Ignacy Giżyński
When we talk about cinema quality in the comfort of home, one brand regularly comes up in conversations among professionals – Kaleidescape. The company known for providing reference movie players has just announced that it is entering the world of 8K.
What is Kaleidescape?
Kaleidescape is a brand well-known in the home theatre world for its top-quality equipment and services for movie playback. Their products are not just ordinary players – they are devices that download full versions of films in reference quality, with lossless sound and Dolby Vision image, designed for the most demanding users. Instead of streaming, like on Netflix, everything is stored locally on the hard drive, which guarantees smoothness and no loss of quality.
Kaleidescape and 8K – a move towards the future?
The company announced that it is joining the 8K Association (8KA), whose members include Samsung and Hisense. This is a clear signal that it sees a future for 8K resolution, at least in the premium segment. Currently, Kaleidescape does not offer any 8K players or content, but joining 8KA indicates the direction the company wants to develop in. Kaleidescape's CEO, Tayloe Stansbury, emphasises that the growing interest in large screens and more immersive experiences means that 8K will become increasingly desirable in home cinemas.
Although Kaleidescape offers quality that most can only dream of, it must be stated openly – this is equipment for a fraction of users. The prices of their devices can reach tens of thousands. These are solutions designed for individuals who are building full-scale home cinemas and expect absolutely reference-quality image and sound.
Where is 8K today?
The 8K market is still in its infancy – very few have such a television, and even fewer are the contents in that resolution. It's the classic chicken and egg problem: there are no 8K films because there’s nobody to make them for, and there’s nobody because no one has an 8K TV. Sony and LG have recently pulled back from developing new models, but Samsung and Chinese brands like Konka are still trying. If Kaleidescape manages to provide content in 8K, it could be the impetus that stimulates the entire premium segment. For now, however – it’s more a signal of ambition than a sign of revolution.
