NEWS: New Strato M Movie Player

[David23]

Wow, didn't see something like this coming. 2K video output, entry level player.

Strato M Movie Player - Kaleidescape

 

[ZeroDarkFuga]

What is the MSRP cost?

 

[cinelife]

Kaleidescape Introduces the New Strato M Movie Player

Kaleidescape’s Entry-Level Movie Player, Redefined

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA – April 2, 2025 – Kaleidescape, maker of the ultimate movie platform, today announced Strato M, a new entry-level movie player for residential, marine, and commercial theatre systems. Offered at half the price of Kaleidescape’s previous lowest-cost system, Strato M provides reference 2K video output, with better than Blu-ray quality. Like all Kaleidescape movie players, Strato M supports lossless audio.

“Strato M opens up the Kaleidescape experience to a broader range of movie enthusiasts,” said Tayloe Stansbury, chairman & CEO of Kaleidescape. “And in larger systems, Strato M is great for secondary rooms, while reserving the flagship Strato V for main viewing areas.”

Strato M works on its own or as part of a larger Kaleidescape system. As a standalone system, Strato M provides a single playback zone that holds a half-dozen movies on an internal solid-state drive – downloading a movie in about ten minutes over gigabit Ethernet. It features a streamlined interface, optimized for navigating a small movie library, offering automatic offloading of watched movies 48 hours after playback to make room for more movies. Purchased movies can be re-downloaded at any time.

Strato M can also be grouped with Terra Prime movie servers to increase movie storage. This returns Strato M’s interface to the full Kaleidescape user experience. Strato V, Strato C, and Strato M movie players can all be grouped together with one or more Terra movie servers, to fit your entertainment needs.

Strato M supports lossless multi-channel and spatial object-based audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Strato M supports reference 2K video, with higher bit rates and bit depths than Blu-ray, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, BT.2020, and 4:2:2 chroma.

Kaleidescape Strato M provides access to the Kaleidescape movie store, the world’s only digital movie collection with lossless audio and full reference video quality. The movie store offers thousands of 4K and HD titles for purchase or rent, including movies, TV series, and concerts. Kaleidescape movies are downloaded, not streamed, so there is never buffering or loss in quality.

To learn more, visit: Strato M Movie Player - Kaleidescape. Strato M is available now through authorized Kaleidescape dealers: Find a Movie Player and Media Server Dealer - Kaleidescape.

About Kaleidescape (www.Kaleidescape.com)
Kaleidescape is the ultimate movie platform. Kaleidescape has been designing, manufacturing, and selling state-of-the-art movie players and servers for over 20 years. Kaleidescape digitally delivers movies with lossless audio and reference video. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Kaleidescape products are assembled in the USA.

Media Contact:
Kaleidescape, Inc.
Josh Gershman
Josh.Gershman@kaleidescape.com

 

[cinelife]

What is the MSRP cost?

$1995

Jim

 

[carajo]

I think the price point is good. Built in storage like the V but a little less storage capacity.

 

[David23]

What is the cost?

Facebook post says, "Offered at half the price of Kaleidescape’s previous lowest-cost system". So $2K

 

[cinelife]

Here's a link to the video on youtube:

Jim

 

[cinelife]

David23 beat me to it, so instead of starting another thread I'm adding details in this thread.

Jim

 

[David23]

So does this download 4K quality and just play them in 2K? Or can it only download Blu-ray quality?

 

[cinelife]

I suspect some here will automatically question the lack of 4K (frankly I did), but I understand it is being offered as a lead in to the K experience, and after having the opportunity to actually put it in my system for testing I can see and appreciate a use case for this new model. I was VERY surprised at the quality of the picture, and as expected the sound as as good as the other players K offers. It can also be paired with a Terra Server for additional storage, but limited to HD and SD content. It cannot currently be used with a Co-Star, but perhaps that can be included at some point as happened with the V when it was initially released, we'll see.

Although it doesn't offer 4K capabilities, it looked excellent on the Sony 85" display I used for testing, much better than my usual experience 1080p content.

Jim

 

[DLCPhoto]

Only HD and SD Store based content, no 4K capability, including downloads.

Jim

I'm not sure this is correct - I think it can download 4k/HDR/DV titles from the store, but will downscale output to 2k. This is based on specs, FAQ, etc., but it isn't 100% clear on this point.

All in all, seems like an unexpected move in today's 4k world. I guess their marketing division has the data to support it being a successful addition.

 

[cinelife]

I'm not sure this is correct - I think it can download 4k/HDR/DV titles from the store, but will downscale output to 2k. This is based on specs, FAQ, etc., but it isn't 100% clear on this point.

All in all, seems like an unexpected move in today's 4k world. I guess their marketing division has the data to support it being a successful addition.

My answer is based solely on the info directly provided to me by K when I recently tested it. I mentioned that I hadn't accepted the HD downloads for content purchased in the Store, so assumed I'd have to download those versions to one of my Terra's, or directly to the M Player for playback and was told "that's correct." (I'd be happy to hear the info I received was wrong, that would certainly make things easier.)

Also, to be clear, I was not involved in the Beta on this particular model, it was brought to me to "demo/test" using one of the flat panel displays in my system, I did not try it in my theater, and I did not get days of testing that would have allowed me to test playback of a 4K title (after being told "that's correct" I didn't see the need).

Jim

 

[LoveCinema]

To be completely honest, I thought this announcement was 24 hours late.

HD-only player when K's neck deep in conversion (EDIT: It's not). K Marketing woke up and chose Hard Mode. (EDIT: Still true.)

Seriously though, good luck to K and I appreciate all the efforts to expand their base with new entry options.

 

[sbutter]

It will play 4k downloads downscaled to 2k.
https://support.kaleidescape.com/su...mpaign=strato-m-announce_dealeremail_20250402

 

[DLCPhoto]

My answer is based solely on the info directly provided to me by K when I recently tested it. I mentioned that I hadn't accepted the HD downloads for content purchased in the Store, so assumed I'd have to download those versions to one of my Terra's, or directly to the M Player for playback and was told "that's correct." (I'd be happy to hear the info I received was wrong, that would certainly make things easier.)

Also, to be clear, I was not involved in the Beta on this particular model, it was brought to me to "demo/test" using one of the flat panel displays in my system, I did not try it in my theater, and I did not get days of testing that would have allowed me to test playback of a 4K title (after being told "that's correct" I didn't see the need).

Jim

I didn't at all intend to be critical in any way, and apologize if it came across that way. I'm just trying to sort out how this thing works!

According to the specs, it shows "Kaleidescape movie store downloads: 4K Dolby Vision, 4K HDR10, 4K SDR, HD, and SD quality". And the comparison chart shows times to download 4k movies, so it seems that it does.

Providing 2k output, while apparently also supporting HDR10 and DV seems like a very odd choice.

Will be interested in learning more about this as more details become available.

 

[cinelife]

I'm not sure this is correct - I think it can download 4k/HDR/DV titles from the store, but will downscale output to 2k. This is based on specs, FAQ, etc., but it isn't 100% clear on this point.

All in all, seems like an unexpected move in today's 4k world. I guess their marketing division has the data to support it being a successful addition.

As it turns out I'm happy to report you are correct! I just received a text correcting what was just a misunderstanding (probably on my part, if my wife is to be believed).

Thanks for pointing that out!

Jim

 

[Topmetom]

Better than blu ray, interesting comments.

Reference 2K Video​

High-fidelity output. Strato M plays 4K movies in standard dynamic range, HDR10, and Dolby Vision, with BT.2020 and 4:2:2 chroma, making reference 2K video output look sharper, with more accurate color fidelity.

 

[cinelife]

I didn't at all intend to be critical in any way, and apologize if it came across that way. I'm just trying to sort out how this thing works!

According to the specs, it shows "Kaleidescape movie store downloads: 4K Dolby Vision, 4K HDR10, 4K SDR, HD, and SD quality". And the comparison chart shows times to download 4k movies, so it seems that it does.

Providing 2k output, while apparently also supporting HDR10 and DV seems like a very odd choice.

Will be interested in learning more about this as more details become available.

Not AT ALL! In general, forums tend to have enough misinformation as it is, I certainly don't want that on this forum and have NO problem being corrected. I appreciate the knowledgable members, you included, that continue to post here, so thank you!

Jim

 

[LoveCinema]

Providing 2k output, while apparently also supporting HDR10 and DV seems like a very odd choice.

The Apple TV does this, basically providing the best possible image it can based upon the resolution that you've chosen for it.

As we know, Blu-ray vs. 4K stream is often a tie, with color grading or audio being the tie breakers. With both on the side of a 4K download played in 2K, then the Strato M would be a definitive winner over streaming.

So, this makes a lot more sense. However, I still think this is Hard Mode for K's marketing team. Everyone knows the story of the 1/3lb burger.

EDIT: Updated to remove reference to 1440p; The Strato M is a 1080p device.

 

[cinelife]

I deleted my single answer, but I'm leaving the response posts in place.

Jim