Kaleidescape Strato V Film Participant evaluate: 4K Blu-ray video and audio high quality minus the discs
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V: One-minute evaluate
The Kaleidescape Strato V is the most recent Film Participant from Kaleidescape, and it represents a particular shift for the corporate. Kaleidescape is synonymous with a premium film expertise at house, providing a proprietary ecosystem primarily based round its personal {hardware} and servers. Whereas nobody questions the standard of Kaleidescape’s merchandise, the value of admission has been steep and the shortage of Dolby Imaginative and prescient help has been a evident omission given the model’s pursuit of high-end video and audio efficiency.
The brand new Kaleidescape Strato V addresses each of those points by providing Dolby Imaginative and prescient help and reducing the price of entry. To realize this, the Strato V integrates a 960GB solid-state exhausting drive, and whereas meaning it could actually solely retailer round ten 4K films downloaded from the corporate’s Film Retailer at anybody time, at the least it combines the film participant and film server right into a single, extra inexpensive system that is a superb different to the most effective 4k Blu-ray gamers.
With Kaleidescape, you may instantly entry an enormous library of movies, TV exhibits, and live performance movies, with new titles usually accessible months earlier than any disc launch. The image and sound high quality are distinctive, with gorgeous 4K HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient pictures and full lossless audio that features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – one thing you don’t get from the most effective streaming providers, which solely present compressed soundtracks. The result’s a efficiency that’s at the least equal to a disc however with out taking over all of your shelf house. So in order for you comfort with none compromise look no additional than the Strato V.
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Worth & launch
- Worth: $3,995 / £5,379
- Launch date: September 2024
The Kaleidescape Strato V is offered now via registered sellers and on-line sellers like Finest Purchase within the US and retails for $3,995 / £5,379. Whereas this actually isn’t low-cost it’s undoubtedly extra inexpensive than the choice of shopping for the Kaleidescape Strato C Film Participant. The latter prices about the identical however doesn’t help Dolby Imaginative and prescient and requires you to purchase considered one of Kaleidescape’s Terra Prime servers, that are very expensive. After all, if you wish to broaden the storage of the Strato V you may add a Terra Prime server, though the additional price does moderately defeat the entire level of shopping for one.
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Specs
| Constructed-in storage | 960GB SSD | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| Resolutions | As much as 4K (3840 x 2160) 60p | Row 1 – Cell 2 |
| Bit fee | As much as 100Mbps | Row 2 – Cell 2 |
| Audio help | Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Grasp Audio, DTS-X | Row 3 – Cell 2 |
| HDR help | HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient | Row 4 – Cell 2 |
| Side ratios | 1.78:1 and a couple of.35:1 (computerized or consumer interface selectable) | Row 5 – Cell 2 |
| Connectivity | HDMI 2.1, coaxial and optical digital audio | Row 6 – Cell 2 |
| Dimensions | 20 x 3.9 x 25cm (WxHxD) | Row 7 – Cell 2 |
| Weight | 1.91kg | Row 8 – Cell 2 |
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Design
- Nice construct high quality
- Kaleidescape distant app
- Management over Ethernet
The Kaleidescape Strato V actually appears like a premium product with a smooth, trendy and really well-made cupboard that makes use of a mixture of a 3mm-thick black anodised aluminium chassis mixed with a 3mm-thick black glass entrance with an illuminated Kaleidescape emblem. The unit is silent in operation and features a 960GB solid-state drive, together with a robust system-on-chip (SoC).
The unit is simply 20cm extensive, which could disappoint those that like their AV gear full width, however there’s an elective faceplate for mounting in an gear rack. There’s additionally a twin faceplate to be used with a compact Terra Prime server, together with a wall bracket for mounting behind a TV.
The connectivity is on the rear, with a gold-plated HDMI 2.1 output, a coaxial digital audio output utilizing a gold-plated RCA phono connector, and an optical digital output. There’s additionally a gigabit Ethernet port, a USB 3.0 port, an IR enter, a service port, and a 12V enter for the included energy adapter brick. There isn’t any Wi-Fi connectivity, so you have to a wired Ethernet connection for downloading films, accessing the net interface, updating firmware and utilizing the management app.
The included distant is small and easy however will get the job performed. There’s no backlight, which will be annoying in a pitch-black house cinema, however given Kaleidescape’s goal market, likelihood is you’ll be utilizing a third-party management system over Ethernet like Crestron, AMX, Savant or Control4. There’s additionally the Kaleidescape app (iOS or Android) which makes an efficient controller, offering a substitute for the distant with its helpful swipe operate and entry to the Kaleidescape Film Retailer.
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Options
- Scalable storage choices
- Highest high quality video
- Absolutely lossless audio
The Kaleidescape Strato V’s main operate is as a high-end film participant that gives the most effective video and audio in comparison with any system available on the market. To realize this it helps each decision as much as 4K (3840 x 2160), and body charges as much as 60p. It additionally helps HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient excessive dynamic vary, plus lossless audio as much as and together with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Crucially, it isn’t restricted to sure file sizes as with a 4K disc, neither is it restricted to decrease bit charges like streaming providers – supporting file sizes of over 100GB and speeds as much as 100Mbps. In consequence, if you purchase or lease films, TV exhibits or live shows from the Kaleidescape Film Retailer you’re assured the most effective image and sound potential from a house leisure product.
The Strato V is primarily designed to function as a standalone unit, which is why it has a built-in solid-state exhausting drive. The draw back is that the variety of films you may retailer at anybody time is proscribed to round 10, and if you wish to watch one thing else you must obtain it. As soon as you buy a title from the Kaleidescape Film Retailer it stays accessible in your assortment for obtain, even when it isn’t saved regionally on the Strato V.
In case you would moderately retailer your complete assortment on a drive for immediate entry you may connect with considered one of Kaleidescape’s Terra Prime servers. Whereas doing so is clearly dearer, and the built-in SSD is now not accessible, the method is straightforward and received’t have an effect on the Strato V’s efficiency in any method. It’s nice to have the choice to scale up the storage, even if you happen to by no means really must.
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Setup
- Net-based interface
- Selectable facet ratios
- Cataloging your discs
The Kaleidescape Strato V is extremely simple to arrange, and all it is advisable do is plug within the energy brick, connect an Ethernet cable and connect with your show, or in my case an AV processor. Kaleidescape even features a THX Licensed HDMI cable, which is a pleasant contact. As soon as powered up, simply comply with the onscreen directions and also you’ll be up and operating very quickly.
The preliminary choices permit you to arrange the Strato V as a standalone participant, configure it as a brand new system with a Terra film server, or add it as a brand new zone to an present Kaleidescape system. When arrange as a standalone participant it operates independently, solely taking part in films saved regionally on its inside drive, and might’t be grouped with different Strato V items for extra storage.
After I chosen standalone mode, the activation web page appeared. You then both enter your e mail handle if you have already got a Kaleidescape account or create a brand new one. When you’ve entered your e mail handle you’ll obtain a affirmation e mail to activate the participant. You’ll clearly want so as to add your bank card particulars as nicely for making purchases from the Kaleidescape Film Retailer.
The online-based interface gives entry to the entire Strato V’s setup choices and is my most popular alternative for the preliminary set up, though as soon as accomplished the distant is okay for accessing your films on the participant (Able to Play), and navigating the Kaleidescape Film Retailer and common settings.
When it comes to the preliminary settings you may depart most at their defaults as a result of the Strato V will learn the EDID out of your show, receiver or processor and optimise accordingly. The one space you might want to regulate manually is the facet ratio, particularly if like me you employ a 2.35:1 projector display. This characteristic works brilliantly, not solely formatting the screens and menus for the broader facet ratio, but in addition routinely rescaling 1.85:1 content material inside the ‘Scope ratio display.
The primary motive for getting a Strato V is entry to the Kaleidescape Film Retailer, and right here your expertise will actually rely upon on the place you reside. Within the US the selection is large and new movies are added months earlier than they’re launched on disc, whereas elsewhere the selection isn’t as spectacular, and movies take longer to be added. I admire that studio agreements will differ from territory to territory, however given the shop is the primary characteristic it’s a bit irritating if you happen to reside outdoors the States.
One closing characteristic that Kaleidescape gives is the choice to catalog your bodily Blu-ray and DVD collections right into a digital format. You’ll want to attach an exterior disc drive through USB, however as soon as linked, the Strato V enters Recognition Mode. Insert a disc into the drive, and the Strato begins cataloging it. The method solely takes a couple of seconds, and you’ll then see the title within the Retailer below Digital Provides – typically with a reduction for the digital model.
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Efficiency
- Properly-designed and intuitive interface
- Distinctive image and sound high quality
- Wonderful upscaling of decrease resolutions
The Kaleidescape Strato V is a rock-solid media participant because of its intuitive consumer interface, and can also be very responsive in operation. The Able to Play web page has titles from the Retailer alongside the highest, a second layer exhibiting the unwatched titles presently on the inner drive, adopted by a layer of paused films, then the performed films, and at last any films you’ve marked as favourites.
In contrast to the Strato C, the Strato V doesn’t present you all of the movies you’ve purchased on the house web page, solely these on the inner drive. If you wish to see the whole assortment you’ll must go to your account on the Film Retailer, however this retains issues neat and tidy. The system routinely deletes the oldest performed content material to unlock house, until you mark a title as a favorite.
While you click on on a title you get details about it, together with choices to play, pause or select a particular scene. When one thing is taking part in you may also press the up button on the distant and see further data equivalent to audio choices and subtitles. All the course of is totally seamless, and I by no means had any points with taking part in, pausing or stopping films. It’s additionally value stating that the Strato V runs utterly silent and funky in operation.
The method of shopping for titles from the Film Retailer couldn’t be simpler, and you’ll entry it through the Kaleidescape web site, via the participant’s interface and even utilizing the app. There are millions of titles accessible for buy or rental, a lot of which haven’t even been launched on 4K disc but.
I discovered deleting present movies off the inner drive and downloading new ones onto it to be simple. In case you determine to lease moderately than buy a title, it is going to stay in your system for 30 days, and as soon as you start watching it there’s a 48-hour window. In case you just like the movie and determine to purchase it inside the 30-day rental interval, half the rental value is credited in the direction of the acquisition.
The pace of obtain will rely in your web connection – if you happen to’re fortunate sufficient to have gigabit speeds you may obtain films in round 10 to fifteen minutes. Sadly, I reside within the countryside and solely have speeds of 50Mbps, so it took about two hours to obtain a film.
While you purchase a title it’d provide 4K Dolby Imaginative and prescient and 4K HDR10 variations, however even when your show doesn’t help Dolby Imaginative and prescient you continue to obtain the previous. The Strato V will routinely output no matter your show is able to dealing with, whereas the 4K HDR10 model is simply meant for the Strato C as a result of that participant doesn’t help Dolby Imaginative and prescient in any respect.
Kaleidescape’s use of bigger file sizes and better bit charges ends in gorgeous pictures which might be at the least pretty much as good because the equal 4K Extremely HD disc, if not higher. I watched a quantity titles, together with Prime Gun: Maverick, Dune Half 2, and Furiosa, and the image high quality is solely gorgeous. The 4K pictures are sharp and detailed, the HDR10 or Dolby Imaginative and prescient is delivered exactly, and the general presentation is freed from any compression artefacts or different points.
When you can clearly watch films on streamers, or through VOD providers like iTunes and Prime Video, Kaleidescape gives a quantum leap in high quality. In reality, the bigger file sizes imply it could actually even surpass 4K Blu-rays at instances. A very good instance is As soon as Upon a Time within the West, which is a three-hour film that will get crammed onto a 66GB 4K Blu-ray disc. Kaleidescape’s file is considerably bigger, offering extra space and the next bit fee, which ends up in a better-defined picture when instantly evaluating this movie on each codecs.
The audio is equally spectacular, with full lossless help for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Whereas streaming providers might provide Atmos, it’s often delivered through lossy Dolby Digital Plus, however with Kaleidescape you’re having fun with the identical full lossless expertise you get with Blu-rays. Hans Zimmer Stay in Prague sounds superb in Atmos, whereas Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban advantages from a DTS:X soundtrack that basically brings the wizarding world to life. The scene the place the dementors search the Hogwarts Categorical is doubly scary because of the real scale and actually deep bass.
Whereas I anticipated the 4K pictures to look very good, I used to be equally impressed by the standard of the Strato V’s upscaling. When watching lower-resolution content material the image is clear and well-defined, with no apparent scaling artefacts. The identical is true when the participant routinely re-scales 1.85:1 content material inside the 2.35:1 facet ratio – the method is seamless and the outcomes are freed from any scaling artefacts.
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Worth
- It’s a big funding
- There’s no direct competitor
The concept of worth for cash is at all times relative, and there’s no denying the Kaleidescape Strato V represents a big funding. Nevertheless, as soon as bought the flexibility to purchase new films months earlier than they arrive on 4K disc in high quality that’s at the least pretty much as good, if not higher, and with out taking over shelf house may be very interesting. That is very true if you happen to reside in america, the place the Film Retailer library is genuinely spectacular.
If however you’re the sort of one who prefers proudly owning bodily media, simply to be on the protected aspect, and also you don’t thoughts ready for the disc to return out, then you can merely purchase a media participant and storage, rip your individual discs and create a customized server for considerably much less. The great thing about Kaleidescape’s distinctive ecosystem is that they do every thing for you, so all you must do is sit again and revel in your favorite films.
| Attributes | Notes | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Design and options | Elegant however minimalist styling mixed with wonderful construct high quality; Intuitive consumer interface and scalable storage | 5/5 |
| Image high quality | Massive file sizes and big bit charges end in very good 4K and HDR10/Dolby Imaginative and prescient image high quality; lossless soundtrack help delivers spectacular object-based audio with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X | 5/5 |
| Worth | Vital worth for cash; no direct competitors | 5/5 |
KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V evaluate: Ought to I purchase it?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
How I examined the KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V
- Reviewed in a devoted house cinema
- Video evaluated utilizing 4K, HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient
- Audio evaluated utilizing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
I examined the Kaleidescape Strato V in my reference house cinema the place the video is dealt with by a JVC DLA-NZ900 projector, and the audio is configured in a 9.4.6-channel configuration utilizing a Trinnov Altitude16 AV processor and 16-channel energy amplifier.
I extensively examined 4K and HDR10 video, together with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X lossless spatial audio within the house cinema, though for completeness I additionally used an LG G4 OLED TV in my lounge to check the Kaleidescape Strato V’s Dolby Imaginative and prescient capabilities.
Kaleidescape was variety sufficient to incorporate quite a lot of movies pre-loaded, in addition to extra within the account, together with a credit score for extra purchases and leases. This supplied me with a possibility to check each facet of the shop and general ecosystem.
