to 10 minutes was spent trying to get the projector to work with the lecturers laptop.

[zikduruqe]

What amazes me on conference calls is how no one can explain audio issues. Really, really smart people on a call that can explain registers, cryptography, kernel tuning.

Sounds like you are having network issues/bit errors? You are breaking up.

Sounds like your bluetooth is having issues? You are breaking up.

Sounds like they are mobile, and in a weak service area? You are breaking up.

[mlyle]

I just have a ChromeCast in each room that I lecture in. Easy to bounce a tab over to the big screen, and it turns on the TV/projector. It also helps prevent notification or other screen sharing related mishaps.

My biggest complaints about this approach are that I can't easily see speaker notes (I have a fiddly workaround that I can use if I need it, but it would be nice if Google Slides would support the ChromeCast use case a little better..) and that the TVs/projectors tend to screw around for 10-15 seconds before automatically choosing the right source.

[Maken]

Harder than getting printers to print?

[eka1]

Typically, you aren't trying to print in front of a large audience

[trustno2]

Hey that's what we get CUPS auto-discovery for.

[high_na_euv]

It is unreal how tech as mature as printers is so fucking unreliable

[mschuster91]

At least printers give you some sort of error message.

EDID negotiation or signal integrity issues in HDMI, good luck diagnosing actual causes without highly specialized (and expensive...) equipment.

[troupo]

I used to joke it was ironic how people in management would always have their presentations up and running almost immediately while programmers seemed to always struggle with projectors.

These days however nothing seems to work for anyone.

[RcouF1uZ4gsC]

Management is typically running a stock Windows Dell/HP/Lenovo or a Mac.

Programmers are running some custom Linux distro with a custom window manager and other customizations.

[AndyMcConachie]

I once helped Andrew Tannenbaum get his laptop to work with the projector in the room. His presentation was only slightly delayed because of it, but the irony ...

[thefaux]

This feels like such a fixable problem. Presenters should be required to show up early and test the av or send the conference their slides in advance.

[ryandrake]

The burden shouldn't be on users. Why are computer manufacturers putting out a hardware/OS combination that can't work reliably with an external display? Don't they even test this common use case?

Even my Mac (which, to Apple's credit, does work 100% reliably with projectors) still struggles when I plug in multiple external monitors, blanking the screen, turning on one external display, blanking them both, turning on the other one, and so on. This is a manufacturer who normally accepts only a smooth, polished user experience, and they still can't get it perfect. What chance do Lenovo or similar garbage-tier plastic box manufacturers have of getting it right?

[rqtwteye]

Right after getting the screen layout right when you move between home office and work office :-)

[a1o]

Seriously should be possible to save those in a layouts pane to force adjust the monitors

[strunz]

Say what you want about Apple but I've never had a problem printing or connecting a monitor/project (as long as I have the correct dongle :P )

[netsharc]

Meanwhile, "this scratchy audio is fine!".

I guess it's something one can throw AI at. It probably doesn't need GPUs, just some audio filters.

[jdboyd]

I've had good luck slapping an Extron IN-1606 in front of a projector to make all the compatibility problems go away.

[mbonnet]

A/V is the final frontier, not P ?= NP