Epson Powerlite S5 Business and Education Portable Projector Review - General Performance

Epson Powerlite S5 Menus

Epson has pretty much been using the same Menu layout for 5 years or so. I believe that translates into something like "if it ain't broke, don' fix it." Overall, I have found Epson's layout to be logical, and easy to read and understand.

The first main menu, is the Image menu, and, as the name implies, controls most things that relate to image quality. First is the Color mode (there's an image immediately below, showing the numerous color modes), followed by the usual suspects - Brightness, Contrast, Color Saturation, Tint (certain types of sources only), Sharpness Color Temperature and finally Color Adjustment (individual colors).

As it turns out, Game, I believe is the brightest mode, with Presentation being not quite as bright, but better color balance, And there's Sports mode, another bright mode, but way heavy on green, to cut through more ambient light. The sRGB mode is designed for color matching a system that's been around for quite some time, but rarely used. The idea of sRGB has been that if all displays are color matched, then if you look at the color of a fabric on your laptop's display, or a projector, it would look exactly the same as the original fabric. This makes sRGB perfect for online shopping where color accuracy is important.

The next major menu is the Signal menu, not shown here. This menu is pretty basic, which lets you set aspect ratio, and adjust the image if it doesn't correctly lock in on a computer input.

The Settings menu is next. It offers control of keystone correction, and the digital zoom.

There is a security feature, and the Brightness (lamp hi or low) control, and the volume control. All very straightforward.

Image

Theatre

Medium

Settings

Extended

Epson Powerlite S5 Remote Control

I'm not happy here. Epson has replaced a perfectly good remote control with a smaller one, and I don't think it was such a great move. The new smaller remote retains most of the features as the older one (which is still used on a number of more expensive Epson projectors), but is definitely more cramped, and it's a lot harder to find the buttons you want.

The remote is only about three inches from top to bottom, so depending on your display, the image here, may actually be larger than the real life remote.

From the top left, there is the usual power button (red) with press once for on, twice for off. In the middle is the Source Search button for choosing your source, and on the right, the Help button. I've already mentioned Epson's interactive help, definitely a nice touch.

Click Image to Enlarge

The next three rows consist of Menu in the top left, and Esc (top right) with the four arrow keys and an Enter/Auto button in the center of the arrow keys. The left and right arrow keys function as volume up and down, when you aren't in the menu system.

To the left of the down arrow key is the Color Mode button, and the Aspect ratio button is opposite it, on the right.

The bottom two rows have on the left, Page Up and Down for interacting with a computer, and programs like Powerpoint (assuming you are running the USB cable between computer and projector). The E-zoom - the digital zoom feature + and - are in the center, and a Freeze image button, and A/V Mute are on the right side.

That about covers it, except to say that there is a numeric pad (you can see the small white numbers in black boxes around the keys) integrated into the center keys to be used with the security system, for passwords.