Epson PowerLite W29 Projector Review -- Performance

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Art Feierman

EPSON W29 PROJECTOR REVIEW - PERFORMANCE: Brightness by Color Mode, Effect of Eco Mode, Effect of Zoom Position, Audible Noise, Networking, Power Consumption

Epson W29 Brightness

Epson W29 Projector - Brightness By Color Mode - Mid-Zoom
Pre-set Color Mode	Lumens
Dynamic	3050
Presentation	3030
Theatre	1760
sRGB	1730
Blackboard	1450

I set the projector up on my test bench and set the horizontal and vertical keystone correction to zero. Then, I measured the projector’s brightness by setting up an image that measured 48.5- by 30.5-inches and made three brightness readings around the center with an Extech EasyView 31 light meter. When I was done, I normalized the brightness lux readings to a full square meter to yield lumens.

Audible Noise, Networking

Audible:

The Epson PowerLite W29 has a specification for producing 37 dB of fan noise in the lamp’s Normal mode. In fact, the projector was a lot louder and pulsed, emitting 44.5dBA of fan noise 36-inches from its exhaust. While we don't usually measure the audio levels of this class of projector and a single point doesn't tell you a lot, the W29's fan seemed particularly loud. It shouldn’t be a disruptive influence in the classroom if the projector is mounted on the ceiling, away from students and teachers to dissipate the noise.

Networking:

The PowerLite W29 has the ability to connect with just about any school’s network via its RJ-45 port in the back. There’s an optional $99 USB-based WiFi adapter as well, which plugs into the W29’s USB slot. While Epson takes $120 off the price of the projector for schools, everybody pays the same $99 for the WiFi adapter.

The good news is that you don’t need the WiFi adapter to get the most out of the PowerLite W29. You can connect the projector to a wired network and be able to connect with phones and tablets using WiFi. Epson’s free iProjection app for Androids and iOS systems starts by searching for a compatible projector. It found the nearby PowerLite W29 on the first try. Within a minute I was able to take control of the projector by using the app to mimic the projector’s remote control’s features.

Later, I sent the projector photos, documents and Web pages from a phone. Unfortunately, the software doesn’t allow mirroring what’s on the screen. This might make it useful for a digital show-and-tell lesson.

Power Consumption - Cost of Operation

While the W29 projector was doing its thing, I measured its power draw with a Kill A Watt P4480 power meter. In Dynamic mode, it used 248 watts, which drops to 2.3 watts when the projector is turned off, but still plugged in and connected to a network.

Assuming that it’s used for 6 hours a day for the typical 180-day school year, its $79 lamp lasts for its rated 5,000 hours and electricity costs the national average of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, the W29 has an estimated operating expenses of $51 per year. While this is quite economical, this doesn’t include after-school enrichment activities, teacher training sessions or night school classes, but provides a good estimate for comparison. (Ed. note: Few teachers will have a curriculum that uses a projector anywhere near that continuously.)