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NEWS: Update on Kaleidescape Vault!

Mr.Poindexter

Well-known member
⭐️ Premium ⭐️
Authorized Kaleidescape Dealer
July 28, 2010

Kaleidescape is developing two disc-vault solutions to enable Blu-ray movies to be played without having to touch a disc: (1) the Modular Disc Vault based on a third-party mechanism, and (2) the Integrated Disc Vault designed and developed entirely by Kaleidescape. Either disc vault can be used to import Blu-ray Discs and verify that they are present. The Integrated Disc Vault can also be used to import CDs and DVDs. Neither vault supports playing directly from a disc. When your Blu-ray Discs are stored in a vault, playback of a Blu-ray movie from any M-Class player works just like the playback of a DVD movie; the physical disc itself is not read or even accessed upon playback because its contents are played from a copy located on a Kaleidescape server. Any number of disc vaults (of either type) can be added to a Kaleidescape System to accommodate a large collection of Blu-ray Discs. These two vaults differ in capacity, appearance, physical size, usability, and pricing. With both vaults, discs are inserted and removed through a vertical slot in the front. Both of these projects are proceeding on schedule.

Modular Disc Vault
The Modular Disc Vault is a third-party 100-disc carousel (with Kaleidescape's firmware modifications) that will be available for purchase from Kaleidescape. The Modular Disc Vault must be directly connected to an M300 Player via a USB cable. The Modular Disc Vault can be placed on a shelf in a standard equipment rack (20 inches deep). Its physical dimensions are: 14.6 in. x 17 in. x 7.3 in. (370 mm x 430 mm x 186 mm).

An M300 Player can play movies and music from a server while it controls the Modular Disc Vault. Any number of Modular Disc Vaults may be added to a Kaleidescape System, but each must be connected to its own M300 Player.
If you already have an M300 Player, you will be able to add a Modular Disc Vault for $1,500 (U.S. MSRP) and connect it via USB. If not, then you will be able to purchase an M300 Player together with a Modular Disc Vault for a total of $3,995 (U.S. MSRP). This product will be running in our booth (#2228) at CEDIA Expo in September. We plan to make it available with "beta" software in the fourth quarter of this year, and with production software in the first quarter of 2011.
Integrated Disc Vault

The Integrated Disc Vault is a new Kaleidescape component that has the capacity to hold 300 Blu-ray Discs. Like a server or a player it connects directly to your Ethernet network. Besides importing discs and verifying Blu-ray Disc presence, the Integrated Disc Vault incorporates an M-Class player that can play movies and music from a server. It is a 5-RU device that can be mounted in a 20-inch-deep rack. U.S. MSRP will be no more than $6,000. We anticipate that this product will be available in June of 2011; however, there is still some uncertainty in this date.
 
I figured this was okay to post, but was waiting for an okay from TB. Now that it's out, let the discussions begin!!:)

Speculating here, but it looks like the early solution was intended to be "the" solution, and the second (larger capacity) vault is a response to the recognition that our BR collections are getting larger each week. In any case, I'm happy to see this progressing and look forward to organizing our BR collection.:)


Jim
 
The modular disc vault is still going to be a 5U solution in the rack in addition to the M300 player, should one decide to rack mount it.

Now the big question for me will be whether or not to wait for the big 300 disc unit or get a 100 disc modular unit and an M300 to tide me over.

Also, I wonder if the new Integrated Disc Vault will do the decoding for the high res formats inside the player, since they will have plenty of space to work with and a fresh slate.
 
This is great news! How long before we can expect the Modular Disc Vault? Will it also be compatible with the M500 (since this also has a usb port)?

Rgds

Panamar
 
This is great news! How long before we can expect the Modular Disc Vault? Will it also be compatible with the M500 (since this also has a usb port)?

Rgds

Panamar


The Modular Disc Vault requires an M300 Player. It is expected to be available in a "beta' (software) version in the last quarter of this year. The Integrated Disc Vault is scheduled for June 2011 (tentatively).

Jim
 
The stats on the Modular Disc Vault sounds like it is the S1digital USB Carousel. Given the relatively close cost of the two units plus the additional firmware Kaleidescape would have to put in, it sounds quite plausible.

I think the Modular Disc Vault would is going to be a single drive unit, making a full carousel a 4 day cycle on loading, give or take. I doubt it would be any faster with a second drive as the USB2.0 connection speed would be a limiting factor.
 
A more-than-4U=5U-MDV for 100 units and a full 5U-IDV for 300 units... gotta say those capacity trade-offs are rather short of where I was hoping for. Maybe the IDVs could push back a few more inches to a full network rack depth and hit 400-500?

Still, as long as those IDVs clean up some of those missing features, it should make for a nice way to add capacity and multiple HD zones (in a centrally distributed setup anyhow.)
 
I doubt we would see 500 in a carousel or we would have seen that in CD/DVD changes by now. The most I have ever seen in a consumer carousel is 400. Also, while they could go deeper, what percentage of their customers have racks that cannot handle a depth of 26" or more? I would venture a guess that it would be most.
 
This is great news! How long before we can expect the Modular Disc Vault? Will it also be compatible with the M500 (since this also has a usb port)?

Each M-Class player can control a single optical drive. In the M500 Player, that’s the tray. With an M300 Player, it will be the drive in the Modular Disc Vault. In the Integrated Disc Vault, it will be the integrated drive.
 
Thank you for the clarification. Is their likely to be fans involved with either units or are they likely to be fanless like the bulk loader?

Rgds

Panamar
 
Now that's a good question, but if you have a 3U in the rack, it doesn't matter.:)

Seriously, there is obviously some heat generating movement while importing discs, but otherwise I would think large fans would not be needed given that once imported (and full) the loader is basically static.


Jim
 
Well, the small vault won't have much in the way of heat issues aside from during import but that could last 4 days?

On the larger unit, it will have a player integrated and so should have about the same thermal load to cool but it will also have a larger cabinet if they can use its surface for heat transfer and passive convection cooling.
 
........

On the larger unit, it will have a player integrated and so should have about the same thermal load to cool but it will also have a larger cabinet if they can use its surface for heat transfer and passive convection cooling.


That's what I'm thinking as well (passive cooling).


Jim
 
Definitely hope they address PCM / decoding capability in the Integrated Disc Vault . They certainly have the time and (presumably) the real estate given it's a massive unit.
 
Ok question- 5 modular disk vaults, one m300 player, all the disk vaults are connected to the m300 by a USB hub to enable multiple connections to the m300 player- is this possible?
 
No, not possible. Each M-class player can only operate one optical drive. That means only one vault per M300. It also implies that each modular disc vault will only have one drive. Although two drives for faster importing might sound desireable, it would drive up the cost and not increase speed that much given the bandwidth limitations of the USB2.0 connection.
 
The Integrated Disk Vault sounds the right way to go, and I do tend to agree with a few posts that 400 disk's would have been more optimal, but 300 disk's is way better than the nightmare senario of 100-150 that was mooted as the end solution by a few dealers for a while.

I have a couple of questions that are related:

1) If i have movie A that i have imported loaded in an MDV connected to my 3rd M300 player, can i play that movie to a screen connected to a different Mclass player? Or is the movie playing restricted to the M300 player that the MDV is connected too?

2) Can the MDV stop gap handle multiple blueray movies be played back. I want to watch Movie A in the bedroom and someone else wants to watch Movie B also located in the MDV in a different room?

It seems as though both of those questions wont be an issue for the IDV but June 2011 seems a long time to wait for a useable bluray system that meets the Kscape ethos. I know Kscape are not the fastest to bring products to market but even so june 2011 is an inordinate amount of time, considering it was pretty obvious after the ruling went against Kscape last year some kludge such as this would have to be thought up. I have some serious concerns over the statement "there is still some uncertainty in this date" considering how long it has taken Kscape to get the current bluray players to market.

It is these serious draw backs and concerns that is making me hold off a bit longer on taking the Kscape plunge for my new house. And since i was looking to place an order for.. 2 x 3U servers, 2 x M500's 8 x M300's The dealer is needless to say quite keen.
 
If you have the BluRay loaded into any tray or vault (integrated or modular) in the component group, then it will play on any M-series player in that component group.

Once the discs are in the vault, you should have no problem playing multiple discs in multiple rooms.

The only unknown is if you can play the same disc in two rooms at once. I think you should but who knows what Hollywood thinks about such a thing. I would test that right now but people are sleeping in one of the rooms with an M-class player in it. Will have to check it out tomorrow if nobody else has a definitive answer on that.
 
If you have the BluRay loaded into any tray or vault (integrated or modular) in the component group, then it will play on any M-series player in that component group.

Once the discs are in the vault, you should have no problem playing multiple discs in multiple rooms.

Is it likely a BD disc can be played from the Int Mod Vault without being imported into the server? So in effect making the vault a dvd changer?

P
 
No, that is not the plan, which is a good thing in my opinion. Nearly every DVD changer I've come across eventually had issues. Too much movement, IMO. Better to import, and forget it.


Jim
 
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