A couple of follow up notes on working in courtrooms that provide some display equipment: The presence of equipment does not eliminate the need for some of your own gear. Below I address a few issues that commonly come up in tech enabled courtrooms:
How to hide your display from the Jury while finding what you need:
We have discussed the efficiencies created when you have a court provided system but the downside is that you often can’t control the projector so whatever is on your screen is on the courtroom screen. While you can “hide” your screen by unplugging and plugging in the cable from your laptop to the projector or monitor, that can be cumbersome, can take a few seconds for your computer to adjust and creates the risk dropping your PC from the podium which are not usually a great laptop workspace.
One option is controlling the display through your hot keys. According to Windows if you hit the Windows + P key, you will get the multiple monitor menu. You can select the PC Screen Only option to disable the external display. Windows + P again to enable the external display.
One downside that the hot key option has is that when you plug the HDMI cable in, the system automatically enables the external display so your screen will popup before you can hit the Windows + P key and shut it off.
A simpler, almost analog solution, can be cheaply had through Amazon or other websites. For my recent case I employed a very inexpensive Dotson HDMI switch that I purchased from Amazon for $8.29 (this little device has many uses as I describe below and in the next blog). This switch was powered through the HDMI (no power wires or plugs) and allows you to turn on and off your display from the court system with a simple press of the button.
Switching between input sources: In a recent trial where the court had provided the projector, they also only had one HDMI cable that was located at the podium. The switch worked very well for allowing me to run a “permanent” connection to my work station while having a second cable that opposing counsel could plug into when he needed to access the system. The transition from my display to theirs only took the press of a button.
The device became very handy for opposing counsel when he realized that he could switch back to my black display while he was hunting around for the next document on his laptop.
Dealing with short, fixed cables: Providing screens and connections are great but it often feels like that those who designed the courtroom tech never actually use it. In a number of court houses they have run connections to counsel tables in addition to the podium. Very often these cables are too short to allow staff to run the display computer from their own table or too short to allow counsel to pull their laptop up to the podium. Trying to get 2 male cables to work together can be a trick.
Not a huge issue if you plan ahead. They make simple female-female pass through plugs but I have had trouble with those in the past. The HDMI switch mentioned above also can serve as an HDMI extender so you can attach your own cable to the court’s cable and give yourself the flexibility and reach that you need.
If I appear to be a big fan of these little combo switches/splitters it is because I am. They are invaluable when attempting to set up a courtroom (the 4 x 1 splitters are cool too but more on that in the next installment). Note: a video Switch is a device that takes multiple inputs and allows you to choose which signal to output. A video splitter is a device that takes a single input and amplifies it to multiple display devices such as projectors and monitors (a simple Y cable often won’t work as the split signal is not sufficient to create the display). A typical courtroom setup requires both. This Dotson HDMI device does switch and splitter duties.
Gaffer Tape: While many of us continue to hope the wireless display technology will, someday, live up to its potential, until that happens we are all stuck running cable from the podium, to the projector, to screens for the judge, the witness and counsel. This means potentially a hundred feet or more of wires on the floor of the courtroom. Some of it in high traffic areas.
The best way to secure the wires to the floor (and not stain or damage the floor) is through the use of Gaffer Tape. A Gaffer is the electrician on a movie set and Gaffer Tape was developed to meet their needs for a super adhesive and tough tape that can be removed without a trace.
Through Amazon or a bunch of different sites, Gaffer Tape is easy to get and reasonably priced. Do create a tripping hazard or risk damaging a carpet with duct tape, get the right tool for the job.
I do have a few more tips but they will have to wait until the next installment of trial tech fun.