Dear Mike,
Thank you joining this Forum. All members stand to benefit from your insight and input regarding the maintenance of their current products as stand alone systems, the pros and cons of maintaining both Encore and Premiere line systems, or the complete transition over to the new Encore system depending on their various circumstances.
Here are some questions that have come to mind regarding how I and others can best plan for the future. I realize that some of these may be answered once detailed specs and user guides become available.
Questions regarding the new Strato player and Terra Server:
1. Personally, I have yet to decide on an UHD Display and frankly, I am waiting for further progress especially in the OLED arena. Until then, is the Strato player compatible with current HDTVs? I obviously realize I will not get 4K or HDR, but will I get at least as good picture quality for 2K HDTV as the M-class players? Are there settings for resolution and other options such as in the M-class players?
2. I understand the in-player decoding of lossless audio tracks will be coming. Will this be ready in time for the product’s first availability in Q1, 2016 or will the software update be at a still later date?
3. How will remote control codes be handled? Hopefully there will be no interference with current products in the same location using the supplied remotes. I realize many (most) of us use custom controllers but even then, it would be ideal if the codes were complete different from those currently in use.
4. As this system only accepts downloads, how is region encoding handled or is it handled at all? Are the players the same around the globe, i.e. region free? Currently, in the premiere system, if I try to play a disc either in the tray or imported, but not in the database (using “Play Disc”), I must use the correct M-class, region specific, player. Is this an issue when playing Blu-rays or DVDs from the disc server (vault) in an Encore system with only 1 Strato player or will 2 separate players, 1 for each region, be required?
5. If someone were to maintain both Encore line and Premiere line systems:
a. Can these be grouped as 1 system or must/should they co-exist as 2 systems?
b. Currently, only UV-enabled titles can be downloaded to more than one K. system. I understand that downloads of 4K titles to the Encore system will allow HD and SD downloads as well. Does this apply to the Premiere system only if grouped into 1 system? What happens if there are 2 systems? How will non-UV titles be managed in this case? Will downloads be shared between 2 systems, even with a single, specified owner? If 2 systems are an issue, could downloads be set up on a user/owner basis instead of system basis?
Questions regarding the current Premiere Line Products:
1. I think I speak for everyone on this forum that we are glad to hear there will be ongoing support for the Premiere line. Kudos Kaleidescape!
2. Aside from the 6TB drives hopefully arriving soon, is any further hardware development planned (perhaps an updated player with some of the wish list features posted elsewhere on this forum)? We all realize that resources, human and otherwise, are extremely limited, and concern exists that future development will be devoted mostly or entirely to the new product line instead of the “legacy line.”
3. Migration from a Premiere line server to the Terra Server, even if for downloads only (such as with 2 systems being maintained side by side - 1 for downloads, the other for imports), remains a problematic issue. Are there any preliminary ideas that can be shared at this point on how best to accomplish this? Is replication even possible with such incompatible products? Re-downloading everything is a huge bottleneck (ISP restrictions that many of us face) and not at all practical, except for small numbers of titles. Perhaps the feasibility of pre-loaded software titles can be further investigated by Kaleidescape.
I realize that there may not yet be answers for many of these questions for a great variety of reasons. My point in this post is to stimulate thought and further discussion between end users, retailers and K. headquarters. Thank you for listening!
Wayne