Projectors are expensive pieces of technology. They also make a great addition to your new home theater—That’s why we want to preserve them as much as possible. But, to do so, we need to know the basic “ins” and “outs” on keeping your projector working correctly. Therefore, learning how to turn off a projector is an essential part of that solution.
So, we’re going to look at how to turn off a projector for Epson and Optoma. We’ll also touch on whether using the Standby option is better in some cases and how to properly unplug it once it’s off.
Although the answer to turning off your projector seems simple, it’s not as easy as pushing an off button. Considering these machines are complex, made with different lamps, technology, and sometimes liquids, we want to make sure we’re doing what we can to preserve their lifespan. Either way, it’s better to know.
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A Few Key Things about Turning Your Projector On or Off
Turning your projector on or off is a silly question, but it’s more important than you might think.
Preserving your projector’s lamp is essential to keeping it running for longer durations. Over time, your projector will stop working, but we want to make sure we make it last as long as possible.
Turning off your projector when it’s not in use is great for extending the life of your lamp. However, you can also keep your projector on Standby if you know you’re going to use it soon.
Keeping it on Standby is better for your lamp. Turning your projector on and off often is actually bad and reduces the life of the lamp. It not only decreases the life span, but it might cause the lamp to burn out entirely.
This begs the question, should you keep your projector on all the time? The quick answer is no. It’s okay to turn your projector off completely.
However, if your projector is currently on, and you know you’re going to use it within the next hour, keeping it on Standby is best.
So, what can you do in this case, and what is the right way to turn it off? All of that information is presented below.
How to Turn Off Your Epson Projector
Turning off an Epson projector is pretty simple. However, we should mention that it’s important to turn off any computer it’s connected to first. Now we can proceed through the steps.
To turn it off safely, simply press the power button on the projector itself or use the control.
Once the power button is pressed, the projector will display a screen asking you to confirm. Press the power button again if you wish to turn it off. If you change your mind and want to cancel, press any other button.
It’s essential to turn off the Epson projector when you’re not using it for long periods of time. This preserves the life of the machine. However, it’s important to note that projector lamp life depends on its selected mode, frequency of use, and environmental conditions.
Once the projector is off, do not turn it on immediately. That might hurt the lamp and shorten its lifespan.
Unplugging the Projector
Moving a projector while it’s still hot is not a good idea. Therefore it’s important to power it down, let it cool, then unplug before lifting it and taking it somewhere else. The same applies if you decide to store your projector.
In this case, first power down the projector as described above.
Then, look for a blue indicator light. It should be solid, not flashing. The status of the light is also off. If all this is correct, it is safe to unplug.
If your Epson projector model has a main power switch on the backside, make sure to switch it after the indicator light stops flashing.
Proceed to unplug your machine safely.
It’s important to note that you should not turn off the main power switch on its back before properly turning the projector off.
One more thing, before you move the machine, allow it to cool itself. Even though the device is properly turned off, the fans might be in use as an attempt to cool it.
Once the machine has cooled, it is okay to move or store.
Keeping Your Epson Projector on Standby Mode
Sometimes it makes sense to keep your projector on. In the case that you’re going to use your projector in the next hour or so, keeping it on Standby is better than turning it off completely.
The first few steps are similar to turning it off.
First, shut down any connected computer as mentioned above. Next, press the Standby button on the projector or remote.
The projector will display a screen to confirm if you want to turn off your projector or if you want to cancel. Press the standby button again at this point. To cancel the process, press any other button.
The projector will beep twice. It will then turn its lasers off and all lights.
The projector is set to Standby.
How to Turn Off Your Optoma Projector
It might come as a surprise but turning off an Optoma Projector is slightly different from an Epson projector.
Although there are a lot of similarities, there are a few key things we need to mention.
To turn off your Optoma projector, first press the power button on the projector itself or on the remote.
Upon pushing the power button, you’ll receive this message “Power Off? Press power key again.”
Now, press the power button again to turn it off. If you wish to cancel, the screen will disappear after several seconds.
Next, the power LED lights will flash green or blue slowly. The cooling fans will turn on to help cool the projector.
Once the power LEDs turn red, it has reached Standby mode.
For Optoma projectors, Standby mode is equivalent to Power Off.
If you need to turn it on again, you need to wait until the cooling fans have completed their cycle and reached Standby mode. Now you can press the power button to turn it back on.
However, once you’ve reached standby mode, you can safely unplug the machine.
That’s the main difference between turning off an Epson projector and an Optoma projector. Do not attempt to unplug an Epson projector when it’s on Standby.
An Optoma projector makes it easier for you to turn off, keep on Standby or unplug it. And having less complicated steps is always a great thing when it comes to technology.
An important side note. Suppose you’re going to unplug your Optoma (or any projector) it’s essential to allow its cooling cycle to complete itself.
Many projectors have airtight compartments, which means it needs time for them to cool completely.
To be safe, wait for several minutes after you’ve heard the fans stop.
And Now you Know
Projectors are wonderful—That’s why we want to preserve its integrity as much as possible. After years of wear and tear, you’ll notice a decrease in brightness as the life of the projector diminishes. And learning how to turn off your projector correctly is an important part of that equation.
Now that you understand the differences between turning off your Epson projector versus your Optoma projector, you can feel assured that you’re doing everything you can to keep it running as smoothly as possible.
James Quintanilla is a technical copywriter. Although his experience allows him to write on many topics, he loves to focus on tech and travel. As a freelancer, James has worked on projects with Pointer Clicker, Lonely Planet, and the Travel Channel. When he’s not writing or planning his next adventure, he’s watching a scary movie.