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Strato C vs E

W

WatchDoc

Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2025
Messages
21
Location
Australia
Apart from lack of Dolby vision (which my projector and madvr don’t use anyways) are there any downsides to going with a strato c over an E when paired with terra server?

Don’t really need the smaller form factor of the E, or the internal storage which is bypassed anyways.

Asking as have an E, but considering buying a cheaper C and selling the E once I get a server. Would free up some cash for a bigger server
 
If you have a projector and madVR (as I do), the Strato C would be preferred. It will give you the 4k UI while the E is only 1080p. Not a big deal for some, but the bigger the screen the better it will look.

If one is going with a server, and DV isn't needed, then I would go with the Strato C every time. I can't think of any downsides.
 
Plus the C has a separate audio output, which can help in some configs.
Another thing to consider is that the C can only playback SDR and HDR content, whereas the E/V can play DV and downconvert it as HDR.
So if your looking at a mixed setup with displays that benefit from DV and a projector, then it could be the better choice to have a homogenous setup with the new players to avoid double downloads for HDR and DV versions of movies.
 
I can speak directly to this, as I had purchased a brand new E about a month ago and had it hooked up to my projector in standalone mode at first. It worked fine, but the GUI did look a bit blurry to me compared to say the Apple TV UI that I was used to. I then decided to add a Terra Server and a used Strato C (I found a used one in mint condition with 3 years of warranty at 50% list price). I moved the E to my living room setup, and put the C into the theater rack. I love the increased sharpness that the 4K GUI brings to the big screen (I have a 120" scope). Playback and sound quality is the same for me between the C and the E.

One downside is that if I don't specify which version of a movie to download, the system will many times download both the DV and the HDR10 versions, which just doubles up on storage and download time. I don't have any issues picking the HDR10 version (which I prefer for the projector system), but several times now, my son will order direct from the GUI and Kaleidescape will just download both. I need to now explain to the family how to select which version to download, which is a pain. I wish there was a way in settings to select which version to download each time.

Bottom line, you won't be disappointed with the C. In fact, the build quality compared to the E is night and day. The C is built like a tank with very high quality materials. Note that the C does have a fan, while the E is fan-less. But the C is very quite, IMO.
 
Thanks all, mirrors my thoughts.

Will probably get a second hand c for the home theatre, and same for living room, and just live without DV on the tv for now (which to be honest will rarely be used for movies as the home theatre is next door). Will save double downloads, and will free up cash to buy bigger server.
 
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