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Cataloging Your Disc Collection

cinelife

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I've posted this info in other threads, decided to make it a sticky thread. The info is from K.

Cataloging is a feature of kOS 6.0.0 or later, and may be able to be performed from a player with an optical drive, a disc server or a disc vault depending on the capabilities of your system.

NOTE: The behavior described in this article applies to systems purchased from Kaleidescape after November 30th, 2014, unless otherwise noted.

Strato Systems

Any Blu-ray disc or DVD can be cataloged from Kaleidescape Alto or a Kaleidescape Disc Server. Strato systems do not import discs.

Cataloging from Kaleidescape Alto

Insert a Blu-ray disc or DVD into the slot of Kaleidescape Alto, and then press the Catalog button.

User-added image


Once identified, the movie is cataloged and added to your library where it appears alongside titles downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store.

A disc in the slot of a player can also be cataloged from the on-screen user interface without cataloging it. Insert a Blu-ray disc or DVD and wait for the Disc in Player screen to appear (do not press the Catalog button).

User-added image



Select Catalog DVD (or Catalog Blu-ray disc), and the movie is cataloged and added to your library where it appears along side titles downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store.

Cataloging from a Kaleidescape Disc Server

When a Blu-ray disc or DVD is inserted into a Kaleidescape Disc Server, the movie is automatically cataloged and added to your library where it appears along side titles downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store.

Premiere Systems and Cinema One

Depending on the capabilities of your system, Blu-ray discs and DVDs can be cataloged from a player with in an optical drive or a disc vault so that they can appear in the on-screen user interface, just like content downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store or imported from disc. The ability to catalog discs depends on the type of media, the date of purchase of the system from Kaleidescape, whether a disc vault is present in the system, and whether the amended service agreement to enable downloads of Disney content from the Kaleidescape Movie Store has been accepted (in territories where the Movie Store is supported).

Cataloging from a player

Insert a disc into the tray, or slot of a player, and then press the Catalog/Import button.

User-added image

If the disc is a Blu-ray disc, it is cataloged if your system does not include a disc vault. If your system includes a disc vault, the Blu-ray disc is imported. If the disc is a CSS-protected DVD, it is cataloged. If your system was purchased from Kaleidescape before November 30th, 2014, all Blu-ray discs and DVDs (whether protected or not) are imported.

Regardless of the purchase date, if the amended service agreement to enable downloads of Disney content from the Kaleidescape Movie Store has been accepted, your system no longer supports the import of Disney Blu-ray discs and DVDs. A Disney Blu-ray disc or DVD inserted into a player is cataloged.

A disc in the tray, or slot of a player can also be cataloged from the on-screen user interface without cataloging or importing it. After the disc is inserted, wait a moment for the Disc in Player screen to appear (do not press the Catalog/Import button).

User-added image


Select Catalog Blu-ray disc (or Catalog DVD). If your system was purchased from Kaleidescape before November 30th, 2014, only Blu-ray discs can be cataloged from the tray or slot of a player in this manner (in systems that do not contain a disc vault).

Cataloging from a disc vault

When a Blu-ray disc is inserted into a disc vault it is automatically imported. When a CSS-protected DVD is inserted into a disc vault, it is automatically cataloged. If your system was purchased from Kaleidescape before November 30th, 2014, all Blu-ray discs and all DVDs (whether protected or not) are imported.

Regardless of the purchase date, if the amended service agreement to enable downloads of Disney content from the Kaleidescape Movie Store has been accepted, your system no longer supports the import of Disney Blu-ray discs and DVDs. Any Disney Blu-ray disc or DVD inserted into a disc vault is cataloged.


Jim
 
Thank you.
Excellent summary.
Just curious. When was the last date the systems capable of cataloging were available for sale new (or manufactured?)
 
If you are referring to cataloging DVD's, new Alto's were last sold to consumers last year around mid-year, but some of us still had limited access to new Altos. In my case to be used for cataloging, and for a couple of clients. C1 2nd Gen were a couple years prior. That said, the question cannot actually be answered because K always holds back some inventory to support warranty issues, and from time to time a model may be made available for sale if it's determined existing warranties can be serviced by a reduced inventory. When that happens, a dealer "may" be able to access a model no longer available through the normal ordering channel.

Important to also note that separate from the C1 (2Gen) and Alto, some Premiere components are still available for sale new, including the 1U+ Server (new), M500 Players (new), and Vaults (DV700 or M700), also available from K (Re-manufactured Vaults), will assist in DVD and BR cataloging as well.

Jim
 
Clarifying question. Is there a semantic difference between cataloging a disc so it appears on your UI and you would plan to play it back using the disc and using a disc to generate a D2D offer? Many of us just want to enter discs to redeem D2D.
 
The two are accomplished at the same time a disc is "read" by your system. If there is a D2D offer for that disc, it will appear in your Store account, and it will also be visible in your UI. Some folks use a Vault to catalog, and leave the discs in the Vault for playback before they accept a D2D offer. To be able to do this with both DVD and BR discs, your Vault would be paired with an Alto (if a Vault is paired with a Strato physical disc playback is DVD only. Obviously this also works with a Premiere system.

If you only want to catalog to generate D2D offers, then you do it in the way previously discussed (Alto or C1 2nd Gen is the fastest method).

Jim
 
Have a number of 1U servers and a number of players. M700, M500, K6000. Mine are old so do alot of Importing. My question is what is the difference between importing and cataloging?
Thanks
 
I'm sure K might have a more technical answer, but quite simply Cataloging is letting the K Store know what disc's you own. By proving your ownership, the Store is allowed to present you with D2D offers (and Digital offers). Because you own the content in disc form, these offers reduce the cost to you when you purchase the Store's digital version. Importing is discussed below.

There are basically two methods used to add content to a Kaleidescape system, "Importing" and "Downloading." When you "Import" content you are inserting a physical disc into a Vault, or K Player with an optical drive, that is authorized to read the disc and copy the disc content to a hard drive in either a K Server, or the internal hard drive of a Cinema One. Vaults (DV700 and M700) accomplish the same thing, and in addition to copying the disc content to a hard drive, they also server as a physical disc storage device to meet the BR requirement that the physical disc be "present" during playback of BR content from a K storage device (Server or C1). So "importing" is simply copying the disc content to a hard drive.

"Downloading" is the process of adding content to a K system by purchasing the digital copy from the Kaleidescape Store. The Store "downloads" the content to the K component authorized to receive the content. Downloading has nothing to do with Cataloging.

"Cataloging" (confirming to the Store what disc content you own) was originally done through the "Importing" process noted above, but K's engineers made it easier to catalog by writing software that allowed the cataloging process to be accomplished by simply reading and identifying the disc and passing that info to the Kaleidescape Store. If you have the correct component (think Alto, C1 2Gen), the cataloging process is done very quickly, and without the need to Import the content to a hard drive.

In summary, "Importing" is ONE of the methods used to "Catalog" discs.

Jim
 
The two are accomplished at the same time a disc is "read" by your system. If there is a D2D offer for that disc, it will appear in your Store account, and it will also be visible in your UI. Some folks use a Vault to catalog, and leave the discs in the Vault for playback before they accept a D2D offer. To be able to do this with both DVD and BR discs, your Vault would be paired with an Alto (if a Vault is paired with a Strato physical disc playback is DVD only. Obviously this also works with a Premiere system.

If you only want to catalog to generate D2D offers, then you do it in the way previously discussed (Alto or C1 2nd Gen is the fastest method).

Jim
Are you a Kaleidescape dealer and can you price a terra compact and strato c? Can you also help me get access to an Alto to catalog my dvd collection? Thanks
Brianbonf@gmail.com
 
Hi, after some early confusion and frustration it does seem as if we will shortly be loaned what has been described as a 'Vault' that should enable me to catalogue our existing disk collection with kaleidescape. Something we are a little relieved, if not a little excited about. We have circa 600-700 disks (split across DVD and Blu Rays). We have a Stato C player and a terra Server and the installers will 'connect' the Vault to them/our account and leave me to catalogue etc.

My understanding and intention is to catalogue every disk and return the vault to them as soon as possible and then worry about drawing down on that list after I removed all the disks and returned the Vault (obviously I would check I could buy some of them before that).

My understanding is how this works and there is no need for me to buy/upgrade every movie there and then before removing them or disconnecting the Vault. IF I HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THAT PLEASE SHOUT LOUDLY :) them.

I am hoping that there is no need to physically import every disk to achieve that cataloguing as it will take a looong looong while. I am hoping that it is just a matter of entering the disk, letting it recognise and catalogue it and then remove the disk each time. Does that depend on the model of Vault being loaned to us? The Vault is coming to us via the supplier after contact with US Kaleidescape as I understand it and so I would think that they would work on that basis but don't know that.

Please let me know and in the meantime I will look to edit the movie list down a little as I am sure there are some in there that we really wouldn't want to watch again :)

Have to say the news has cheered me up this morning but just hoping the answer on the above is positive too.

Cheers


PS - I did wonder how it handles the disks from different regions - living at different times in the UK and US we have disks from both and maybe the odd one from Asia from vacations. Are these available for migration/upgrade in the different stores based on their original region or is is nice and simple and simply held on the list for my account? Just interested about how I might have to organise the disks before it arrives :)
 
"I am hoping that there is no need to physically import every disk to achieve that cataloguing as it will take a looong looong while. I am hoping that it is just a matter of entering the disk, letting it recognise and catalogue it and then remove the disk each time. Does that depend on the model of Vault being loaned to us? The Vault is coming to us via the supplier after contact with US Kaleidescape as I understand it and so I would think that they would work on that basis but don't know that."

I have the DV-700 disc vault. I just put discs in one at a time, and then vault will on its own catalog all of them. Then, if I want to remove some discs from the vault, I go online to my list of movies in the vault, and for each disc I want to remove from the vault, I select eject. If I want to also remove the catalogued disc from my collection then I also select to remove it - otherwise the disc stays catalogued even though its not in the vault. Next I go to the vault, push the butto closest to where the discs are inserted/removed, and the discs that I've ejected come out one at a time.

The vault is much easier and faster than using the Alto.

Congrats!

Me, I like the vault. I have lots of concert blu rays and dvds not in the KStore. And I have a number of Dolby Atmos or Auro-3D blu rays that I can play from the vault (using of course an Alto HDMI to play).
 
"PS - I did wonder how it handles the disks from different regions - living at different times in the UK and US we have disks from both and maybe the odd one from Asia from vacations. Are these available for migration/upgrade in the different stores based on their original region or is is nice and simple and simply held on the list for my account? Just interested about how I might have to organise the disks before it arrives :)"

I have only done discs in my region - the U.S. But in the manual it states you can set the disc vault to one region at a time. Meaning that the vault will not work on multiple region discs at once DARN!
 
After you’ve cataloged be sure to submit your system email address to get an excel spreadsheet of all the D2D pricing. That will help you manage your KScape conversion plan. Here is the link:



Some D2D pricing is a great deal and others not as much. For the expensive D2D offers that are $13-$25 you can keep an eye out for those going on sale. If you want them then you need to buy them outright at the sale price. The D2D pricing doesn’t change when movies go on sale, so for titles you want to get soon, if the sale price is better than D2D you better buy the sale price..
 
Regarding Region cataloging, importing and playback, I've posted this in other threads, but here it is again:

HOW DOES REGIONAL PLAYBACK CONTROL WORK WITH THE KALEIDESCAPE SYSTEM?​

DVD

A DVD can only be cataloged, imported, or played direct, on a component with a matching region code. Every Kaleidescape component with an optical drive is shipped set to DVD region 1. This DVD region code can be changed, but this can only be done up to four times. These restrictions are dictated by the CSS License Agreement of the DVD Copy Control Association, Inc. A single Kaleidescape System can contain multiple components set to different DVD region codes; many customers who enjoy international movies configure their systems in this manner. Once a DVD is imported, it can be played from any player regardless of the DVD region code.

NOTE: Systems purchased from Kaleidescape after November 30th, 2014 are not be able to import CSS-protected DVDs. For more information, please visit CSS-Protected-DVD-FAQs Strato systems do not support the import of discs. DVDs and Blu-ray discs may be cataloged so that they can be shown in the on-screen user interface, just like content downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store.


Blu-ray

The M500 Player, M700 Disc Vault, DV700 Disc Vault and Cinema One (2nd generation) can import Blu-ray discs from any region.
An imported Blu-ray movie will play if any component in the system matches the region code specified by the disc. If the disc is not recognized by the Kaleidescape Movie Guide, enter the region code using the browser interface to ensure proper playback.
Blu-ray discs that are played direct from the optical drive of Kaleidescape Alto, the M500 Player, or Cinema One (2nd generation) must match the region code of that player.
About 70% of Blu-ray discs from major studios are not regional playback controlled and can be played on any Kaleidescape Alto, M-Class player, and Cinema One (2nd generation).
NOTE: Strato systems do not support the import of discs. DVDs and Blu-ray discs may be cataloged so that they can be shown in the on-screen user interface, just like content downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store.


Jim
 
Thank you for the helpful posts. Keep them coming :)

To clarify, I have no intention of keeping the vault - it's just a loan with the sole purpose of cataloguing the existing disk collection as a one off exercise to allow later purchase from Kaleidescape under the disk to digital offers etc. I have gone through the records I have already and I think the current split is 75% US disks and 25% UK disks and this may be a problem as I am currently in the Uk and I assume the vault that arrives wilbut I will wait until the Vault comes before I try to address that bit. Obviously I don't need to play the disks, just catalogue them and maybe that's simpler. I will update later when this becomes clearer as an issue or not. In a strange sort of way I am looking forward to the exercise of going through all of our disks this way.
 
In short, your Blu-ray discs should be cataloged and added to your library regardless of the region. Since Blu-ray playback is not important, there will be no need to change the vault's Blu-ray region and I envision this part of the process going smoothly.

However, with your DVDs, only the discs that match the vault's DVD region can be cataloged. Any discs inserted from any other region will fail to catalog due to a region mismatch. Now, you could potentially:
  1. finish cataloging all the discs from the vault's original DVD region
  2. switch the vault's DVD region and complete the second region
  3. switch the DVD region back to the original
Keep in mind if you did this, each region switch uses 1 of the 4 available region changes. Make sure to talk to whoever is loaning you the vault and ask them if they are OK with using 2 region changes for this process. Depending on the state of the optical drive (e.g., let's say it only has one change left), there is a danger that the vault is locked into the region from step 2 above. If that happens, the only way to get more region changes to get it back to the original region is to replace the optical drive. I'm not sure how readily available those are anymore, but you may want to have your dealer inquire with K support about that option. In the past those were at least a couple hundred bucks and I suspect anymore they are more. The outcome of all this may help determine how much you care about the DVDs from the secondary region.

Good luck,
Andy
 
In short, your Blu-ray discs should be cataloged and added to your library regardless of the region. Since Blu-ray playback is not important, there will be no need to change the vault's Blu-ray region and I envision this part of the process going smoothly.

However, with your DVDs, only the discs that match the vault's DVD region can be cataloged. Any discs inserted from any other region will fail to catalog due to a region mismatch. Now, you could potentially:
  1. finish cataloging all the discs from the vault's original DVD region
  2. switch the vault's DVD region and complete the second region
  3. switch the DVD region back to the original
Keep in mind if you did this, each region switch uses 1 of the 4 available region changes. Make sure to talk to whoever is loaning you the vault and ask them if they are OK with using 2 region changes for this process. Depending on the state of the optical drive (e.g., let's say it only has one change left), there is a danger that the vault is locked into the region from step 2 above. If that happens, the only way to get more region changes to get it back to the original region is to replace the optical drive. I'm not sure how readily available those are anymore, but you may want to have your dealer inquire with K support about that option. In the past those were at least a couple hundred bucks and I suspect anymore they are more. The outcome of all this may help determine how much you care about the DVDs from the secondary region.

Good luck,
Andy
Andy,

Thanks, that was what I was thinking might be the case with the dvds from the above posts. I am expecting it to arrive with some sort of guidance/instructions and because this must be a fairly common issue I was hoping this would be clearly documented. I certainly wouldn’t have changed the region settings without prior referral but thank you for the clarity of your post. I suspect that I will be limited to the UK region which is the smaller slice of the collection but I will take what I can get.

Appreciate the helpful responses on this from everyone.
 
After bemoaning the lack of a solution, I thought I would document a little about the experience I have had of cataloguing our disks. As posted before, getting to the point of getting a loan Vault was fraught and frustrating and TBH at one point we were told (mistakenly) that it wouldn’t be possible. But with the reassurance on here that Kaleidescape both promote and support this I persevered. Once agreed, a loan machine arrived fairly promptly which was a surprise as after the drama I expected a delay.

It was a DV700 vault that arrived. Our local installer set it up and entered the first disk, only for it to fail, again and again. No panic, they opened it up and gave the rollers a thorough clean before reassembling it (they were in contact with the main supplier). Now it worked OK and I was left to process what was something like 600 movies.

There were two concerns I had expressed before it arrived. One was that it likely wouldn't process both of the US and UK disks, the other that if it was forced to import every disk as part of the process it would take forever. Spoiler being that neither proved a problem. The Vault can only play the UK disks but it recognised them all which was the main thing and so all were catalogued. To explain, my work life led to time in both the US and UK and so we have a 70-30% split of our DVDs (US/UK). The Vault didn't attempt to import anything and so that too was no issue.

The process itself is simple enough. You put it in, it reads and catalogues it. It then keeps it if it was the right region but spits it out if not. All good. The problem was that by doing this all at once we did get a lot of disk jams. I don't know if this was common when the product was 'live' but without regular visits by the engineer (for other reasons) we would never have got through this. A power reset (as the machine prompts you to) did work but it appeared to 'lose' recognistion of up to 200 of the disks that it already had in it. So we would then need to wait for it to reload and read those disks. The history was never lost, nor the disk offers. It was as if the Vault was no longer certain if the disks were the same ones. This was a bit of a pain but it worked out OK.

So, having completed the cataloguing of a good % of our disks we are done I think. There are just a lot of movies that we would never sit down to watch again and mid-process I got more relaistic about that. I am grateful for the opportunity to do it and although it probably took 3 or 4 days to complete due to the jams, it was OK because I had the time to sit and do it this week and I enjoyed bing reminded of the movies we have.

One slight problem I think is that it looks as if the 'my movies' selection page now shows all of our downloaded plus all of the catalogued ones (i.e. the ones that we have not purchased on the D2D program and are not in the disk server which is now empty). I had thought that if the disk server was empty that it wouldn't show them. I am not sure if there is an easy way around this or if the server is 'removed' from the system (installer config etc) that they might not be displayed. If not it will be confusing. I obviously don't want to lost the d2d offers because over time I will draw down some more of the titles I am sure. I am hoping this is all too obvious and there is a simple way around this.

I know there are 'collections' but it would seem odd to have to create a collection to get around this.

So after a bumpy ride getting here, I would say I am a 'happy bunny' and appreciate the support I have had to get here. The advice above proved useful. Faith restored :)

Thank you.
 
After bemoaning the lack of a solution, I thought I would document a little about the experience I have had of cataloguing our disks. As posted before, getting to the point of getting a loan Vault was fraught and frustrating and TBH at one point we were told (mistakenly) that it wouldn’t be possible. But with the reassurance on here that Kaleidescape both promote and support this I persevered. Once agreed, a loan machine arrived fairly promptly which was a surprise as after the drama I expected a delay.

It was a DV700 vault that arrived. Our local installer set it up and entered the first disk, only for it to fail, again and again. No panic, they opened it up and gave the rollers a thorough clean before reassembling it (they were in contact with the main supplier). Now it worked OK and I was left to process what was something like 600 movies.

There were two concerns I had expressed before it arrived. One was that it likely wouldn't process both of the US and UK disks, the other that if it was forced to import every disk as part of the process it would take forever. Spoiler being that neither proved a problem. The Vault can only play the UK disks but it recognised them all which was the main thing and so all were catalogued. To explain, my work life led to time in both the US and UK and so we have a 70-30% split of our DVDs (US/UK). The Vault didn't attempt to import anything and so that too was no issue.

The process itself is simple enough. You put it in, it reads and catalogues it. It then keeps it if it was the right region but spits it out if not. All good. The problem was that by doing this all at once we did get a lot of disk jams. I don't know if this was common when the product was 'live' but without regular visits by the engineer (for other reasons) we would never have got through this. A power reset (as the machine prompts you to) did work but it appeared to 'lose' recognistion of up to 200 of the disks that it already had in it. So we would then need to wait for it to reload and read those disks. The history was never lost, nor the disk offers. It was as if the Vault was no longer certain if the disks were the same ones. This was a bit of a pain but it worked out OK.

So, having completed the cataloguing of a good % of our disks we are done I think. There are just a lot of movies that we would never sit down to watch again and mid-process I got more relaistic about that. I am grateful for the opportunity to do it and although it probably took 3 or 4 days to complete due to the jams, it was OK because I had the time to sit and do it this week and I enjoyed bing reminded of the movies we have.

One slight problem I think is that it looks as if the 'my movies' selection page now shows all of our downloaded plus all of the catalogued ones (i.e. the ones that we have not purchased on the D2D program and are not in the disk server which is now empty). I had thought that if the disk server was empty that it wouldn't show them. I am not sure if there is an easy way around this or if the server is 'removed' from the system (installer config etc) that they might not be displayed. If not it will be confusing. I obviously don't want to lost the d2d offers because over time I will draw down some more of the titles I am sure. I am hoping this is all too obvious and there is a simple way around this.

I know there are 'collections' but it would seem odd to have to create a collection to get around this.

So after a bumpy ride getting here, I would say I am a 'happy bunny' and appreciate the support I have had to get here. The advice above proved useful. Faith restored :)

Thank you.
I should have added that I am glad that is done but I would strongly recommend a better/simpler solution is found for future buyers.
 
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