I've been having so much fun with the laserdisc player I pulled out of the dumpster at work, I went ahead and bought another one on ebag for 20 bucks....
I've got about 20 discs now, purchased for an average price of about 7 bucks, including shipping.
There seems to be a ton of good movies available, but some of the better titles are going for too much $$$. If I'm going to pay 25 bucks, I'll wait for the DVD.
Quite a few classical music discs.
I know they have their limitations, but what the heck, they're fun and cheap.
I understand the audio is uncompressed, is this why they sound so good?
If anybody has any to sell, drop me a note...
Peace
Lee
I've got about 20 discs now, purchased for an average price of about 7 bucks, including shipping.
There seems to be a ton of good movies available, but some of the better titles are going for too much $$$. If I'm going to pay 25 bucks, I'll wait for the DVD.
Quite a few classical music discs.
I know they have their limitations, but what the heck, they're fun and cheap.
I understand the audio is uncompressed, is this why they sound so good?
If anybody has any to sell, drop me a note...
Peace
Lee
The Video is uncompressed also ...
I had a laser disc player from way back, but it's hard to find disc's now.
Supposedly the audio on a DVD is better, but uncompressed video should always beat compressed video. I don't know the technical formats on either, however. The big disadvantage for me at this point is that the laser disc players are all SVGA, I think. Haven't hooked it up to the projector yet to see how it really looks.
I had a laser disc player from way back, but it's hard to find disc's now.
Supposedly the audio on a DVD is better, but uncompressed video should always beat compressed video. I don't know the technical formats on either, however. The big disadvantage for me at this point is that the laser disc players are all SVGA, I think. Haven't hooked it up to the projector yet to see how it really looks.
LV Format
The LD or 12" Laserdisc format was analog uncompressed video. The output signal was available in the US with a standard RF modulated NTSC signal; there are both analog and digital audio outputs, as well as a composite video output.
I enjoy the sound of all that lovely rotational mass within: the optical disc is big, thick, and 12 inches in diameter. They were most definitely ahead of their time. I had an original Pioneer (top-loading) unit replete with gas laser unit. The spinning disk moves briskly.
When the first Philips CD player was announced, I had one of the first ones. It generated more heat with its TTL circuitry then a coffee maker. Nobody understood what all my enthusiasm for the wee silver discs was all about. In retrospect, the sound was harsh indeed...
Take a look a Optical Disk Corporation's website...their transition from LD, to DVD, and the coming blue laser multiple layer disks is quite interesting.
The LD or 12" Laserdisc format was analog uncompressed video. The output signal was available in the US with a standard RF modulated NTSC signal; there are both analog and digital audio outputs, as well as a composite video output.
I enjoy the sound of all that lovely rotational mass within: the optical disc is big, thick, and 12 inches in diameter. They were most definitely ahead of their time. I had an original Pioneer (top-loading) unit replete with gas laser unit. The spinning disk moves briskly.
When the first Philips CD player was announced, I had one of the first ones. It generated more heat with its TTL circuitry then a coffee maker. Nobody understood what all my enthusiasm for the wee silver discs was all about. In retrospect, the sound was harsh indeed...
Take a look a Optical Disk Corporation's website...their transition from LD, to DVD, and the coming blue laser multiple layer disks is quite interesting.
Laser Disc AC-3 Mods
Recently, I read somewhere that there were some laser discs with DolbyDigital 5.1 (AC-3) encoded onto the soundtrack. Some examples are the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition, Star Trek -First Contact, and the Godfather Part III. Some of the Pioneer LD players, and of course, their DVL players have the DD 5.1 output on them.
My question is this: I have an RCA LDR-600 Laser Disc player from 1994-95. Next to the audio out jacks there is a toslink output labeled "PCM Out". Is this output just digital sound, or is it DD 5.1? I would like to hook it up and see if I can get the same surround results that I get with my DVD plaver, but am, unsure if this will work. Does anyone have this player, or know if this is the case? If not, then I am looking to do the Dolby Digital 5.1 (AC-3) to the player. Help!
Thanks in advance,
Steve
Recently, I read somewhere that there were some laser discs with DolbyDigital 5.1 (AC-3) encoded onto the soundtrack. Some examples are the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition, Star Trek -First Contact, and the Godfather Part III. Some of the Pioneer LD players, and of course, their DVL players have the DD 5.1 output on them.
My question is this: I have an RCA LDR-600 Laser Disc player from 1994-95. Next to the audio out jacks there is a toslink output labeled "PCM Out". Is this output just digital sound, or is it DD 5.1? I would like to hook it up and see if I can get the same surround results that I get with my DVD plaver, but am, unsure if this will work. Does anyone have this player, or know if this is the case? If not, then I am looking to do the Dolby Digital 5.1 (AC-3) to the player. Help!
Thanks in advance,
Steve
Re: Laser Disc AC-3 Mods
PCM Out is two channel stereo. I have a Pioneer CLD926 with a AC3-RF output, this is for AC3 encoded discs.
The RF output is not compatible with PCM.
For AC3 decoding I use the Marantz DP870 digital audio processor with great sound. it has also DD5.1-PCM input for my DVD player. Look on Ebay for the Marantz, they are round $200. The decoder has no amplifiers but hook up to three stereo amplifiers (or a DD5.1 amplifier with 6 separate inputs) can make a lot of noise
Look for an amplifier or decoder with an RF AC-3 input. Some older Yamaha and Pioneer amplifiers do have that. Any other input does not work.
Also a RF converter is an option: http://home.q03.itscom.net/nsa/PioneerRFD-1.htm
N-Channel said:
PCM Out is two channel stereo. I have a Pioneer CLD926 with a AC3-RF output, this is for AC3 encoded discs.
The RF output is not compatible with PCM.
For AC3 decoding I use the Marantz DP870 digital audio processor with great sound. it has also DD5.1-PCM input for my DVD player. Look on Ebay for the Marantz, they are round $200. The decoder has no amplifiers but hook up to three stereo amplifiers (or a DD5.1 amplifier with 6 separate inputs) can make a lot of noise
Look for an amplifier or decoder with an RF AC-3 input. Some older Yamaha and Pioneer amplifiers do have that. Any other input does not work.
Also a RF converter is an option: http://home.q03.itscom.net/nsa/PioneerRFD-1.htm
jgwinner said:
I prefer audio and video on LD, both uncompressed!!! less sharp than DVD but more natural, better colors, smoother motion even when I play NTSC (60hz) discs on PAL (50hz) TV
In my previous post: AC3-RF output has 6 channels of uncompressed audio in full range, nice with AC3 encoded music discs like Pink Floyd and U2. This is better and more natural sounding than DVD (because of DVD's are too much compressed: they do always have to put a lot of bonus/trailers/trivia-games/languages on it for marketing and costs-saving reasons)
for my money the quality of LaserDiscs is incredible -- and, at least with the pioneer player I have -- you can scan randomly, play in slow motion
the operas on LD's are quite impressive, as well as the Disney stuff, Japanese, French and Canadian film
btw -- there is a scene in the LD version of "The Graduate" which you will only see if you have the original celluloid -- yes, Mrs. Robinson was in the buff for exactly one frame!
the operas on LD's are quite impressive, as well as the Disney stuff, Japanese, French and Canadian film
btw -- there is a scene in the LD version of "The Graduate" which you will only see if you have the original celluloid -- yes, Mrs. Robinson was in the buff for exactly one frame!
I own two laserdisc players among three DVD players and the laserdisc gets played frequently now not as much as many years back. I was playing a dts THX laserdisc earlier this afternoon for a brief moment Daylight side 1 chapter 8 to 9.
KABOOM the dynamic range is a wipe out a sure power house winner.
KABOOM the dynamic range is a wipe out a sure power house winner.
I picked up "True Lies" last week (AC-3 version) for about $2, since it was mixed in with LP records at Value Village. That makes up for the copy of "North By Northwest" I paid way too much for at another Value Village.
The RF demodulators still fetch more than I'm willing to pay, and anyway. I'm pretty sure that the AC-3 surround is heavily compressed, possibly even more so than on DVDs. DTS laserdiscs replace the PCM soundtrack with the DTS bitstream, but I've only picked up a couple of those. (Got 'em cheap when Ken Crane's liquidated their LD stock)
I was disappointed with DVD because I just didn't find them as involving as movies off LD. I thought maybe it was the video compression, since all the first demos I saw had obvious "blocking" at times, but now I'm inclined to blame the compressed audio. I've never tried an A-B soundtrack comparison, though.
Unfortunately, some movies are suffering from "laser rot", which manifests as video snow.
The RF demodulators still fetch more than I'm willing to pay, and anyway. I'm pretty sure that the AC-3 surround is heavily compressed, possibly even more so than on DVDs. DTS laserdiscs replace the PCM soundtrack with the DTS bitstream, but I've only picked up a couple of those. (Got 'em cheap when Ken Crane's liquidated their LD stock)
I was disappointed with DVD because I just didn't find them as involving as movies off LD. I thought maybe it was the video compression, since all the first demos I saw had obvious "blocking" at times, but now I'm inclined to blame the compressed audio. I've never tried an A-B soundtrack comparison, though.
Unfortunately, some movies are suffering from "laser rot", which manifests as video snow.
Hy guys. Usualy I am over at the subwoofers-part of this forum and playing around with hornresp. But now my Laserdisc Player broke and I decided to get rid of all my discs. Does anybody have a hint for a good starting place to offer them?
My collection is here
LaserDisc Database - Collection > All >
My collection is here
LaserDisc Database - Collection > All >
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.