Epson Powerlite 81p Multimedia Projector Users Guide

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3. Connect the other end to an electrical outlet. 
The power light on top of the projector turns orange, indicating 
that the projector is receiving power but not yet turned on. Wait 
until the light stops flashing but stays orange.
4. Turn on your computer or video source if you have not already. 
5. Press the P 
Power button on top of the projector to turn it on. 
(You can also press the P 
Power button on the remote control.)
The projector beeps and the power light flashes green as the 
projector warms up. The projector lamp comes on in about 45 
seconds and the power light stays green. 
■If you’re using a computer, you should see your computer 
display projected after a moment or two. If not, you need to 
select the image source. See page 32.
(Windows only: If you see a message saying that it has found 
a plug-and-play monitor, click 
Cancel.) 
■If you’re projecting a video, press the Source Search button 
on the projector or remote control to switch to your video 
source. Then press the 
Play button on your DVD player or 
other device.
■If you are prompted to enter a password, see page 66.
note
If you are using the remote 
control for the first time, be 
sure to insert the batteries as 
described on the Quick 
Setup poster.
Projector
Remote control Power button
warning
Never look into the lens when 
the lamp is on. This can 
damage your eyes, and is 
especially dangerous for 
children. 
						

							32ProjectingTo focus and adjust the image, see page 35. If a projected image fails 
to appear, see “What To Do If You See a Blank Screen” on page 33.
When you’re done with your presentation, shut down the projector as 
described on page 41. Shutting down the projector correctly prevents 
premature lamp failure and possible damage from overheating.
Selecting the Image Source
Selecting the image source lets you switch between images input from 
different pieces of equipment connected to the projector (such as a 
computer and DVD player). If you don’t see the image you want, 
press one of the following buttons on the remote control:
■Comp 1
Press this button to move through the following options: 
Computer 1 (Auto), Computer 1 (RGB), and Computer 1 
(Component Video)
.
■Comp 2
Press this button to move through the following options: 
Computer 2 (Auto), Computer 2 (RGB), Computer 2 
(Component Video)
.
■S-Video
Press to select S-Video.
■Video
Press to select Video.
You can also press the 
Source Search button on the remote control 
or projector until the correct device image is projected. If a projected 
image fails to appear, see the next section for help.
Once you see your image, turn to page 35 for instructions on focusing 
and making other image adjustments. 
note
The name of the selected 
image source appears in the 
upper right corner of the 
screen. 
						

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What To Do If You See a Blank Screen
If you see a blank screen or a blue screen with the message No Signal 
after turning on your computer or video source, try the following:
■Make sure the cables are connected correctly, as described in 
Chapter 1.
■Make sure the power light is green and not flashing and the lens 
cap is off. 
■Make sure you’ve selected the correct image source; see page 32. 
Allow a few seconds for the projector to sync up after pressing the 
button. 
■Check the Signal menu to make sure the correct input source is 
selected. See page 55.
If you’re using a PC laptop:
■Hold down the Fn key and press the function key that lets you 
display on an external monitor. It may have an icon such as   
or it may be labelled 
CRT/LCD. Allow a few seconds for the 
projector to sync up after pressing it. Check your laptop’s manual 
or online help for details. 
On most systems, the   or 
CRT/LCD key lets you toggle 
between the LCD screen and the projector, or display on both at 
the same time. 
■If you’re projecting from a laptop, and you don’t see the same 
image on the projection screen and computer screen, check your 
monitor settings to make sure both the LCD screen and the 
external monitor port are enabled. 
From the Control Panel, open the 
Display utility. Click the 
Settings tab, then click Advanced. The method for adjusting 
the settings varies by brand; you may need to click a 
Monitor tab, 
then make sure the external Monitor port is set as your primary 
display and/or enabled. See your computer’s documentation or 
online help for details.  
						

							34Projecting
If you’re using a Macintosh laptop with OS X:
You may need to set up your system to display on the projector screen 
as well as the LCD screen. Follow these steps:
1. From the Apple menu, select 
System Preferences, then click 
Displays.
2. Select VGA Display or Color LCD, click Arrange or 
Arrangement, and make sure Mirror Displays is checked.
If you’re using a Macintosh laptop with OS 9.x or 
earlier:
You may need to set up your system to display on the projector screen 
as well as the LCD screen. Follow these steps:
1. From the Apple menu, select 
Control Panels, then click 
Monitors or Monitors and Sound.
2. Click the Arrange icon.
Click here
Select Mirror 
Displays
Click here
Drag one 
monitor icon on 
top of the other 
						

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3. Drag one monitor icon on top of the other. 
If the 
Arrange option isn’t available, you may need to select one of 
the Simulscan resolution settings:
1. Click the 
Monitor icon, if necessary. 
2. Select a 
Simulscan resolution, as shown. (Allow a few seconds 
for the projector to sync up after making the selection.)
Adjusting the Image
Once you see your image, you’ll need to make certain adjustments:
■To focus or zoom your image, see the next section. 
■If the image is too high or too low, you can reposition it. 
See page 37.
■If the image isn’t square, see page 38.
■To adjust image brightness, see page 39.
■If a computer image displays incorrectly, see page 39.
■To change the color mode for your image and surroundings, see 
page 39.
You can make many other adjustments to the image—such as 
changing the brightness, contrast, and aspect ratio—using the 
projector’s menu system. See Chapter 4 for more information.
Click here
Select a 
Simulscan 
resolution 
						

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Focusing and Zooming Your Image
Rotate the focus ring to sharpen the image.
Rotate the zoom ring to reduce or enlarge the image.
You can also change the image size by moving the projector closer to 
or farther away from the screen. You can use the 
E-Zoom buttons on 
the remote control to zoom in on a portion of the image. See page 45 
for instructions. 
Focus ring
Zoom ring 
						

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Adjusting the Height of Your Image
If the image is too low, you can raise it by extending the projector’s 
front adjustable foot.
 
1. Stand behind the projector. Press up on the blue foot release 
lever and lift the front of the projector to extend the front 
adjustable foot.
2. Once the image is positioned where you want, release the lever to 
lock the foot in position.
3. To fine-tune the height of the image, 
rotate the feet at the back of the 
projector.
If the image is no longer rectangular after 
raising it, see the next section.
Foot 
						

							38Projecting
Adjusting the Image Shape
The projector automatically corrects images that are distorted when 
the projector is tilted up or down (up to a 15° tilt). The Keystone 
window appears on the screen while the projector makes the 
correction. If the projected image still isn’t rectangular or has a 
“keystone” shape, do one or more of the following:
■If your image looks like   or  , you’ve placed the 
projector off to one side of the screen, at an angle. Move it directly 
in front of the center of the screen, facing the screen squarely.
■If your image looks like   or  , the Auto Keystone feature 
may have been disabled or you may need to manually adjust the 
keystone correction value. (Auto Keystone is not available when 
you’re using ceiling or rear projection.) Follow the directions 
below:
■To turn on Auto Keystone, press the Menu button on the 
remote control. Use the  pointer button on the remote 
control (or the arrow buttons on the projector) to select the 
Setting menu, then press Enter. If Auto Keystone is OFF, 
use the  pointer button to highlight this option and press 
Enter. Select ON in the Auto Keystone window that appears 
and press 
Enter to save your changes. Exit the menu by 
pressing the
 Menu button. 
■To manually adjust the keystone correction value, press the 
 or   buttons on the projector to correct the shape of 
the image. After correction, your image will be slightly 
smaller.
Enter buttonMenu buttton
Pointer button
note
You can also use the buttons 
on the projector to access the 
menu system:
Menu button ESC button
Enter button Arrow buttons 
						

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You can also make keystone adjustments using the projector’s Setting 
menu. See page 58.
Adjusting the Brightness
The brightness of an image depends on the source you are projecting 
and the amount of light in the room. If the image is too bright or not 
bright enough, here are two ways you can adjust it:
■Change the Brightness setting in the Image menu. See page 54.
■Select Low or High for the Brightness Control option in the 
Setting menu. (See page 58.) Low brightness mode extends the 
life of the lamp and decreases the fan noise.
Correcting Computer Images
If you’ve connected a computer and the image doesn’t look right, or it 
doesn’t fit properly on the screen, press the 
Auto button on the 
remote control. This automatically resets the projector’s tracking, 
sync, resolution, and position settings. You must be projecting an 
image for this button to have any effect. Additionally, if the 
Auto 
Setup
 option in the Signal menu is set to OFF, the Auto function will 
not work. See page 56.
Adjusting the Color Mode
You may want to adjust the color mode to select a different setting 
that is appropriate for the image you’re projecting and the 
environment in which you’re projecting it.
If you’re projecting computer or RGB video images, the default color 
mode is 
Presentation, which is appropriate for presentations in 
bright rooms. For other images, the default color mode is 
Dynamic, 
which optimizes video images using natural colors.
Color Mode button
Auto button 
						

							40ProjectingThe following table lists the six color modes available.  
To change the color mode, press the 
Color Mode button on the 
remote control until you see the mode you want. The currently 
selected setting appears in the upper right corner of the screen. You 
can also use the projector menu system to change the color mode in 
the Image menu (see page 54).
Color mode Description
sRGB Use when projecting computer images conforming to 
the sRGB color standard (the default setting when 
projecting from a computer with analog video).
Dynamic Best for projecting movies with vivid color in bright 
rooms.
Presentation Use when you’re projecting a presentation in a bright 
room.
Theatre Use when projecting movies in a dark room.
Living Room Best for playing video games or watching TV in a 
bright room.
Blackboard Choose this fixed color mode when you need to 
project against a green blackboard.