Count Epson among the manufacturers wondering about all the hype around Microsoft’s Surface Hub collaboration solution. It announced its BrightLink Pro-Series of collaboration projectors for meeting spaces and classrooms a year prior to Microsoft’s Surface Hub unveil at Infocomm 2015.
Related: Epson Wins 2015 CI BEST Award for BrightLink Pro 1430Wi
Epson is quick to point out that starting at $2,999, BrightLink Pro 1430Wi and 1420Wi are cost effective compared to Surface Hub, which ranges from $6,999 for the 55-inch size to $19,999 for the 84-inch model.
So what does Epson’s BrightLink Pro Series Offer? The projector turns regular screens, whiteboards or light-colored spaces into a collaboration space without a computer. A Whiteboard Sharing Tool allows up to 15 participants to participate from any mobile device with a web browser or from another BrightLink Pro.
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Designed for businesses, as well as higher education and K-12 environments, BrightLink Pro ultra-short throw interactive meeting room projectors are easy to use and work like an appliance.
Users simply turn on the projector and start writing with no PC required. Unlike traditional whiteboards, users can add up to 50 blank pages for virtually unlimited writing space, as well as save, print and email notes, with improved email functionality.
For users editing and annotating on top of existing image or document files, these models also deliver improved object tools such as copy, paste, crop, and rotate for ease-of-use. The BrightLink Pro 1430Wi supports gestures, up to six fingers for annotations, as well as dual-pen support.
Expanded Features
The new BrightLink Pro projectors offer a Whiteboard Sharing Tool that allows users to connect up to 16 devices for easy meeting collaboration. Whiteboard Sharing Tool offers three levels of collaboration to manage simultaneous users – view only, write/edit without adding pages, and full edit privileges.
In addition to serving as a digital whiteboard, the BrightLink Pro-Series is an ideal solution to be used as a videoconferencing display, offering split-screen4 capabilities to view two sources sideby-side. Users can display images as large as 100-inches diagonal, effectively replacing the need for a flat panel display.
More about the BrightLink Pro-Series:
– Whiteboard Sharing Tool: Allows 15 participants to join a whiteboarding session via other BrightLink Pro 1430Wi and 1420Wi projectors, PCs, smartphones, and tablets using a web browser and to engage collaboratively without the need for a software or app
– Finger Touch Annotation: BrightLink Pro 1430Wi supports finger touch capabilities with up to six fingers annotating simultaneously
– Improved Email Functionality: Offers address book access and ability to send e-mails to up to 10 recipients, for increased productivity
– Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Leveraging the free Epson iProjection™ app, users can bring their own iOS Apple devices running iOS 4.2 or later and most Android devices running Android 2.3 or later to project on BrightLink Pro, annotate, capture, and share
– Advanced Connectivity Options: Includes two HDMI ports, one with MHL (Mobile
High-Definition Link) support for connecting multiple digital devices, including mobile phones, tablets and other portable devices, for enriched high definition viewing capabilities– Control Pad: For increased ease of use, the control pad acts as a USB hub, extension to USB ports or as a remote control unit. Connect to USB thumb drive, PC or printer; also offers buttons to power the BrightLink Pro on and off, and to select major functions, including whiteboard mode, source search, capture, print, or save
– PC Interactivity: Turns the interactive pen into a wireless mouse and provides flexibility to run any application on a computer, access the web and edit documents on the go; can be enabled via a combination of two HDMIs, VGA, and USB cable or wirelessly using free EasyMP® Network Projection
– Video Conferencing: Users can easily connect video conference equipment and leverage split-screen4 capabilities to view two sources side-by-side, creating a display as large as 100-inches diagonally
– Three Times Brighter Colors with Epson6: Epson 3LCD 3-chip technology ensures the projection of brilliant images with true-to-life color
– High Brightness: Both models offer 3,300 lumens of color brightness and 3,300 lumens of white brightness
