Epson Powerlite W16SK - Physical Tour 2

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Art Feierman

Menus

Shown here are the main menus and some sub-menus of the W16K when running in its two projector mode. As noted on the first page, there are significant additional color controls and others if you run in single projector mode. Epson's menus are mostly translucent, but still normally easy to read. In this case, that's a nebula image in the background, "shining through."

On the Settings menu above note the top item provides direct access to adjusting the Commander projector to align with the Receiver projector.

No real surprises on these menus, for, as indicated there aren't a ton of small choices. For example, the menu is always in the center of the screen. Most projectors - most Epson projectors will allow you to move the location of the menus around to whatever best suits you. There's fair amount of minor functionality gone in exchange for simplicity.

These menus below, show extra menu features found in single projector operation:

The W16SK menu immediately above is how the Image menu looks in single projector mode. By comparison in dual projector mode this menu (as you can see top left menu), has only two functions, Color Mode and Auto Iris. Both menus below are showing additional features in single projector mode as well.

Epson W16SK Menu Slideshow

Image Menu 2D

Signal Menu

Color mode

3D Signal Menu

2D Setting Menu

Extended 2D Menu

Extended Menu

Extended Operation Menu

Image Menu

Settings Menu

Remote Control

I don't care if these are business/education projectors. I wish every projector's remote control to have a backlight. That said, almost none do. On the plus side, this W16SK projector setup produces about 6000 lumens doing 2D (that would be considered 6000 lumens for each eye), and about 3000 lumens per eye, for 3D viewing. That means it can work in some fairly well lit up rooms.

The remote is smallish, and loaded with buttons. At the top in the dark area, is the power button, and the individual source buttons. Below that are a number of buttons with numbers on them functioning as a numeric keyboard for entering passwords should you be using them.

Some of those numbered buttons have other jobs as well. The top left of them is the Screen Fit button, doing the same as the one on the projector. Auto setup, aspect ratio and selecting 2D or 3D, and selecting color modes are all handled from those buttons.

Below that comes the traditional Navigation controls with the Menu button to the top left of the navigation ring (just like on the projector). Again, Escape is to the top right, and the Enter control is in the center of the arrows. Below and to either side of the down arrow are a User button (can be defined in the menus) and a Pointer, which allows you to select one of several pointers to move around on the screen.

Below all that are three pairs of buttons ofering Page Up/Down (such as for controlling a Powerpoint presentation), E-zoom, which is the digital zoom function, and of course, Volume up/down.

That leaves only three more buttons on the W16SK's remote control: A/V Mute (mutes both audio and video), Freeze (frame), and Epson's interactive Help button.

Buttons are small but spacing is good, and different groupings make finding / using features pretty easy. Range seems easily acceptable. I was able to stand 25 feet from the screen in my room, point the remote at the screen, not the projector, and get a working bounce. That's about 35 feet total, excellent for a small remote control. And besides, there is a rear sensor for the remote as well, but I blocked that off for the distance test bouncing off the screen.

Click Image to Enlarge

Epson W16SK Lens Attributes: Lens Throw and Zoom

This is normally simple. Both projectors have the same 1.2:1 zoom lens. But the actual placement range has to be a bit less than the 20% difference between closest and furthest back to fill the same sized screen. Why less you ask? Because of the interesting mounting of the projectors, with one a good 6 inches closer to the screen than the other. Now consider that to fill a 100" diagonal screen typical projectors like this can be placed in the range of 10-12 feet back. Well, that only changes in that both projectors have to be within that range, so you lose a good part of the placement range. Consider that in almost all cases a W16SK system will be ceiling mounted, so that shouldn't be an issue. If you are working the W16SK from a table top, realize that if you move the projector forward or back - even just an inch or two, that will detrimentally affect the alignment of the two projectors' images.

The closest the front (Receiver) projector can be from a 16:10 aspect ratio projector screen (measured from the front of the lens is 10 feet 2 inches. The furthest back (of the Receiver projector) would be 11 feet.

Important note: The maximum size screen you can use and successfully align the W16SK for dual projector 3D viewing is 120" diagonal. For single projector 2D viewing the projector can go larger. For dual projector non-3D viewing the manual indicated 150" diagonal maximum, although we did not try that out, as we do not have a screen that large.