AWOL 4K 3D Triple Laser UST Projector LTV-3500

[Robert Zohn]

AWOL VISION's new Flagship LTV-3500 4K HDR Laser UST Projector came in a very close 2nd place in our Dec. 10, 2022 UST Projector Shootout. Only beat by LG's HU915QB at a higher price and no 3D capability.

AWOL's LTV-3500 can render image sizes from 80" - 150"

True triple Laser with dedicated Red, Green, and Blue Laser light sources the LTV-3500 delivers excellent color fidelity and color volume.

3D capable and fast Game mode input lag adds to the list of premium specifications and features.

Here's a very nice YouTube that goes into detail and reviews all of the specifications of AWOL's LTV-3500 & it's big sister the Vanish Laser TV. AWOL VISION's Vanish TV integrates a motorized floor rising screen & perfectly synchronized it's built-in shelf that automatically pulls out while the screen in elevating & the UST projector displays your last viewed content.

The Huge 120-inch Invisible TV - YouTube

[BLMN]

I caved in and bought this projector, got the bundle directly from the AWOL website, the LTV-3500 + 120" motorized vividstorm screen, its coming this week can't wait

[Robert Zohn]

You will LOVE AWOL Vision's flagship LTV-3500 UST 3D Laser Projection system!

We have AWOL's LTV-3500-Pro on display/demo in our showroom and everyone who comes into our store is drawn to this stunning video display and stays to watch in our comfortable theater chairs.

[Evileye]

they mentioned Dolbly Vision possibly being added soon. Any news or updates on that? That would be huge for this projector.

[noirjunkie]

As other companies move away from offering affordable 4K laser projectors with 3D (I'm looking at you, Sony), it's refreshing to see this company remain committed to it.

[Robert Zohn]

AWOL's LTV-3500's 3D performance is excellent! We have the LTV-3500 on display/demo in our theater suite showroom.

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by Evileye

they mentioned Dolbly Vision possibly being added soon. Any news or updates on that? That would be huge for this projector.

its not coming in this one in late February, this is for enhanced blacks. Last they said they are still waiting on Dolby for the certification. It will eventually come.

@Robert, been playing with it for a week, haven't got to the 3D part yet, hooked up a Panasonic UB9000 and played some UHD discs, awesome! cant wait to see it with the enhanced blacks. this projector looks great with cable/sat sdr and streaming apple tv 4k. Superbowl in 4k HDR looked awesome. with the ALR screen, my living room has a lot of ambient light during the day no interference, what a difference from the old DLP tv i had lol.

[noirjunkie]

The video mentions that it doesn't have a color wheel; why was that specific piece of information included? Is this still technically considered a DLP system?

[Robert Zohn]

All UST projectors (other than Epson that use LCD) employ Texas Instruments (TI's) DLP SoC, also know as "Digital Micromirror Device" (DMD).

TI makes several performance levels of this popular chipset. The various image quality performance levels are based on the amount of e-shifting of the pixels to render the scaling of the incoming resolutions to the projector's 4K resolution with HDR. e.g. 0.47 Chip is a 2x horizontal and vertical e-shifting of the pixels to generate the 8.3 million pixels on the screen. The 0.66 DLP chip only need 1x horizontal and vertical e-shifting of the pixels to render the full 4K resolution.

DLP chips are also available with single, dual and triple RGB laser light sources.

[noirjunkie]

Interesting. Thanks for the detailed answer. Historically, my two main problems with DLP have been the mediocre black levels and the rainbow effect, the latter of which I'm especially susceptible to noticing. Does the elimination of the color wheel eliminate these problems?

[Evileye]

How is this for motion judder? I have a BenQ HT3550 4k which looks great but any panning motion is pretty messy.

[Robert Zohn]

@noirjunkie, for those who are sensitive to the "Rainbow" effect, the triple laser does exhibit far less of this anomaly, but you will still likely see some rainbow effect.

Moving your head even very slightly will increase the rainbow effect.

So a large TV or long throw projector is your best choice for this large screen category. And the latest (currently available) Long Throw Projectors and the new 2023 100"+ TVs (available spring/summer '23) are all looking very excellent.

@Evileye, motion resolution is very good on all UST projectors. Check out the results of our UST Projector Shootout Evaluation event to see how the panel of expert judges rated each UST projector for motion resolution.

Here's the link to our Shootout page with the summary of the judges voting in each category of image quality:

[HDTV1080P]

The higher end DLP projectors use no color wheel which results in no rainbow effect, these are called 3 chip DLP projectors. A 3 chip DLP projector normally starts in the $20,000 to $30,000 range for native 1080P. If one wants true native 4K light engine DLP one is looking at the $120,000-$250,000+ price range.

Back between the years 2010-2016 I was a big fan of DLP projectors since they offer the absolute best reference quality 1080P resolution when viewing 3D source material from the Blu-ray 3D format (Blu-ray launched in 2006 and Blu-ray 3D in 2010). However, in the year 2016 the native 4K Blu-ray format launched that is a 2D only format. The problem is no native 4K DLP or LCD projectors exist on the consumer market. Which leaves JVC and Sony the only two companies offering native 4K LCOS light engines. However DLP projectors does have a little better 3D quality then LCOS, especially when a dual DLP projector design is used in a Dolby Cinema and IMAX setup in the home.

If I was in the market for a native 4K projector it would be the Sony and JVC LCOS models that generally have a price range between $6,000 to $80,000+ depending on the model number. Those LCOS projectors are all ceiling mounted projectors and DLP and LCD projectors have the advantage of short throw table top setups for those that do not want to remodel their home theater room or second room bedroom home theater setup.

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

The higher end DLP projectors use no color wheel which results in no rainbow effect, these are called 3 chip DLP projectors. A 3 chip DLP projector normally starts in the $20,000 to $30,000 range for native 1080P. If one wants true native 4K light engine DLP one is looking at the $120,000-$250,000+ price range.

Back between the years 2010-2016 I was a big fan of DLP projectors since they offer the absolute best reference quality 1080P resolution when viewing 3D source material from the Blu-ray 3D format (Blu-ray launched in 2006 and Blu-ray 3D in 2010). However, in the year 2016 the native 4K Blu-ray format launched that is a 2D only format. The problem is no native 4K DLP or LCD projectors exist on the consumer market. Which leaves JVC and Sony the only two companies offering native 4K LCOS light engines. However DLP projectors does have a little better 3D quality then LCOS, especially when a dual DLP projector design is used in a Dolby Cinema and IMAX setup in the home.

If I was in the market for a native 4K projector it would be the Sony and JVC LCOS models that generally have a price range between $6,000 to $80,000+ depending on the model number. Those LCOS projectors are all ceiling mounted projectors and DLP and LCD projectors have the advantage of short throw table top setups for those that do not want to remodel their home theater room or second room bedroom home theater setup.

I really wanted the Sony VZ1000ES UST, its native 4k but after reading some reviews (3D to me is a must), the Sony fails with 3D because it has ghosting!! the AWOL was a no brainer after all the praise its getting and all the good reviews specially for its 3D capability. and i can live with the pixel shifting for 4k.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by BLMN

I really wanted the Sony VZ1000ES UST, its native 4k but after reading some reviews (3D to me is a must), the Sony fails with 3D because it has ghosting!! the AWOL was a no brainer after all the praise its getting and all the good reviews specially for its 3D capability. and i can live with the pixel shifting for 4k.

If you mainly watch Blu-ray 3D, then a DLP projector is the absolute best reference quality for 1080P 3D technology. I do not know what the AWOL frame rate is, but the best DLP single projector setups will use triple flash technology at 144fps (72fps for each eye) with active or passive glasses to offer flicker free Blu-ray 3D quality that matches the cinema style performance. Some of the lower end home DLP projectors use 96fps (48fps for each eye) that can have fatigue issues. I do not see it mentioned in the specs but if the AWOL DLP projector does offer 144fps triple flash technology then that would be a big selling point for Blu-ray 3D fans. That is the exact same frame rate that single DLP projectors use in the professional cinema when showing 3D movies. Maybe someone can contact AWOL to find out the frame rates used for 3D and 2D. Many DLP projectors use 48fps for 2D except for the over $100,000 models that can do 24fps with no flicker issues.

The AWOL projector is also only $5,499 which is an excellent price for a 150-inch screen setup (also it has HDR10+). If one goes to Best Buy right now a 97 inch LG OLED flat panel costs $24,999.99 or a 100 inch Sony LCD TV costs $14,999.99, and both of those choices does not offer 3D.

There is another issue with getting a projector that offers a 150 inch screen setup. It is much easier to upgrade the projector compared to a flat panel screen that is 100 inches. Some people might have trouble getting a 100 inch flat panel in their room, where as a projector comes in a small box. Also if one upgrades their display every 3 to 5 years, then if one lives in a condo or apartment complex, people are going to notice a big 100 inch or larger flat panels being delivered and sold when upgrade process occurs. Then there is the environmental factors, recycling a projector after 10 to 20 years is easier to do then a 100 inch flat panel. My point is when consumers want over 77 inch screens, owning a projector is very attractive since they arrive in a small box by UPS or Fed EX where as a 100 inch flat panel has to be delivered in a freight truck. Ordering a $5,000 to $400,000+ projector results in no one in the local community noticing, but ordering a flat panel that is between 77 to 100+ inches, many people are going to notice one of those being delivered (during the super bowl many people in the condo or apartment complex will want to be your best friend, which is perfectly fine unless one wants to have a private family sporting event).

The long throw ceiling mounted projectors and especially the short throw table top projectors, have the potential for huge sales gains in years to come, since it is not practical to purchase 100 inches and larger flat panels (the only exception to that rule would be if roll up OLED flat panels arrive on the market in another 10 or 20 years, then a paper thin 150 inch or larger flat panel could be rolled up like a poster).

[revgen]

Part of the reason why DLP typically has less 3D crosstalk is because it usually uses a single chip with a single light source. With three separate lasers projecting red, green, and blue, I have doubts about how the projector will handle crosstalk during a 3D presentation.

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by revgen

Part of the reason why DLP typically has less 3D crosstalk is because it usually uses a single chip with a single light source. With three separate lasers projecting red, green, and blue, I have doubts about how the projector will handle crosstalk during a 3D presentation.

i will let you know about this, will crack a 3D movie on it tonight. reviews on avs forum are all praise, they even say its the best home 3D out there hands down.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by revgen

Part of the reason why DLP typically has less 3D crosstalk is because it usually uses a single chip with a single light source. With three separate lasers projecting red, green, and blue, I have doubts about how the projector will handle crosstalk during a 3D presentation.

Originally Posted by BLMN

i will let you know about this, will crack a 3D movie on it tonight. reviews on avs forum are all praise, they even say its the best home 3D out there hands down.

Back between the years 2010 and 2016+, I did a lot of research on 3D and DLP projectors. The best quality is the dual Christie 4K projectors that are used in a Dolby Cinema and IMAX setups that offer 48fps (a separate 24fps for each eye). 4K and 2K Christie projectors use 3 DLP chips. They are Laser projectors with 3DLP chips.

https://www.christiedigital.com/glob...-datasheet.pdf

However a million dollar Dolby Cinema or IMAX setup is not practical for the average person. The second best setup is using a single 3 chip DLP Laser projector that triple flashes the native 48fps Blu-ray 3D disc or digital cinema movie to 144fps (72fps) using passive or active glasses. USA theater single projector setups use passive glasses at 144fps and some other countries use active glasses at 144fps. Both active and passive glasses at 144fps are flicker free 3D with no ghosting and no crosstalk. Very few home DLP projectors use 96fps (48fps) for each eye since 50% of the population can experience eye fatigue and other unpleasant effects.

Back around 2015 there was even low-cost single chip DLP projectors with a bulb and color wheel for under $1,000 that did 144fps in the 3D mode. The more expensive 1080P DLP projectors with no color wheel used a 3 chip DLP design with the projectors costing $20,000-$30,000+.

It looks like the AWOL is using a single DLP chip instead of a 3 DLP chip design in order to keep cost lower at around $5,500. But instead of a color wheel the 3 RGB Lasers are reducing the noise and rainbow effect from the single DLP chip. But only 3 DLP chips bulb and Laser projectors is completely rainbow free. There is a strong possibility that the AWOL uses 144fps for 3D, also called triple flash technology, which was a feature only offered on $30,000+ and higher DLP projectors but started appearing on some lower end under $1,000 DLP projectors many years ago. Maybe someone will verify the frame rate used on the AWOL, since it is not mentioned in the specs.

I just wish the DLP industry with Texas Instruments would design a native 4K DLP chip instead of using 4K pixel shifting technology with a 1080P light engine. Blu-ray 3D is a a nice feature, but most consumers are now into native 4K Blu-ray releases with very little new Blu-ray 3D titles being released. The ideal projector should have both native 4K light engine with no pixel shifting and legacy Blu-ray 3D. But doing that for under $60,000 is not possible in 2023, therefore the AWOL for around $5,500 is a bargain as long as one can live with 4K pixel shifting technology. Smart TV's are only native 4K with a still static image on the screen, add motion to the movie and the Smart TV drops below the claimed 3840 X 2160P resolution. Bottom line there is no perfect display.

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Back between the years 2010 and 2016+, I did a lot of research on 3D and DLP projectors. The best quality is the dual Christie 4K projectors that are used in a Dolby Cinema and IMAX setups that offer 48fps (a separate 24fps for each eye). 4K and 2K Christie projectors use 3 DLP chips. They are Laser projectors with 3DLP chips.

https://www.christiedigital.com/glob...-datasheet.pdf

However a million dollar Dolby Cinema or IMAX setup is not practical for the average person. The second best setup is using a single 3 chip DLP Laser projector that triple flashes the native 48fps Blu-ray 3D disc or digital cinema movie to 144fps (72fps) using passive or active glasses. USA theater single projector setups use passive glasses at 144fps and some other countries use active glasses at 144fps. Both active and passive glasses at 144fps are flicker free 3D with no ghosting and no crosstalk. Very few home DLP projectors use 96fps (48fps) for each eye since 50% of the population can experience eye fatigue and other unpleasant effects.

Back around 2015 there was even low-cost single chip DLP projectors with a bulb and color wheel for under $1,000 that did 144fps in the 3D mode. The more expensive 1080P DLP projectors with no color wheel used a 3 chip DLP design with the projectors costing $20,000-$30,000+.

It looks like the AWOL is using a single DLP chip instead of a 3 DLP chip design in order to keep cost lower at around $5,500. But instead of a color wheel the 3 RGB Lasers are reducing the noise and rainbow effect from the single DLP chip. But only 3 DLP chips bulb and Laser projectors is completely rainbow free. There is a strong possibility that the AWOL uses 144fps for 3D, also called triple flash technology, which was a feature only offered on $30,000+ and higher DLP projectors but started appearing on some lower end under $1,000 DLP projectors many years ago. Maybe someone will verify the frame rate used on the AWOL, since it is not mentioned in the specs.

I just wish the DLP industry with Texas Instruments would design a native 4K DLP chip instead of using 4K pixel shifting technology with a 1080P light engine. Blu-ray 3D is a a nice feature, but most consumers are now into native 4K Blu-ray releases with very little new Blu-ray 3D titles being released. The ideal projector should have both native 4K light engine with no pixel shifting and legacy Blu-ray 3D. But doing that for under $60,000 is not possible in 2023, therefore the AWOL for around $5,500 is a bargain as long as one can live with 4K pixel shifting technology. Smart TV's are only native 4K with a still static image on the screen, add motion to the movie and the Smart TV drops below the claimed 3840 X 2160P resolution. Bottom line there is no perfect display.

ok so you got mixed up on a few things, its not 144fps but 144HZ (flashes per second) 6:2 frame rate (N:M) for 24fp content and 192HZ 4:2 frame rate (N:M) for 48fps (HFR) content and 120HZ 2:2 frame rate (N:M) for 60fps (HFR). We have Christie projectors so i had to master all those settings for RealD 3D HFR presentations at the theater.

Edit: i emailed AWOL support asking about the flashes per second used in 3D mode.

[HDTV1080P]

A 150 inch projector for around $5,500+ looks very attractive when compared to this Samsung 110 inch flat panel screen for around $150,000.

https://www.samsung.com/us/televisio...na110ms1acxza/