Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room
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I’m looking to replace an InFocus projector in our main conference room. The projector only has VGA inputs. When the projector was installed years ago, we had a low voltage contractor run a VGA wire to the conference room floor to allow anyone to easily display a PowerPoint, word, or excel document from their laptop. We are now running into issues with guests that have laptops with no VGA output. We have a small mobile projector we use temporarily in that case. Ultimately, I think we need to replace the InFocus projector in the celling. I’ve tried using different HDMI/DP to VGA adapters to the projector and never got them to work. The screen just randomly stops working after a few minutes, and goes through a loop of working, not working. I need to keep the presentation setup easy for employees and guests to do presentations. I’m aware there are wireless units and even wireless VGA that are out there in the market. However, most units require installing an app to work with the wireless presentation unit. My thought was to replace the VGA only InFocus projector in the ceiling and have a new HDMI wire run to the conference room floor to stick with the KISS method. There is always an adapter for HDMI. Is there anything I’m missing?
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Assuming you want to remove the wire, why not just run HDMI or HDMI over Ethernet to the projector by cutting the ends off of the existing cable and taping a new cable to it?
Pull it through and up and then you'd be good to use pretty much anything from this last decade going forward.
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@DustinB3403 said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
cutting the ends off of the existing cable and taping a new cable to it?
Pull it through and up and then you'd be good to use pretty much anything from this last decade going forward.
Wow, the assumptions.... Generally not going to work in most places. The odds of being able to pull something are low. I've done too much construction work over the years not to know how it all works in reality.
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@JaredBusch said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
@DustinB3403 said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
cutting the ends off of the existing cable and taping a new cable to it?
Pull it through and up and then you'd be good to use pretty much anything from this last decade going forward.
Wow, the assumptions.... Generally not going to work in most places. The odds of being able to pull something are low. I've done too much construction work over the years not to know how it all works in reality.
The assumption that if you are paying someone to do a job, that they'd A) leave a pull string and B) Install said cable in a way that would allow it to be removed.
Yeah those are some big assumptions. . .
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You are correct that your best choice is a projector with HDMI. Wireless jsut sucks. the dedicated apps do not work on all platforms and are often laggy.
Buy the projector and test it out. Then have it wired. If the projector has VGA still, leave the old cable if possible. It never hurts to have options.
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@DustinB3403 said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
@JaredBusch said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
@DustinB3403 said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
cutting the ends off of the existing cable and taping a new cable to it?
Pull it through and up and then you'd be good to use pretty much anything from this last decade going forward.
Wow, the assumptions.... Generally not going to work in most places. The odds of being able to pull something are low. I've done too much construction work over the years not to know how it all works in reality.
The assumption that if you are paying someone to do a job, that they'd A) leave a pull string and B) Install said cable in a way that would allow it to be removed.
Yeah those are some big assumptions. . .
I spent 7 years in an industry where part of my job was pulling cable. I know quite well how things work.
Pull strings are way less useful than you think.
Installing cable in a way that it can be removed also means it is unsecured. That is against code in most jurisdictions. The only realistic way for that to happen is for it to be in pipe. That is expensive. No one puts anything (of any voltage) in pipe unless required by code or other specific need. -
If it should be easy you should considering having a computer permanently hooked up to the projector. People always have problems with their laptops getting the external display to work. Putting the files on a USB and run it where it always works might save some time and frustration. Also a good idea if you use wireless presentation devices like laser pointers since you can also have that permanently hooked up.
Other than that hdmi is a good bet as most projectors are 1080p. Which brings me to the next point. Older projectors that only had VGA were often 4:3 displays but everything now is 16:9. So if you have a screen you might have to replace it.
Which brings me to the next point. Unless you carefully pick your projector you might have to move it. Many are short-throw and projector have to be mounted close while others have a normal throw and have to be further away.
If the room is small I would consider getting a large LCD-TV or signage monitor instead.
Also if you projector isn't that old you might have a DVI input on it. You can hook up that to HDMI with just a different connector. DVI is electrically the same thing as hdmi, just another connector. Very different from other type of adapters. https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-HDMI-DVI-D-Adapter-2-Pack/dp/B06WVSLSP3
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@JaredBusch there are fasteners and I'm having a hell of a time finding them online that are stainless steel, fasten to the steel beam or header that are looped and almost closed.
These are perfectly viable and pass code here in NY.
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@DustinB3403 said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
@JaredBusch there are fasteners and I'm having a hell of a time finding them online that are stainless steel, fasten to the steel beam or header that are looped and almost closed.
These are perfectly viable and pass code here in NY.
I know what you are talking about and they are perfectly good devices. But code in many places requires the wires in the loops to be secured every so many feet.
Does that mean that most people know the code? No, because most after the fact low voltage is done by bob from the warehouse or shit like that.
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@JaredBusch said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
No, because most after the fact low voltage is done by bob from the warehouse or shit like that.
Bob doing something illegal is not a point that we have to consider a truth here. All we know is
@magicmarker said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
we had a low voltage contractor run a VGA wire to the conference room floor to allow anyone to easily display a PowerPoint, word, or excel document from their laptop.
This doesn't mean the low voltage contractor was Bob, and was done illegally or not to code in the area.
And what low voltage laws exist in your area that the cable needs to be fastened to the fasteners? That is insane!
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@DustinB3403 said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
This doesn't mean the low voltage contractor was Bob, and was done illegally or not to code in the area.
Who said anything about illegal? There is nothing illegal about having Bob in the warehouse to the work in most jurisdictions. As long as code is followed.
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@JaredBusch said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
You are correct that your best choice is a projector with HDMI. Wireless jsut sucks. the dedicated apps do not work on all platforms and are often laggy.
Buy the projector and test it out. Then have it wired. If the projector has VGA still, leave the old cable if possible. It never hurts to have options.
@JaredBusch Thank you. This is the response I was looking for. The projector has no DVI input so I will just replace the projector, keep the VGA cable and run a new HDMI to the projector.
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@DustinB3403 said in Replacing a VGA projector in the main conference room:
And what low voltage laws exist in your area that the cable needs to be fastened to the fasteners? That is insane!
Not particularly, insane.
Bridle rings and j hooks are common means of support. But without securing wiring in them, to prevent puling too taught, you can very easily pull drop tile wires causing ceiling issues.
The NEC (National Electrical Code) does not have any specific rules on this, more than what I said in the above sentence, but some local ordinances do go beyond the NEC rules. This is quite common.
