Review summary
The Epson EB-685Wi Pen Interactive Lamp Projector is an ultra-short throw projector capable of producing extremely high-quality images. It has a 1,280 x 800 resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s a pen-interactive projector, so you can annotate content with the included digital pen in real-time, and it supports dual pens, so two people can annotate at the same time and collaborate in an exciting, fun way.
Introduction
The Epson EB-685Wi is an interactive projector, a new breed of projector that lets you interact with what you’re projecting. With it, any wall becomes an interactive whiteboard, with the added benefit of a larger, wider display area.
Usability and features
The Epson EB-685Wi is an ultra-short throw projector, supporting a throw distance as little as 0.4m for a 60” display and 0.6m for a 100” display. The throw ratios are 0.28 – 0.37 : 1, so it can be used in rooms with very limited space.
It supports a screen size of up to 100” in WXGA resolution (1,280 x 800). The aspect ratio is 16:10, which is perfect for documents and videos.
The package includes two pens. Using one of these, you can interact with the projected content by annotating it. You can use the projector’s built-in tools to annotate on a blank screen, so there’s no reliance on a computer for this feature.
Easy Interactive Tools and iProjection software are included in the package, giving you features available on PC and as a standalone unit. You can also combine two projectors to create one large interactive display, boosting its usability.
With a brightness of 3,500 lumens, auto-brightness adjustment, automatic calibration and automatic input switchover, the Epson EB-685Wi is easy to use and displays a high-quality image no matter the type of content that is projected.
The contrast ratio is 14,000 : 1, giving the EB-685Wi an excellent dynamic range. The 250W lamp is rated for 5,000 hours or 10,000 hours in economy mode. The lens reproduces up to 1.07 billion colours, creating lifelike images.
Security features include a Kensington lock, password lock, security cable hole, wireless LAN unit lock, wireless LAN security and password protection.
Connectivity requirements
You can use the Epson EB-685Wi as an interactive whiteboard without connection to a computer in Whiteboard mode.
If you want to interact with projected content, then you need to use Easy Interactive Tools on a computer running Linux, Mac OS 10.10.x, Mac OS 10.7.x, Mac OS 10.8.x, Mac OS 10.9.x, Ubuntu 14.10, Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 (this covers most systems).
The interfaces are as follows: USB 2.0 Type A, USB 2.0 Type B, RS-232C, Wired Network, Wireless LAN IEEE 802.11b/g/n (optional), VGA in (2x), VGA out, HDMI in (3x), Composite in, RGB in (2x), RGB out, MHL, Stereo mini-jack audio out, Stereo mini-jack audio in (3x), Microphone input, Sync. in, Sync. Out
Review conclusion
The Epson EB-685Wi is an excellent dual-purpose projector. On the one hand, you can project content and interact with it for collaborative learning, and on the other hand, you can use it as a simple interactive whiteboard up to 100”.
In terms of features, it ticks all the right boxes: WXGA resolution, 0.28 – 0.37:1 throw ratios, 16:10 aspect ratio, 3,500-lumen brightness, dual pen support.
In conclusion, the Epson EB-685Wi Pen Interactive Lamp Projector should be top of your list for a smart teaching solution. It delivers top performance for the price.
