If you're looking for the ultimate digital movie device for home cinema, R_volution would like to introduce you to what it says is the "ultimate elite digital media player".
It's called the R_volution PlayerPro 8K Signature Edition, and it's the latest version of the firm's high-end, do-everything set-top-box.
The standard R_volution PlayerPro 8K is an 8K device with dual hard disk enclosures capable of hosting up to 64 terabytes of movies, TV shows and concert files.
Unlike a Fire TV Stick from Amazon, it's not a streaming device and therefore won't play online content, but it is compatible with pretty much any video file type you store on the HDDs. That includes MKV, M2TS, BD and UHD ISO. It has AV-1 and HEVC video codec support, and puts out 8K 60p HDR over HDMI 2.1. It's also compatible with Auro3D, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Hi-Res audio.
The Signature Edition delivers all of that and adds some key improvements.
R_volution PlayerPro 8K Signature Edition: what's new?
It's fair to say that the improvements here are aimed at serious audiophile and video users. They include improvements to the capacitors on the linear power supply and improving the shielding too.
There are improvements to the capacitors on the mainboard, extra filtering on the clock power supply, EMI shielding on all secondary SMD clocks, and filtering of the power lines. The case has been dampened, too, along with the case and the HDD docks. And finally, the brand has added a "massive steel plate". That one's to further improve damping.
What that means in practice, the firm says, is a cleaner, more stable picture with less noise in the darker sections. It should also result in better colour accuracy, with less artificial-looking film grain, and less motion blur.
The digital sound is claimed to be better too. R_volution says the bass is more precise and the overall sound is "subtler, more natural, softer and more balanced". Highs are less harsh, mids are more detailed and the soundstage is more defined.
I haven't tested either of these devices, but reading the reviews on high-end home cinema publications the consensus appears to be that the PlayerPro delivers far better video and audio than the most expensive high-spec PC in an interface that's as simple as a Fire Stick.
It's a bit more expensive than Amazon's dongle, though. You can expect to pay €1,799. That's about £1,485 / $1,885 / AU$2,970.
You can find out more on the R_volution website, including details on stockists in your area.
