Using a projector for home theatre is the ultimate way of immersing yourself in the movies and games, and there is no better way than to do it on a big screen. However, there are several challenges one has to face when the screen is large and the room is well-lit.
Perhaps, one of the apparent solutions to such a requirement is using a 4K projector with high brightness. One such projector is AWOL's Vision LTV-3500 PRO, which succeeds the LTV-3500, retaining most of the specs but bringing several new improvements, including Dolby Atmos.
It's something that isn't made for the masses but for the enthusiasts who can't stand compromises. Combined with the Thunderbeat surround speakers and a large 100-150" screen, your home theater will be ready but how does it work, and is it good?
Here I will answer all those questions by reviewing it, providing you with the info on what you should expect from it and whether it is worth it.
Getting Started
AWOL Vision LTV-3500 PRO is an Ultra-Short Throw projector that doesn't need to be mounted on the ceiling. You can just leave it on the floor or any dedicated platform where you intend to put your screen. Since I was provided with a 100-inch motorized screen, I just kept it on the floor and it was good to go.
The motorized screen opens up with just a click of a button on the remote control and leaves around a foot gap between the ground and the actual edge of the screen. This allows easier management of the setup since you are only required to put the projector a few inches away. It's far more convenient and hassle-free than a traditional projector where you would have to route the wires and do all kinds of mounting works. On the other hand, the Vision LTV-3500 PRO is easier to set up and adjust and can be carried anywhere.
As for sound, the LTV-3500 PRO is equipped with its own sound system, which we will talk about later but I used the AWOL Thunderbeat 4.2.2 Channel speakers that are much more powerful and work wirelessly out of the box. In a couple of minutes, I was able to get the setup working and with each system having its own remote control, it was easy to configure and understand how everything works.
AWOL Vision LTV-3500 PRO Specifications and Summary
The LTV-3500 PRO uses the TI 0.47-inch pico DMD display technology and the TriChroma Pure Laser, both of which are cutting-edge technologies. The DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) is a chip used in DLP projectors and has millions of tiny mirrors to reflect light for sharp and vibrant image creation. Since it is the pico DIMD, it is a compact version that is suitable for projectors with space and size constraints.
On the other hand, the TriChroma Pure Laser is a reliable laser technology that has a long lifespan and is pretty accurate in color reproduction. The projector uses the customized Ricoh F2.0 Pure Glass lens, which has a wide aperture of F2.0 and is excellent for eliminating distortions.
The LTV-3500 PRO is made to project the image on screen sizes ranging from 80 inches to 150 inches, catering to different room sizes and preferences. One of the most notable display features of the LTV-3500 PRO is its brightness, which is 3000 ISO Lumens, one of the highest you will find on modern projectors, allowing you to enjoy vivid visuals in well-lit rooms.
Apart from that the projector offers a color space of 107% BT.2020 and can support up to 4K (3840x2160p) resolution for sharp details. Combined with the HDR support, everything should be crisp and detailed for an amazing experience, which I will be detailing soon. Thankfully, this isn't any basic HDR but includes Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, etc. to stand out.
The LTV-3500 PRO boasts support for MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) technology for eliminating blur and smoothing visuals in fast-paced scenes, which isn't only pleasant for action movies but also for gaming and sports. This is one of the very few projectors, which bring a low input latency of just 8ms. This applies to the 1080p@120Hz mode but even at 4K@60Hz, the latency is 15ms. Last but not least, the projector features good eye safety features and Laser Outlet Blocked Detect technology, which reduces the chances of eye damage. More on that in the User Experience section.
Picture Quality
If I were to give my experience in a single sentence, I would say that I haven't found even a single flaw in the picture quality produced by the LTV-3500 PRO. Of course, you shouldn't be expecting it to surpass the OLED panels since that's a completely different technology and different way of watching content but I don't think it's easy to get such a vivid image quality through a projector that can match high-end displays.
Typically the details we usually miss on regular monitors could be seen so easily on a 100-inch screen but that's not entirely why this projector is special. Those tiny details like dirt on the couch, the patterns on the floor and walls, and the textures on everything are so crisp and clear that it's hard to miss anything. I would say that the picture quality was consistent all around the screen to the point that even though it is easier to find flaws on projectors, I can guarantee you can't find one except if you are trying to match its color reproduction to high-end displays.
The contrast is surprisingly quite good enough to see a striking difference between the dark and light areas, thanks to its native 2500:1 contrast ratio. The excellent HDR support does play a good part in showing the vivid details and all that while the colors felt quite accurate. I am no pro in testing the color accuracy or color gamut, but having used some really great displays with a variety of color spaces, it feels like a high-end display.
All of this is possible due to the 107% BT.2020 color space and its excellent brightness that doesn't get affected even in well-lit rooms. I tried watching the content by turning on all the lights in my room and even opening the curtains in daylight and it was still bright enough to see everything clearly. Still, I wouldn't recommend doing this as it serves no purpose and it will be always recommended to turn off as many lights as possible.
There are quite several picture quality modes available in the settings. There are subtle differences between those and can only make a difference depending on what you are watching. Basically, you would need 4K Dolby Vision content to understand the LTV-3500 Pro's capabilities. However, even in basic 1080p good-quality content, you would easily find a difference between the image quality of the LTV-3500 Pro and other projectors.
Since it brings various settings to configure the image quality, I would recommend testing them out to see what works best for you. You can switch between various HDR settings such as Dolby Vision Dark, Dolby Vision Bright, and Doly Vision Vivid. I personally liked the Bright settings.
Audio Performance
When the LTV-3500 Pro starts, you will hear the sound right from the projector itself. The first time I heard it, I thought it was the ThunderBeat speaker setup because the sound was quite powerful. The built-in speakers are rated at 36W, which is quite decent for a projector but cannot compete with dedicated speakers. The speakers do support Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X and have pretty decent sound performance.
I wouldn't say these are the best but they should be used only when you don't have a dedicated speaker setup. At high volumes, the audio suffers from some compression and doesn't sound too good. It is satisfactory though but when I connected the ThunderBeat system from AWOl, the difference was quite large. Of course, it's going to be the case as ThunderBeat is nearly a $3000 setup with four channel speakers and two subwoofers rated at 480W.
It not only offers excellent audio clarity at high and low volumes but is almost hassle-free in connectivity. You just connect them to the power outlet along with the adapter, and you are ready to rock the wireless speakers. Every speaker operates in harmony with each other, no matter if you switch off or on one or two speakers in between. It doesn't take more than a second to sync them together and connect them to the LTV-3500 Pro via wireless connectivity.
It can offer up to 4.2.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound but together with the LTV-3500 Pro projector, you can create a 5.2.2 sound experience, which is surely one of the best experiences I have had in a while in my own home.
User Experience
I expected some hassle in setting up the AWOl LTV-3500 Pro along with the 100-inch screen and ThunderBeat system as there are quite too many accessories in the package. You get four remotes in total: one for each component plus one for the Amazon Fire Stick, which AWOl included with the projector system.
Each component needs a power outlet and that means, 1x screen, 1x projector, and 6x speakers equal 8 power connections. Once you do that, you can turn on the screen with its dedicated remote control or install a USB stick pre-included with it that syncs with the projector system. If you turn on the projector, both the projector and screen open up together and turn off together as well.
You have to place the projectors a few inches away from the screen and once the screen opens up fully, you can readjust the projector position to align it with the screen properly. It may be skewed at the corners but the manual adjustment inside the projector settings allows you to fix that quickly.
Now when you turn it on, after a quick configuration, you will see a screen that will display basic information such as apps, a folder, and HDMI connections. When I installed the Amazon Fire Stick, I could just click on the first HDMI option and get started right away. I liked the dedicated compartment for the Fire Stick as it is a tool-less bay that has a power cable connection for the Fire Stick too.
Once you get into the Fire Stick main menu, you can sign in with your existing OTT accounts such as Netflix and Amazon through your phone. I found the projector hardware to be quite fast and responsive. I would have hated it if it gave me a response like a regular Smart TV that takes time to move from app to app or setting to setting.
If you want to connect your computer or any console to it, you can do it too. Similarly, you can mirror your phone screen on the projector to play the media directly from the phone but since it doesn't have as good an immersive experience as the built-in apps, it's better to use the Fire Stick.
The Verdict
The AWOL Vision LTV-3500 Pro is simply overpowered for regular use. Even with so much to offer, it keeps its functionality user-friendly to the point that anyone can get it working within minutes. The excellent HDR support, high brightness, great contrast, and incredible color reproduction take the LTV-3500 Pro to a level that merely leaves no room for much improvement.
The easy installation and interface with various customization options allow you to configure it as per your needs. One of the best aspects of the LTV-3500 Pro is that you can literally put it anywhere and get started without having to get tangled in cables or start the hefty work of installation on a ceiling. The easy wireless connection between the projector, the screen, and the ThunderBeat speaker system is as easy as connecting a Bluetooth device to your phone.
The only thing that keeps it out of the reach of the masses is its hefty price tag of $5999, which is why we recommend it to those who have no budget constraints and want no compromises in their home theatre system.
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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