Configuring your PC

This page contains instructions for making changes to several system settings that we recommend all users configure your presentation system. These instructions are based on Windows 8.1; there may be some variations for other versions of Windows, but these steps should give you a good idea of what to look for and change on your computer.

Display Settings

Windows has a couple different ways to configure displays. The simplest way is to hold the Windows-logo key and tap the ‘P’ key. This will open a window on the right-side of your screen with four different choices. You want to select Extend.

You can also right-click on your desktop and select Screen Resolution to access the more detailed display setup menu.

In Windows 10, click on Advanced display setting at the bottom of the window that first opens. You can adjust the Multiple Display option and the resolution for each display on the second window.

In Windows 8 you can adjust these settings on the first screen that opens.

DVD settings

The first thing to do is verify that your computer is capable of playing DVDs. Windows 8.1 requires an add-on from Microsoft and Windows 10 does not have a native DVD player. This also affects ProPresenter. If you have to use a third-party DVD player like VLC or another program, you may not be able to use DVDs in ProPresenter.

You can turn off Windows’ auto play settings by searching for AutoPlay from the Start screen in Windows 8 or from the search box in Windows 10. Locate the DVD settings and disable AutoPlay. This will prevent ProPresenter and your computer from conflicting with each other when trying to use a DVD.

Desktop Background

In Windows 8, right-click on your desktop and select Personalize. Choose the Desktop Background option at the bottom of the window. Change the Picture Location menu to Solid Color and select black.

In Windows 10, right-click on the desktop and select Personalize. You can change your background color on the first screen that opens.

Screen Saver

You will want to disable the screen saver to prevent it from turning on.

In Windows 8 you can access the screen saver settings by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting Personalize. Select Screen Saver at the bottom of the screen. Choose (None) from the list to turn off the screen saver.

In Windows 10, search for “Screen Saver” and select Turn screen saver on or off. Choose (None) from the list to turn off the screen saver.

Power Options

Search for Power Options. On the window the opens, select Choose when to turn the display off and adjust the settings to prevent screen and your computer from going to sleep.