Registering Discs for Disc-to-Digital Offers using an external USB Blu-ray Drive
NOTE: While a USB drive that is capable of reading Ultra HD Blu-ray discs may work for cataloging DVDs and Blu-ray discs as described in this article, the cataloging of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs is not supported.
On systems running kOS 10.14.0 or later, a Blu-ray disc or DVD can be registered for disc-to-digital offers in the Kaleidescape store using a qualified USB Blu-ray drive connected to the USB port on the back of any Strato class player. When using this method, Blu-ray discs and DVDs will be cataloged and added to the system’s library. For more information about disc cataloging, refer to the “How do I catalog a movie or TV series?” knowledge base article. Qualified USB Blu-ray drivesIn order to be used for cataloging, the drive must have a USB 2.0 or 3.0 interface and its own external power supply. The following drives have been qualified for use with the Kaleidescape Strato, Strato C, and Strato V players for cataloging discs:
- Pioneer BDR-X13UBK (link)
- OWC Mercury Pro x16 Blu-ray (link)
- Buffalo BRXL-16U3 (link)
The drive must be connected directly to the USB port of the Strato player. Use of USB hubs is not supported. In situations where access to the back of the Strato is limited, a 10-foot USB 3.0 A to B (male to male) replacement cable is recommended to allow the drive to be positioned in a more accessible location.Registering discs from Kaleidescape Strato, Strato C or Strato V playerBEFORE YOU BEGIN:
- Stop playback of any movies prior to connecting the external USB Blu-ray drive to the player.
- If your Strato has been configured to use low-power standby, you must bring the Strato out of standby to catalog discs. Strato players that are using the default standby configuration can remain in standby while cataloging discs.
STEPS:
- Connect a qualified USB Blu-ray drive directly to the USB port on the back of the Kaleidescape Strato, Strato C, or Strato V player.
- Ensure the external power supply is connected to the USB Blu-ray drive and powered on.
- The Strato player will enter disc recognition mode. This is indicated by the front panel blinking every 3 seconds.
- Open the browser interface for the system and monitor the History page (http://my-kaleidescape.local/history).
- Insert a Blu-ray disc or a DVD into the tray of the USB Blu-ray drive and close the tray. The Strato player will automatically process the disc. While it is doing so, the player’s front panel will pulse every second.
- Once identified, the movie is cataloged and added to your library where it appears in the browser interface alongside titles downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store.
- After the disc has been processed, it will be automatically ejected and the Strato player’s front panel will return to the blinking every 3 seconds.
- After all discs have been processed, disconnect the USB drive from the Strato player’s USB port. The Strato player’s front panel will cease blinking and return to steady illumination.
NOTE:
- Cataloged Blu-ray discs will not appear on the Strato player’s onscreen display (OSD) as Strato players do not support playback of Blu-ray discs. The title will appear on the browser interface on both the Movie page and the History page. Cataloged DVDs will be displayed on a Strato player’s OSD in addition to appearing on the browser interface.
- Neither cataloged Blu-ray discs nor DVDs will appear on a Strato V's OSD. The titles will appear on the browser interface on the History page if the Strato V is in standalone mode.
- Playback of Blu-ray discs or DVDs via the connected USB drive is not supported.
Disc to Digital OffersInformation about the newly cataloged title will be synced to the Kaleidescape Movie Store shortly thereafter which will enable disc-to-digital offers on qualifying titles. Offers for cataloged discs will appear in your store account under Store > Manage > Digital Offers. Once a digital offer for the cataloged disc is displayed on the store it is safe to delete the cataloged title from your local library in the browser interface.TroubleshootingIn the event of an error when attempting to catalog a disc (e.g., the disc cannot be read or is of an unsupported media type), the disc will be automatically ejected. The error state will be displayed on the front panel in one of two ways:On newer Strato C models (with “Kaleidescape” to the right of the jewel logo) and on Strato V, the front panel will change to amber and blink rapidly (every half second).On Strato, Strato S, and older models of Strato C players (with “Kaleidescape” text beneath the jewel logo) the front panel will display the general error LED and the jewel light will blink every 3 seconds.This error state will be automatically cleared when a new disc is inserted into the drive for cataloging or when the USB drive is disconnected from the Strato.
| Front Panel State | Description |
| Blinking with a period of 3 seconds | USB Disc drive connected |
| Pulsing with a period of 1 second | Disc processing |
| Blinking with a period of 3 seconds and General Error LED illuminated | Disc error (could not read disc; unsupported media type) |
| Blinking amber with a period of 500 ms | Disc error (could not read disc; unsupported media type) |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What media types can be cataloged?
Discs that can be cataloged for digital offers include:
The following media types are not supported:
- Audio CDs
- 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs
- Can a drive be connected directly to a Terra server?
No. Cataloging via the external USB-connected Blu-ray drive is only supported on a Strato player.
- Can a drive be connected to an Alto player?
No. Cataloging via the external USB-connected Blu-ray drive is only supported on a Strato player.
- How long does it take to catalog a disc once it’s inserted into a drive?
It typically takes 5-10 seconds for DVDs and 10-15 seconds for Blu-ray discs. The performance will vary depending on the condition of the disc. For example, if the disc has many scratches or smudges, the drive may require re-reads to successfully identify the disc. Cataloging may succeed even if a disc is scratched or damaged.
- My cataloged disc was not recognized.
- Do I have to use one of the “qualified” drives?
The list of “qualified” drive models are drives that were specifically tested by Kaleidescape’s Engineering team and are known to work. Other drive models may work as long as they meet the following guidelines:
- The drive has a USB 2.0 or 3.0 interface
- The drive has its own external power supply
- The drive is capable of reading DVDs and Blu-ray discs
While a USB drive that is capable of reading Ultra HD Blu-ray discs may work for cataloging DVDs and Blu-ray discs, the cataloging of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs is not supported.
