Laserdisc Player

[r3dline]

I've thought about trying to find a decent laserdisc/dvd combo, or just a good laserdisc player alone. But I'm also on a budget.

Anyway, anybody know a decent laserdisc player for a good price? Also, when were some of the last movies to be released on laserdisc? Oh...and...how's the overall quality of laserdic, anyway, in comparison to say...dvd?

[Woochifer]

I've thought about trying to find a decent laserdisc/dvd combo, or just a good laserdisc player alone. But I'm also on a budget.

Anyway, anybody know a decent laserdisc player for a good price? Also, when were some of the last movies to be released on laserdisc? Oh...and...how's the overall quality of laserdic, anyway, in comparison to say...dvd?

The demand's just not there anymore for Laserdisc players, that's why that Pioneer costs so much, because the economies of scale that lower production costs don't exist. Add to that a glut of unwanted machines and collectors dumping their disc collections, and you're left with a market where only people with a deeply vested interest in the format (like enthusiasts who had large disc collections that went into the thousands) will buy a new player. If you're new to the format, it makes no sense to dive in right now, unless there are a lot of titles unavailable on DVD that you'd like to get. If you're on a budget, it would make a lot more sense to go with a used player and hunt around for used titles. If you go to places that sell used videos, the Laserdiscs are blowing out for really cheap right now.This is like the situation with LPs around the late-80s and early-90s, except that unlike the vinyl format which continued to issue hundreds of titles every year, Laserdisc production has pretty much stopped, so it indeed is an orphaned format.

When I bought my DVD player three years ago, a couple of stores in my area still carried new release Laserdisc titles. But, they were also clearing out their remaining Laserdisc inventory to make room for more DVD racks.

The line resolution of DVD is higher than with Laserdisc, but that's not a guarantee of better picture quality. In general, DVD SHOULD look better than Laserdisc, but in practice it can vary from title to title. DVD is a compressed format and if not done correctly, digital artifacts like haloing or visible pixelation or overdone edge enhancements can show up. Another thing to keep in mind is that some early DVDs were transferred from the same masters used to produce Laserdiscs, so the end result was not all that different. However, the clearest advantage of DVD is when viewing on a widescreen 16:9 TV because almost all widescreen DVDs coming out nowadays are anamorphically enhanced, which gives you full resolution with a widescreen monitor.

[Torech Ungol]

Thanks for the info Wooch. You seem to be an encyclopedia of knowledge. I have another question for you. Are there laserdisc players that have progressive scan?
I realize that it is a dead format but there are a couple of titles that might make a small investment worth it.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Thanks for the info Wooch. You seem to be an encyclopedia of knowledge. I have another question for you. Are there laserdisc players that have progressive scan?
I realize that it is a dead format but there are a couple of titles that might make a small investment worth it.

No, there are no laserdisc players with progressive scan. Progressive scan technology came after the first and second generation DVD players came into the market.

Not only is Wooch an encyclopedia of knowledge, but is a audio historian as well. Go ahead Wooch, tell this gentlemen how excited Edison was when he invented the first tin-foil cylinder phonograph. back in 1877. Then tell him the story of how you walked to the patent office in 1878 with Edison to get his patent on the cylinders. Go ahead Wooch!!!

[kelsci]

No, there are no laserdisc players with progressive scan. Progressive scan technology came after the first and second generation DVD players came into the market.

Not only is Wooch an encyclopedia of knowledge, but is a audio historian as well. Go ahead Wooch, tell this gentlemen how excited Edison was when he invented the first tin-foil cylinder phonograph. back in 1877. Then tell him the story of how you walked to the patent office in 1878 with Edison to get his patent on the cylinders. Go ahead Wooch!!!

Your Lordship; Did you know that Edison had a patent on 5.0 HORNED surround sound. When Edison tried MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB, each word of that song jumped from horn to horn. I tell you, your Lordship, but your comment on Wooch's historic trip with Edison to the patent office on the cylinders is a real "dilly". Kelsci.

[Woochifer]

No, there are no laserdisc players with progressive scan. Progressive scan technology came after the first and second generation DVD players came into the market.

Not only is Wooch an encyclopedia of knowledge, but is a audio historian as well. Go ahead Wooch, tell this gentlemen how excited Edison was when he invented the first tin-foil cylinder phonograph. back in 1877. Then tell him the story of how you walked to the patent office in 1878 with Edison to get his patent on the cylinders. Go ahead Wooch!!!

Actually, I invented it before Thomas did. He just managed to disable the starter on my car that morning, so he got to the front desk at the patent office before I did.

Oh, wait ... y'mean Cadillac didn't put out the first self-starter until 1911? Ooops, I just got busted and my nose is growing! Hope the penalty in your kingdom isn't flogging cuz my tush is already chewed out enough as it is...

[Aldo WIngate]

Laserdisc is a joke. They are DEAD so get a DVD player.

[Tarheel_]

Laserdisc is a joke. They are DEAD so get a DVD player.

Laserdisc is not a joke smartguy. A year ago, A friend gave me a LD player and i've enjoyed it. I routinely purchase Disney movies for my family around $3-$5 each...throw in a couple for shipping and you have a movie for less than $10. Picture is fine, PLII sounds great and some are THX and widescreen. Ebay and others still have tons of movies for sale. By the way, the last LD movie made was StarWars Ep.1 from Japan in DD5.1.

oh, and the DTS sound is amazing...the sellers claim they are recorded at full bitrate, not sure about that, but they do sound awesome.