RIP LD - Pioneer finally stopping Laserdisc production

richard_t · 16-01-2009, 6:22 AM

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere but...

Pioneer Announces End of LaserDisc Player Products

I for one had no idea that they were still being made, but it's great to know that they were.

What a fantastic format. Regardless of the audio and video improvements that have surpassed it in the last 11 or 12 years since the launch of DVD it'll probably always be my favourite format. It's what got me into home cinema & A/V in the first place and has given me some amazing times and memories.

Funny too to think that it out lasted HD-DVD!

RIP Laserdisc.

David Mackenzie · 16-01-2009, 6:58 AM

I had no idea they were still manufacturing equipment, I assume this was for Industrial/Karaoke use?

mattrixdesign2 · 16-01-2009, 9:03 AM

An odd format that I was always interested in buy never actually watched one!

It was way ahead of its time, even pre-dated CD if my memory is correct?

David Mackenzie · 16-01-2009, 9:12 AM

Yes, I believe CD was actually a refinement of LD.

AnthonyG · 16-01-2009, 2:04 PM

This is odd. like everyone else I thought they ceased to be made many, many years ago now.

So for those in the know, what is the most recent model being made and sold?

Usually this tides in with it being the best, especially if its from the likes of Pioneer (a superb manufacturer in my opinion)

I have always had intentions to buy a Laserdisc player, not exactly sure why but just have the urge to own one.

So which stores in the UK sell them brand new, and like I say which are the models still being made and sold brand new by Pioneer.

If they are in the region of £100 brand new for a decent one, I may just get one before the end of March.

David Mackenzie · 16-01-2009, 2:34 PM

No store will carry them, and I highly doubt the UK branch still has anything to do with LD (when I called them a few years ago to see if they had any replacement parts, they had no idea what I was talking about. Then again when I was trying to report errors in their DVD player they also had no idea

)

I imagine that this is limited to the Japanese and possibly USA industrial/educational markets.

puddleduck · 16-01-2009, 2:34 PM

I bought one dirt cheap with loads of films yonks ago when I was a bit more into this AV thing than I was now

Nice format, huge disks though, PQ seemed much less digital than some of the nastiness we see nowadays (with horrid LCD screens and digital looking images we get now) - Seemed a bit more "organic"

A decent (full rate) DTS soundtrack was something else

dUnKle · 16-01-2009, 3:45 PM

My 919e still works fine, mind thats more to do with fact I never used the bloody thing

Attic is full of old LDs, now that was an expensive medium

bloody looked good though (the actual product)

chambeaj · 16-01-2009, 3:50 PM

The reason the picture on Laserdisc might have seemed to be less digital is probably down to it being simply a digital representation of an analogue composite video signal.

Bought my first laserdisc player (Pioneer CLD-1750 - think that was the model no.!) back in 1991/92. Sold my laserdisc collection in 97 as soon as I got my hands on an imported SONY DVP-7000 DVD player.

brian s · 16-01-2009, 3:51 PM

I also had no idea they were still making them. LD was the best in it's day.

Regards
Bri

**bxd** · 16-01-2009, 4:41 PM

Hi,

Yes, I posted this is the dvd forum a couple of days ago.

While disc production finished a number of years ago Pioneer still produced a player for the japanese market (presumably) in limited amounts. It's been a long while since you could buy a new one in the UK ... you never know, there might be the odd dealer that's got a DVD/LD player still "new" of the shelf.

You can usually pick up a decent UK machine(e.g. CLD-925) on the classifieds or on the "bay" but you need to make sure that your amp can accept the AC-3RF input for Dolby Digital. Otherwise, you'll need a ac-3 demodulator to convert it to a digital output. if you want to spend more there are higher performance japanese and US machines available although they will (obviously) only play ntsc. Still only ntsc discs can carry Dolby Digital (AC-3). If you want to go "all out" there are the rarer Hidef MUSE LD players but these are finally being superseded by Blu-ray.

Brian

brian s · 16-01-2009, 7:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

Yes, I believe CD was actually a refinement of LD.

That's correct. Someone thought if we can do sound and vision oa LD why not do a sound only version. They went a step further and made and made it digital.

Cheers
Bri

roba666 · 17-01-2009, 10:00 AM

I loved my LD. Had a Pioneer 1750 then a 2950 double side player.

Man i spent some money on those discs, regularly £30-40 on US discs. Even got a mate to pick up Clockwork Orange and a gorgeous A Nightmare Before Christmas box set from the states, Nightmare was a 100 bucks £66 I seem to recall!!

Crazy man I was .

Sold them all for a pittance a few years back. Got over £200 notes for the 2950 though which was a surprise.

R

David Mackenzie · 17-01-2009, 1:53 PM

Quote:

Man i spent some money on those discs, regularly £30-40 on US discs. Even got a mate to pick up Clockwork Orange and a gorgeous A Nightmare Before Christmas box set from the states, Nightmare was a 100 bucks £66 I seem to recall!!

Was that the version of Nightmare Before Christmas which came with Henry Selick's short film "Slow Bob" on one of the extras sides? They realised they didn't have the copyright and repressed it, every single version since has not had it.

I still haven't seen the short film!

Geoff_D · 18-01-2009, 9:12 PM

R.I.P. indeed. My beast of a Runco player is still going strong (it bloody well ought to for what I paid for it) and I've got some lovely discs.

I never thought much of the UK players though. The much-vaunted 925 may have wowed with its digital processing at the time, but the picture quality is horrible compared to the gorgeous images the Runco can produce.

It's a pity Pioneer never produced a UK equivalent of their lovely Elite players. A PAL/NTSC version of, say, a CLD-9x model would've been the canine's testicles. Ah well.

David Mackenzie · 19-01-2009, 12:04 AM

The highest end LD player I've seen is the European CLD-2950. Was the image really that much better from the high end Elite machines? If so, shame on Pioneer for not introducing them here.

I do know there was that magnificent champagne gold machine in Japan which had some sort of really advanced 3D Y/C separator.

drphibes · 19-01-2009, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddleduck

I bought one dirt cheap with loads of films yonks ago when I was a bit more into this AV thing than I was now

Nice format, huge disks though, PQ seemed much less digital than some of the nastiness we see nowadays (with horrid LCD screens and digital looking images we get now) - Seemed a bit more "organic"

A decent (full rate) DTS soundtrack was something else

I agree Andy, Jurassic Park DTS was superb and I do not really think I have heard anything on dvd to beat that disc.

richard_t · 19-01-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

I do know there was that magnificent champagne gold machine in Japan which had some sort of really advanced 3D Y/C separator.

A friend of mine has that model (i think it was the equivilent of the US Pioneer CLD 95 although i maybe wrong). I'll try and get a picture of it next time i'm over at his house.

I had the CLD2950 and the picture from his machine was a definite improvement.

IAN P · 19-01-2009, 3:00 PM

Gatefold sleeve's,full rate DTS and the sick bag i got with Cannibal Holocaust.The heady days of Laserdiscs.

People complain about the noise from a ps3,i'd love to hear their comments if they were to hear the laser mechanism reading the opposite side of the disc.Churning and clunking.

David Mackenzie · 19-01-2009, 4:08 PM

Quote:

People complain about the noise from a ps3,

They should just turn the volume on the amp up then

brian s · 19-01-2009, 8:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAN P

Gatefold sleeve's,full rate DTS and the sick bag i got with Cannibal Holocaust.The heady days of Laserdiscs.

People complain about the noise from a ps3,i'd love to hear their comments if they were to hear the laser mechanism reading the opposite side of the disc.Churning and clunking.

I know both. The LD players were bad but my PS3 is REALLY LOUD!. I put in the hall outside of the living room which cured the problem but I've had to bring it back in due to the cold spell. The HDMI lead meant I had to keep the door open and there was a hell of a draught. My watching tonight is blighted by the sound of the damn thing.

Bri

brian s · 19-01-2009, 8:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

They should just turn the volume on the amp up then

What about those quiet/silent moments.

Cheers
Bri

David Mackenzie · 19-01-2009, 9:10 PM

I know; I wasn't really being serious

brian s · 19-01-2009, 9:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

I know; I wasn't really being serious

Fair enough. The PS3 was a pain in the ear this evening

Bri

roba666 · 19-01-2009, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

Was that the version of Nightmare Before Christmas which came with Henry Selick's short film "Slow Bob" on one of the extras sides? They realised they didn't have the copyright and repressed it, every single version since has not had it.

I still haven't seen the short film!

Yes it was and it was bizarre from memory, 2 discs I think. also has a hardback book and cd.

R

brian s · 19-01-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roba666

Yes it was and it was bizarre from memory, 2 discs I think. also has a hardback book and cd.

R

That would've been odd. A LD and a cd.

Regards
Bri

Geoff_D · 19-01-2009, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian s

That would've been odd. A LD and a cd.

Regards
Bri

How is it odd? The CD includes the soundtrack. I've got several such sets, including Jaws, The Wild Bunch, Nightmare Before Xmas and Schindler's List.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Mackenzie

The highest end LD player I've seen is the European CLD-2950. Was the image really that much better from the high end Elite machines? If so, shame on Pioneer for not introducing them here.

I do know there was that magnificent champagne gold machine in Japan which had some sort of really advanced 3D Y/C separator.

The high-end Pioneers (the guts of one of which formed the basis of me Runco IIRC) really did make a huge difference. It's like lifting a layer of gauze off of the image. I could not believe how much better the Runco was than the 925.

I can see why Pioneer didn't bother with Elite models over here though, as the UK market was never large enough to warrant such extravagant machines.

brian s · 20-01-2009, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff_D

How is it odd? The CD includes the soundtrack. I've got several such sets, including Jaws, The Wild Bunch, Nightmare Before Xmas and Schindler's List.

I was in to LD from before CD and I was there till DVD. I never bought a LD, CD combo. That's why I find it odd.

Al the best
Bri

Harj · 20-01-2009, 1:30 PM

So they've stopped hardware production, but what Laserdiscs were being produced till now? I take it they must have some being made if they kept machine production going till now?

IAN P · 20-01-2009, 1:41 PM

Discs were stopped being produced in 2000 in the US and Pioneer Japan stopped making their discs in 2001.

The Cell was one of the last discs produced.

That's going from memory,so it could be off a bit.