EDID & Windows Laptops

[judge]

Need to sort a few new laptops for an AV client that are to used exclusively as show laptops (PowerPoints outputting to external displays etc.).

Now as I understand it these things get 'crash switched' and signal gets recieved from the display which tells the laptop their is a device their (EDID?) and all is well, except under Vista this doesn't work and it requires an EDID emulator but XP workd fine (apparantly ) - anyone know about Windoze 7 or if there is a workaround this issue with Vista that doesn't require buying a £200 emulator?

 

[Loiq]

it's the old apple problem

the cable tells the laptop what the optinmum resolution is or can be of the display device and then switches to it automatically.

Apples did this in years gone by a bloody pain to be honest.... but have seen the light and now give the use the option...

it's also now been improved to stop or make copy right theft harder (not that I know anything about that) some devices are now so clever they'll come up in an options panel... bit like saying "hello it's me! I'm a samsung LCD device" clever but for exhibition, events or conferences a complete nightmare....

the switcher we use has a sync strippers and has a SPG (sync pulse generator built in) or time base correction and so has no need for all the pins in a VGA, DVI-I or DVI-A connector and so sends no signal back to the Laptop hence it's hard to get an output from it, with apples we use to have to take a multisync monitor the switch happened as the monitor was connected then we'd disconect the cable reconnect the display device jobs sweet....

I would recommend business XP lots of companies still use unless they're in the media industry have it with MS office pro 2007 for latest functionality. Or a Mac... running OSx 10.4? or whatever fancy name they've got got it with office 2007 for mac's on it.

Vista and W7 seem okay we've used use them but these machine where spec'ced by clients and had heaps of RAM and very fast external hard drives.

hope that's some sort of help from the perspective of using the kit at shows, events and exhibitions.

We buy HP's good build quality or should I say it's atleast consistent... not like Dell's

 

[Fanum]

I have absolutely no idea what the fekk either of you are talking about









I'm impressed though

 

[Loiq]

all I'm saying in simple terms all computers are shit especially the clever ones...

 

[judge]

Diggin around it seems that users with XP lappies don't have a problem when crash switching but Veestas are problematic - I had no idea whether this is an OS level issue of lappie manufacturer issue and no one else seems to either

All I know is to overcome the issues these have been used but at £200 a pop it ain't cheap (or at least isn't cheap if an XP lappie doesn't need one but a Veesta one does).

Its no drama getting 'downgraded' XP Pro SP3 machines for me but you know these technology companies they like shiny and new

So 3 XP Pro lappies and no EDID emulators it is

 

[ianf]

First interesting computer post in ages...

I googled up this for about £60 that samples and replays the edid data for this sort of problem...

http://shopping.caretek.ca/ssproduct.asp?pf_id=1012509785

Ideally though you sort of want a software version that can record potential connected devices, and then force the video card to do as you direct.

There was switchresx for the mac I ran into a while ago that does that (bug requiring it now fixed). Not sure of the windows 7/vista equivalent.

 

[Loiq]

£200 my R's

I've got a trade account with Kramer... there is a way to terminate the signal but I'd have to test that still works we built them for Mac's in the old days all it does is send a signal back into the machine to say it's a 21inch montior.

I might have one still kicking about some place....

 

[Loiq]

found a plug will have a look inside...

 

[Loiq]

picture show a couple of terminator plugs these will switch the output from Mac's an PC which had auto outpu detection, some of the VGA connector we even had to break the pins out to stop all the functionality that someof the IBM machines had.

These are older version for Mac's and PC they send a voltage back up the line to the laptop and this makes the laptop think it's connected to a Multisync monitor or act as terminators for signals by boosting the return voltage

the principal of EDID is similar but abit more sofisticated cos it's to stop people ripping movies off....I'm sure there's a work around but the only snag in 1997-2001 we had a little bloke in our office. Who did all our R+D obviously after 9-11, I did the decent thing and made him redundant cos we had no work for over 18 months and I was going to loose my house actually I made them all redundant....

I've not spoken to him since.... I think the last words he told me was "Your some sort of *unt you are!"

Guess he was right or entitled to his opinion... anyway if you had to information as to the exact device they're hooking up to I can copy the info to an eprom and make a plug that'll work like these.

Or if you'd like I ask Kramer what the trade costs are those interfaces.

 

[Loiq]

here you go

VA-1 Kramer emulator thing retails at £100+ VAT plus shipping

trade discount you can have 20% plus postage, cheque with order are our normal terms they've got 5 on the shelf.

it might be an idea to buy the cables from the same source as it's a little known fact the copper string that holds it altogether is a vital key in the signal chain....

I spoke with the technical dude up there he said "Yes you could work your way round the pins in the plug but it'll take more time than you've left on earth!" did not sound encouraging... but this box should take care of the problems and be future proof for the next 20 minutes anyway...

http://www.kramerelectronics.co.uk/products/model.asp?pid=730#t

 

[judge]

Excellent research my man

Now if the client could just stop his euro roadshow and move this forward I might be able to reach a conclusion

owed

 

[Loiq]

If they want an event/ exhibition company to pitch for any of the stuff they are doing we're the business plus we pay ongoing commission on projects. Between 15% to 20% of net, we've currently got a road show out in Europe total budget 40K and our consultant who found the job looks like he might be getting a 3K cheque when they pay up for helping us into the clients offices. Plus any work that ever comes from them he gets a repeat fee.

any help drop me a PM all things considered no fee too large or job too small....