An AC-3 laserdisc audio question--- (1 Viewer)

[Scott Strang]

Where is the AC-3 datastream stored on an AC-3 laserdisc?

Does the same laserdisc have a conventional 2 channel digital audio track as well?

I bought a DTS LD and found that the DTS audio is stored on the 2 channel digital soundtrack.

thanks

 

[Darcy Hunter]

The DD AC-3 track is located on the analog audio channel 2 (right). So if you had a LD which contained a DD track plus a commentary. the digital channels would contain the pro-logic surround sound track, the right analog would have the dolby track, and the left analog would have the commentary.

 

[Rachael B]

Darcy, AC-3 LD's don't have commentary tracks. You got it right except for that part. All LD's, even DTS, have an analog soundtrack to maintain compatiability with older players. On an AC-3 there is no space left for a commentary track though, since they are retaining the PCM and analog soundtracks also. Best wishes from Laserland!

 

[Adam Barratt]

In my (now deceased) LaserDisc collection, I recall at least Dragonheart: Signature Edition, Toy Story Box Set and Seven: Criterion included PCM, Dolby Digital and director's commentaries.

Adam

 

[John Wielgosz]

Rachel, there are indeed AC-3 Lasers with commentary tracks, I'm looking some of them right now...

Scream: Director's Cut (commentary by Wes Craven)

Goldeneye: Special Edition (commentary by Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson)

The Saint (commentary by Phillip Noyce)

Chasing Amy Criterion Collection

The Game Criterion

Seven Criterion

Toy Story Deluxe Box Set

Austin Powers Special Edition

and quite a few more...

Of course, these titles are not compatible with the older Analog playback standard, and require a player capable of at least playing the PCM stereo track.

In fact, I believe the Dark City DTS LD had the same dual commentary tracks contained on the DVD version. The only audio option available was the DTS 5.1 (contained on the PCM tracks), and the twin commentaries were stored on each of the analog tracks...

 

[Michael Reuben]

Other AC-3 LDs with commentary include The Rock (Criterion), Daylight Signature Edition, Dante's Peak Signature Edition, and Strange Days.

M.

 

[Rachael B]

Gee, I should of gotten that right! I even have the TOY STORY Box & CHASING AMY set. I must confess that I seldom listen to commentaries, unless it's Monty Python. So many movies, so little time....

 

[Tina_H_V]

Hey Rach
Other AC-3 LD's with audio commentary are as follows:
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
The Rock--Criterion Collection
Dead Presidents--Criterion Collection
Soul Food
Original Gangstas
The Sixth Man--Deluxe Collector's Edition
Analyze This!
Shine--Criterion Collection
Cop Land
G.I Jane
The Saint
Just to name a few, love. :b

 

[PeteD]

My copy of Bound has a commentary and DD.

I discovered it when I switched to the Analog tracks and heard commentary out the left speaker and really noisy static out of the right which brings be to a question:

Couldn't I hook the analog right channel out to the Digital RF input on my reciever?

Sorry if the question sounds stupid...

P.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Couldn't I hook the analog right channel out to the Digital RF input on my reciever?

Sorry, but the answer is no. The analog output is the result of demodulating the RF encoded digital signal assuming it was an analog waveform rather than a digital one. Since it is already demodulated into analog noise, your receiver's digital RF input will not know what to do with it. Your receiver needs an output of the modulated RF signal from the player, which is what the DD/AC-3/RF output channel is on laserdisc players so-equipped.

Regards,

 

[Rachael B]

Que pasa Tina, mi amiga! I got THE DETECTIVE! Cheap too! I even have that SHINE LD too and I didn't listen to the commentary on it either . I will admit to listening to a rather dreary commentary on that 1930's HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, once.
The only other way anybody ever got AC-3 out of a player besides the standard way, it was, back in 1995 when I saw in either Stereo Review or Home Theater mag, damn this is getting to be a long sentence....I'll start a new one, I can't remember the manufacturer either, and I think they wanted $399 for this rig, hmnnn, what else could make this a totally wordy run-together sentence...?
Any way "IT" was an RF demodulator box intended to be used with a player that had a F-type output to go to a TV's antena input. In the 1980's all, or nearly all LD players were thusly equiped. Early 1980's toploaders only have RF video output, although most models had a stereo pair for audio out. On the Magnavox toploader I have, you can take the cable TV in and out of the player. It passes thru until you turn on the player.
My first player the LD-838D which I got in 1987 didn't have pass-through, but it did have an RF output. I never used it though. I had a Sony 13 inch set with a composite input. After a few months and my first two widescreen films, I got a 27" set...Anyway, fishing the AC-3 signal out of this output was possible. But for $399 IT cost, you could nearly buy a new AC-3 equiped player. You definitely could of gotten Pioneer's CLD-S304 for those clams, their lowest price AC-3 mah-sheen.
In all my online chats, I've never heard anybody say they had one of "IT". There must be a few hundred of them out there somewhere, the truth is hideing out there, just ask agent Skully!
Some of the 1990's Pioneer players, lower line models had a small, non-standard RF output. To use it, you had to buy an adapter from Pioneer. I've never seen the adapter in person. It's in the 1995 catalog though. As best I can remember the CLD-S104 I used to have had this small-plug RF adapter jack. If it didn't one of my other players did.
This is/was, pick one, the only alternative way to pluck the AC-3 signal. Did anybody out there reading this ever use one of these IT's? My brother and I both decided we wanted AC-3 in '96. We both got CLD-59s. At that time he was actually considering IT, because he had been using my old LD-838D. I showed him IT in the magazine. I think he even called THEM who made IT... Anyway, we both got 59's and head units with processors.
There are no other ways to extract AC-3, should I repeat that? I've heard alot of people try to dream up other methods, but this is/was it. Best wishes cats!