NEWS: Strato K Movie Player with 8K capability and new "4K Cinematic" full-chroma & higher bitrate support

[thrillcat]

Kind of interesting that those of us with short/simple signal chains and high-end flat panels seem to be having an easier time seeing the nuanced increase in fidelity offered by Cinematic.

That's not an indictment of video processors and projectors...just an observation that goes counter to the "you need a huge screen to see the difference" line.

And just to be clear, I'm (still) not saying that every Cinematic title is a revelation (see my earlier post).

Or it’s an observation that a video processor with excellent tone mapping and a properly calibrated display is capable of squeezing all possible quality out of the UHD files without going to the Cinematic versions.

Lots of ways to assume.

 

[Reezepees]

I think you are wright.

 

[cardsdoc]

Kind of interesting that those of us with short/simple signal chains and high-end flat panels seem to be having an easier time seeing the nuanced increase in fidelity offered by Cinematic.

That's not an indictment of video processors and projectors...just an observation that goes counter to the "you need a huge screen to see the difference" line.

And just to be clear, I'm (still) not saying that every Cinematic title is a revelation (see my earlier post).

I don’t think it’s necessarily surprising. Absolute screen size is less important than viewing angle. Otherwise high end flat panels have significantly better image quality than almost any projector. So if you are sitting close enough I would think it’s one of the more likely scenarios to see the differences.

 

[Furnace Inferno]

I don’t think it’s necessarily surprising. Absolute screen size is less important than viewing angle. Otherwise high end flat panels have significantly better image quality than almost any projector. So if you are sitting close enough I would think it’s one of the more likely scenarios to see the differences.

Only if contrast ratio and brightness is your only metric, projectors are much better in a lot of other ways depending on the projector technology but ultimately they are all flawed and none of them can match mastering panels in every scenario.

 

[Patches Pal]

Only if contrast ratio and brightness is your only metric, projectors are much better in a lot of other ways depending on the projector technology but ultimately they are all flawed and none of them can match mastering panels in every scenario.

It looks like the flat panel owners will get the most out of Cinematic. No mater how close I get to 4k image on my 162" projector screen I can not see the individual pixels, It's just mush. Where as when I get with in a foot of my 75" Samsung I can see the individual pixels. If each pixel on the flat panel is getting it's own color instead of every 4 pixels, and I can see the pixels, it makes sense it will make more of an impact than my projector with mushy pixels.

 

[Furnace Inferno]

It looks like the flat panel owners will get the most out of Cinematic. No mater how close I get to 4k image on my 162" projector screen I can not see the individual pixels, It's just mush. Where as when I get with in a foot of my 75" Samsung I can see the individual pixels. If each pixel on the flat panel is getting it's own color instead of every 4 pixels, and I can see the pixels, it makes sense it will make more of an impact than my projector with mushy pixels.

Being able to see the pixel grid is separate to resolution and because of the way LCoS and SXRD work the gaps aren’t visible which is why people always describe them as “filmic” as it makes them look more like celluloid film than digital pixels.

If you drop down to LCD then you can easily see the pixels despite them having objectively worse resolution because the gaps are larger.

LCoS and SXRD don’t have the outright sharpness of DLP regardless though. You want super sharpness and the best motion resolution (better than any sample and hold TV) the only game in town is DLP.

As I said pros and cons to everything and none of them are outright the best in every metric.

 

[docdhina]

Just got my K installed and very much happy with the upgrade from the C. I was having low expectations and was skeptical about upgrading but I was pleased to see improvements in the clarity, sharpness, color vibrancy and smoothness in the 4k Cinematic HDR10. The image is like more a large new LED TV now but with the filmic look at 24fps. I was glad to see the improvements in my setup as there were conflicting reports about the amount of improvement.

My display chain is K--->Trinnov Alt 16--->MadVR envy pro MK2--->JVC NZ800---> 152 inches 17:9 Stewart studiotek G4 1.3 gain screen. I sit 11.5 feet from the screen. All HDMI cables are cable matters which I got from Amazon. I set up K as advised by MadVR envy guidelines and K is outputting 4KC HDR in 4:4:4 chroma which is being tone mapped by the Envy. When bypassing the Envy, K is outputting 8K HDR 10 4:2:0 to the JVC NZ800 as the K output specifications in the video capabilities menu.

Movies tested: Top gun maverick, Minecraft, Ready player one,Sinners and Mad max fury road. All files were 4kC HDR and not 4kC DV.

PS: Huge shout out to Jaremy @Techthusiam for shipping my K overnight so that I can install my theater today before we go on vacation tomorrow. I am pretty sure I won't be enjoying my vacation with the suspence of not knowing if the K was an upgrade or not. I can go for vacation peacefully now.

 

[Nd3799754]

It looks like the flat panel owners will get the most out of Cinematic. No mater how close I get to 4k image on my 162" projector screen I can not see the individual pixels, It's just mush. Where as when I get with in a foot of my 75" Samsung I can see the individual pixels. If each pixel on the flat panel is getting it's own color instead of every 4 pixels, and I can see the pixels, it makes sense it will make more of an impact than my projector with mushy pixels.

Completely disagree with this. Why would I want to see individual pixels on a projector? Too many variables in a projector based system vs lcd or oled to know what is going on.

Curious why you registered a few weeks ago? You don’t seem to want to enjoy Kaleidascape?

 

[DrNeal]

Completely disagree with this. Why would I want to see individual pixels on a projector? Too many variables in a projector based system vs lcd or oled to know what is going on.

I have 3 OLED and one LED TV and a dedicated theater with 120” 1.5gain screen. All 4 viewing area have surround systems. I have had KScape for a number of years and have compared all screens and systems. Each one having its own enjoyable experience. I have hundreds of movies, concerts etc. Having experimented for quite some time and tweaking each system to get the best video and audio response, the best overall experience in my humble opinion is the projector in the theater. You just can’t beat the big screen experience. I find it to be the most immersive and enjoyable of them all. I have upgraded my equipment continuously. Always striving for the best sound and video. I ordered my Strato K in early July and am still waiting. If you prefer a flat panel, I understand why. It is a very personal preference and I respect it.

 

[Htjinus]

Just got my K installed and very much happy with the upgrade from the C. I was having low expectations and was skeptical about upgrading but I was pleased to see improvements in the clarity, sharpness, color vibrancy and smoothness in the 4k Cinematic HDR10. The image is like more a large new LED TV now but with the filmic look at 24fps. I was glad to see the improvements in my setup as there were conflicting reports about the amount of improvement.

My display chain is K--->Trinnov Alt 16--->MadVR envy pro MK2--->JVC NZ800---> 152 inches 17:9 Stewart studiotek G4 1.3 gain screen. I sit 11.5 feet from the screen. All HDMI cables are cable matters which I got from Amazon. I set up K as advised by MadVR envy guidelines and K is outputting 4KC HDR in 4:4:4 chroma which is being tone mapped by the Envy. When bypassing the Envy, K is outputting 8K HDR 10 4:2:0 to the JVC NZ800 as the K output specifications in the video capabilities menu.

Movies tested: Top gun maverick, Minecraft, Ready player one,Sinners and Mad max fury road. All files were 4kC HDR and not 4kC DV.

PS: Huge shout out to Jaremy @Techthusiam for shipping my K overnight so that I can install my theater today before we go on vacation tomorrow. I am pretty sure I won't be enjoying my vacation with the suspence of not knowing if the K was an upgrade or not. I can go for vacation peacefully now.

Top Gun was the very first movie I did A/B comparison in my theater room, and I don’t find any noticeable and repeatable improvement. Your set up is quite close to mine, I have Strato V and Strato K, and sounds like you upgraded from C, perhaps that could be the reason, just curious if you have done A/B testing between the two units you own, and and also A/B testing between the 4K Cinematic and 4K HDR10 on Strato K alone? Anyway Feel happy for you that you find improvement on your set up.

 

[111-JEDI]

Top Gun was the very first movie I did A/B comparison in my theater room, and I don’t find any noticeable and repeatable improvement. Your set up is quite close to mine, I have Strato V and Strato K, and sounds like you upgraded from C, perhaps that could be the reason, just curious if you have done A/B testing between the two units you own, and and also A/B testing between the 4K Cinematic and 4K HDR10 on Strato K alone? Anyway Feel happy for you that you find improvement on your set up.

Just curious - what's your system/component stack?

 

[Htjinus]

Just curious - what's your system/component stack?

You can check my early post in this thread for my setup

 

[steelman1991]

You can check my early post in this thread for my setup

Why not just answer the question?

@111-JEDI - from his previous post JVC NZ800 and a Trinnov

 

[swhmetta]

Just got my K installed and very much happy with the upgrade from the C. I was having low expectations and was skeptical about upgrading but I was pleased to see improvements in the clarity, sharpness, color vibrancy and smoothness in the 4k Cinematic HDR10. The image is like more a large new LED TV now but with the filmic look at 24fps. I was glad to see the improvements in my setup as there were conflicting reports about the amount of improvement.

My display chain is K--->Trinnov Alt 16--->MadVR envy pro MK2--->JVC NZ800---> 152 inches 17:9 Stewart studiotek G4 1.3 gain screen. I sit 11.5 feet from the screen. All HDMI cables are cable matters which I got from Amazon. I set up K as advised by MadVR envy guidelines and K is outputting 4KC HDR in 4:4:4 chroma which is being tone mapped by the Envy. When bypassing the Envy, K is outputting 8K HDR 10 4:2:0 to the JVC NZ800 as the K output specifications in the video capabilities menu.

Movies tested: Top gun maverick, Minecraft, Ready player one,Sinners and Mad max fury road. All files were 4kC HDR and not 4kC DV.

PS: Huge shout out to Jaremy @Techthusiam for shipping my K overnight so that I can install my theater today before we go on vacation tomorrow. I am pretty sure I won't be enjoying my vacation with the suspence of not knowing if the K was an upgrade or not. I can go for vacation peacefully now.

Curious..when did you order your K. I am trying to get a sense of where Kaleidescape is on the shipping(paid) dates. Last I heard, they were shipping out orders paid on July 3rd.

 

[cinelife]

Curious..when did you order your K. I am trying to get a sense of where Kaleidescape is on the shipping(paid) dates. Last I heard, they were shipping out orders paid on July 3rd.

You will not gain any reliable shipping info by knowing when someone ordered and paid for their order with their Dealer. The info that would be needed is not obtainable because only K has the relevant shipping info and they don't share that with anyone. The date the order was placed and paid for with Kaleidescape Order Processing is the first date that matters, but the defining date is where does THAT dealers order sit in the queue related to where other dealers are in that queue, at the time the order reaches K.

Jim

 

[swhmetta]

You will not gain any reliable shipping info by knowing when someone ordered and paid for their order with their Dealer. The info that would be needed is not obtainable because only K has the relevant shipping info and they don't share that with anyone. The date the order was placed and paid for with Kaleidescape Order Processing is the first date that matters, but the defining date is where does THAT dealers order sit in the queue related to where other dealers are in that queue, at the time the order reaches K.

Jim

Okay, thanks for the clarification. I wasn't sure if they were looking at some list that shows all the orders paid on this day or week and then they ship out those orders. Example..1500 nationwide dealers..received paid orders for the week 1st week of July will be shipped out.and so forth..Regardless, I think I am close. Just a little impatient. It's just one of those "hurry up and wait" scenarios.

 

[cinelife]

Just a friendly reminder to everyone posting, PLEASE, keep it friendly. Those that bought the K player and are enjoying the improvements they see in their systems, keep on enjoying the player, you are clearly in the overwhelming majority of owners. There is no reason to be bothered by some other buyer's negative comments based on what they see in THEIR system. They have a right to post their experience as well. There is no right or wrong here, these are electronic components, subject to variances to some extent, coupled with very different playback systems among owners, including some subjected to calibrations, some not, some with video processors, some not, some using projection, some using TV's, just too many variables for everyone to expect the same experience with this new K.

Personally, over the years I've liked all of the players K has released, I've owned them all at some point. I happen to still like the C a lot, and only have some for sale because of buying back a couple from a friend that had health issues. That said, I think this Strato-K, regardless of the occasional neutral or negative comment is the best player Kaleidescape as released. Again, that's my opinion, and reasonable minds may differ, and that's fine as well.

Jim

 

[madFloyd]

Just a friendly reminder to everyone posting, PLEASE, keep it friendly. Those that bought the K player and are enjoying the improvements they see in their systems, keep on enjoying the player, you are clearly in the overwhelming majority of owners. There is no reason to be bothered by some other buyer's negative comments based on what they see in THEIR system. They have a right to post their experience as well. There is no right or wrong here, these are electronic components, subject to variances to some extent, coupled with very different playback systems among owners, including some subjected to calibrations, some not, some with video processors, some not, some using projection, some using TV's, just too many variables for everyone to expect the same experience with this new K.

Personally, over the years I've liked all of the players K has released, I've owned them all at some point. I happen to still like the C a lot, and only have some for sale because of buying back a couple from a friend that had health issues. That said, I think this Strato-K, regardless of the occasional neutral or negative comment is the best player Kaleidescape as released. Again, that's my opinion, and reasonable minds may differ, and that's fine as well.

Jim

Jim has always been the voice of reason!

 

[Nathan28]

Just a friendly reminder to everyone posting, PLEASE, keep it friendly. Those that bought the K player and are enjoying the improvements they see in their systems, keep on enjoying the player, you are clearly in the overwhelming majority of owners. There is no reason to be bothered by some other buyer's negative comments based on what they see in THEIR system. They have a right to post their experience as well. There is no right or wrong here, these are electronic components, subject to variances to some extent, coupled with very different playback systems among owners, including some subjected to calibrations, some not, some with video processors, some not, some using projection, some using TV's, just too many variables for everyone to expect the same experience with this new K.

Personally, over the years I've liked all of the players K has released, I've owned them all at some point. I happen to still like the C a lot, and only have some for sale because of buying back a couple from a friend that had health issues. That said, I think this Strato-K, regardless of the occasional neutral or negative comment is the best player Kaleidescape as released. Again, that's my opinion, and reasonable minds may differ, and that's fine as well.

Jim

Perception is important, some ppl will perceive they see a difference some won’t…I’m excited to get mine.. many of us are anxiously awaiting RMARCI to get his… there will be no guessing when he posts his findings. Any day now…we will know 100% what differences there are. K doing this if the K player and cinematic are better would be valuable for them… they could be the ones showing the data. But… by the looks of it … and how the sales are going, I guess they don’t need to.

 

[Htjinus]

For anyone wants to have another source of comparison in order to evaluate what kind of difference you will be seeing from Strato K. Youthman just posted a video in his YouTube channel. Personally I found that video is much less of dealer BS.