| AudioREVIEW's Forum Archives - Home Theater |
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|   Ye olde Laserdiscs, to buy or not to buy? | odingd101
May 4, 2003 6:17 AM | | Getting my HT system setup, currently running a 32" JVC, Energy Take 5.2 + S8.2 sub, Denon AVR1803...
and now I need a DVD player. I have some Laserdiscs as well, and I recall in the past seeing a combo DVD/LD/CD player. Are/were these any good? Do any new combo systems have Progressive Scan tech on them? Checking the web for models I've only seen these 2:
Pioneer Elite DVL-90 DVD/LaserDisc Combo
Pioneer DVL-919 LaserDisc / DVD Player Combo
Pioneer only? What else is out there? Are there any good options to continue using my old Laserdiscs? I don't mind getting a standard DVD player if there is a good LD player out there that can be recommended as well. I just can't part with my 7" LD of Stray Cats videos =)
Any options/comments are appreciated. |
| Sorry, Pioneer was the only supporter of combi units | Sir Terrence the Terrible 1
May 4, 2003 6:16 PM | | Nobody else is even interested in LD anymore so when DVD came on the scene, all support for the LD format dried up. Pioneer is the only game in town on combi players, and hope and pray it never breaksdown.
Sir Terrence |
| re: Ye olde Laserdiscs, to buy or not to buy? | RGA
May 5, 2003 10:34 PM | | Pioneer was king of LD and they basically carried the format for 20 years. In hopes to not piss off LD owners they broght out several combi players to help make the transition to DVD.
Sadly, I have a number of LDs that are so far an away better than their artifact riddled DVD version that I wish I had bought a combo player. I only had 40 LDs so I didn't think it was worth it and decided to go the DVD route thinking that DVD with better specs would actually provide better picture and sound. And somethimes I do in fact get better picture or better sound or both...not always.
The English Patient was a class production on LD. Tons of extras, impecable picture. The DVD has nothing and the picture is graining and frankly BAD.
Sure it may not be everyones cup of tea film but we are talking about a recent Best Picture Winner so you'd think it would be competant.
Then there is Jaws. The DVD has been darkened quite a bit, it's not bad or anything...but better it ain't.
Then there is Halloween. The LD had 2 full running commentary tracks of John Carpenter and Jaimee Lee Curtis and a host of other stuff. One of the rare commentaries that was both funny and insightful. All the DVD versions lacked the commentaries and the picture was about a draw. The LD sounded a little less tizzy as well, but that may be that my DVD player is a fair bit lower end than the LD player I had.
My concern with getting a combo is that you will have a LOT of parts moving around and if one thing goes chances are they both go. If you buy one I suggest you buy the best Pioneer has and get an extended warranty. Otherwise buy a cheap DVD player from Toshiba SD1800 or if you want progressive scan look higher, and then look for used combo players. Make sure that the player you buy used can detect which disc you've loaded. This was a fairly common problem, of which mine sufferred, that after several years the player would incorrectly read discs, making it useless.
Still, buying a used CLD1049(which was a special edition Elite in disguise) would be a not bad find in a pawn shop or cash converters etc.
I would avoid the ones that flip both sides unless it's one of the more rugged units.
The one great thing about LD is that you can get the movies for next to nothing, and many are still not available on DVD...like a good version Dawn of the Dead, a boxed set of Schindler's List(which outclasses almost anything I have picture or sound wise in over 100 DVD I own), all the Star Wars(Original series) films and Indiana Jones pictures.
The extra 15 lines of resolution noticeable?? or is like CD versus SACD...the transfer matters most...and some of these DVDs just plain suck.
Where is the extended footage version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles? Where is Secrets and Lies?
Now to be fair, DVD has a LOT of superior productions like Splash, Terminator, The Producers, Young Frankenstein etc...plus all the new movies simply not available on LD.
But if you have a reasonable collection that you wish to keep, then a combo is not too bad, or a used LD player. |
| re: Ye olde Laserdiscs, to buy or not to buy? | bo130
May 7, 2003 3:34 PM | | "The English Patient was a class production on LD."
The pinnacle to what every laserdisc ever aspired to, was to match the quality of Criterion, hands down. Lawrence of Arabia Criterion laserdisc was by far the most handsome presentation, both in its packaging and picture/video quality of ANY movie on home video in ye olde laserdisc days. They took a movie and basically restored it.
They also had a chance to work in tandem with Stanley Kubrick on Dr. Strangelove. Now, what home video company has those bragging rights? :) |
| re: Ye olde Laserdiscs, to buy or not to buy? | bo130
May 7, 2003 3:37 PM | | Plus, they also were the pioneers (no pun intended) of all those "extras" that you see on DVD. They were doing that stuff while some of the people who come to this site were in grade school. |
| re: Ye olde Laserdiscs, to buy or not to buy? | odingd101
May 12, 2003 1:15 PM | | Well heck guys, thanks. I think I will look into an old LD player and get a seperate DVD, the combo does sound a tad risky in comparison. |
| re: Ye olde Laserdiscs, to buy or not to buy? | bolet
May 9, 2003 6:53 AM | | odingd101,
It looks like from your previous post you went ahead with the Energy Take 5.2s. I currently have a Denon AVR1803 and would not give it up for anything. I would like to know, now that you have Take 5.2, how they are holding up? I have been looking to get the 5.2s myself and have been considering the Quintet IIs from Klipsch also. Any thoughts? |
| re: Ye olde Laserdiscs, to buy or not to buy? | odingd101
May 12, 2003 1:13 PM | | Well, I don't want to even try to sound like I know what I'm talking about but yes the 5.2s sound nice, pretty crisp with substantial bass without using the S8.2 sub. The added sub though, very well rounded sound. It has a nice switch for audio/video but I haven't fiddled with it much. Only had them hooked up for a week now. They seem like a good buy for the $$, and I found the set (with sub incl.) for $625, $650 with UPS ground shipping, so a good deal overall. |
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