Posted on February 4, 2015 By Ron Jones
EPSON BRIGHTLINK PRO 1430Wi Projector Intro: The Epson Brightlink Pro 1430Wi is an ultra short throw, interactive projector, specified with 3300 lumens of light output that offers a lot of features for its $2999 price.
This Epson 1430Wi projector is built to be both a super sophisticated, yet user friendly solution for corporate boardrooms and conference rooms where having both powerful interactive features and yet easy to understand operation is appreciated. The Brightlink Pro 1430Wi brings ultra short throw and interactivity to conference rooms, training rooms, and at trade shows.
It targets the business projector market, and is very similar to the Brighlink 595Wi that is sold for the education market. Our previously published review of the similar Brightlink 595Wi is HERE and a video summary is available HERE. Features of the Brightlink Pro 1430Wi include WXGA resolution (i.e., 1280 x 800 pixels), wired and wireless networking, advanced user interactive inputs using dual pens plus finger touch, and conference room filling sound.
Epson also offers the less expensive Brightlink Pro 1420Wi for $2799, which is very similar to the 1430Wi, but lacks the finger touch user input interactive capability of the 1430Wi (i.e., the 1420Wi only supports pens for interactivity). Also we reviewed (HERE) a Brightlink Pro 1410Wi back in 2013 that, at that time, was the flagship model in this series. That earlier model has now been replaced by the Brightlink Pro 1420Wi. Like the current 1420Wi, that earlier model also lacked the finger touch interactive feature (i.e., used only interactive pens) and had a slightly lower 3100 lumens light output specification. I reviewed the BrightLink 595Wi in 2014 and Art reviewed the 1410Wi in 2013 and since those models are in many aspects very similar the 1430Wi, where appropriate I have used text from these earlier reviews for this review of the 1430Wi.
Based on my earlier review of the similar BrightLink 595Wi, I expected Epson’s BrightLink Pro 1430Wi to be a great performer, and it didn’t disappoint. This top-of-the line interactive business projector offers similar performance and interactivity as the 595Wi but adds a external control pad that should prove convenient in a business environment.
Sharpness, often a challenge with ultra short throw projectors, is not an issue for the 1430Wi, as it offers excellent focus, rivaling traditional throw distance projectors.
This model is well suited for installation just above a white board in a corporate boardroom, conference room or training room. It’s also very suitable for use at trade shows and other events where it can quickly be set up for presentations where interactivity is needed, and fast, smooth operation is demanded.
Networking features are advanced. Network administrators should find all the features they are looking for. The 1430Wi has both wired – LAN networking, and Wireless. Wireless is accomplished by simply inserting an optional wireless dongle into its slot, and, of course configuring with the projector’s wireless networking menus.
Being a business interactive projector, I would expect it to normally be mounted to a wall, using the optional Epson mount (model V12H675020 with a suggest price of $209), just few inches above the vertical projection surface (typically a wall mounted whiteboard). As an added bonus, it can be used to project down onto a horizontal ‘screen’ including using a table top as the display surface. This creates an interactive table. That may work well for some commercial or business applications such as for an engineering station, or a museum display. The interactivity is the key reason for these types of setups and the 1430Wi with both interactive pens and multi-finger touch sensing enables really advanced interactive capabilities.
The following illustration from Epson shows the typical wall mounting for creating an interactive whiteboard.
The following illustration from Epson shows the mounting setup for creating an interactive table.
The 1430Wi comes with two interactive pens and a pen case along with a “finger touch module”, that enables the simultaneous touch locations of up to 6 fingers to be detected.
Remember, if you plan to use this projector interactively, that a traditional screen surface really doesn’t work with the supplied interactive pens. A whiteboard or a “hybrid” combination of screen and whiteboard work better. The primary reason are the pens. They are pressure sensitive, so pressing against a traditional screen surface is just going to push that surface in an inch or so, before the pen’s contacts click. In other words, you’ll end up stretching the screen surface, not a good thing. Also frequent finger touches to a traditional “soft” screen surface would, over time, soil and produce wear on the screen surface.
This projector review is included in our 2015-2016 Best Classroom Projectors Report, which is sponsored by Epson America.
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