Tool Bar on Projector Screen

[lightman]

Occasionally, I see the windows toolbar at the bottom of the second screen (Projected image on screen at theater).

I am running an ASUS i7 Quad Core laptop with NVIDIA GEFORCE video card, 64 bit Win 8 as a backup computer to the main show computer. The main show computer went down the other night and upon switching over to the laptop, I noticed the toolbar at bottom of projected screen on stage.

Our Set Up: We are running a Dell Desktop as main show computer (i7 quad core with high end video board, 64 bit, with Win . Projected image on screen does not have the windows tool bar from Dell. The ASUS laptop is backup computer. Both computers feed a video switcher that then feeds the EIKI projector through HDMI extender (cat5 dual twisted pair lines). Both computers are up and operational with SCS invoked on both. The techie ensures both are being cued as show progresses so if an error occurs, they can switch over to the other computer.

Could it be that the backup laptop never sees the projector until the video switcher is thrown. Since SCS is already up on the laptop, it confuses the driver and it shows the extended display with windows toolbar? Does Windows 8 require access to projecter at time of invoking SCS?

Last night the show was run off Laptop as main show computer with Dell as backup... and the tool bar was gone! Never switched videos to Dell to see if it had toolbar.

Any suggestions on how to disable toolbar on second monitor permanently?

Regards,
Lightman (Brian)

[Mike Daniell]

Does Windows 8 require access to projecter at time of invoking SCS?

The other way around. SCS checks the number, positions and sizes of connected monitors when the program is started, so connecting a projector or other secondary screen after starting SCS will not be detected until SCS is next started.

You shouldn't see the Windows task bar on your secondary screen if this is set up as an extension of the Windows desktop. However, there is apparently software available to do this (checked using Google), so may be there is some software installed on the machine which is invoking this.

[lightman]

Mike,

Thanks for quick response.

If I understand correctly, I should make sure each computer is switched through to the Eiki projector upon start up of each SCS. That way both computers will be initialized correctly.

I agree with you on the toolbar...SCS has been very reliable in not showing the toolbar with the Dell. It is only recently the theater started using the backup laptop and there may be some intermittent setting causing it to occasionally display it. I will check on Monday to ensure "extended display" is selected or if some other background task is overriding it.

We also have noticed "stairstep fades" occasionally on the laptop, whereas the Dell has smooth ramp fades all the time. Possibly it may be related to incorrectly identified display due to switcher. The Dell is systemically turned on first and always has priority through switcher to projector. Laptop is always second...with no access to projector upon startup of SCS.

Regards,
Brian

[Eric Snodgrass]

You need to turn off most, if not all, programs running in the background of the laptop and turn off the laptop's wifi card. All of those programs that run in the background steal resources from your computer processor and memory, thus slowing down the computer. That's why your fades are not smooth on the laptop. Video playback in programs such as SCS require more of your computer resources to do the job well. Once you've turned off the programs running in the background (including automatic updating for any program) then the laptop should be useful for video playback.
I've used laptops exclusively for SCS playback for a few years now and they've run just fine doing both audio and video playback.

[lightman]

I finished upgrading Win 8 with latest updates on both Dell and ASUS laptop. Then uninstalled McAfee antivirus. We are now using Windows Defender for anti virus protection...but disable it for show time. WiFi is also disabled for show time....as well as during off hours.

I then upgraded latest SCS 11.2.5 on both machines. All is up and running...faster and smoother. Fades on videos are smooth.

Regarding the task bar on laptop projected screen, we can get it to pop up by invoking any other app on main screen desktop...including left clicking on main screen desktop taskbar.

The Dell does not have this problem...no matter what we click, the projected screen is clean from task bar popping up. We can't get it to appear.

As temporary solution on laptop, we are right clicking task bar, properties, click on hide task bar. There is a fine white line on projected screen...but not as bad as whole task bar image.

What else could be causing it on one computer and not the other? Laptop and Dell are stripped down to bare bones.

Regards,
Brian

[Eric Snodgrass]

On the laptop, in Control Panel>Display>Connect to a Projector, make sure the Extend option has been chosen.
As for the white line on the projected image, check the resolution of the projector and make sure the laptop resolution for that projector is set correctly. To do this easily you should hook up the projector to the laptop and go to Control Panel>Display>Screen Resolution. There you can check the resolution settings for both displays. Sometimes, in order to get the correct resolution for the projected image it is necessary to make the laptop's screen resolution incorrect (but that is typically when Duplicating the PC display).
Also, see if there are any graphics driver updates for the laptop (usually these come up in Windows Update).

[lightman]

Thanks Eric for the advice.

Yes, we are using extended screen on laptop. Resolution has been matched using duplicate screen. Both computers are set up this way.

Video drivers are updated on laptop....just performed upgrade yet tool bar still pops up on second screen.

Still looking for what is different...other than different computer mother boards...and video cards.

Regards,
Brian

[Mike Daniell]

Brian,

Just found this on YouTube: How to Disable the Taskbar on a Secondary Monitor (for Windows 8).

hth.

[lightman]

Brian,

Just found this on YouTube: How to Disable the Taskbar on a Secondary Monitor (for Windows 8).

hth.

Thanks Mike! This looks like it will for the trick. Sounds like Win 8 added this capability and that's why I never saw this issue on Win 7 or XP.

Funny thing is, I did go to task bar properties and used the upper selections to "Hide Task bar" which applies to main desktop too. However, I didn't bother to look lower and see the secondary display options.

I will try this on Thursday for next show and report back results. I will also investigate the Dell settings and see what may be different.

Regards,
Brian

[lightman]

Quick update on Toolbar issue:

Looks like it is solved! Both Dell and Laptop computers do not show the toolbar on second screen...for last 5 shows!

Techs performed "disable" on laptop as shown in prior post video. Note: Dell never showed this issue...only laptop.

Show has been run 3 times with Dell desktop as show computer (laptop back up) and 2 times with ASUS laptop as show computer (Dell as backup). All ran great.

Thanks again for all the help...
Lightman (Brian)