R_volution has lifted the lid on a new “elite universal media player” called the PlayerPro 8K TV and it promises to be a real powerhouse. It combines access to all of the major streaming services with a dual HDD enclosure that can host up to 64 terabytes of content. It’s compatible with the AV1 codec, enabling it to deliver HDR content in 8K resolution to ensure “stunning picture and sound quality” for the most demanding cinephiles.
The R_volution PlayerPro 8K TV builds on the launch of the company's Player Mini, PlayerOne 8K and PlayerPro 8K media players, combining Amlogic S928X and S905X4-K processors with four Arm A55 cores and a single, high-performance Arm A76 core, supporting them with precision TCXO clock. It also boasts a “robust linear power supply anchored by a large toroidal transformer,” the company said, together with its R_video system that enables an “agile and contemporary Media Centre, perfect for curating your video file library.”
One of the neatest things about the R_volution PlayerPro 8K TV is its support for Dolby Vision VS10 video processing for SDR, HDR and Dolby Vision content, as well as HDR10+ and almost “all modern video file types,” the company said. There’s also a wealth of high-resolution formats on board, including DSD, AIFF, FLAC and ALAC. As well as the AV1 codec, there’s also HEVC, and there are HDMI 2.1 outputs to support 8K resolution at 60 frames per second, or 4K at 120Hz. You also get Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Aura-3D audio for immersive surround sound.
As for the Media Centre, this offers a comprehensive range of customisation tools and personalisation settings, so users can create their own bespoke groups or categories and get their home page set up to showcase their DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD content just how they like it.
In terms of streaming platforms, the R_volution PlayerPro 8K TV caters to Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Warner TV, Paramount+, YouTube and Hulu, while music streaming services span Spotify, Deezer, Tidal and Qobuz. You can also curate your own video and music playlists by taking advantage of the R_volution PlayerPro 8K TV’s dual 3.5-inch SATA HDD rack and connecting your own physical hard drives, which enables it to store up to 64TB of data. According to R_volution, that equates to around 1,600 normal Blu-ray discs or 800 Ultra UHD 4K Blu-rays on a single hard drive.
There are two HDMI outputs, with the main one being 2.1a for audio and video and the second being a 1.4a audio-only out. In addition, the R_volution PlayerPro 8K TV has its own “premium” internal power supply that’s “fine-tuned for digital AV transport” together with a toroidal transformer that assures you a “noise-free signal” and enhanced picture quality.
R_volution said you’ll be able to have all of this for the princely sum of £1,699, which certainly puts it right up there in the “premium” ranks of media and streaming players, though there is an early bird discount with some retailers that offers it for just £1,499 for a limited time. It’s supposedly on sale now, although many of the retailers linked to from the company’s website don’t appear to have it in stock yet, with a late February or early March launch date stated.
