Home Theater: Kaleidescape Mini

The new, smaller Kaleidescape Mini System can hold up to 225 DVDs or 2500 CDs with expanded optional storage (75 and 825 respectively with the standard storage that comes with the unit. $7995 with standard storage.

The unit will not, as yet, support Blu-ray, though Kaleidescape reps were clear that the company is eagerly awaiting the launch of BD Managed Copy, which will allow lossless ripping of BD discs onto a hard drive server (with significant restrictions, however, and possibly an added fee, depending on the studio). This will NOT include discs currently on the market--the rip-able discs must be specially encoded.

Until the launch of Managed Copy, however, users will have to make do with plain old DVDs. But please, Kaleidescape, watch the hype in your literature. The handout for the Mini System states, "The Mini System creates beautiful high-definitionoutput from DVDs, providing a viewing experience that rivals Blu-ray." The italics are mine. No way, Jose. All the system can do is deinterlace andf upconvert--video process--the DVDs, and no matter how well this is done the result is not HD.

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Reader Comments

Posted Mon Sep14, 2009, 3:15 PM — By Guy in Saskatoon

How is this a product if they just lost their court case on DVD copying? (As was reported by this mag on Aug. 14 in LATEST NEWS) Can they still release/sell it? Will their still be (legal) support from the company for this product if they lose at the Supreme Court level?

Posted Wed Oct 7, 2009, 7:22 AM — By Mike in NJ

I have a Kaleidescape 3U system. No, it's not Blu-ray. And I agree about hype. But, the upconversion makes a tremendous difference in video quality as compared with a standard DVD player. I've had the system for over a year and wouldn't trade the convenience and quality. And we do watch 1080i & 1080p content regularly from DirecTV. We also have a Blu-ray player. All going through a SONY VPLVW200 projector. I certainly want Blu-ray capability in the Kaleidescape, but the system "as is" is pretty terrific.

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