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What I miss about LD's. (1 Viewer)

Rob Gillespie

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 17, 1998
Messages
3,632
Geoff - I'm not blaming the buyers. The main problem I seem to have is that people don't have a clue how much it costs to send a properly packed LaserDisc through the mail and are almost offended when they're expected to pay an extra £4.50 on top of the final price. I people selling discs for £3 and asking for £2 towards postage - but those people are almost making a loss on the sale. Odd.

btw, I still have a number of discs available. Email me if you're interested. I wont advertise my Ebay ID here as it's against forum policy.
 

MikeEckman

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 11, 2001
Messages
1,085
By reading between the lines I get the sense that the Studios want to charge more for DVDs. Two disk sets & DVDs packed with extras are the avenue to that higher price. I believe if the desire of the consumer for ever lower prices continues, then all we see is bare bones releases with the Studios claiming that they cannot not afford the more elaborate sets. Only time will tell.
If I had a choice between a more expensive 2 disc SE for $25, or a barebones 1 disc DVD for $15, I would totally take the $15 one.

The term SE really doesnt apply anymore, very few "Special" Editions are really even all that special. I am tired of EPKs, I am tired of HBO Specials, I am tired of commentaries that are nothing more than the actors or directors praising the studios, or pointing out how all their friends make cameos in the movie...

Sure, theres some really good SEs out there, and for those, I dont mind paying more, but if a studio thinks they can take a mediocre movie and make the DVD more desirable by releasing is as a 2 disc SE with a bunch of crap, well....they wont be getting my money.

I almost wish I was a little older and had the money to participate during the heyday of LD. I do have a LD player and about 15 titles, but they were all bought on ebay after I got my first DVD player. I certainly appreciate the format, and am happy to own the titles that I do, however, I was very surprised at the bad video quality compared to DVD. I was always told that VHS is something like 240 lines of resolultion, DVD is 480 and Laserdisc was something like 400, but Laserdiscs have very soft images, terrible blacks, and poor color saturation as compared to DVDs, so going backwards in technology (for me) I had a hard time seeing how people justified paying so much for LDs. I will say though, that I 100% agree that a 2 channel PCM track on a LD kicks all holy hell out of any Dolby 2.0 soundtrack, and many "remixed" 5.1 DVD tracks.
 

Mattias_ka

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 21, 2001
Messages
567
I certainly appreciate the format, and am happy to own the titles that I do, however, I was very surprised at the bad video quality compared to DVD. I was always told that VHS is something like 240 lines of resolultion, DVD is 480 and Laserdisc was something like 400, but Laserdiscs have very soft images, terrible blacks, and poor color saturation as compared to DVDs, so going backwards in technology (for me) I had a hard time seeing how people justified paying so much for LDs. I will say though, that I 100% agree that a 2 channel PCM track on a LD kicks all holy hell out of any Dolby 2.0 soundtrack, and many "remixed" 5.1 DVD tracks.


Well, it sounds like you have a problem with your player or set-up or maybe you have only the worst LD in history?!
Because LD can look superb and as good as a non-16x9 DVD.


I only miss one thing about LD, that you can't get new movies on LD in 16x9, with superior PCM sound.
I buy a lot of movies on LD now and I'm not stopping.
 

Dan Galyen

Agent
Joined
Jun 10, 2002
Messages
35
I have to agree with "kicking the hell out of dolby 2.0 and some 5.1 soundtracks". Although, my LD is Pioneer Elite and my DVD player, well, isn't.
 

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