[Buyer’s Guide] Kaleidescape Quality Compared to Blu-ray & other Digital Sources

[Rmarci]

Is it possible for Rmarci to have his own topic with a link to a DB or spreadsheet with a running list of movies with reported issues and corrections?

Already did, see the excel sheet link in the first post or my signature.

When a movie is updated, I'll add (NEW) next the title.

arci is still reporting other issues, like noise and green/red push. I am guessing these have to be corrected 1 by 1.

Yes, the issues I'm reporting are related to encoding... Unfortunately, it seems that many old titles will need to be updated.

 

[StoneColdNormal]

Are you assessing HD titles as well? I’d be interested in your thoughts on the encoding of The French Connection and The French Connection II.

 

[Broncowrangler]

I have French connection (not part 2). Picked it up for $5 during a recent sale. I felt it looked and sounded decent. Quite similar to the disc, which I also own. Maybe Rmarci could throw more light.

 

[Rmarci]

Are you assessing HD titles as well? I’d be interested in your thoughts on the encoding of The French Connection and The French Connection II.

Rarely, and I'm not a fan of old movies.

 

[thrawn997]

For me, this is getting really hard to track... Rmarci mentioned above that he has tested upwards of 250 movies. I know I have seen in this thread that some of them have been corrected, but I'm guessing no where near the 250 total. Is it possible for Rmarci to have his own topic with a link to a DB or spreadsheet with a running list of movies with reported issues and corrections? I know that maybe alot to ask for, but i know there are some movies I've purchased that i am waiting for all these issues to be corrected. I read the only remaining issue that K was working on is the macroblocking. but Rmarci is still reporting other issues, like noise and green/red push. I am guessing these have to be corrected 1 by 1.

Maybe we could ask K to do this?

 

[Rmarci]

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016 (updated today)

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) kscape vs uhd-bd | Slowpoke Pics

Slowpoke Pics image comparison service

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- Compression is certainly better than the UHD-BD, but some shots have slightly different / more saturated colors. The UHD-BD has a lot of chroma artifacts near the letterbox and in all white areas.

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Scream 7 2026

Scream 7 (2026) kscape vs itunes | Slowpoke Pics

Slowpoke Pics image comparison service

slow.pics

- Nothing to complain about

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Black Christmas 2019

Black Christmas (2019) kscape vs itunes | Slowpoke Pics

Slowpoke Pics image comparison service

slow.pics

- Nothing to complain about

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Champions 2023

Champions (2023) kscape vs itunes vs MA | Slowpoke Pics

Slowpoke Pics image comparison service

slow.pics

- Match itunes brightness, MA is brighter. Some shots look sharper with better gain on MA

 

[thrawn997]

Then grain on rogue one looks a lot more noticeable on K. I'm guessing TLJ is going to be even more drastic.

 

[Rmarci]

Looks like source grain and not fake grain, so better grain retention is always good.

 

[thrawn997]

Looks like source grain and not fake grain, so better grain retention is always good.

Yes sorry I should have added the parenthetical (complementary)

 

[kimg1453]

I have the new 2026 Rambo Box Set. Those who ordered it won't be disappointed, so hang in there. It doesn't happen often, but this is another case where the 4K disc's are much better than Kaleidescape.

I have only watched First Blood and First Blood Pt 2. Both are definitely an improvement over Kaleidescape and other 4K presentations. I've watched them with a Christie projector on a 14ft screen and there is distinct improvement in color grading/saturation, details, as well as a slight uptick in clarity. This is one of my most favorite movies and have collected most iterations over the years. This is the best presentation to my eyes of these films. Hopefully Kaleidescape can upgrade at some point in the future.

Kim

 

[Edgar]

I have the new 2026 Rambo Box Set. Those who ordered it won't be disappointed, so hang in there. It doesn't happen often, but this is another case where the 4K disc's are much better than Kaleidescape.

I have only watched First Blood and First Blood Pt 2. Both are definitely an improvement over Kaleidescape and other 4K presentations. I've watched them with a Christie projector on a 14ft screen and there is distinct improvement in color grading/saturation, details, as well as a slight uptick in clarity. This is one of my most favorite movies and have collected most iterations over the years. This is the best presentation to my eyes of these films. Hopefully Kaleidescape can upgrade at some point in the future.

Kim

I’m also a big fan of the first two movies. I’ve shown them in my Dad’s Summer Film Festival. I’m also really resistant to rebuying discs I already bought in the same format because the studio did a poor job of it the first time. And then being forced into a Soviet style bread riot for the privilege of rebuying them. Imma wait for K to get em.

 

[Edgar]

Looks like source grain and not fake grain, so better grain retention is always good.

For fan of Rogue One, I’d recommend the fan edit, Rogue One: The Andor Cut. It’s built from the 4K HDR disc, and to me is an improvement in content from the original. It cuts out unnecessary scenes (bor gullet wtf) adds flashbacks and score from the series, and replaces the bad Tarkin and Leia CGI with much less bad versions from that one YouTuber who one-upped ILM.

 

[KDeering]

For fan of Rogue One, I’d recommend the fan edit, Rogue One: The Andor Cut. It’s built from the 4K HDR disc, and to me is an improvement in content from the original. It cuts out unnecessary scenes (bor gullet wtf) adds flashbacks and score from the series, and replaces the bad Tarkin and Leia CGI with much less bad versions from that one YouTuber who one-upped ILM.

Where is this available?

 

[Edgar]

Where is this available?

Down a rabbit hole!

It’s a fan edit. If you search on YouTube you’ll find trailers and the process for downloading it. There’s compressed versions directly linked on a Google Drive (a 15GB 4K file that looks visibly compressed on a giant screen), and a 50GB 4K HDR version (that looks on par with the disc) available by Resilio sync via the StarWarsTrilogy forum, which requires membership to access. Once you have that, you can convert the ISO file to MKV, upload it to your Plex server, sync it to your Infuse on Apple TV, and play it from there. If you manage your way down that rabbit hole, I’d also recommend Alien3: The Legacy Cut. It’s the other fan edit I prefer over the theatrical. Both make trims, replace bad effects with better ones, and make subtle dialogue and visual additions that work well. Andor goes a step further by mixing in the streaming show’s score and some scenes as flashbacks. It makes the movie feel like it’s from Andor’s perspective, as opposed to Jyn Erso’s.

Oh, and the horrible CGI Tarkin and Leia are replaced by deep fakes made by the guy who one-upped ILM on YouTube with much better versions. Both are now tolerable to watch. I’d say 75% improved.

Of course, I’ve already done all the work, feel free to message me.

 

[Jin-X]

For fan of Rogue One, I’d recommend the fan edit, Rogue One: The Andor Cut. It’s built from the 4K HDR disc, and to me is an improvement in content from the original. It cuts out unnecessary scenes (bor gullet wtf) adds flashbacks and score from the series, and replaces the bad Tarkin and Leia CGI with much less bad versions from that one YouTuber who one-upped ILM.

What I found was poorly encoded, lots of compression artifacts.

 

[Edgar]

What I found was poorly encoded, lots of compression artifacts.

Yes, that 15GB file is atrocious. Further down the rabbit hole is a 50GB ISO you can make an MKV out of. I have both of those on hand, message me if interested.

 

[Officer K]

Transporter: Woeful encoding and full of digital and analogue film artifacts. This one badly needs an update. Wouldnt mind my money back on this one...

 

[thrawn997]

I find it hard to imagine a better cut of Rogue One than the creator of Andor did, but maybe I'll check it out between rewatches of TLJ

 

[StoneColdNormal]

Have the image quality issues with the Harry Potter movie series been fixed? I’m considering purchasing the 8-movie set.

 

[Rmarci]

Have the image quality issues with the Harry Potter movie series been fixed? I’m considering purchasing the 8-movie set.

I've seen no report of an update for the HP movies.