Kaleidescape today has announced several new hardware products as well as enhancements to its existing software and MovieGuide service. Most significantly, Kaleidescape is introducing the capability to import and play back Blu-ray discs (with limitations, detailed below).
New Hardware: Kaleidescape "M-Class" devices.
New Hardware: Kaleidescape "M-Class" devices.
Today's hardware announcements center around the introduction of a new family of devices, called the "M-Class" hardware series, featuring audio and video codecs for Blu-ray playback and based on an entirely new architecture, with greater processing power that will enable new UI features. Kaleidescape describes the M-Class family as delivering "the world's first multi-room movie server for Blu-ray". Indeed, when combined with any of the recent Kaleidescape servers, and when running the new KEAOS 4.0 system software that will be available immediately, Kaleidescape does indeed now import as well as play back Blu-ray Discs, along with DVDs and CDs. More on the restrictions concerning the importation and playback below.
The first two products in the "M-Class" family are the M300 Player and the M500, both available for order immediately and shipping within a week.
M500:
The first two products in the "M-Class" family are the M300 Player and the M500, both available for order immediately and shipping within a week.
M500:
The M500 has a chassis and bezel that look nearly identical to the KPLAYER-6000 (1080p Player). (Only a very shap eye will notice the visual difference between the M500 and the KPLAYER-6000. hint - check the Kaleidescape logo on the front of the unit)
Bucking industry trends (but perfectly typical for Kaleidescape), you'll see no parade of industry standards logos... not even a tasteful Blu-Ray logo, much less the array of audio and video standards, codecs, and protocols that the system supports.
The M500, like the earlier 1080p player, features a tray for disc import and direct-disc playback. It features the same two buttons as before too - a simple "Close tray" button, and a "Import the disc" button.
The back panel is also nearly identical to its predecssor. BUT you'll notice that there are now RCA jacks replacing the BNC connectors that were used for the video connections. There's one other mystery - an addition of a USB port. Kaleidescape representatives stated that it is currently unused and may be used for some future functionality.
But... what matters most to consumers is, of course, that the M500 functions as a high-end Blu-ray player, and that it can also import Blu-ray content for storage on the server, where the content can be played on any room in the house (equipped with an M-class player). Again, see the restrictions detailed below.
The M500 (and all M-class players) also features the upgraded processors to enable the new user-interface functions detailed below.
The M500 is shipping beginning May 18, 2010. MSRP is $3995 in the U.S.
M300:Bucking industry trends (but perfectly typical for Kaleidescape), you'll see no parade of industry standards logos... not even a tasteful Blu-Ray logo, much less the array of audio and video standards, codecs, and protocols that the system supports.
The M500, like the earlier 1080p player, features a tray for disc import and direct-disc playback. It features the same two buttons as before too - a simple "Close tray" button, and a "Import the disc" button.
The back panel is also nearly identical to its predecssor. BUT you'll notice that there are now RCA jacks replacing the BNC connectors that were used for the video connections. There's one other mystery - an addition of a USB port. Kaleidescape representatives stated that it is currently unused and may be used for some future functionality.
But... what matters most to consumers is, of course, that the M500 functions as a high-end Blu-ray player, and that it can also import Blu-ray content for storage on the server, where the content can be played on any room in the house (equipped with an M-class player). Again, see the restrictions detailed below.
The M500 (and all M-class players) also features the upgraded processors to enable the new user-interface functions detailed below.
The M500 is shipping beginning May 18, 2010. MSRP is $3995 in the U.S.
The M300 is the M-Class equivalent (and visual twin) to the existing 1080p Mini-player, or KPLAYER-300. Like the M500, the back is the same except for RCA jacks replacing BNC connectors, and the addition of the as-yet unused USB port.
as you've by now surmised, it is capable of playing back any of your stored Blu-ray, DVD, or CD content from another room in the house... just as its predecessor "1080p Miniplayer" could do for DVD and CD content.
The M300 is shipping beginning May 18, 2010. MSRP is $2495 in the U.S.
as you've by now surmised, it is capable of playing back any of your stored Blu-ray, DVD, or CD content from another room in the house... just as its predecessor "1080p Miniplayer" could do for DVD and CD content.
The M300 is shipping beginning May 18, 2010. MSRP is $2495 in the U.S.
Last edited: