Media Servers worthy of high end

So as not to be beat up for posting in the wrong forum , it's for my inbound DPI 3-chipper .... And, I think my friends here overall have a better eye for finding the best solutions. This is one of those sub 20k things (K aside), that could enhance the >20k PJ, done right. So:

Besides Kalidescape (which doesn't do what I want overall due to their BR issues), do any of you have a Media Server you are happy with? Or perhaps better said, whats the lesser of evils right now?

I looked at several at CEDIA and was wholly unimpressed with them from any technical POV. Not one I can find will do "source direct". While it's rare that I watch SD-DVD's, when I do it's via a SDI stream off a modded Denon, upscaled by Lumagen. I am confident that most of us here have either a VP or a Projector (e.g. Sim2) that has video processing superior to any Media server local box. But alas, all of them I can find have static resolution outputs. Not to mention questions about what they will or will not pass in the way of interlaced/progressive, YCbCr->RGB conversions, etc.

My kids still watch a lot of our DVD collection and I suppose I could live with SD upscaling by a media server since it's low importance material normally, but I want a media server that is flawless on BR handling. No framerate conversions, no inderlacing, deinterlacing, no colorspace conversions, etc. Just give my Lumagen the video boys.

Several of them will read/play ripped BR material now, legalities aside, that's a good thing if you don't mind setting up the server to hold them (I don't mind).

I'd sure like to find a media server, mainly for movies but other media would be a plus, that had a decent GUI but still acted as a good transport leaving the video stream alone.

Have any of you found anything you liked? I have a training/demo scheduled with Moz. next week, but I read Peter's experience with Axoinic(sp?) wasn't any fun and they may be related. Not to say they didn't clean up their problems with the new product. It seems overpriced and with no much more over a home built Media PC so far, but I've not had the full dog and pony show yet, so that's an uneducated impression.

So far everything I've seen (Vidabox, Moz., etc.) seem to be Windows Media Servers with spiffy cases. I never cared much for HTPC's per se, but I'd sure like to have the convenience of a Media server for the kids (and me).

Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Scott

Thanks, it it good to know the Vidabox works well anyway. I set up an account with them at CEDIA but am holding off buying anything for me or anyone until I can determine the pros and cons of them.

I'm also looking at the Dune but it does feel a little "Geeky", not "out of the box easy". I'm perfectly OK with that if it works well in the end, but I'm not happy about it's forced video processing. As far as I can tell so far, you set the output resolution (e.g. 1080p) and it will upconvert and deinterlace no matter the source. It's supposed to pass frame rates unmolested, but if it can't pass resolutions, I don't trust it for no frame rate mumging frankly. Not the end of the world but I'd much rather have my Lumagen handle that activity. Vidabox does the same AFAIK.

Tony: Crossed posts. Thanks. I'll read that thread. I had started learnign about MyMovies becasue a lot of the Dune guys appear to be using it. I'm fine with it for the GUI, looks fine to me. Actually, I'm pretty sure Vidabox uses it. It's the video output hardware on all of these that's giving me heartburn .

Not being able to use an existing NAS with ripped BRD's. Images, movie with menus, movie only, etc. Locked to both their storage, and to having to use the "vault". Anyway, I'm not sure it does Source Direct either. I didn't pursue finding out becasue I'd rather not use their storage, or vault.

Tony: I did speak the the Fusion research guys. Same sticking point, upscale/converts video only.

Ash: I'll look at the Crestron too. I wasn't aware they did anything with media servers, but I admit I usually skip over their stuff at CEDIA.

A small detail is my modest Rack is in my room, so I'd prefer the thing be quiet, or relocatable to my (IT) equipment room where the storage box would "live". The little Dune's look good for that casue, most of the others just appear to be optimized HTPC's. But that's not a dealbreaker (unless it was really loud). I liked the built in display on the Vidabox (maybe some others have it too. With a VGA switch I could have a "monitor" on my rack so if I wanted to do something on my system I could without having to tun the PJ on.

I know the K is spiffy. I understand the reasons behind them, but I hate those vaults. I don't (think) I mind fiddling with some of the more open systems. Don't want a changer for sure, I'd never be able to stand the wait.

Tony, I know the vault is quick. It isnt' really a disc server, it's literally a device to where the discs are like keys. Content plays from storage, not the disc. Disc only proves you are allowed to play. By "Changer" I meant I wouldn't want to wait on one of the multi-disc players like the Sony. I went through a few BRD players becasue I couldn't stand the long startup delay of those (Samsungs). Had to bite the bullet and get a PS3 as an interm solution until OPPO finally came out with their very good player. Which I'm perfectly happy with for a standalone single disc solution. But now, due to the PS3 and kids, I'm stuck with Guitar Hero and how to deal with it. That's a story for a different thread

I want a Media player that plays from storage. K without the vault. It's gonna have to take my word for it I have the Disc. If it can do music, too, all the better.

Yes, I agree with your points. And I'm happy to learn (and teach) the details. Happy to setup a My Movies server for it. But I want it to do Source Direct. It's #3 on their feature request list (by votes), maybe that will prod them to fixing that feature. My concern is it isn't physically possible with their Sigma hardware.

Maybe I should try it out with than DNP I asked about .

Thanks. I had already went to read about the newer chips. No sign of the ability to bypass their video processing, which they apear to be quite proud of:

Motion adaptive deinterlacing
Deblocking and deringing filters
Individual brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, and colorimetry correction controls for each video source and output port
12-bit xvYCC processing
etc.

But I can keep my fingers crossed.

Cathy would be tickled if I sent her to FL to get it I think . Any excuse to got to FL is good with her. We drove down to the keys to take the kids diving a few months ago, we should have stopped to say hi then.