Red, the renowned cinema camera manufacturer, is now shipping the Redray, its 4K media player that had been previously available for pre-order for those looking to own a playback device for 4K Ultra HD TVs.
The Redray is a 4K-enabled set-top box that can not only play native 4K video, but also upscale 1080p HD video and Red’s own proprietary .RED file format. The iOS app that has been launched to go with the unit lets users control playback, even though the box does come with its own infrared remote.
The five HDMI ports in the back can be used in a variety of ways. A single HDMI 1.4 cable will enable 4K video to play directly onto an Ultra HD TV. The alternative is to use four HDMI 1.3 outputs and use the fifth for 7.1-channel surround sound. The inclusion of four 1.3 outputs means it’s possible to play a 1080p video on four displays at the same time.
Red says the Redray can handle 4K and 3D video at 12-bit 4:2:2 color precision at 24, 48 or 60 frames per second. By comparison, a Blu-ray tops out at 8-bit 4:2:0 color precision.
It has a 1TB internal drive, USB port for external hard drives and an SD memory card slot. The internal drive can hold 100 hours of content in the .RED format, where an hour of 4K content in that format amounts to about 9GB
There is no video or audio streaming option on the box, either via the Internet or through AirPlay and DLNA. Users can attach a hard drive with files in the back, but it appears that only the .RED and MP4 formats will be supported, according to the FAQ on the product website.
Red was initially selling pre-orders of the box for $1,450, but has now raised the price to $1,750.
