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Laserdisc: Any chance of new players coming out? (1 Viewer)

Kyrsten Brad

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Reading all these posting on Laserdisc, I now wonder if there’s any chance of getting at least 1 manufacturer to produce a new Laserdisc player with up-to-date features (like image up-rez) to enhance LD playback to something close to modern day picture quality standards.

Shucks, 33 1/3 LP vinyl is making a comeback. Why not LD?

I’m thinking along the lines of playing existing LDs but imagine what today’s technology could do with the LD format in creating new LDs as well.

Not to mention converting existing LDs to DVD/Blu-ray/ UHD Blu-ray or digital streams.
 
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Angelo Colombus

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In 1994 a few companies like Pioneer, Sony, and Panasonic did release in Japan Hi-Vision players which had a resoultion of 1125 lines. The players were very expensive to buy and so were the discs and not too many were made.
 

Gary Seven

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Unlikely. LD, while supports digital sound, originally was analog. The video still is analog (not compressed). Therefore, new LDs employing the latest tech would not be compatible with existing LDs since new LDs would be all digital (of course this is speculation but it does seem logical). Plus LDs were always niche while vinyl was mainstream for a long time.
 

Worth

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In 1994 a few companies like Pioneer, Sony, and Panasonic did release in Japan Hi-Vision players which had a resoultion of 1125 lines. The players were very expensive to buy and so were the discs and not too many were made.
I never saw it, but the image was reportedly sub-DVD quality.
 

Dave Moritz

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The only way I could see this happening is basically a new multi format machine that would play just about any format. And that it would also most like mean a new larger disc that would be 8K. Granted I do not see it happening and I do not see people running out and buying a new disc player that played 12" discs! The player would have new HDMI out that would allow old laser disc movies to be scaled just like we do with DVD's and Blu-ray movies right now. Streaming in 8K will not be possible in many areas for some time so will 8K even be released for a number of year?

New hybrid laser disc player:
Plays original old school laser disc movies in stereo, dolby digital and dts.
Plays 480p DVD's
Plays 1080 HD-DVD's
Plays 1080p Blu-ray's
Play's 4K UHD Blu-ray's
Plays 12" 8K laser disc movies
Has streaming apps for streaming movies

This is the only way I see it happening and they could take and recycle laser disc players that are still new in the box if there are enough of them. But that being said, do I think this would ever happen? Not a chance!
 

TJPC

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I converted every VHS tape I could to DVD-R when I switched formats. I hear about people dubbing LDs to DVD-R. There is a set of the documentary series “Hollywood” available for purchase that is sourced from LDs for instance.

Do LDs have copy protection to prevent recording? What would the quality be like? Isn’t this the perfect solution to preserve movies or features on LD not available elsewhere?
 

YANG

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I only managed to make copies of few laserdisc titles into DVD... before those 2nd hand players goes kaput after few weeks of ownership...
 

Gary Seven

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I converted every VHS tape I could to DVD-R when I switched formats. I hear about people dubbing LDs to DVD-R. There is a set of the documentary series “Hollywood” available for purchase that is sourced from LDs for instance.

Do LDs have copy protection to prevent recording? What would the quality be like? Isn’t this the perfect solution to preserve movies or features on LD not available elsewhere?

Do LDs have copy protection to prevent recording?
No

What would the quality be like?
Looks like the LD. No loss or degradation of signal.

Isn’t this the perfect solution to preserve movies or features on LD not available elsewhere
Serviceable.

I am in the process of dubbing many of my LDs to DVD.
 

JohnRice

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It seems that a better way to archive LDs is to convert them to MKV using a better codec than used for DVD.
 

DaveF

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I'd think anyone with content that can only be found on LaserDisc would be working to make backups onto modern digital media. LD seems like a super niche format from the '80s, with none of the mass popularity or nostalgia of vinyl to keep it going through retail or Kickstarter reinventions.

If it's your jam, enjoy, but plan for the future when the hardware is unavailable.
 

Rob W

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With Samsung announcing they are ceasing production of Blu-ray and 4K players, I think that should tell you something....
 

JazzyJerome

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The only way I could see this happening is basically a new multi format machine that would play just about any format. And that it would also most like mean a new larger disc that would be 8K. Granted I do not see it happening and I do not see people running out and buying a new disc player that played 12" discs! The player would have new HDMI out that would allow old laser disc movies to be scaled just like we do with DVD's and Blu-ray movies right now. Streaming in 8K will not be possible in many areas for some time so will 8K even be released for a number of year?

New hybrid laser disc player:
Plays original old school laser disc movies in stereo, dolby digital and dts.
Plays 480p DVD's
Plays 1080 HD-DVD's
Plays 1080p Blu-ray's
Play's 4K UHD Blu-ray's
Plays 12" 8K laser disc movies
Has streaming apps for streaming movies

This is the only way I see it happening and they could take and recycle laser disc players that are still new in the box if there are enough of them. But that being said, do I think this would ever happen? Not a chance!
I was just thinking about this but I don't think it will happen. I wish it would though.
 

Dave Moritz

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The thought went through my mind with blending the laserdisc size with the disc technology of the new 4K UHD blu-rays but like I said before never will happen. Better chance of nice large artwork though and alot of storage space with the dense multi layer designs of the new discs.
 

MatthewA

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If they ever did build a new laserdisc player, they would likely have to have an HDMI connection of some kind to connect to most modern TVs. Who still uses RCA or S-video cables anymore for any post-DVD format?
 
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jcroy

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If they ever did build a new laserdisc player, they would likely have to have an HDMI connection of some kind to connect to most modern TVs. Who still uses RCA or S-video cables anymore for any post-DVD format?

One of my older LG bluray players still has the rgb connections jacks. Dunno if modern/current bluray players still even have rgb outputs.

My last two bluray players only had an hdmi jack. (El cheapo bluray players made by Sony).
 

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