Projector Samsung LSP3

Hi, mmstruck..... Lets NOT make this a Windows vs. Mac debate, shall we ?

Your iPhone and Mac should be able to use AirPlay to connect to this projector, and display video....

you could try doing a reset smc/pmu and zapping pram 3-4 times on your Late 2016 MacBook pro....here's how to do that : https://www.macworld.com/article/224955/how-to-reset-a-macs-nvram-pram-and-smc.html.... Samsung has said that the LSP3 "The Freestyle" projector uses a Micro-HDMI connector, maybe try with a USB-C(Thunderbolt 3) to micro HDMI cable *at least for your Mac* for wireless use, you'll need a Samsung account..... and there's some kind of Smart Things app for your iPhone which is required *at least on your iPhone it is* ..... you should be able to use "The Freestyle"'s remote to connect to your iPhone/Mac.....if you had a working wifi network, you could try that way..... there might also be a software update for your LSP3 projector..... see this link to do that:https://www.samsung.com/ae/support/tv-audio-video/how-to-update-your-freestyle-projector/....although Samsung doesn't always play nicely with Mac and iPhone products, occasionally it will do so..... I don't think this is an active effort on Apple's part to make it hard for Samsung to work on their stuff.... so......messing around with Setting/Displays as you have been doing (so you say) won't do you any good at all. You have to turn on AirPlay, on both your MacBook Pro Late 2016 and your iPhone 11..... make sure your mac is discovereable via Bluetooth......

anyways enough out of me on this for today

John B

<< I surmise that Apple is making it hard for competitor Samsung to work >>

... and you would not be correct. The Mac has higher standards.

The Apple standard for its built-in hardware-accelerated displays, makes them suitable for full-motion video for production/display of cinema-quality video with NO dropped frames, and NO dropouts or partial-blank scan lines due to memory under-runs or other issues.

The best results for displays of all types require high quality cables. anything less gives poorer results. Did you even try using a Mini HDMI cable?

The Mac uses a system that reminds me of “Plug and play” to determine what display is connected, and what its capabilities are.

To get a Mac display to become active, you need the Mac to query the display, and the display to answer with its name and capabilities. Otherwise, the display will not be shown as present, and no data will be sent to the display. "No signal detected" is generated by the DISPLAY, not by the Mac.