Shelves and shelves full of DVDs and CDs can be fun to sort through, until your jewel cases start cracking or go missing or DVDs end up in the wrong cases. Hey, I love to show off my media collection as much as the next person, but I also like things perfectly organized, and any way to save some space in my home is welcomed.

Bring on the Kaleidescape system—or, if you can’t quite afford the full monty system, bring on the company’s new Kaleidescape Mini System.

It’s a single-component system that combines storage, Kaleidescape’s vaunted user interface, multizone music capability, and remote control—in a box the size of your standard DVD player.

At $7,995, it’s also about 40 percent less than the current Kaleidescape system; and you can expand it by adding Kaleidescape players and/or servers to increase capacity or bring other rooms into the mix.

You get the usual Kaleidescape browsing bells and whistles of push-button access to your movie or music collection sorted about any way you can think of—by actor, title, artist, director, genre, year-of-release or run time. The company’s Movie and Music Guide Services brings in cross-referencing to help you discover, or rediscover, old faves, and the high-res cover art makes it easy to pick out exactly what you’re looking for.

Other features include:

• 1080p video output upscaled from DVDs
• Storage of up to 75 DVDs or 825 CDs, expandable by adding disk cartridges
• Two independent music zones, so you can view a movie in one room but listen to music in another from the same component
• Direct playback of DVDs and CDs from the disc

Kaleidescape also announced price reductions on its 1080p Player, 1080p Mini Player and Disk Cartridges, which effective March 16 will carry MSRPs of $2,995, $1,995 and $995, respectively.

Arlen Schweiger - Editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen writes about home technology installations and product news and reviews for electronichouse.com and Electronic House magazine.