How to Setup a Wireless High Definition Confidence Monitor on Your Pulpit
In many churches you'll find a monitor facing the speaker. This allows the speaker or song leader to see what the congregation is viewing on the main projector(s). We found a way to make this a wireless and portable process by switching our HDTV Monitor with an iPad that sits on the pulpit.
What you'll need
- A computer capable of running PowerPoints and a streaming software. (Mac or Windows, and probably Linux)
- An iPad or Android Tablet (9+ inches are best, 7 inch is a little small but may work for the young-en's out there)
- Splashtop Desktop Streamer
- WiFi network in your building
How to set it up
Splashtop streamer is a desktop app that allows you to control your computer from a remote application. Install it on your computer running your songs and PowerPoint slides. This is very easy and the installer walks you through the process. There is a help page with more information and guides.
In theory you could use almost any remote desktop app. I happen to use Splashtop because it is reliable and has some great options like showing arrow keys, so the presenter can navigate through their own slides.
After you get your Tablet connected to the WiFi in your building and the streamer app installed, you will be able to see your powerpoint computers in the list of available connections. Your tablet will now be able to see anything on the computer.
Our PowerPoint computer has an external monitor that show exactly what the projector is displaying. In the Splashtop app you can choose which monitor you want to display. Choose the secondary display and the monitor is ready.
Attach the Tablet to the pulpit with a strip of velcro or get a case that will keep it in place. You could get fancy and buy some kind of a mount.
How to use
Simply clicking on the Tablet screen acts as if you clicked in that exact spot on the PowerPoint computer. If you are running in presenter mode in PowerPoint then you can click the big arrows in the monitor to jump between slides.