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Beyond 8K: New 4K Format Promises Cinematic Quality
23 Jun
Summary
- Kaleidescape's new 8K player is the first certified by the 8K Association.
- A new '4K Cinematic' format offers higher bitrate and better color for 4K.
- The Strato K player is priced at $4,995 with limited onboard storage.
Kaleidescape has introduced the Strato K, the world's first 8K movie player to receive certification from the 8K Association. This premium device, priced at $4,995, aims to provide viewers with an unparalleled cinematic experience, delivering enhanced detail and lifelike color reproduction.
However, the immediate utility of 8K content remains a question due to limited availability, making Kaleidescape's new '4K Cinematic' format a more significant advancement. This proprietary format utilizes HEVC encoding at approximately 110Mbps, substantially higher than standard 4K Blu-ray or streaming, and features 4:4:4 chroma sampling for superior color accuracy.
Despite the enhanced quality, the Strato K includes only 1TB of storage, capable of holding roughly seven '4K Cinematic' titles due to their larger file sizes. This suggests a reliance on Kaleidescape's Terra servers for expanded storage. The company will clearly label these higher-fidelity films in its store, with titles like 'Top Gun: Maverick' and 'Dune: Part Two' among the initial offerings.
The player supports advanced audio formats, but its 8K movie playback is limited to SDR or HDR10 at a maximum of 30 fps via HDMI 2.1. The '4K Cinematic' format, however, is compatible with Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X, signaling a focus on immediate high-quality viewing experiences.
