Does The Surface Pro Have The Same Resolution Limitations With A Projector That The Surface Rt Has?

[RMansfield]

I was reviewing this discussion we had a few months ago. Now that I have a Surface Pro, I wonder if anyone can tell me whether the same resolution restrictions apply when connecting to a projector?

 

[schoondoggy]

Not the same issues, but there are things you need to be aware you.

The maximum resolution from the mini displayport is 2560x1440. The adapters you use on that port will have other limits.

Mini Displayport to HDMI or VGA currently go up to 1920x1080, but that is a limit of the adapter.  

I don't have a Surface Pro, but I needed the same adapters for my Dell ultrabook;

If you have not bought adapters yet, Microcenter has very good ones;

http://www.microcenter.com/product/369677/Mini_DisplayPort_Male_to_VGA_Female_Adapter

http://www.microcenter.com/product/369678/Mini_DisplayPort_Male_to_DVI_Female_Adapter

They seem to be out of the Inland HDMI adapter.

[RMansfield]

My concern wasn't so much with maximum resolution, but minimum resolution. The RT did not seem to play well with projectors that had resolutions less than 1366 x 768 (if I remember correctly). The problem with this is that most projectors that are in places where you want to just go and plug in still have maximum resolutions of 1024 x 768. And occasionally, I still come across projectors that are still using 800 x 600, although these are gradually dying out (thankfully).

 

A few months back, I tried to teach from a projector with a maximum resolution of 1024 x 768 using the Surface RT, and it initially mirrored, but the image was choppy whenever there was movement--even something as simple as moving the tiles on the start screen. And then in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation, the machine jumped to an image of my desktop wallpaper and froze. I didn't anticipate having any problems like that, and so in investigating the issue afterwards, I discovered the minimum resolution limitation with the RT.

 

Therefore, since I have now replaced my RT with a Pro, I was curious to know if the same minimum resolution issues exist. It may be that I just need to go experiment with a couple of places that have 1024 x 768 projectors that I can access.

 

And I don't know if the issue is a hardware or software limitation. If it's the latter, perhaps tied to the fact that Windows 8 on a tablet is not supposed to have a resolution lower than 1366 x 768, will Windows 8.1--which will run on smaller tablets--fix the problem?

[RMansfield]

In regard to adapters for use with projectors, I had not thought about the fact that since the Surface Pro has a mini displayport (which the RT did not have), I wonder if the adapters I already have for my MacBook Pro (which are mini displayport based) will work just fine?

 

Has anyone tried using MacBook Pro adapters with the Surface Pro?

[schoondoggy]

Your Mac adapters should work fine. I had to go to the Apple area at MicroCenter to get the ones listed above.

The minimum resolution issues with the RT were hardware related.

I think the minimum resolution you will run into with the Pro is a Windows 8 minimum, which I think is 1024x768;

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/03/21/scaling-to-different-screens.aspx

You will still need to play with cloning or extending your desktop to see what will work best when connected to a projector.

[ikon]

Since it's possible to set the SP's own screen to 1024x768, I would think it would work with a projector just fine.

[RMansfield]

I've tested Apple's mini displayport VGA adapter with the Surface Pro and an external Acer monitor, and it works just great. So, I assume it will work with a projector that will at least project 1024 x 768. That's nice not having to buy new adapters. I bought both the VGA and HDMI adapters that Microsoft makes when I had my Surface RT, and I really wasn't able to use them because of the resolution issue. 

 

I was able to extend the desktop in my test to the Acer monitor, which is what I'd want to do if I were teaching with a projector, so that my notes would remain on the screen of the Surface.

[ikon]

That's good news. Not sure if you use PowerPoint but, if you do, just a reminder that it has a built in Presenter Mode. You probably already know that, but just thought I'd mention it.

[RMansfield]

Yes, I couldn't live without it :-)

[ikon]

Cool. It's always awkward post things like that; it's often preaching to the choir (yes, pun intended  )