Review Epson Powerlite 1776W projector Part 1

Epson Powerlite 1776W projector–a mere 3.8 lbs, almost half the weight of my MacBook Pro.

My Epson Powerlite 1776W Projector finally arrived.

I purchased it through Amazon but the vendor/seller is OnSale.com.

I also bought the Epson Duet 80 inch Dual Aspect Ratio Projection Screen.

To be of any use, most reviewers ought to give some background, so this is what you should know.

Except for the CD which contains a pdf of the owners manual, what you see above is what’s in the box. The soft carry case holds everything nicely.

Background

I have a 17″ MacBook Pro running Mountain Lion or 10.8.1.

I teach photography part time. When I am at a college, their ceiling mounted projectors are often so unusable that I find myself very frustrated having to tweak images one-at-a-time whether it is for critiques or to demonstrate image manipulations.

So if I have to lug a projector along with my 6.8 lb MacBook Pro, any extra weight is definitely a consideration.

The projector is light.

It weighs only 3.8 lbs.

First Time Setup

Epson’s printed instructions for setup is adequate but that’s because I consider myself fairly knowledgeable having used projectors in the past.

To those unfamiliar with projectors, I think they could have used more help.

Foremost on the very top of their printed Quick Start Guide, Epson should say:

“Head to Epson’s website and download the latest version of their support software USB Display v1.50 and EasyMP Network Projection v2.80 that matches the operating system of your laptop.”

If I had not been reading reviews on Amazon and researching this projector, I would have installed those two support software from the included CD and I’m sure there would have been hours of frustration.

If you’re using the same operating system, 10.8 (Mountain Lion) like I am , go directly to their Mac OS 10.8 download page .

The back of the 1776W Epson projector. Enough ports for just about any type of video source including one not shown, connection via the Wireless or Wi-Fi.
The provided USB-Type B cable for connection makes it easier and faster instead of having to mess with screws on the traditional VGA connectors.

The 1776 w has as many as 6 video inputs sources:

  1. RCA
  2. VGA
  3. USB Type A
  4. USB Type B
  5. HDMI
  6. WiFi or wireless

Their support software the Epson’s USB Display v1.50, as the name implies, makes connecting to your computer much easier and faster via USB Type B cable.

The downside is that every computer you want to connect this way will require you to install the driver.

To project images without a computer connected, if you’re carrying images on a flash drive, you just use the other USB port the Type A.

Then either with the included remote or the button on the top of the projector, choose Source Search and choose that USB option.

There is a built-in slideshow viewer or you can use the regular arrows button for forward and reverse.

This USB-Type A port is also the one to use for connecting digital cameras

Next: First Impressions

Peter Phun Photography

Promote Your Page Too