Epson is a Japanese electronics firm that has been in business since 1942. Having started as a humble watch parts maker, the company made (and continues to produce) several other electronic items over the years — such as printers, personal computers, projectors, etc.
If you own an Epson projector, you might be wondering how old the machine is — especially after learning the company came up with its first projector in Jan 1989. When you know the model and age of an Epson projector, you get a fair idea of its price in the used goods market, how serviceable it is when things go wrong (lamp loses luster or goes bust, for instance), etc.
Therefore, knowing how old your Epson projector is is information that could come in handy in different scenarios. So, how do you find how old is your Epson projector?
Luckily, there are a few simple ways to find out the same. Some are as straightforward as reading through the specifications or glancing at the box, and others could entail a few added steps. Read on to learn more about them.
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How Do I Know What Epson Projector I Have?
You can find out the specific Epson projector model you have in different ways.
- The product packaging is a clear giveaway. The original box of the device should typically have the projector’s name in large fonts for easy identification.
- If you bought the projector used or from a non-authorized store, the original box could be missing. In that case, check the product booklet or instructions manual.
- If both the original product packaging and manuals are missing, look for the device’s name and model on the projector body itself.
- Also, when you turn on the projector and browse through its various menus or settings, you’ll stumble upon the projector’s name and other specifics, even if you were not particularly looking for the information.
The serial number will also let you in on the projector’s identity. However, it’s a less direct way to get to the info (projector model name and age).
How to Check How Old My Epson Projector Is?
Often, the particular Epson projector model you own and its headline features give away the age of the device.
For example, if the projector easily connects to other smart devices in your home or is a “smart projector,” it’s likely not very old (the late 2010s).
If you are the first owner and have had documents for the device, finding out the age of your particular unit should be pretty straightforward.
Even if you did not buy the projector from a retail store but from another user, the original invoice should let you know how old the device is or the device’s period of use.
A few indications (not tell-tale signs) about your projector’s age could be gleaned from how well the device functions overall and certain other aspects, such as:
- If the cables your Epson projector uses are not compatible with other electronic devices in your house, it’s likely an older-generation device. (Don’t go looking for USB-C compatibility already)
- The images are softer and fuzzier. The latest Epson projectors support up to 4K (and higher) resolution. An older or previous-gen Epson device is unlikely to have 4K or even native 1080p resolution support.
- The bulb technology is another approximate giveaway of the projector’s age. In other words, a lamp-based Epson projector is most likely older than a projector that employs LED or laser lights.
- Modern projectors are lightweight and compact, despite packing in more power and features — for instance, the Epson EF 100 . If the projector is the size of an average lunch box, rest assured it’s not archaic.
Kindly note, none of the above pointers would tell you the exact age of the projector.
They, however, would let you in on the generation the device belongs to. For accurate information, you’ll have to fall back to the invoice or the serial number.
Checking the Bulb’s Age
Projectors are not made of a lot of removable components. And out of the few that you could replace, the lamp tends to get swapped the most since it is at the helm of the action and wears down quicker than the other device parts as a result.
Therefore, the lamp’s age (expressed in the number of hours used) is a good indication of your Epson projector’s age. To find out how many hours the lamp has clocked on your Epson device, here are the steps:
- Plug in the projector, and switch it on. (Allow the projector to warm up a bit before moving on to the next steps)
- Press the Menu option on your projector.
- Once the menu is launched, head to the Options or Setup heading.
- Choose Lamp Hours or Lamp Life to view the number of hours the bulb has been used for.
Kindly note, the menu options may not be the same across all Epson projectors. If your projector doesn’t have the Setup or Options section, look for the Info section instead.
- Navigate to the option and press the “Enter” button on your projector. You would be presented with the Projector Info and Version sub-sections on the screen.
- Press Enter on your device to select Projector Info. You should now have your Lamp Hours information.
Based on your Epson projector model, the Lamp Hours section could show details about the total number of hours expended categorized as Normal and ECO, with the former accounting for more.
Besides lamp usage data, other information such as Source, Input Signal, Refresh Rate, Resolution, etc., would also be found in the sub-section. The serial number of the device resides there too.
Kindly note, there is the option to reset lamp hours. Therefore, if you happen to buy a used Epson projector whose lamp hours are at zero, grow suspicious. The seller could try to push a relatively old or extensively used device through as “almost new”, falsely claiming they never used the projector or it was lying around idle since purchase.
If your projector is too old to have physical menu buttons on it, press and hold (long-press) the power button. Do it for 10 to 20 seconds until lamp hour details show up on the screen briefly.
Conclusion
Knowing how old your Epson projector is is relatively simple. And, as clearly explained above, there are different ways to get to that piece of data.
If you are a projector expert or have used projectors for years and decades, the above pieces of information may seem rudimentary.
But for those new to Epson projectors and who have no clue, this piece hopefully covered all the bases.
Catherine Tramell has been covering technology as a freelance writer for over a decade. She has been writing for Pointer Clicker for over a year, further expanding her expertise as a tech columnist. Catherine likes spending time with her family and friends and her pastimes are reading books and news articles.