R_volution’s PlayerOne 8K vies for Top Spot in Providing Content Access for Home Theater Fans
R_volution is pushing to elevate the home entertainment experience with the introduction of a line of versatile, high-performance, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compliant 4K and 8K multimedia players and storage hub at the Midwest AV Experience (MWave), June 21-23, at the Kansas City Convention Center.
We previously reported on R_volution’s PlayerOne (4K) player, NAS (Networked Attached Storage Products), and Media Center.
In this article, we primarily focus on PlayerOne 8K and PlayerMini which are the most recent additions to the R_volution line-up.
The R-volution PlayerOne 8K and Player Mini
Designed and engineered to function as the primary source component of a home theater system, R_volution’s flagship PlayerOne 8K and smaller PlayerMini are designed to intelligently retrieve, consolidate, process, and deliver A/V content of various file formats from a wide range of physical, mobile, and digital devices, including computer hard drives, Blu-ray/UHD Blu-ray disc players, online streaming services, and more.
The PlayerOne 8K features an HDMI 2.1 output with support for HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision video processing; 4K and 8K upscaling and AV1 native 8K file playback.
For home theater audio DTS X, Dolby Atmos, and Aura3D surround-sound processing are supported. The Player Mini also has an HDMI 2.1 output but it’s limited to 4K output and upscaling resolution.
The PlayerOne 8K media player also includes 32TB of onboard storage with add-on capability. The Player Mini does not have onboard storage, external hard drives are required.
The PlayerOne 8K and PlayerMini are also designed to support user-friendly operation enabled by a revolutionary automatic identification process.
Via the included R_Video Media Center, all movies and TV shows are categorized into specific genres and searchable alphabetically, by release date, duration, and other parameters.
You can also automatically tag each movie and TV show in the menu with a marque poster, film synopsis, technical references, and other information. On-screen navigation is smooth and intuitive which allows easy access to additional settings and content on other devices.
What Raphael Tabutin, CEO of Let’s Get Physical, R_volution’s U.S. distributor has to say: “Today’s savvy home theater owners have an endless array of content available to them from a wide variety of AV components, computer hard drives, mobile devices, and streaming services—so much so that selecting and retrieving a movie, program, or video can be a difficult and tedious process. R-volution’s PlayerOne 8K and PlayerMini have been purposely engineered and designed to streamline this exercise dramatically,…From a single AV component users can easily browse and quickly access all their physical and digital content on a customized user interface that automatically organizes and categorizes their choices. The PlayerOne 8K and PlayerMini function seamlessly as the heart of a home theater, changing and evolving organically as new media, technologies, and user preferences are introduced.”
Comparison
| Model name | PlayerOne (4K) | PlayerMini | PlayerOne 8K | PlayerOne 8K Signature Edition |
| Price | $749.00 | $399.00 | $899.00 | Not Provided |
| Chipset | Realtek RTD1619DR | Amlogic S905X4-K | Amlogic ARM S928X | Amlogic ARM S928X |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A55 (6-core) | 2.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (4-core) | 2.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (4-core) + 1.9 GHz ARM A76 core | 2.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (4-core) + 1.9 GHz ARM A76 core |
| Internal Drive Support | HDD 3.5’’ up to 16TB | No – External Drives Required | HDD 3.5” up to 32TB | HDD 3.5” up to 32TB |
| System OS | Linux + Android 9 | Linux + Android 11 | Linux + Android 11 | Linux + Android 11 |
| Output Resolution | Up To 4K 50/50p | Up To 4K 50/50p | Up To 8K 50/60p | Up To 8K 50/60p |
| Output Resolution Upscaling | Convert low-resolution video sources up to 4K 50/60Hz | Convert low-resolution video sources up to 4K 50/60Hz | Convert low-resolution video sources up to 8K 50/60Hz | Convert low-resolution video sources up to 8K 50/60Hz |
| Video File Formats | UHD ISO, 3D BD ISO, BD ISO, DVD ISO, BDMV, M2TS, MKV, MKV 3D, MK3D, AVI, MOV, MP4 and many others | UHD ISO, 3D BD ISO, BD ISO, DVD ISO, BDMV, M2TS, MKV, MKV 3D, MK3D, AVI, MOV, MP4 and many others | UHD ISO, 3D BD ISO, BD ISO, DVD ISO, BDMV, M2TS, MKV, MKV 3D, MK3D, AVI, MOV, MP4 and many others | UHD ISO, 3D BD ISO, BD ISO, DVD ISO, BDMV, M2TS, MKV, MKV 3D, MK3D, AVI, MOV, MP4 and many others |
| Color Support | BT.2020/BT.709 | BT.2020 | BT.2020 | BT.2020 |
| HDR Support | HDR10, Dolby Vision VS10, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR to SDR Conversion | HDR10, Dolby Vision VS10, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR to SDR Conversion | HDR10, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision VS10, HDR10+, HDR to SDR Conversion | HDR10, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision VS10, HDR10+, HDR to SDR Conversion |
| HDMI Version | 2.0b | 2.1a | 2.1a | 2.1a |
| Auto Frame Rate Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) | – | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Source Based Tone Mapping (SBTM) | – | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Quick Media Switching (QMS) | – | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 120Hz Output | – | – | Yes (experimental) | Yes (experimental) |
| HDMI Audio Only Output | Yes | – | – | – |
| Home Theater Audio | DTS X Pro Dolby Atmos Auro3D Dolby TrueHD DTS-HD |
DTS X Pro Dolby Atmos Auro3D DTS-HD Dolby TrueHD |
DTS X Pro Dolby Atmos Auro3D DTS-HD Dolby TrueHD |
DTS X Pro Dolby Atmos Auro3D DTS-HD Dolby TrueHD |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hi-Res Audio Playback | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Analog Audio Output | Yes – RCA | – | Yes – 3.5 mm | Yes – 3.5 mm |
| Headphone Jack | – | – | Yes – 3.5 mm | Yes – 3.5 mm |
| Network Connectivity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| R_Video Media Center | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB Ports (Front and Rear) | Yes | Yes (Side Mounted) | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Integration Compatibility | ProControl, RTI, Control4, Crestron, Savant, Philips Pronto, Elan, URC | ProControl, RTI, Control4, Crestron, Savant, Philips Pronto, Elan, URC | ProControl, RTI, Control4, Crestron, Savant, Philips Pronto, Elan, URC | ProControl, RTI, Control4, Crestron, Savant, Philips Pronto, Elan, URC |
| Dimensions (WHD) | 43.0 × 8 × 28.5 cm 16.92 × 3.14 × 13.5in |
16.0 × 2.4 × 11.8cm 6.30 × 0.95 × 4.64in |
42.7 × 8 × 28.5 cm 16.81 × 3.14 × 13.5in |
42.7 × 8 × 28.5 cm 16.81 × 3.14 × 13.5in |
| Net Weight | 6Kg / 13.22 lbs | 0.4 Kg / 8.81lbs | 6Kg / 13.22 lbs | 6Kg / 13.22 lbs |
| Included Accessories | Backlit Remote Control 8K HDMI Cable 1m IR Extender Wi-Fi Antennas x2 RF Antenna Power Cables x4(EU, US, UK, AU) |
Backlit Remote Control Wi-Fi Antennas x2 RF Antenna Power DC adapter User card |
Backlit Remote Control 8K HDMI Cable 1m IR Extender Wi-Fi Antennas x2 RF Antenna Power Cables x4(EU, US, UK, AU) |
Backlit Remote Control 8K HDMI Cable 1m IR Extender Wi-Fi Antennas x2 RF Antenna Power Cables x4 (EU, US, UK, AU) |
Tech Note: For complete features and specifications for each model, refer to their respective official product pages – PlayerOne, Player Mini, PlayerOne 8K, PlayerOne 8K Signature.Edition.
Warning! Netflix and Disney+ are not supported. Amazon Prime Video is compatible up to 1080p resolution. YouTube is compatible up to 8K resolution.
Caution! Streaming services may stop at any time depending on content providers’ compatibility requirements.
Tech Note: The Optional R_volution NAS provides additional storage of content and distribution to media players located throughout a residence. The NAS also incorporates a built-in optical disc drive compatible with 4K UHD Blu-ray/Blu-ray, DVD, and CDs. The disc content can be ripped to one of 8 installed 3.5 SATA drives (the number of drives installed is up to user discretion).
Initial Impressions
The R_volution system is designed to do it all, access and manage content from a variety of sources to deliver the best possible networked home theater experience, and at less cost than its more expensive competitor Kaleidescape.
However, although it seems to have an abundance of options, including support for disc-based media, it does have some shortcomings, especially in the area of streaming.
Not only are Netflix and Disney+ not supported, but it is not guaranteed that you will be able to access other streaming services at any given time.
Another issue with its 8K products. There is so little 8K content available, that the need to invest in the PlayerOne 8K or PlayerOne 8K Signature seems a little premature to say the least.
That being said, R_volution is obviously making a big push to get their products into home theater setups, but can they succeed in the long run or does Kaleidescape already have the upper hand in this narrow market?
Price and Availability
The PlayerOne 8K and PlayerMini retail for $899 and $399, respectively through authorized dealers and distributors.
In the U.S. the R_volution PlayerOne 8K, PlayerMini, and NAS are available to consumers and AV professionals from Let’s Get Physical Distribution.
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