220-1101 Question 412
Single answer5.3 Given a scenario, troubleshoot video, projector, and display issues.A technician is asked to troubleshoot a conference room projector connected to a company laptop through HDMI. The projector powers on and displays its menu clearly, but when the laptop is connected, the projected image appears stretched and the edges of the Windows desktop are cut off. The laptop display looks normal. Which action should the technician take FIRST to resolve the issue?
- A
Replace the projector lamp because dim lamps commonly distort the image size
- B
Adjust the laptop's display resolution and aspect ratio settings to match the projector's native resolution
- C
Update the laptop's wireless network driver because conferencing software can affect projection scaling
- D
Clean the projector lens because dust on the lens causes the desktop to be cropped
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
This scenario points to a display configuration problem rather than a hardware failure. The key clue is that the projector's built-in menu displays correctly, which suggests the projector itself is functioning normally. When only the laptop image appears stretched and cropped, the technician should first verify the output resolution, refresh rate, and aspect ratio settings for the external display. In real-world troubleshooting and according to common display best practices, technicians should confirm the projector's native resolution and then configure the laptop to match it as closely as possible. This aligns with standard CompTIA A+ Core 1 troubleshooting objectives for video and display issues, especially problems involving incorrect resolution, image scaling, and aspect ratio mismatches.
- A. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. A failing or dim projector lamp typically causes a dark, discolored, or intermittent image, not a stretched image with overscan-like cropping. Because the projector's on-screen menu appears clear, the projector's basic optical system and lamp are working well enough to display a normal image.
- B. Correct.
This is correct. A stretched image with parts of the desktop cut off usually indicates a mismatch between the laptop's output resolution/aspect ratio and the projector's native resolution or display settings. The first step is to check and set the external display output to a compatible resolution and aspect ratio, such as the projector's native 16:9 or 4:3 mode. This is a common and appropriate first troubleshooting step for display scaling issues.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Wireless network drivers do not control HDMI video scaling or projector output formatting. Although conferencing applications can change what is displayed, they do not typically cause hardware-level stretching and cropping when the projector menu itself is normal.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. A dirty lens can make the image blurry or dim, but it does not cause the desktop to be stretched or the edges to be cut off. Since the issue is geometric scaling rather than clarity, lens cleaning would not be the first step.