6 Pop Songs Great for Audio Demos
Worst DIY Installs Ever Part 7
10 Must-Have Products for Your Next Install
6 Amazing High-End Home Theaters
Print
Email
Share
Escient Ships Vision Media Servers ... Finally
Industry pioneer finally delivers first multiroom movie and music servers, giving Kaleidescape and others a run for the money
Just in time for CEDIA Expo 2008, Escient is finally shipping its highly anticipated Vision Series of media management products, which distribute movies, music and photos throughout the house.
Curiously, Escient's press release refers to the shipping product as "Escient's 5th-generation Vision Series," even though it is the first generation to ship. The company also boasts an "all-new interface!" for the Vision, even though it is the same one that was demonstrated at CEDIA exactly one year ago.
When asked for clarification, Escient's PR firm confirms, "The products do everything they were said to do when they were first announced."
For all the specs, review our year-old Vision story and slideshow. As a refresher:
The Vision Series is anchored by the VS-100 ($4,000) and VS-200 ($6,000) integrated servers/players. They offer 500 GB and 1 TB of storage, respectively—both with RAID 1 redundancy.
The units have four HDMI inputs for connecting compatible DVD changers, and there is a switcher built in. An HD connection to the big screen allows clients to view cover art in its full glory.
The VC-1 ($2,000), a networked A/V zone player that acts as a client to stream content from VS servers to remote rooms. Rounding out the line is a large capacity media server called the VX-600 ($8,000), featuring four 1 TB drives in a RAID 5 configuration and unlimited expandability. The VX-600 provides advanced early detection monitoring systems for reliable installations and subsequent diagnostics.
If your existing Escient FireBall music servers are capable of running firmware version 4.2 or higher, you will receive a free update, allowing the units to interact with Vision servers and players.
The FireBall servers will be able to share music content stored internally with the Vision VS-100 and VS-200, as well as the VC-1 player. In addition, all Vision servers will be able to share stored music with any FireBall.
Escient has created a new on-screen interface for FireBall units so they can mimic Vision's color scheme.
Escient is a pioneer in content management and distribution, delivering the first music management system about a decade ago.
While the company has long sold products for managing DVDs slotted in multi-disc changers, Escient is years behind in hard-drive systems. Kaleidescape, Axonix, Fusion, AMX, Xperinet (now defunct), Codex Novus, and countless companies using Windows Media Center have whizzed by Escient in that category.
Even so, the market is still very young, penetration is low, and Escient is a beloved brand among home systems integrators.
No doubt the company, owned by D&M Holdings, will make a killing in this market.
Escient is at booth #100 at CEDIA. View the entire Exhibitor List here.
Curiously, Escient's press release refers to the shipping product as "Escient's 5th-generation Vision Series," even though it is the first generation to ship. The company also boasts an "all-new interface!" for the Vision, even though it is the same one that was demonstrated at CEDIA exactly one year ago.
When asked for clarification, Escient's PR firm confirms, "The products do everything they were said to do when they were first announced."
Vision Series Revisited
For all the specs, review our year-old Vision story and slideshow. As a refresher:
The Vision Series is anchored by the VS-100 ($4,000) and VS-200 ($6,000) integrated servers/players. They offer 500 GB and 1 TB of storage, respectively—both with RAID 1 redundancy.
Update on Escient Vision
Since this article ran, Escient updated some information on the Vision servers. User interfaces, DVD ripping, NAS storage, integration with Fireball? Escient clarifies what's brand new and what's kind of new with Vision movie server. Read more..
Since this article ran, Escient updated some information on the Vision servers. User interfaces, DVD ripping, NAS storage, integration with Fireball? Escient clarifies what's brand new and what's kind of new with Vision movie server. Read more..
The units have four HDMI inputs for connecting compatible DVD changers, and there is a switcher built in. An HD connection to the big screen allows clients to view cover art in its full glory.
The VC-1 ($2,000), a networked A/V zone player that acts as a client to stream content from VS servers to remote rooms. Rounding out the line is a large capacity media server called the VX-600 ($8,000), featuring four 1 TB drives in a RAID 5 configuration and unlimited expandability. The VX-600 provides advanced early detection monitoring systems for reliable installations and subsequent diagnostics.
Works with FireBall
If your existing Escient FireBall music servers are capable of running firmware version 4.2 or higher, you will receive a free update, allowing the units to interact with Vision servers and players.
The FireBall servers will be able to share music content stored internally with the Vision VS-100 and VS-200, as well as the VC-1 player. In addition, all Vision servers will be able to share stored music with any FireBall.
Escient has created a new on-screen interface for FireBall units so they can mimic Vision's color scheme.
It's About Time
Escient is a pioneer in content management and distribution, delivering the first music management system about a decade ago.
While the company has long sold products for managing DVDs slotted in multi-disc changers, Escient is years behind in hard-drive systems. Kaleidescape, Axonix, Fusion, AMX, Xperinet (now defunct), Codex Novus, and countless companies using Windows Media Center have whizzed by Escient in that category.
Even so, the market is still very young, penetration is low, and Escient is a beloved brand among home systems integrators.
No doubt the company, owned by D&M Holdings, will make a killing in this market.
Escient is at booth #100 at CEDIA. View the entire Exhibitor List here.
Subscribe to CE Pro CEDIA Daily Alerts
Receive the latest news, products and more from CEDIA delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe to the CE Pro Newsletter
Read more Media Servers stories
Microsoft Dumps Media Center, DVD Playback in Windows 8Can Ceton Rejuvenate Windows Media Center, Extenders?
Kaleidescape Granted Temporary Stay on DVD Servers
Kaleidescape Stay Denied, Manufacturer Vows to Fight
Survey: Dealers React to DVD CCA vs. Kaleidescape
More in Media Servers
About the Author
Julie Jacobson, Editor-at-large, CE Pro
Julie Jacobson is co-founder of EH Publishing and currently spends most of her time writing for CE Pro, mostly in the areas of home automation, networked A/V and the business of home systems integration. She majored in Economics at the University of Michigan, earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and has never taken a journalism class in her life. Julie is a washed-up Ultimate Frisbee player with the scars to prove it. Follow her on Twitter @juliejacobson.
1 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Page 1 of 1 comment pages
hahahahaha!
No one should ever expect anything else from Escient. I don’t think they have ever shipped a product on time, and possibly not even within 90 days of and announced date. I think their factory is located in some kind of alternate Bermuda Triangle where everything is always 30 days away.