Projector Quick Set-Up Guide: For details, refer to the link at the bottom of this page.

Distance: The optimal distance for a LCD projector is eight feet from the screen. At this distance, the projected image will have the capability to re-size images from a five to ten foot width.

Still Images and Text: Different media formats may require specific hardware and/or software.  Current computers with Web browser software such as Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari have the capacity to display text and images. Occasionally, the format of text, images or pictures will be distorted and make reading or viewing difficult.

Font Size: Font size can be an issue, because sizes used on common word processed documents or Web pages will not project large enough to be read from a distance. The presenter should enlarge the font size in order to make text readable for the audience.

• Using a Web browser, such as Internet Explorer, click View and then Text Size. Using the print preview option, to make a window larger, will provide the added width to make a resource usable.
• Using a print preview option if available, to make window larger, will provide the added width to make a resource usable.
  
• When using productivity software such as AppleWorks, the presenter will find that changing the zoom to a higher percent will improve legibility. Changing the font size to a slightly larger size will also help.

Audio and Video: When presenting audio and video, it is important to ensure that the audience can see and/or hear the content clearly. A valuable resource is useless if poorly presented. Problems may occur due to the quality of files or the quality of the hardware delivering the files.

In order to present audio in any format - a CD, a saved file, or streamed from the Web - speakers are necessary. Projectors have speakers; however, they are not designed to project to a large audience or class. Your students must hear your content to learn from it. Computer speakers, sometimes called extension speakers, connect to your computer's line out or headphone jack. Computer speakers have an amplifier that increases the volume and improves sound quality. Speakers can be purchased from any computer store for under $50.

Audio and video can be delivered to an audience using several different formats: CD, DVD, saved files on one's computer, or streamed from the Web. A streamed file is one that is downloaded and played via the Internet before the file is completely downloaded to the computer. Audio and video files/resources are similar in that they generally require a "player" of some sort in order to hear/view the file. A player is a piece of software that reads the files, like an old-fashioned cassette, CD, or DVD player. The user may not be aware that the player is being utilized. Players have buttons similar to play, stop, rewind, and fast forward such as are found on conventional media players.
Three common players include:

• RealPlayer
• Window's Media Player
• QuickTime Media Player