AC3 for laserdisc help? (1 Viewer)

[Derek Miner]

I just discovered my second-hand laserdisc player was previously modified to pass the RF AC3 signal, so now I need to go the next step and decode that RF for 5.1...

I know the RF demodulators go for $150 and up on eBay, but I'm also intrigued by the possibility of finding an older receiver with the demodulator built in. I've read that some of these receivers will output the individual channels (for those with external amps, I suppose?), which would be a nice bonus.

So what I'm wondering is - what older units should I be looking for?

 

[Adam Barratt]

Virtually any AC3 amp or receiver manufactured from 1998 to 2001 should have an RF demodulator onboard, but not many of these would have six-channel outputs. Do you really want a second large component in your rack doing so little? I also suspect one wouldn't cost any less than an RF demodulator.

I would just go for a demodulator myself, or perhaps a processor like a Sony SDP-EP9ES or Denon AVD2000 with built-in demodulation (both still good units, and with useful features such as bass-management).

Adam

 

[Derek Miner]

I was interested in the channel outputs for possible DVD-R archiving (I would have to send each channel to the computer for this). However, just having a way to play back the AC3 from laserdisc is a good place to start.

The Sony EP9ES might be the kind of thing I'm looking for, actually...

 

[Grant B]

Is there a computer audio card that will decode a RF AC3 output?
That might be a cheap way if you already have the computer output going to the reciever

 

[Derek Miner]

Is there a computer audio card that will decode a RF AC3 output?

From what I've read online, there isn't a sound card that can take the full bandwidth of the RF signal. Then once it's converted properly via the demodulator, it seems near impossible to get the digital signal into a computer without being resampled.