Questions about LD players (1 Viewer)

[Bryan Tuck]

Hey everyone,

I imagine you long-time members get tired of this type of question, but I've been thinking about buying a used laserdisc player, and I just had a few questions.

What brands and models should I be looking at? If a disc has a Digital soundtrack, will it play on an analog-only player? Are there players with both analog and digital outs? What is a good price for a solid player nowadays?

I apologize if these are pretty elementary questions, but I never got into LD when it was popular, but it seems to be a good way to preserve certain movies whose DVD future is questionable. Thanks for any help anyone can give!

 

[Jim_C]

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=55635
On the second page at the bottom there will be an entry from Rachael B. It explains everything far better than I could. There's also a good FAQ in the hardware archives. Search for 'laserdisc' to find it.
http://www.cs.tut.fi/~leopold/Ld/FAQ/index.html
Check this out as well. Lots of good information.
I just bought a player myself a couple months ago. It's a bit addictive. I've started browsing Ebay regularly for disc's.
I've got a Pioneer CLD-59 that I'm pretty happy with. Pioneer is the consensus pick for the brand to get. I'm thinking of picking up another player as a backup. Either that or getting a CLD-704 or 79 and making the 59 a back up.
Hey Rachael, Laserland sure is getting crowded these days isn't it?

 

[ColinM]

I got my first player 6 months ago.


Now I have 3 players, 100 movies on LD, and search for more every day. Especially concerts.

Be careful. Especially if you're married!

Oh, and if you haven't looked at the primer yet, don't worry about compatibility with sound. Just like a cd player, an LD player will do it's own D/A, and DD discs have soundtracks that work fine in L/R.

Have fun!

PS - What's your budget? I need to dump one of the 3, and they are all in good shape....

 

[Stephen Sherman]

I am another LD newbie. I got my first player about a month ago. It is a Kenwood LVD-320 single-sided player. I paid $75 incl. tax for it at a local pawn shop. I'm up to about 12 discs now, with more on the way (Back To The Future Trilogy, woo hoo!) thanks to eBay.

As others have said, it is addicting! I find myself already wanting a player with auto-flip capability. So far, the local pawn shops haven't yielded one, so I may have to go the eBay route for that as well.

Steve

 

[greg_t]

I would really consider what Stephen and Colin have pointed out. A lot of people at first just want to get a laserdisc player for star wars or the Indy trilogy, and likewise just buy a cheap player. As Colin and Stephen pointed out, it is addicting and you will likely buy more lasers than you orginally thought. I would suggest you purchase the best player you can afford. Do like Jim C said and read through Racheal B's laserdisc primer. It will give you very good information on what players to go for. I would suggest looking on ebay for the current going rate for a Pioneer CLD704 or the Elite CLD 79 for a start.

 

[Leon Liew]

I am still using my LD player and watching my LD library
even though DVD is the norm. Not to say that I am not into
DVD but I reckon I may not buy any release of titles from
DVD.

In fact I was into LD only in end 1996 when DVD was announced. By that time I have had quite a big library of
LDs to content with. My LD player was more of a karaoke
type player with only Pro-logic. I had it modified with an
AC-3 chip to play DD 5.1 through a Yamaha ADP1 RF demodulator and never look back since.

Just got meself a used Pioneer CLD-D390 LD player as a
backup. This model has a built-in AC 3 output for DD &
play both sides of the disc.I was hunting high & low for
a backup and was lucky to get this model.

 

[Rachael B]

Bryan, if you read all the stuff assigned to you as homework, have you a question now?
Leon, the Asian models aren't well known here. I know you can/could get the CLD-D99 in Singapore from conversing with another gent from said location on another foum. I'm a Laser lover and went to the expense and trouble of importing an HLD-X9 & LD-S9 from Nippon. There's not too much knowledge about most Nipponese and Asian models on the forum. Is the CLD-D390 a really above average player? Best wishes!

 

[Leon Liew]

Hi Rachael, my sentiments are with you. I have just bought
the used Pioneer CLD-D390 and played it once to try it out
and it's working fine. The existing LD player which was
modified is also Japanese. Brand is BMB, a leader in karaoke equipment from Japan. But I sensed that Pioneer is a better
brand as the DVD player I have is the 525 which I have posted some good comments on one of the thread in this forum.Hence when I came across this CLD-D390 LD player I
grab it !
I too is a laserdisc lover.But with the intro of DVD I just
go with follow. But I still maintain my Laserdisc library
and did not hesitate in getting the second LD player. Others
might think that we are nuts to cling on to a passing format
but by the postings on this thread it shows that there are
still diehards out there. Cheers

 

[Rachael B]

Leon, I don't feel like a die-hard. I just have hundreds of LD titles that aren't available on DVD anyway. I watched THE GREAT McGINTY and a STYLE COUNCIL concert on LD today. DVD is alright by me but they haven't come close to replacing all the LD's yet. BTW, I have 5 players. Duty now for the future! Best wishes!

 

[Leon Liew]

Wow Rachael, 5 Players and hundreds of Ld titles ! I only
have hundred odd titles and as I've mentioned I started
late on LDs just as it's immenient demise was beginning with
the annoucement of DVD.Anyway being a sentimentalist I will
still keep my LD titles and will try not to duplicate between the DVD release and my collection. Happy viewing
and best regards.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Thanks for all the info. Rachael's primer was indeed helpful; I'll see what I can afford. Thanks again.