If you want to have the biggest and still best visual experience in your living room or multipurpose space, the way to go is definitely an brand new ultra short throw projector.
Unlike more traditional throw projectors that are mounted on the other side of the room from the projection surface, this new style of projector sits below the screen and projectors the image upwards from a very close distance. UST projectors use a laser light source, thus the other name they're referred to: laser TVs. They also get this name because they're designed to replace a traditional flatscreen television with a significantly larger display. Just like a OLED or LCD TV, laser TVs are designed for well-lit rooms, especially when paired with an ambient light rejecting screen. There are a number of 4K UST projectors available, but with so many options, how do you pick just one?
There are a number of important factors that go into picking which ultra short throw projector is best for you. These include brightness, color gamut and throw distance amongst a bunch of different features. To help you decide our projection experts watched 100's of hours of content and assembled a side by side comparison of the various laser TV projectors. For this projector showdown, we're putting the AWOL Vision LTV-3500 vs. the Formovie Theater to help you decide which one triple laser UST projector is better.
The top selling Formovie Theater ultra short throw projector of the year launched here in the USA in the summer of 2022. It is the enhanced and updated version of it's Chinese counterpart, the Fengmi T1. This triple laser ultra short throw takes full advantage of the advanced ALPD® 4.0 RGB+ technology. This light engine helps give the Formovie Theater some of the best black levels you'll find on a laser TV. {Spoiler Alert}, the amazing specs helped the Formovie Theater take 1st place in the 2022 Laser TV Showdown. As our #1 selling ultra short throw projector, it will be quite a challenge to unseat it as the best UST on the market. You can also check out our in-depth review of the Formovie Theater.
As the new kid on the projection block, AWOL Vision tried making a splash. They came out swinging with the release of the AWOL Vision LTV-3500. This super bright triple laser UST offers a pretty picture with vibrant colors. When designing it they definitely focused on brightness above all else.
So without further ado, the question that our experts will answer for you today: which is better the AWOL LTV-3500 or the Formovie Theater?
Read our head to head comparison of these two fantastic triple laser ultra short throw projectors to find out.
|
AWOL LTV-3500 |
Formovie Theater |
Our Thoughts: |
Brightness |
3500 |
2800 |
The AWOL UST wins on brightness, but the Formovie is plenty bright for most home environments. |
Throw Ratio |
0.25:1 |
0.23:1 |
The Formovie 4K UST sits a few inches closer to the projector screen than the LTV-3500. |
Chipset |
.47" DLP |
.47" DLP |
Both USTs use the same smaller .47" DLP chipset. |
Light Source |
RGB Triple Laser |
ALPD® 4.0 RGB+ Triple Laser |
Both USTs use true Red Green and Blue triple laser technology but Formovie gets the edge thanks to its advanced ALPD 4.0 technology. |
Color |
107% BT.2020 |
107% BT.2020 |
Both laser TVs offer an incredibly wide color gamut. |
Contrast Ratio |
1120:1 |
3333:1 |
The Formovie Theater wins when it comes to contrast ratio even with the AWOL's firmware update. It has one of the best of any UST. |
Image Size |
80 to 150 inches |
80 to 150 inches |
Both projectors can produce the same wide ranging screen size, but the Formovie Theater's shorter throw ratio makes it easier to achieve. |
Input Lag |
34.5 ms |
41.9 ms |
Neither projector is particularly strong with gaming, with the AWOL vision UST having a slight edge. |
Audio |
36W stereo speakers |
Full-range×2 + Tweeter×2 (30W) By Bowers & Wilkins |
The Formovie laser TV arguably has the best built-in soundbar of any ultra short throw projector. |
Price |
|
|
The Formovie Theater offers an absurdly low price given it's impressive specs. The high price of the AWOL is a big negative. |
| |
Add to Cart
|
Add to Cart
|
|
AWOL Vision LTV-3500
The Pros
- Super bright triple laser light source
- Seemingly accurate and vivid colors right out of the box
- Image is sharp and crisp
- Very easy to calibrate with a plethora of controls and options
- Can make an image size up to 150 inches
The Cons
- Very high price given the middle-of-the-road performance
- No built-in smart TV apps, but it does include an Amazon FireTV Stick
- Contrast ratio is lacking
- Solid but not the absolute best for gaming
- Body is quite bulky
- Unknown brand, so no history of customer service or quality
Formovie Theater
The Pros
- Very low price tag, especially given the incredible performance
- High lumen output with a RGB triple laser light source
- Vibrant colors out of the box
- Laser speckle reduction technology
- Best native contrast for a .47” XPR DLP
- Supports Dolby Vision
- Sits closer to the screen than most other USTs
- Can make an image size up to 150 inches
- Winner of the 2022 Laser TV Showdown
The Cons
- Menu is sometimes less intuitive
- Fan can be a little noisy
- Lacks 3D support
- Fixed-level line output for attaching a sub-woofer; volume controls on remote will change levels of built-in speakers but not adjust volume of the attached subwoofer
- Netflix app is not included
So Which UST Is Better, The Formovie Theater Or The AWOL LTV-3500?
Sometimes it's hard to pick a winner in these shootout comparisons. This was not the case for this coemption. One of these 4K ultra short throw projectors is clearly the superior choice. So in this head to head showdown between the AWOL LTV-3500 Vs. Formovie Theater the winner is the………
Formovie Theater
Why You Should Buy The Formovie Theater
The Formovie Theater is without a doubt one of, if not the best, ultra short throws available on the market today. The lower price and incredible specs make this 4K laser TV difficult to top. Apart from the great value, the significantly deeper black levels and far superior contrast, this UST creates a larger than life mesmerizing image that puts the Formovie 4K laser TV ahead of the AWOL UST. It's hard to express just how good the picture is on the Formovie Theater without seeing it in person.
Another big advantage that helps the Formovie Theater win is the level of control you have over the picture. This 4K ultra short throw offers a plethora of calibration options that let you dial in the projector to your liking more than most other units. The wide variable focus allows you to pick your preferred screen size all the way up to 150 inches. This is a BIG deal (pun intended).
If you don't want to use an external sound system, the Formovie Theater features the best built-in soundbar. It offers rich and powerful sound, unmatched by any other UST projector.
And we need to emphasize this again. The value you get from this projector for its visual performance is one of the most attractive features. It's a true bargain for this low price!
What Do You Think?
Which ultra short throw projector do you think is better? Which one would you buy? What do you think the most important feature is? Which do you want to see head to head in our next laser TV shootout? Let us know in the comments below!
Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can get notified when our shootout goes live and other great content in our pipeline.
If you have any questions on these projectors or anything else projection related don’t hesitate to hit us up at ProjectorScreen.com. Thanks for reading and keep on projecting!
Projector Resolution: | 4K |
Brand: | Formovie |
Product Status: | In Stock |
Lumens: | 2800 |
Projector Type: | Ultra Short Throw |
Light Source: | Laser |
Contrast Ratio: | 3,000:1 (full on/off) |
Chipset: | DLP |
Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 [HD] |
Throw Ratio: | 0.23:1 (D:W) |
Native Resolution: | 3840x2160 |
Lens Shift: | No |
Input Lag: | 4K/60Hz: 43ms | 1080p/60Hz: 41ms | 1080p/120Hz: 37ms | 1080p/240Hz: 34ms |
3D Support: | No |
Warranty: | 2 Years |
Standard Lens Focus: | Motorized |
Projector Resolution: | 4K |
Brand: | AWOL Vision |
Product Status: | Contact Us to Place Order |
Lumens: | 3500 |
Projector Type: | Ultra Short Throw |
Light Source: | Laser |
Contrast Ratio: | 1,000,000:1 |
Chipset: | DMD |
Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 [HD] |
Throw Ratio: | 0.25:1 (D:W) |
Native Resolution: | 3840x2160 |
Input Lag: | 4K/60 34.7 ms |1080p/60 34.5 |
3D Support: | Full HD 3D [Glasses Type: Shutter] |
Warranty: | 2 Years |
Standard Lens Focus: | Motorized |