AWOL brand appeared on the market only a few years ago. More precisely, AWOL Vision was founded in 2020 by a group of TV enthusiasts. Of course, any new brand requires significant efforts from the company. Usually, an aggressive pricing strategy is one of the main tools for compensating for a reputation deficit. As a result, such models often offer superb value for money, and AWOL projectors are no exception.
AWOL Vision projectors
In just three years, the company has developed and introduced LTV series of UST 4K projectors with triple-laser RGB-based light engine and several high performance Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screens.
As known, these light sources provide ultra-wide color gamut. For example, TriChroma RGB laser light engine covers 107% of BT.2020 color space.
Today companies use ALPD 3.0 and 4.0 versions of Advanced Laser Phosphor Display technology.
ALPD 4.0-based RGB models have three lasers and cover ~107% of BT.2020 color space, but they are more expensive. In addition, the interference of laser beams can form speckles, which look like a coarse-grained photo. However, companies are quite successful in combating this problem.
The laser-phosphor ALPD 3.0 light engines are cheaper and work without speckle, but they only cover ~100% in Rec.709 color space. As known, BT.2020 is much wider vs Rec.709.
Today, the company’s lineup includes the LTV series and the luxurious rollable AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV costing ~$ 15,000.
Last August, the company introduced AWOL Vision LTV-2500 and 3500 4K UST projectors. In fact, price and brightness were their main differences. At IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) 2023, the company presented the pro-version of the flagship LTV-3500 and the new LTV-3000 Pro projector. Its brightness and price are positioned between 2500 and 3500 models. Thus, the LTV series of 4K UST RGB projectors today includes:
– AWOL Vision LTV-2500 (2022) – $ 2,500;
– AWOL LTV-3500 (2022) – $ 5,500;
– LTV-3000 Pro (2023) – $ 3,000;
– LTV-3500 Pro (2023) – $ 6,000 / £ 3,500 / € 6,000 (launch prices) – comes with 100”-120” Wall-Mount Cinematic ALR Screen or ALR Motorized Floor Rising Screen.
Projector screens
With the exception of brightness, the models offer almost identical specs and features. Of course, the huge difference in price is puzzling, but it’s quite justified.
As known, the enormous popularity of UST projectors is due to their positioning as an alternative to traditional TVs with a huge screen. Indeed, placing traditional mid-focal projectors at a distance of several meters from wall creates a problem of wires on the floor. Today it can only be solved with the help of a complex ceiling mount. Ultra short throw (UST) models are placed near the screen without creating this problem.
But a huge 4K image requires high brightness to compensate for ambient light. As known, it makes the image colors appear dull and pale. ALR / CLR (Ambient Light Rejecting / Ceiling Light Rejecting) screens effectively compensate for ambient light, redirecting the light flux to the viewing area due to the complex surface texture.
Not wanting to risk their reputation due to the discrepancy between the image quality and the declared one, some manufacturers began to sell their flagship models only complete with screens.
Unfortunately, they are very expensive and significantly increase the projector price. The consumer market has been lukewarm to this practice. Indeed, the lucky owner of a UST model may already have an ALR screen, win it in the lottery, receive it as an inheritance or as a gift. Finally, he can buy it later, for example, after receiving a bonus. As a result, most companies today offer only optional screens.
Unfortunately, some sellers do not indicate the delivery set. But given the very high screen cost, model price varies greatly depending on its availability and type.
AWOL offers several screen types.
Brightness
Besides price, the models differ significantly in brightness, offering 2,000 ANSI Lm (LTV-2500) vs 2,400 ANSI Lm (LTV-3000 Pro) vs 3,500 ANSI Lm (LTV-3500/3500 Pro) in accordance with ANSI IT7.228 standard. But this aspect requires some clarification.
Because brightness has a significant impact on image quality, companies often use it for marketing purposes. As a result, today companies indicate in the specs:
– ANSI Lumens (American National Standards Institute) – measures the luminous flux at nine points on the screen. This standard includes ANSI IT7.215 (1992) and IT7.228 (1997) editions;
– CLO- Epson indicates Color Light Output and white brightness (in 3LCD projectors they are always equal due to the absence of losses on the color wheel).
– LED Lumens in LED projectors (Helmholtz-Kohlrausch effect takes into account the perception of colors on their saturation; 1,000 LED Lumens ~ 417 ANSI Lumens);
– ISO 21118 (International Organization for Standardization) defines the manufacturing standard and measurement technique with regard to the light source power and the effect of noise on brightness (1 ANSI Lumen ~ 0.8 ISO Lumens);
– Lux – illumination of one square meter of the screen.
Finaly, in 2022, the China Electronics Video Industry Association (CVIA) developed a new group standard.
For comparison, the brightness of JmGO N1 Ultra (JmGO is one of the developers of the standard), is 4,000 ANSI lumens ~ 2,200 CVIA lumens.
Probably, such chaos can be considered quite an adequate price for a free market with fierce competition. But it significantly limits the assessment of the actual projector brightness.
In any case, 2,000 ANSI Lm is enough for acceptable image quality even in diffuse daylight, the LTV-3500 / 3500 Pro is almost 50% brighter vs LTV-3000, which in turn is ~20% brighter vs LTV-2000.
Specs
In fact, the LTV-3500 Pro is an improved LTV-3500 version with Dolby Vision support and smart home upgrade.
The LTV-3000 Pro can also be positioned as a brighter version of the LTV-2500.
The company lists the LTV-3000 Pro brightness as 3,000 Peak Lumens, but its correlation with the 2,400 ANSI Lumens listed in the specs is unclear. But the test demonstrates up to 2,500 ANSI Lumens in Standard / Vivid / Movie / Sport / Game modes, almost 2,600 ANSI Lumens in User mode, and just under 2,400 / 2,500 / 2,600 ANSI Lumens for Bright room / Dark room / Vivid in Dolby Vision.
All models:
– 80″-150″ Screen Size with 0.4 m – 0.8 m Throw Distance at 0.25:1 Throw Ratio (100″@0.6m).
– Full HD 3D;
– 24 fps support;
– 15ms for 4K@60Hz and 8ms for 1080p@120Hz input lag;
– MEMC (Motion Estimation Motion Compensation) – frame interpolation ensures smooth playback;
– H &V Digital Keystone (no Lens Shift);
– built-in Dolby Atmos;
– 2x18W internal speakers;
– high-quality RICOH lens system with superb uniformity in image clarity.
– Enhanced Black Level function (laser dimming);
– powered focus;
– Android 9.0 OS;
– HDR (HDR10 and HLG – all models) – HDR10+ (LTV 2500) vs HDR10+ and Dolby Vision (LTV 3000 Pro) vs HDR10+ (LTV 3500) vs HDR10+ and Dolby Vision (LTV 3500 Pro).
This year’s models support Dolby Vision and Smart Room Integration with the new Control 4 feature. They are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
In addition, the projectors have Home Cinema and Game modes.
New Smart Home control supports PJLink, Control 4, SAVANT, and Crestron control and management protocols.
Resolution, contrast and prices
All models support 4K (3,840 x 2,160) resolution with TI .47-inch 4K UHD DMD (Digital Micromirror Device), which uses pixel shift-based Xpanded Pixel Resolution (XPR) technology.
XPR has significantly reduced prices for 4K projectors. It plays back 4K content using a relatively inexpensive DMD with native 1080p resolution (~ 2 million micromirrors). In fact, chipset divides 8 million pixels of 4K-image into 4 parts of 2 million. Then, the 4 XPR module electromagnets change the lens tilt 2 or 4 times per cycle, shifting the 1080p images by half a pixel diagonally relative to each other.
Of course, 2 million micromirrors produce only one a 1080p image at any given time. But due to the high frequency, the eye and brain perceive them as one higher-resolution image.
Of course, image quality depends significantly on its contrast.
Projectors provide 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio with local dimming. New models have 2,500:1 native contrast (full on/off) with Enhanced Adaptive Black Level (laser dimming).
But the native contrast of last year’s projectors only increases to 2,200:1. Of course, they are radically inferior to LCoS projectors, whose technology provides almost ‘infinite’ contrast. But in comparison, LED DLP models have native contrast of ~500:1 – 1,000:1. Therefore, 2,500:1 (full on/off) is quite high.
Today company’s website lists the LTV-3500 Pro for $ 6,000, but a street price is ~$ 5,500. According to the site, the projector comes with 100” / 120” Wall-Mount Cinematic ALR Screen Bundle or Floor Rising Screen Bundle.
The LTV-3000 Pro price reaches $ 4,000 with 100” / 120” Cinematic ALR Screen Bundle or with 100” / 150″ Matte White Screen Bundle, and $ 4,540 with 100″ / 120″ ALR Floor Rising Screen Bundle.
Conclusion
Excluding screen costs, AWOL Vision LTV projectors cover the entire premium segment of UST projectors ranging from $ 2,500 (LTV 2500) to $ 4,000 ($ 6,000 ≈ LTV 3500 Pro + screen / ~$ 2,000 ). Ultra wide color gamut with triple-laser light engine, high brightness and contrast, and other premium specs provide superb value for money, promising them good marketing prospects.
But to be fair, today this segment is filled with many superb models. A partial list of 4K laser UST projectors includes:
– LG CineBeam HU915QE – $ 5,560 (ALPD 4.0; 3,700 ANSI lm);
–Epson EpiqVision Ultra UST 4K LS800 – $ 2,940 (ALPD 3.0; 4,000 ISO lumens);
– LG HU715Q – $ 3,000 (ALPD 3.0; 2,500 ANSI lm);
– Hisense PX1 Pro – $ 2,500 (ALPD 4.0; 2,200 ANSI lumens);
– Formovie Theater – $ 2,800 (ALPD 4.0; 2,800 ANSI lm);
– Hisense PX1 Pro / PX2 Pro – $ 2,500 / $ 2,800 (ALDP 4.0, 2,200 / 2,400 ANSI Lumens);
–Hisense PL1 – $ 2,000 (2023, ALDP 3.0, 2,100 ANSI Lumens);
–Formovie C2 – $ 1,800 (ALPD 3.0, 2,100 ANSI Lumens).
In addition, controversial practice with included screen has several aspects. Usually the company gives a discount, improving the price and money ratio. But it requires a fairly high budget. . Therefore, the AWOL projectors are Ideal for the veranda of a cozy villa near the ocean, but is unlikely to be optimal for newlyweds with a limited budget.
Video shows the AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro with 120″ floor rising screen.