Q: Philips Pico Pix PPX1020

For the last 15 days I haver been struggling to get information whether the PPX1020 projector is compatible with macs. Having downloaded the Drivers for Philips - without any support or advise - I resorted to try the product before returning it to Amazon. The only one review in Philips webside categorically stated it does not work with macs without MWARE.

For anyone interested to purchase and use this very versatile, small, and handy projector, here is what I deduced and assembled as "the Missing MacOS manual" :

The MISSING Mac Computer Manual for PPX1020 - Ignore all references in PC manual

                                                                                      (assembled from various sources by M. S. Miltiadou)

When the box arrives, just open it but do not connect USB cable to the computer at this stage.

To operate the Projector you need to do two things :

          1.- to download the Drivers from Philips and

          2.- to adjust the Displays in the System Preferences

DRIVERS :-    Just copy the link below to your browser :-

http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dcbint/cpindex.pl?slg=en&scy=gb&mid=Link_Soft ware&ctn=PPX1020/EU )

and choose from the Drivers and download “Drivers Macintosh OS X”

Alternatively download direct by copy/paste on your browser:  ppx1020_eu_dmx_eng.hqx 

It will be downloaded as “PicoPix Viewer.pkg”

          Once it has been downloaded, double click to unzip the package and install

          the "PicoPix Viewer" to the Applications or desktop of the computer.

On completion of the installation the computer will ask to be "Restarted"

          After restart,  double click on the "PicoPix Viewer" application.

          It will ask for the projector to be connected.

          Connect both USBs to the computer and the mini USB to the projector.

The projector at this stage may only show image of the computer screensaver.

****          DO NOT PANIC you are nearly there   ****

DISPLAYS  adjustment:- Open the "System Preferences" and click on "Displays"

          (as indicated, but ignoring the cabling description in

          “http://www.ncsu.edu/classtech/ training/mac-external-display.pdf” )

Click the box "Show displays in menu bar"

Click "Detect Displays"

When the “Displays” icon appears in the menu bar of your desktop, pull down the menu and click on "Detect Displays" and then click on "Turn mirroring on".

This will set automatically the screen/viewer resolutions.

The projector will now be mirroring - on the wall or other screen - whatever file, picture, film or document you are showing on the desktop.

That's it folks, problem solved the “PicoPix 1020 is COMPATIBLE “ with :-

          iMacs with MacOS 10.6 or later (current desktop models)

          MacMinis with 10.6,

          13"MacBooks with (2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) and OS 10.6

          & although not tested at this stage any

          Mac with 2No USBs and with MacOS 10.6 or later

Observation when running the programme:

If the computer goes into screen saver or sleep mode, the projector reverts to the idle state and only  projects the “PHILIPS” name.

2. For long periods of use the screen saver timing might have to be temporarily adjusted

3. To restart the process touch any key to activate the computer and then click on the Viewer icon.

4. If the PicoPix Viewer is in the applications folder drag its icon to the “Dock” for easy access.

          Next time you click on the viewer it will be ready to go

                                        GOOD LUCK