Let's face it, even the prettiest lifestyle projectors can rub the living-room vibe the wrong way. UST designs minimize that jarring effect by snuggling up close to the wall, and specialist AWOL Vision has a bright new bundle of joy that's almost ready for action.
For a wee while now, folks who cable smart projectors to their games consoles for big-screen action may have felt a little frustrated by the results. Though refreshing the monster image 30, or even 60, times per second might be good for casual combatants, it's not going to satiate the thirst for fast-action clarity that serious gamers demand.
AWOL Vision
At Europe's largest tech expo last month, the first models capable of 4K visuals at 120 Hz for cabled content were announced. AWOL Vision's LuxVision ultra-short-throw laser projector broke ahead from the pack by also including the industry's first optical vertical lens shift for this kind of audiovisual entertainment device.
We covered the launch, but now that it's up for pre-order we know a few more specs plus the final suggested retail price, and bundle offers.
AWOL Vision
As suggested by our headline here, this model needn't necessarily be reserved for movie night in a darkened home theater. Its triple-laser (RGB) light source is reported capable of putting out a massive 6,000 ISO lumens. For comparison, the top dog in AWOL's excellent Aetherion Series manages around half that and I found viewing away from direct sunlight on a wall or matte-white screen to be just great for a quick hit – but waiting for darkness yielded the best results on my setup. The output of the LuxVision model is said to "help maintain vivid images even in real-home lighting" – meaning daylight viewing is on the menu.
The company has confirmed that HDMI input lag at 4K/120-Hz gets down to just a millisecond when combined with auto low latency mode and variable refresh. That should be good for sharp-shooters and virtual F1 racers alike. Plus, Dolby Vision Gaming is waiting in the wings for compatible titles. And of course, sports and movie fans should benefit from this kind of snappy response as well.
AWOL Vision
Long-throw projectors employ lens shift to help make the visuals better fit the space they're in without having to move the units – or cumbersome big screens – around. AWOL brings this kind of flexibility to the LuxVision, allowing the image to be moved "vertically within a 142-152% offset range without cropping, scaling, or sacrificing true 4K detail."
If the unit is positioned just 7.5 inches away from a vertical viewing surface, the 0.18:1 throw ratio will produce a rectangle at 120 diagonal inches. That should mean no-one casting shadows on the huge visual feast as they take a toilet break. And if your noggin can handle the overload, an optional upgrade is available that caters for multiple views in one viewing space. So you can keep an eye on all the big games, while still progressing through zombie-filled wastelands or catching up with your favorite talent show.
AWOL Vision
Our earlier coverage detailed many of this Google TV projector's other capabilities and specs – including the dynamic IRIS technology, color gamut coverage, Anti-RBE chops, native contrast, and more – so be sure to check that after you've clocked the pricing information below.
The reservation period runs until November 2, and until then you can lay down a refundable US$100 deposit to lock in the launch offer. This means that as well as the LuxVision projector, early birds will also get a complimentary big screen thrown in too.
Once the calendar rolls over to November 3, the balance of $5,899 is due and shipping will begin. For everyone who misses this promo window, the suggested retail price for the LuxVision only is $5,999.
Reservation page: LuxVision