By: CE Critic

Kaleidescape, renowned for its high-end home cinema solutions, has unveiled the Strato V, a 4K movie player designed to democratize the premium home theater experience. With integrated storage, Dolby Vision support, and a $3,995 price point, the Strato V aims to make Kaleidescape's renowned picture and sound quality accessible to a wider audience.

Standalone Convenience, Kaleidescape Quality

Specifications:

• Storage: 960GB SSD (approx. 10 reference 4K movies)
• Video: 4K Dolby Vision, HDR10, SDR, Upscaling for HD/SD
• Audio: Lossless Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, etc.
• Outputs: HDMI 2.1 (Video/Audio), Digital Coaxial/Optical (Audio)
• Control: Kaleidescape Remote, IR, Ethernet (Crestron, Control4, etc.)
• Dimensions: 7.87" x 1.52" x 10.0"
• Weight: 4.2 lbs

The Strato V stands out as the first Kaleidescape player with built-in storage. This eliminates the need for a separate server for users with smaller movie libraries, lowering the barrier to entry for Kaleidescape's ecosystem. Despite its compact size, the Strato V boasts the same meticulous video and audio quality as its pricier siblings. It supports Dolby Vision for enhanced color and contrast on compatible displays and offers lossless audio decoding for a truly cinematic sound experience.

A Streamlined Experience

The Strato V's interface has been redesigned to cater to smaller libraries, making it easier to navigate and manage your movie collection. Movies can be downloaded directly from the Kaleidescape Movie Store over Gigabit Ethernet, taking as little as 10 minutes per movie. A unique feature automatically deletes downloaded movies after 48 hours to free up space, ensuring you always have room for new content.

Expandable and Future-Proof

While the Strato V shines as a standalone device, it doesn't compromise on expandability. It can be integrated into a larger Kaleidescape system by connecting it to Terra Prime movie servers. This unlocks the full Kaleidescape interface and allows users to expand their library and add multi-room playback.

Under the Hood

Kaleidescape emphasizes that the Strato V features new electronics and grounding topology to enhance audio and video performance. The inclusion of player-side decoding for high-bitrate audio codecs ensures optimal sound quality regardless of downstream audio equipment. The Strato V's elegant design, housed in a black anodized aluminum and glass chassis, blends seamlessly into any home theater setup.

Dolby Vision for the Masses

The addition of Dolby Vision support is a significant upgrade for Kaleidescape. While previous models offered excellent picture quality, the absence of Dolby Vision was a drawback for some users. Now, the Strato V brings this advanced HDR format to Kaleidescape's ecosystem, further solidifying its commitment to reference-quality video.

Availability and Conclusion

The Kaleidescape Strato V is available for $3,995 from authorized dealers and online retailers. It represents a compelling option for both new and existing Kaleidescape users. Whether you're building your first home theater or looking to expand an existing Kaleidescape system, the Strato V offers a unique blend of performance, convenience, and affordability.