The Lowdown
To be clear, the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV is a pricey system, but the experience it delivers is unlike anything I have seen. Best of all, it doesn’t take over your space when it isn’t in use.
Overall
Pros
- Ships in five boxes that don’t require special shipping
- DIY setup
- Can be used in almost any space without the need to turn it into a dedicated theater room
- The clarity of the LTV-3500 Pro projector used during the demonstration produces a stunning image and excellent sound
- Great for television, movies, sporting events, and gaming
Cons
- It’s a pricey system, and upgrading from the AWOL Vision LTV-3500 to the LTV-3500 Pro to add Dolby Vision and Home Control adds another $500
I’ve long wanted a home theater system but never wanted to go to the expense and trouble of having a technician come and install a ceiling projector and dropdown ceiling screen; it just wasn’t in the cards. The all-in-one 120″ AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV eliminates the need to install anything. When I recently experienced this system, which was also shown at CES this year and won a “Best of” award from us, it blew my mind.
Let me go back to the beginning. We moved into our house eight years ago. During the renovation, I considered turning the downstairs den into a home theater, but the time, fuss, and expense didn’t seem worth it at the time. I planned to make it happen eventually but never got around to it.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to see the 120″ AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV in action at Ethan Raisel, their press representative’s home in a nearby town. I didn’t know what to expect but was interested in the opportunity.
When I walked into his theater room, I took note of the seven theater-style recliners and the projector in the ceiling. A screen dropped from the ceiling when the demo started, and my host started playing a movie.
It looked excellent, but I needed clarification because that wasn’t the product I had come to see.
Ethan quickly offered it. “This is my old projection system,” he said, “It works great, but I had to have a professional do the installation. And, if we move, I’ll need to have him come back.
Now,” he said, “Watch this.” With that, the screen retracted back into the ceiling, and a large box on the ground, running along the same wall as the screen mentioned above, came to life.
The box, which extended from one side of the room to the other, had a depth of just under 24 inches and was just over 13.77″ high. A drawer built into the middle section of the cabinet extended forward to reveal an AWOL Vision LTV-3500 Pro ultra-short throw laser projector as a large 120″ screen rose from the back of the cabinet.
It’s worth noting that the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV ships with the AWOL Vision LTV-3500, which includes all of the LTV-3500 Pro features except for Dolby Vision and Home Control; if you want to add those features, you can substitute the LTV-3500 Pro for an additional $500.
Once the screen was fully extended, the LTV-3500 Pro projector inside the drawer came on, and a crystal-clear image appeared.
Here are some quick stats on the AWOL Vision LTV-3500 Pro ultra-short throw projector used in the demonstration:
I was amazed. Not only was the entire system housed in this one easy-to-install and easy-to-move cabinet, but despite the projector drawer only extending about a foot, it could push a brilliant 4K image onto the screen.
The audio coming from the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV was quite good. Ethan then pushed a few buttons and routed the sound through his 7.1 surround sound system. Suddenly, the experience was as immersive as if it had paid $18 for a ticket to go to the movies.
I was impressed by the experience. I had always assumed that a clear, undistorted image was only possible if projected from a distance. Yet, this ultra-short throw projector sits directly below the screen and delivers a stunning, undistorted image.
Once we had finished watching a few movie clips, Ethan pressed a few more buttons, and the screen and the projector retracted into the cabinet. Once they did, the cabinet looked like an unassuming storage console — which is exactly what it is, as the cabinets on either side of the projector are empty and make a perfect place to store your gaming console, 4K Blueray player, and other physical media.
While the AWOL Vision Vanish carries a premium price tag — the 100″-screen version is $14,999.00 and the 120″-screen version is $15,999.00 — this approach has several advantages.
The system arrives in five boxes, so it can easily fit in an elevator, which is ideal for apartment dwellers.
The AWOL Vision Vanish system doesn’t require professional installation. Three boxes contain the cabinet, while the screen and the projector each ship are in separate boxes.
If you’ve ever assembled furniture from Ikea, you can assemble the cabinet. Let me be clear: this is a premium product. I only mention Ikea as a nod to the fact that anyone who is handy can assemble it themselves.
In addition, the system can easily be broken down into components to move from one location to another.
But perhaps the AWOL Vision Vanish’s most crucial advantage is that it doesn’t require a dedicated theater room. The cabinet can be placed in almost any room and turned into a home theater. And when it isn’t in use, it looks like an unassuming piece of furniture.
Here’s how the AWOL Vision Vanish system could transform my home:
Our living room is currently dominated by a 75″ smart television. Below it sits a Sonos sound bar. An open cabinet holds all of the audiovisual equipment. It does the job, but it dominates the space and is anything but a “clean” look.
While I would LOVE to have an even larger screen for a more immersive experience, the 75″ display already dominates a relatively small room. A 100″ screen would look silly and overwhelm the space.
With the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV, we could eliminate all that, have a simple, clean cabinet, and turn the space into a more formal, relaxing space.
Then, when we want to watch TV, enjoy a movie, or play a game, we can get the immersive experience that’s only possible with a large 100″ or 120″ screen.
It. Would. Be. Awesome!!!
The AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV’s Features Include
- Modular and segmented design allows you to enter any ordinary elevator, even in an apartment. Supports on-site DIY installation and light customization needs.
- Cinematic 3D Display: With a pair of active shutter DLP link 3D glasses, AWOL VISION steps you into a whole new world; you can pop in a 3D Blu-ray for immersive 3-dimensional films at home
- MEMC Technology: Featuring MEMC Technology, AWOL Vision delivers smooth content and transitions. Fast-moving images are clear, which is ideal for watching sports and action movies. See your favorite team win in a stunning 4K.
- Game Mode: Switch to the Game Mode and experience AWOL VISION’s lowest-ever time lag of 30ms with 4K and 17ms with 1080P resolution, ensuring that all your gaming action is real-time. Safe for your eyes, incredible for all senses. Play all day without worry.
- Smart and Upgradable: The firmware updating over the air keeps your TV never outdated
I was blown away when I saw the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV. It’s a brilliant system that’s there when you want it but disappears when you don’t.
The $5,999 AWOL Vision LTV-3500 Pro projector that I saw demonstrated with the system delivers as crisp an image as I’ve ever seen, and even without adding a surround sound system, the audio is excellent.
Again, the LTV-3500 Pro is a $500 upgrade from the LTV-3500 that ships with the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV, but it adds Dolby Vision and Home Control, which
To be clear, the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV is a pricey system, but the theater-like experience it delivers is unlike anything I have seen. Best of all, it doesn’t take over your space when it isn’t in use.
The AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV starts at $14,999 for the 100″ model; it is available directly from the manufacturer.
Source: In-person demo of the AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV
What I Like: Ships in five boxes that don’t require special shipping; DIY setup; Can be used in almost any space without the need to turn it into a dedicated theater room; The clarity of the LTV-3500 Pro projector used during the demonstration produces a stunning image and excellent sound; Great for television, movies, sporting events, and gaming
What Needs Improvement: It’s a pricey system, and upgrading from the AWOL Vision LTV-3500 to the LTV-3500 Pro to add Dolby Vision and Home Control adds another $500
I was just reading about TV’s about the same size as the screens that AWOL uses, though I didn’t see any prices for those, and getting them in or out of a home could be a problem. It’s interesting that AWOL supports 3D Blu-rays, since most other companies seem to have given up on them. I’m also curious about the brightness of the picture from these projectors.