August 26, 2014 at 09:26Epson Projector Networking Features
In the model range of Epson projectors there are both models with support for network operation, and without. In this post we will tell you what advantages projectors with network functionality have and how to actually work with them over the network.
We list the main advantages of projectors with network support:
To connect the projector to a network, a wired connection is used either over a local area network (projectors, respectively, are equipped with an RJ-45 connector), or using a wireless module. The latter can be supplied, or simply supported by the projector, but purchased separately.
All network functionality of Epson projectors is implemented through special applications. For example, the following applications are available for download on the Epson support site for network projectors:
In addition, there is an Epson iProjection mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.
Consider the above applications in more detail.
With a PC, everything is simple. For computers running Windows and OS X, two applications are available for projection over a network (applications come with the projector or can be downloaded from the section with drivers, instructions, and software on Epson.ru ): Epson EasyMP Multi PC Projection and Epson EasyMP Network Projection . Both applications allow you to display the contents of a computer screen on a network projector, but have various additional functionality.
The Epson Multi PC Projection application, according to its name, is “ground” for projecting from multiple computers onto a network projector in split-screen mode :
If the computer and projectors are connected to the same network, it is enough to launch the application and connect to one projector or several projectors:
After that, the projection control window appears. You can divide the projector screen to which we are connected into 2 or 4 parts. Other users can connect to the same projector (up to 50 people!), And we can drag and drop images from their screens to the desired part of the projected image. Mobile clients can also connect to this “meeting” through the iProjection app.
Below are screenshots of the Multi PC Projection program window taken from two laptops connected to the projector (marked in red and yellow). Green indicates the mobile device.
As you can see, connecting to the projector, users of both laptops see about the same picture, which raises the issue of rights. In this case, both users can decide which of the connected devices to display on the projector screen. In this case, the owner of the smartphone is forced to wait modestly until his picture is “dragged” onto the screen.
Here is how this situation looks in reality (of course, all devices and the projector can be located at any distance from each other, since the image can be transmitted both over the local network and over the Internet):
In this case, for example, the projector is connected to the network via a wired method (but maybe via Wi-Fi), and the rest of the devices through Wi-Fi.
As for projection control, it is obvious that for some tasks such a liberal system is unacceptable. For example, in the classroom, only the teacher should have the right to choose which computers to display, but not for students. The moderator function is designed for this , which allows you to control projection from a single computer.
In the example above, we connected to one projector. In exactly the same way, we have the right to connect to several projectors at the same time:
One of the options for using this connection in practice is remote conferences.
The second PC projection application is called EasyMP Network Projection.
This program has a number of common functions with the one described above, but it does not allow you to simultaneously project from multiple computers onto one projector (although you can project in turn). Instead, it has a number of functions created exclusively for online presentations, including:
For projectors with interactive features, EasyMP Network Projection provides a mouse signal transfer mode. By connecting to a remote interactive projector using the EasyMP Network Projection program, mouse control on your computer can be made available for all connected projectors, which provides interesting opportunities for interactive discussions and conferences. Take, for example, the Epson annotation software (Easy Interactive Tools) that comes with Epson interactive projectors:
In this example, the screen of one laptop is duplicated on both network projectors. Thanks to the interactive function, both projectors can control the mouse of the laptop in addition to the protruding one, which “draws” on the projected image with an interactive marker or even with your fingers!
Thanks to this, you can play tic-tac-toe with a remote office, as shown in the photos! Of course, this is not the main way to use such network conferences, but it clearly demonstrates the capabilities of software and projectors =)
Since the accuracy of interactive markers is extremely high, in this way you can share almost any software and arrange interactive brainstorming sessions without having to collect all participants in one room .
To conclude the review of network applications for PC and Mac OS, we mention the EasyMP Monitor program, designed to control a large number of network projectors. First of all, the program allows you to build a visual multi-level diagram, dividing the projectors into groups according to their location, after which commands can be given to the whole group.
In our case, there are only two network projectors, so the built structure is not as impressive as if we had 20 projectors scattered around various offices.
Using EasyMP Monitor, it is easy to monitor the status of the projectors and keep abreast of the problems encountered (there is even the possibility to configure the receipt of notifications by mail). You can control remote projectors, including turn them on and off. Access to the menu of each individual projector is possible through the Web interface.
Very useful is the ability to run any command to the timer. For example, you can configure automatic shutdown of all projectors on Friday night, so as not to waste energy and the lamp life of the projectors of the organization.
Finally, a little more touch on working with mobile devices using the Epson iProjection application .
There are, again, two options for work: you can connect either to a projector located in the organization’s network:
Or directly to the projector (the latter option is well suited for mobile presentations):
Having connected to the network, we select projectors from the list to which we are going to display our content and you're done!
What can I output to the projector using iProjection?
At the same time, cloud services like Dropbox are supported.
IProjection also allows you to add annotations over the displayed content:
The application has a built-in projector control panel that allows you to select a signal source, take a freeze frame, temporarily turn off audio and video and adjust the volume:
Perhaps this is all: we examined the entire basic network functionality of Epson projectors . Now, if you or your friends or business partners have questions about these applications, you know where to find the answer to them!
We thank you for your attention!
Dear Khabravchians,
Due to the fact that Habrahabr.ru has been divided into three resources (HabraHabr, GeekTimes and MegaMozg), the Epson company’s blog has moved to Geektimes.ru .
Looking forward to seeing you on our GT blog!
Epson Team
We list the main advantages of projectors with network support:
- The projector can be connected to the organization’s network and output to it an image from the screen of any computer connected to the network
- You can connect to the projector directly, transferring the image over a wired and wireless network
- You can remotely monitor and control your organization’s projectors over the network
To connect the projector to a network, a wired connection is used either over a local area network (projectors, respectively, are equipped with an RJ-45 connector), or using a wireless module. The latter can be supplied, or simply supported by the projector, but purchased separately.
All network functionality of Epson projectors is implemented through special applications. For example, the following applications are available for download on the Epson support site for network projectors:
- EasyMP Network Projection
- EasyMP Multi PC Projection
- EasyMP Monitor
In addition, there is an Epson iProjection mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.
Consider the above applications in more detail.
PC projection
With a PC, everything is simple. For computers running Windows and OS X, two applications are available for projection over a network (applications come with the projector or can be downloaded from the section with drivers, instructions, and software on Epson.ru ): Epson EasyMP Multi PC Projection and Epson EasyMP Network Projection . Both applications allow you to display the contents of a computer screen on a network projector, but have various additional functionality.
Epson Multi PC Projection
The Epson Multi PC Projection application, according to its name, is “ground” for projecting from multiple computers onto a network projector in split-screen mode :
If the computer and projectors are connected to the same network, it is enough to launch the application and connect to one projector or several projectors:
Below are screenshots of the Multi PC Projection program window taken from two laptops connected to the projector (marked in red and yellow). Green indicates the mobile device.
As you can see, connecting to the projector, users of both laptops see about the same picture, which raises the issue of rights. In this case, both users can decide which of the connected devices to display on the projector screen. In this case, the owner of the smartphone is forced to wait modestly until his picture is “dragged” onto the screen.
Here is how this situation looks in reality (of course, all devices and the projector can be located at any distance from each other, since the image can be transmitted both over the local network and over the Internet):
In this case, for example, the projector is connected to the network via a wired method (but maybe via Wi-Fi), and the rest of the devices through Wi-Fi.
As for projection control, it is obvious that for some tasks such a liberal system is unacceptable. For example, in the classroom, only the teacher should have the right to choose which computers to display, but not for students. The moderator function is designed for this , which allows you to control projection from a single computer.
In the example above, we connected to one projector. In exactly the same way, we have the right to connect to several projectors at the same time:
One of the options for using this connection in practice is remote conferences.
EasyMP Network Projection
The second PC projection application is called EasyMP Network Projection.
This program has a number of common functions with the one described above, but it does not allow you to simultaneously project from multiple computers onto one projector (although you can project in turn). Instead, it has a number of functions created exclusively for online presentations, including:
- Special Mode for PowerPoint Presentations
- Ability to display an extended desktop on multiple projectors (multi-screen display function)
- Movie sending mode that solves the problem of low network bandwidth when displaying video
For projectors with interactive features, EasyMP Network Projection provides a mouse signal transfer mode. By connecting to a remote interactive projector using the EasyMP Network Projection program, mouse control on your computer can be made available for all connected projectors, which provides interesting opportunities for interactive discussions and conferences. Take, for example, the Epson annotation software (Easy Interactive Tools) that comes with Epson interactive projectors:
In this example, the screen of one laptop is duplicated on both network projectors. Thanks to the interactive function, both projectors can control the mouse of the laptop in addition to the protruding one, which “draws” on the projected image with an interactive marker or even with your fingers!
Thanks to this, you can play tic-tac-toe with a remote office, as shown in the photos! Of course, this is not the main way to use such network conferences, but it clearly demonstrates the capabilities of software and projectors =)
Since the accuracy of interactive markers is extremely high, in this way you can share almost any software and arrange interactive brainstorming sessions without having to collect all participants in one room .
EasyMP Monitor
To conclude the review of network applications for PC and Mac OS, we mention the EasyMP Monitor program, designed to control a large number of network projectors. First of all, the program allows you to build a visual multi-level diagram, dividing the projectors into groups according to their location, after which commands can be given to the whole group.
In our case, there are only two network projectors, so the built structure is not as impressive as if we had 20 projectors scattered around various offices.
Using EasyMP Monitor, it is easy to monitor the status of the projectors and keep abreast of the problems encountered (there is even the possibility to configure the receipt of notifications by mail). You can control remote projectors, including turn them on and off. Access to the menu of each individual projector is possible through the Web interface.
Very useful is the ability to run any command to the timer. For example, you can configure automatic shutdown of all projectors on Friday night, so as not to waste energy and the lamp life of the projectors of the organization.
Projection from mobile devices
Finally, a little more touch on working with mobile devices using the Epson iProjection application .
There are, again, two options for work: you can connect either to a projector located in the organization’s network:
Or directly to the projector (the latter option is well suited for mobile presentations):
Having connected to the network, we select projectors from the list to which we are going to display our content and you're done!
What can I output to the projector using iProjection?
- Images from the Gallery (.jpg / .png / .tiff)
- PDF documents
- Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Keynote documents (for iOS devices),
- Web pages with sites open in a browser
At the same time, cloud services like Dropbox are supported.
IProjection also allows you to add annotations over the displayed content:
The application has a built-in projector control panel that allows you to select a signal source, take a freeze frame, temporarily turn off audio and video and adjust the volume:
Afterword
Perhaps this is all: we examined the entire basic network functionality of Epson projectors . Now, if you or your friends or business partners have questions about these applications, you know where to find the answer to them!
We thank you for your attention!
Dear Khabravchians,
Due to the fact that Habrahabr.ru has been divided into three resources (HabraHabr, GeekTimes and MegaMozg), the Epson company’s blog has moved to Geektimes.ru .
Looking forward to seeing you on our GT blog!
Epson Team