Wiring

Epson X5, X5E (etc) IR controlled projectors (Code A0 hex)

This family uses InfraRed communications with the projector via a stick-on “bug” IR transmitter placed over the IR window on the back of the projector. It simulates the IR codes sent by the hand-held remote control, and unfortunately the functions are limited by the projector’s lack of absolute command codes in the IR sequences. Thus there are no absolute commands for “Video”, “Computer 1”, etc: rather the keyboard (Code 1) has a green button marked “Source / On” which sends the “Power” command to the projector once, but does not send a “Set Source” command automatically after warm-up. The red LED comes on immediately on power up with no flashes, and the green LED flashes during warmup and glows continuously in the ON state. Pressing the OFF button sends the “POWER” IR message twice and the red LED blinks during the cool-down time, then glows steadily.

The projector will start on the same source channel it was displaying when switched OFF. Pressing the “Source / On” button again (after warm-up) will index the projector through available sources, but it will only stop on a source if a valid input is being fed into that input when the projector is looking at that channel. If there is no input at that point, it will not change to it, but just put up a message screen. If a valid signal is then applied, the “Source / On” button will need to be pressed again to get it to lock onto the new source.

Models which run with this set of IR commands and IR modulation frequency of 38Khz are: EMP 740/745/737/732, EMP765/760/755/750/X3/ S3/S4. This family of projectors all use Device-code 8355h and use “NEC” format.

User’s manuals are at: http://tech.epson.com.au/downloads/index.asp?select=7&sCategory=

A new keyboard layout has been designed for this IR mode operation, designated “Code 1”. It provides incremental volume Up/Down keys, and the current volume level is shown on the projected image for a few seconds. The red and green LEDs follow the current state of the projector, but if the projector gets out of step with the controller (eg by the projector being ON when the red OFF led is showing), pressing the OFF button once (in the projector OFF state) will send the “POWER” IR message twice (with a 1-second separation) which will get things back into step (both OFF).

Because there is no feedback serial path to the controller, OPT7 status read-back is not possible.

There is only one audio input for this projector. Operation with the T461 audio mixer (OPT7) is NOT possible, as there is no way the controller knows which video source is in use, to command the T461 audio source switching to follow video source.

(Freeze and mute are not supported at this stage. Two-button-mute mode is not supported either.)

The IR transmitting bug is wired to the IR output socket J2 with the shield of the cable connected to the ground pin and the centre conductor to the “+IR” pin. The signal is current limited (24mA pulses), so no series resistors are needed in the cable.

As the IR bug wire is only 2M long it will usually be extended, and CAT5 cable is OK for this, but it must be via its own twisted pair (colour plus colour-with-white). (We have successfully tested this with 50M of CAT5E cable.)

If the CAT5 connector and cable is used runs from CAT5 connector J6, the IR signal runs via a twisted pair of wires via this cable, but link L1 must be moved from Tx (it’s position in RS232 mode) to IR (as needed for IR mode).

Code 1 keyboard:

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