Epson Projector Management Software: How can I play a video on USB remotely?

Factual Questions
1

This is probably a “forlorn hope.” My Google-Fu is weak and I’ve now watched an hour or two of YT videos trying to find the answer.

I have a couple Epson Model 99WH video projectors. They are hardwired to my LAN and I use Epson Projector Management Software (Ver. 5.52) to control them. I have absolutely no problems connecting to the projectors. I can change all the settings, turn them on and off, schedule them, change the signal source, etc., just fine. What I CAN’T do is get them to start playing a video file on the USB thumb drives inserted in them.

To be clearer, the videos work just fine on the projectors, which use the PC Free feature to play them without an external signal source. If I go to the projectors, I can select “USB 1” and the files are there. I can select the file and then select “Slideshow” and the video plays back with no problems. The video will loop and run continuously.

The problem is that if I use the Projector Management software to remotely turn the projector on and then select “USB 1” as the source, the projector just shows the list of the contents of the USB drive (one video file). I then have to go to the projectors (which are not close), use the remote control to select “Slideshow,” and then walk back. I don’t even have to select the video file when I do this…it’s the only file and it’s already highlighted.

It makes absolutely no sense to me that this software can do all this great stuff, including selecting any of the many possible signal sources, but it won’t allow me to start or auto-play the one file I have on the USB stick.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I can totally see where it would be great for a museum or trade show exhibit to have multiple projectors that can be turned on, turned off, and adjusted remotely and in groups, but what good is this if I have to walk to each projector to actually get the video playing? (Again, the only thing I need to do at the projector is go down to the “Slideshow” button at the bottom of the screen and hit “Enter.”) But if this is the only option, I’ll grit my teeth and do it.

2

If worse comes to worst, you can always transmit commands using an IR blaster.

3

True, but I’m afraid that I would screw up the two or three button sequence between the projectors and get out of synch. And it’s not THAT far to walk.

Just seems weird that this model projector and the remote management software have oodles of features, but can’t seem to automatically play (or resume playing) a video file, even with the ability to remotely select the USB stick as the source. I’m hoping there’s a setting somewhere that I haven’t yet stumbled across.

BTW, there IS an Epson remote presentation software package, but it’s intended for the user to share presentations across multiple projectors for meetings. It’s not up to the task of showing a video in real time. Tried it.

4

OK, now I am just guessing, but you mentioned the projector is hooked up to the network.
So you should be able to write a script to send it commands

sort of like this (maybe some of the source code contains a list of commands)

5

Thank you. I will take a look at the command set, but my initial impression is that it only has commands to select a source (e.g., HDMI, USB). It doesn’t appear to have any additional commands to auto-run a file or slideshow. But I’ll poke around a bit.

I just feel like there should be some setting in the PC Free feature that would make the projector start the “slideshow” or at least resume the video when USB is selected as the source. There are options, including transitions and timing, but nothing to make the projector start playing the video file automatically or by remote command. I’ll keep looking.

Sadly, it might be that I need to run a separate cable for HDMI or VGA signals and provide those to the projectors from a common source. This, of course, works just fine. I can remotely turn on a group of projectors and select the HDMI or VGA inputs simultaneously for all projectors. But this would be a PITA (obviously).