When Epson launched the Brightlink 1485Fi series last year, nobody expected the pandemic we’re still living through. Epson says the Brightlink 1485Fi was made to “create engaging and collaborative learning environments.” Even though they didn’t predict this “new normal,” they built a projector that’s flexible and valuable for both businesses and educators during Covid-19 times.
The Epson Brightlink 1485Fi has a native 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080) and uses a 3LCD interactive laser display. It offers 5,000 lumens of color and white brightness and comes with a nearly maintenance-free 20,000-hour laser light source—no lamps to replace. This projector is reliable, bright, and interactive, perfect for reading, teaching, and communicating.
It can project a 100-inch image with a 16:9 aspect ratio or a super-wide 120-inch image with a 16:6 ratio. Wondering why Epson added the unusual 16:6 ratio? Just measure a typical classroom blackboard or whiteboard width, and you’ll see why. The 1485Fi gives you up to 95% more interactive space than a 75-inch flat panel.
The Epson 1485Fi earned a Special Interest Award for taking interactivity and collaboration to the next level. It lets up to eight users work on the screen at the same time, making teamwork easy—even if they’re not in the same room. With Epson’s iProjection Software, up to 50 local and remote users can connect from any compatible device, making collaboration smooth no matter where people are.
In today’s world, where many work and learn remotely, this projector is a great tool to keep everyone connected and working together easily.
Epson Brightlink 1485Fi Specs
Price: $3,390
Technology: Solid State Laser Diode
Native Resolution: 1080p (1920×1080)
Brightness: 5,000 lumens
Contrast Ratio: 2,500,000:1
Zoom Lens Ratio: Digital up to 1.35x
Lens Shift: No
Lamp Life: 20,000 hours (Normal Mode)
Weight: 21.4 lbs (9.7 kg) with cable cover
Warranty: 2-Year Limited Projector Warranty
Epson built the 1485Fi for collaboration. It supports PC-free whiteboarding, printing, emailing, and more. Plus, it can connect with other Brightlink projectors on the network, letting up to eight users work together on one interactive canvas from different locations. Pretty flexible, right? This makes the 1485Fi especially useful in today’s Covid-19 world.
It also has automatic image adjustment and easy calibration, so you don’t need to be an expert to set it up. That said, I do recommend having a professional install it. The projector uses a single cable to connect to an external source box and comes with an HDBaseT control pad. Epson says, “Installation has never been easier,” and I agree—if you’re a pro installer. Once installed, setup is really easy.
This review covers more than just the basics of a business or education projector. I’ll walk you through its key features, hardware, and performance. Then, I’ll talk about optional products that work with it and explain why this projector is even more valuable in our new normal, especially for those working from home.
Overview
The Epson Brightlink 1485Fi is an interactive projector built for collaboration. It offers 5000 lumens (Epson’s spec) with a 3LCD system and supports both pen and touch control. This projector is very bright—if it meets that 5000-lumen claim in testing, it will work great in places with a lot of ambient light, like classrooms and meeting rooms. Since it uses a laser light source, there are no lamps to replace, making it almost maintenance-free.
One cool feature of the Epson Brightlink 1485Fi is its super-wide 16:6 display. This lets you fill a wide whiteboard with an image or split the screen—showing a PC screen on one side and an interactive whiteboard on the other. The wide aspect ratio makes sure everyone in the room can see the content clearly.
The 1485Fi also has a PC-free mode. That means you can start a whiteboard session right away, then save your work to a network drive, print it, or email it directly from the projector—no computer needed.
Epson improved the touch system too. It uses a slim, automatic touch module on the board for finger touch, so there’s no manual calibration like before. It takes up very little space and gives you a large, accurate touch area.
You can connect your computer or mobile device wirelessly using Miracast, which lets you move around freely while interacting with your content. Miracast is a reliable and easy way to connect if your device supports it.
The Brightlink 1485Fi is great for video calls too. It works with popular apps like Zoom and Skype, and you can use it as a display for your calls. You can split the screen to show a video call on one side and the whiteboard on the other, helping everyone collaborate whether they’re remote or in the room.
You can display content from up to four devices at once—including PCs, Macs, document cameras, Blu-ray players, or wireless devices via Miracast or AI projection. Epson also offers a free wireless display app. Using their iProjection app, up to 50 users can connect and share content at the same time, making it easy to get everyone involved in class or meetings. iProjection lets users control a PC with their fingertips, annotate content, and share photos, documents, web pages, or even live camera feeds. You can freeze images and mark them up using the two included pens along with built-in tools and the app.
Highlights:
Brightness: 5,000 Lumens
Price: $3,390
Resolution: 1080p Full HD (1920 x 1200) laser display
Technology: 3LCD, 3-chip system
Laser Light Source: Solid-state, lasts 20,000 hours (Normal) or 30,000 hours (Extended)
Projection Size: Up to 100″ (16:9) or super-wide 120″ (16:6)
Contrast Ratio: Up to 2,500,000:1
Lens: F-number 1.50, Focal Length 3.9mm
Sealed Light Path for almost no maintenance
Supports Crestron and Control4 systems
Easy to install with automatic image adjustment and simple calibration
PC-Free Digital Whiteboard mode
Network connected for easy sharing
Touch and pen enabled for smooth interaction
Allows up to 8 users to collaborate at the same time
Includes HDBaseT control pad
Built-in wireless connectivity
Free Epson iProjection software included
Supports Miracast for wireless screen sharing
Comes with 1-year subscription and support for SMART Learning Suite