Kaleidescape Blu-ray system

In previous reviews, I have extolled the virtues of the impressive Kaleidescape networked AV system.

Although highly expensive and intended for professional installation (bar the one-box Mini , since renamed the Cinema One), there's nothing to beat its smoothly presented and intuitive method of selecting DVDs and CDs for playback. And now Kaleidescape has added Blu-ray to the mix...

With the exception of the Mini/Cinema One, a Kaleidescape system consists of two types of component. The first is a powerful media server, located in an equipment room or basement, that contains a number of high-capacity hard drives.

Your movies and music are copied bit-by-bit and stored on these during the importation process, and RAID-K technology minimises the chance of losing anything in the event of a drive fault. One or more players are connected via the network, located in the rooms where playback is required.

Everything is built from high-end hardware, and has the same levels of performance that can be expected from top-flight AV gear.

Kaleidescape has two new players that offer Blu-ray compatibility, the compact M300 and the M500 tested here. The latter includes an in-built Blu-ray/CD/DVD drive for direct playback and importation. Although the importation service offered by Kaleidescape dealers now caters for Blu-rays as well as CDs and DVDs, it is advised to have at least one M500 so that you can easily import new discs into your system as and when they are acquired.

And servers? All existing and current models will work, but the newer ones boast the capacities needed to accommodate a decent collection of Blu-ray content.

There are two types of server. One, which is 1 rack-mount unit ('1U') high, contains four cartridge-loaded 2TB drives and can accommodate up to 900 DVDs, 150 Blu-rays, approximately 10,000 CDs or a mix of the three. The higher-spec model is 3U high and its 14 cartridges basically quadruple the storage capacity of the 1U server.

The 3U model's fourteenth cartridge is a 'hot spare', provided for extra protection. If even greater capacity is required, multiple servers can be used.

For Blu-ray playback, a third component becomes necessary. This 100-disc Blu-ray carousel, referred to by Kaleidescape as a Modular Disc Vault, is the key to how the company has managed to placate the studios.

Any Blu-ray disc that has been imported onto the server has to subsequently be loaded into this vault, which is connected to one of the players via a USB. You cannot play a previously imported Blu-ray if the physical disc is not present – its entry in the various movie lists is greyed out. Mercifully, there's no clunking from the vault when a Blu-ray is selected for playback; indeed, the only time there's any vault activity is when the disc is loaded (or being imported). And it's perhaps just as well that it's so quiet.

Modular CD Rack (Satin Aluminum) (15.7″ H x 5.1″ W x 7.3″ D ...

Versatile and modular, this contemporary CD rack is designed to adapt to any space! The CD storage rack can be configured for desktop or wall mounting and can be combined with multiple units. One CD rack can capacitate 20 CDs, however additional modules can be stacked, or mounted together on the wall as your CD collection grows. Perfect for home and office use, this metal CD rack can store thin and standard CD cases and is compatible with the modular DVD rack (search item #106107 or see related items below). Manufactured to a high standard using extruded aluminum. The minimal lines and luster of the satin-anodised finish complement the very best of high-end entertainment systems. Very simple to assemble. Screws for wall mounting not included. .

ASHRAE transactions

Billboard

Nelson modular science

InMusic

Billboard