Too be honest, I had no idea that laser discs was a thing. I have been around since VHS, CD's, DVD's, DVD HD? Bluray etc, but never seen a laser disc. So even though it has been a thing for 20 years as you said, I don't think it was that popular because there were other alternatives.
That's because it was a more upscale medium. It was the FIRST consumer product to utilize a laser. It was the FIRST consumer VIDEO product to feature STEREO sound. It was the FIRST consumer product to feature DIGITAL sound. THIS Wikipedia entry is particularly informative - especially the section on "Comparison with other formats": en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserDisc
Cost of the movies! VHS movies were half or a third of the cost of a Disc. Additionally, that cost kept a lot of video stores from investing in the movies. I think people were OK with buying an expensive machine but the cost of the media was a put off. Too bad as it was a great to watch TV!
They are pretty massive. Thankfully, the DVD format came about. Can you imagine a library of Laser movies? You would have to expand the house to hold it all!!!
Yes... they probably released this a couple years too soon. It's hard to believe that they thought a giant disk format would work. Looking back at my purchase of it, I think it is simaltaneously funny and tragic! Thank-you for viewing and commenting!!!
Im glad I found this video! I’m 20 and really just wanted to know more about it! It’s funny because it’s almost the opposite of how it went for 45s with Vinly, even though 45s were still really popular! Thanks for sharing man!! ❤
Nice video and nice laserdisc player you got a fancy one .....I'm a Newby I have a pioneer player where you have to flip the disc but that's fine with me. These laserdisc players were built tough. Mine came from a school and trying to build my collection of disc. Thanks again.
Yes, my machine "flips" the disc but the video gets interrupted. While the mechanism is changing sides, the machine holds the last video frame on the screen. Thank-You for viewing and commenting. I hope your collecting efforts go very well!!!
Me being born in 95 I find this video both interesting and hilarious. Its cool to see older technology like this but when I saw that disc I just thought "Wow"
Laserdisc was for real movie person or the rich it was not a failed format. In los Angeles Laserdisc was very popular and still are a little cause some movies are not on DVD or Blu-Ray
Maybe a regional thing due to all the movie industry folk in your area? Here in the Chicago area, there was only one decent Vendor/renter in my immediate area. That one was in a near by affuent area and while the choices were many, I had to pay for the variety.
Your technical information is much appreciated. I can still remember the salesman demonstrating the low end units and almost sneering about the need to flip the disc. But! The high end unit does it automatically. However, he never explained how epic movies had two discs in the package. That meant I had to get up and handle the disc anyways. This is probably a good example, of a great technology, being rushed to market a little too quickly.....
I know it's been mentioned here before, but optical still exists, and actually, I'm surprised it existed way back then. I only started using it recently when I bought a surround sound system, which uses optical to connect to my TV and DVD player.
The Laser is still able to deliver a quality picture just with the single video out, into a non HD TV. That was fairly impressive. I agree that S has become a footnote especially when, like you say, the new HDMI into HD sets, are compared. Back in 1979, I thought I was a genius when I was pumping my VCR's video out into a monitor style set. I used to get upset when I saw people usinf RF into the sets when they had that video in monitor. Now, I kind of feel like a relic.....
I did clean it up for the video. I had it in a rack cabinet, but the dust still got in. A damp rag got most of the dirst, and some tissue the rest. I like that it still plays twenty years after purchase!
I think I paid about $ 750.00 for it, plus a 200.00 repair, and those discs were over twenty bucks each. I think the overall quality was pretty darn good, and most people might not be able to detect which is which. I think the TV's are so much better, now, and since the Laser had only the component video cables, there is a good chance the difference would be revealed on a newer, better, TV set....?
Laserdisc,an expensive but cool format that people love to talk shit on it. I feel sad for the format so I gave it a new home (Pioneer CLD-V2600),it will arrive anytime now!
I really admired the picture quality. That was back on the old monitors. I probably should hook it up to the $K widescreen and see how it compares....? Thank-You for viewing, commenting, and finding a new home for that CLD!
according to some folks at laserdisc database this can depends on your flat panel TV some have great comb filter and some don't but I think many flat panels nowadays have better comb filter on it than the best of LD player so the picture will look surprisingly good on big screen flat panel TV. Just like my VHS player,same player but it looked completely different,it looked grainy and ugly on my Philips LCD set but looked pretty good soft but not wavy blurry mess on Sony LED set.
You just made me recall that one of the "features" of the LD player was that it could also play CD's! Additionally, there were video CD's. Somewhere, here at the bunker, I have a Dire Straits music video CD. Dang! I should have put that into the video!
The first video tape recorder I ever saw was a 1/2" reel to reel unit. It only recorded in black and white. The first VCR I saw was a BetaMax, which could only play one hour on each tape. I've got a bad feeling that DVD will also go away pretty quickly....
An excellent summary. I'll agree completely, however, can you define laser rot? That sounds like what happens to a person's brain when they watch too many movies.
You are welcome. That machine could play three size disc's. The large platter, the CD/video disc, and the tiny, half-dollar, size disc. This machine went from expensive toy, to boat anchor, in record time!!!
Yeah...... There's a back story here. After owning this thing for several years, I began to have trouble finding rental places for movies. Also, the purchase cost of a moview seemed to be about thirty bucks on average. This machine then had less use and I began to here about the new DVD technology. Well, as I felt let down about the laser disk, I held off on DVD until ten years ago. The original promise was to avoid disc media and wait for internet movies.... Well, another broken promise.
The earlier format was sold at Sears, and through their catalog. If I get motivated I might check my old catalogs (oddly enough, I have about seven years worth of Sears catalogs ).
I was never able to get the S-Video to work either through the monitor, or the matched A/V tuner. Thank-you for the tech side of the "S-vid." I remember when it first got rolled out and how it was supposed to change the world. I think that it never got big as the TV's, from that Era, just did not have the res or screen size to make much of a difference as compared to single line video out.
OK, Thank-you. I was curious as I have managed to burn out my last two AV receivers, and I hesitate to buy another.. I had a Pioneer AV receiver which could handle, and was built for, the optical input. It was a good system for 7-8 years, then everything began to die. I am currently using a tube style hi-def TV which has standard inputs, and I no longer have a "system" of any type. Hopefully, in the near future, that will change!
I have the Pioneer CLD-703. I know I can mod it for AC-3 but that's what the Mitsubishi M-V7057 is for, also a Pioneer CLD-704 re-brand. I own both [Goodwill] in working order with remotes. The LD's come in 2 flavors. CAV [SP] is 1/2 hr. per side. CLD [EP] is 1 hr. per side. The disc flipper [Laser] is a mechanical device that flips to the other side of the disc to continue the presentation. The digital TOS link is for 5.1 audio. Some high end receivers still support this feature.
At this moment, I'm sitting next to my DVD collection and wondering how soon they will become obsolete? Yeah, LD was a great format. I wonder how different things would have been if they had waited a little longer to roll it out and had reduced the disk size?
Given that Laserdiscs were manufactured for 20 years, and the players for 30 years, I have trouble seeing this as a "failed" format. That's longer than VHS's lifespan. By no means a LD fanboy, I just have always found it odd that people think this "failed". I guess it depends on what "failed" to you means?
The Jimbo Channel Yes, it is a subjective comment. I will suggest that since the LD's never made a significant pentration to most retail outlets, that it never was much of a success in overall sales. Please keep in mind that I loved the quality ( I did buy one after all) but I was very frustrated by having to drive a good distance to find outlets with a large library, as compared to the purveyors of VHS who used to be on every other street corner. I'm only a few minutes from the OakBrook Mall, and even that bastion of rich upper crust stores, never had a decent outlet. So, my opinion is that it was a great format to view, but I think it never came near what the VHS folks were able to do. Thank-You for viewing and commenting! (And just about everything, these days, is getting net delivered... sigh ...
Someone buying a Laserdisc player in the 1990s was more likely to be watching it on a 40-50 inch rear project system than a 19" CRT. Laserdiscs were high end systems used primarily in home theater setups.
it was the first medium to allow for discrete surround sound. and opened the door for the home THX program for the consumer. I used to calibrate Lucasfilm sound systems for the home. So market penetration for low end user no. but for high end user it was a must have. you couldn't build a 5.1 sound system with out it. laser disc is the reason that by the mid 90s one out every 3 houses had a Dolby sound system. it just penetrated a different market and gave new life to high end audio manufacturers like Marantz and Pioneer, Runco, and a host of other name brand manufacturers.
The audio was awesome! I have several mini discs with music and I got to see concerts on the large discs. I pumped it through my Pioneer integrated receiver. (I think it had a sub woofer out?) As an aside, the Amp was junk. I had it only two years when one channel burned out. Repair cost too high to justify repair. I still have it in the same closet with this Disc player. Thank-You for viewing and commenting!
I loved my laserdisc player and collection I had from 1990 to 2000 then I started buying dvds for the convenient storage. I then stupidly traded most of my collection for dvds. I wish I had my criterion edition discs. I still have the original Star Wars box set on laserdisc. Pretty cool to watch the original solo shooting first and no CGI ruining the scheme of things. Still have my original THX1138 Laser before Lucas had to mess with it. I like what he did but there was no reason to mess with it , good picture quality and sound, not as good as blu ray but still had great times in high school collecting discs. Instead of buying a car I bought a top of the line pioneer Elite setup and tower speakers with surround and powered subwoofer man that system was cool. The one I have now is better but just great memories putting that system together piece by piece was so much fun when I was 13 in 1988 I started the process buying a graphic Equilizer and then the pioneer VSX 9300 with that teac eq 10 hooked up to it and my pioneer 5 way dual subwoofer towers with a 8 in sub and a 12 in sub with mid and two tweeters paired up with two pioneer three way speakers with 12 in sub. My father still has the speakers I gave them to him back in 2001 and they still work great the tuner I gave to my brother and it still works great and the eq I kept and I have it hooked up to my shop stereo when I working on stuff in there. The laserdisc player is in my basement and it still works I just played THX1138 and liked what I saw but blu ray is far superior. All this Nostalga makes me remember the good times with the laserdisc and buying them every week after I got paid from my job as a box boy at the local grocery store.
Hi! Those are great memories and you and I seem to have built similar home AV empires. I got started in the mid 1970's and it took off from there. By the time I went Laser Disc, I already had the Pioneer A/V Tuner, and tape deck. I also had the gizmo that would let me use the remote from a different room. I loved all the Pioneer gear except for the A/V tuner. The S-VHS never did work, and the amp burned out after only a few years. Being in the Chicago area, I had access to near-by video rental stores and I never built up much of a LD collection, however I do have over 300 DVD's (sigh). My original A/V amp had the first real surround sound I ever used and I did have the proper speakers for that. (Previously, I had a Koss Digital Delay system. It could add presence, but as one widened the range it also increased the distortion)! I hate to admit this, but I am currently viewing/listening to all my music through the web. Big screen TV with good speakers plys a soundbar. Sounds great but none of the romance of my old systems...... (sigh)!
I would not consider a technology that lasted well beyond 20 years a failed format. It was just outdated just like tapes went to cd, and dvd is now going to blueray
You phrased your comment in an excellent manner, however, the LD's never got close to the market penetration like VHS did. Even here in the Chicago metro area one had to drive a bit to find a place that sold the machine or platters. Keep in mind that I respect the quality of the format, I just maintain that it failed in terms of a replacement technology.
+Tom E It never worked on my integrated Pioneer recever coupled to this player. I think there was a circuit that cut it out if I was using the analog inputs for the other devices....? I still have the cable (and player, of course) but the receiver died after about five years of moderate use. I loved the Pioneer system as I could run everything from the couch. That was a huge advance over keeping the components next to the comfy chair. And... an even bigger adnance over using a broom stick to change channels in the old VHF click channel tuning of yore! Thank-you very much for viewing and commenting!
That optical output format still excist by the way. It's a Toslink port and you can hook up the LD player to an modern AV receiver and playback the uncompressed PCM Track of the laserdisc. Like you would connect a CD deck to your Receiver, via optical connector.
See the below threads for more details. Watcher 3223 shared some good stuff on another format. A quick run down would be; Beta, mini Beta, VHS, and there were still some 1/2" reel to reel machines. The pro's had 1" and there was also 3/4" (I have a video on this channel about my Panasonic Umatic 3/4" machine) There was also a 8mm video format, but I think it had pretty much died by the time Laser Disc came around.
Just got it open, and it looks like a cross between a CD and a record, it's got the size, thickness, and color of a record, but the shine of a CD, it also says on the package RCA Video Disk, did I make a mistake by thinking it was a laserdisk?
You have a way with words! I love that comment "vain and misguided." I'm still laughing! Again you have made me recall some info.... My LD player accepted three different size formats; the big video platter, the CDV, and there was also a smaller disc; maybe the size of a half dollar. I never bought any of those but the LD tray has the three sizes sort of formed into the holder. The other thing is that there was another format that came out in, maybe, the late 70's or early 80's.
One more tidbit...I notice you say s-video being before "composite"...actually that yellow RCA video output is composite. S-video was the first video standard that was "component". With component, you have more signals to be able to carry color and a separate B&W higher resolution channel. During its introduction laserdisc did hold a distinct advantage with lines of resolution (videotape was interlaced). When SVHS came out, it utilized S-video interface to keep higher "component" resolution.
Excellent information, except for the Goodwill part, which got me depressed.... I spent a lot of bucks on this thing and the Digital/Optical link was a big part of it. At that time, I had a complete Pioneer System with the Universal Remote that came with the receiver. I also had the remote room remote control. Sadly, the receiver and CD Player, and tapedeck all died about the same time. Repair cost was too high, so I bought into another brand....
Good, informative video, but I must say that the format, while it never appealed to more than a niche audience, was not so much a failed format as an interim one between VHS and DVD . The format did, after all, last two decades. The biggest disadvantages, to me, were the size and weight of the discs and the tendency (at least in the early days) toward the dreaded "laser rot".
I have noticed there is a laserdisc vs DVD camp, but I wonder why there still is a division between the two. From a technical standpoint they are different: laserdisc was optical media encoded with uncompressed analogue video. DVD was optical media encoded with compressed digital video. With compressed digital, DVD could be a smaller size. Depending on compression quality, digital video has many advantages from analog video.
The music video CD thing started to bug me so I pulled it off the shelf.... It was marketed as "CD Video." Tiltles: Dire Straits Sultans of Swing. Three songs; one of which is the title track. They got cute and offered three audio tracks plus the video. Of course, one of the audio tracks is merely the soundtrack from the video ....
The optical out also know as TOSLINK was the few ways of providing 5.1 audio before HDMI. Although its odd seeing it on a laserdisc player as far as I know it only had track in stereo.
A belated answer but, only in the last couple years have I utilized optical. Even when I had close to a full Pioneer system, I never tapped into it. Mostly, because I was content with the amps output coupled with some sketchy speakers. I knew the speakers were the weak link and I never did replace them. These days, it's a sound bar fed by optical from the TV. My widescreen TV cost far less than the Disc Player. Thank-You for viewing and commenting!!!
On top of that, even a superior system can give bad results if operated in a noisy, or too well lit environment. Also, I know folks who will spend top dollar for their components, but go to the discount store for cables. The new flat screens are radically changing how people furnish their homes, but even expert AV installers can't stop some idiots from placing the screen too high or low. Then their are the people who plug into the same circuit with electrical interference. Relative, I agree!
I'm still finding them but I'm not gonna pay to collect them. It was a great machine with excellent A/V outputbut feeding the machine costs more money than I posess. However, if someone wanted to gift me with movies, I would gladly take them! Thank-You for viewing and commenting!!!
Nice old Laserdisc player. Never owned one myself, BUUUUT the school did. We where baffled when we saw them... I'm contemporary to the format at 27 years old, but, man they where never all that common. That optical jack for audio is still used, if it's SPDIF I think it's called. My computer can output it, as well as my cheap stereo having an input line... good luck finding cable for it, though.
DFX2KX Thank-you for viewing and commenting. I loved the quality of the machine in both its construction and the output A/V. When I purchased it I was never aware of schools using them. I'm a throwback to the filmstrip days along with 16mm film projectors. I guess the schools used them as they could get beat up and still function.....???
Irving P. Feldspar yeah, that was the idea, they don't wear out like a VHS tape does, then again, the DVD replaced the VHS tape for in-school stuff, too. So they're replaced only when those laser disc programs get far too out of date XD.
The first laserdisc player came out a couple years after the first VHS player (1978 vs 1976). There are several reasons why it remained a niche market. Betamax/VHS offered convenient cassettes that were also recordable (and there's an ongoing debate about whether it was content, prolonged recording abilities, etc that won the tape wars). Laserdisc was a pioneer for optical media, but is very outdated by today's standards. I'd much rather watch Blade Runner on BD with my HDTV then laserdisc.
hi i just got a pioneer laserdisc player, im using newer audio visual cables to connect to the tv but i get black and white visual and no sound. idk what to do now.
Try borrowing a set of older cables before you commit to a purchase. They also might just be plugged into the wrong feed. I know if one uses the 3-way video, it can be very easy to get bad colors. I had a major flaw on my own system. I had the Pioneer A/V tunes that had standard video as well as S-VHS inputs. For whatever reason, it never worked on S-VHS. However, the standard video cable, along with the incredible video quality of the Laser Disk, has such a great picture that I never complained too much. Thank-You very much for viewing!!!
I have the Pioneer CLD-2080, a really vintage player I found in the garage with a bundle of laser discs. I hooked it up using the composite out red/white/yellow cables to the the same video composition inputs on the TV. I can get a picture but the sound is almost inaudible even with the sound turned up to its highest setting. Tried the same with another TV and same results. Tried composite connections with those TVs and a modern DVD player and it works fine. Anyone know why I'm not getting sound volume? There are no other output connections on the 2080 to try. Thanks!
Did you try some different audio cables? Might just be a bad wire. Did that model have a optical audio out? If so, check the back of the unit for any related switches. Also, be sure that nothing is wedged into the optical out. I cannot recall if there was a video menu, but if there is, check for audio options.
Yup, the format was not easy to use. It was a huge mistake to buy this machine, and after getting burned by the format, I resisted going to DVD for the first several years. I'm looking forward to the near futre when the computer, phone, and TV all get merged into a single device. Are you aware that Google is going into TV in a big way? Once Google is up and running they will be looking for content..........
What 'killed' it was disc rot. The glue that held the two disk plates together, disintegrated over time and fell apart. This was solved but it was too late.
Yeah, it is all relative. Reminds me of some claims that 3D HD or FullHD vs 720P are each inherently better just on stated specs alone. I was born the same year laserdisc came out, and the only times I saw it were high school science classes. It was revolutionary, but always stayed niche. By the time I was in college, I was able to adopt to DVD very early thanks to early DVD-ROM drives. DVD, then blu-ray have more features since they're not just a single tracking record.
The only time I ever saw this was when in High School Geography and Physical Science. I think it went obsolete far quicker than the 8 track and the Coleco video game set.
I have finished watching this video completely. (我看完這部影片了) I am a Taiwanese who cares about the global affairs. (我是一個關心全球事務的台灣人) And, sadly, most of my fellow Taiwanese don't really care about the world. (但是，很不幸地，我大部分的台灣同胞不那麼在意世界。) Hopefully Taiwan can become increasingly globally-aware and globally-competitive. (希望台灣可以越來越有全球意識與全球競爭力。) God bless Taiwan. (天佑台灣。)
Thank-You for viewing and commenting. That old Laser Disc Player is getting pretty popular and I should thank everyone who tuned in to watch. I'm glad that Taiwan is watching as I love Taiwan! Your Nation has been in the news and I see Taiwan as the only legitimate Government for the Mainland. I wish you many blessing and great prosperity!!!
Well laserdiscs are quite unwieldy to handle...but the space for the library isn't that bad. One of the small things I like about BD vs DVD is that the BD cases are a bit thinner and aren't as high. Laserdiscs are basically LP records....that while large in diameter, just have a sleeve for a case. Maybe the next optical media will approach that thinness for its packaging!:)
Some do. But it's optical out, that is designed for leading the audiosignal into a AV receiver. Because optical in wouldn't make much sense because of the shitty sound-quality of flatscreen TV loudspeakers. Good AV receivers also have a Videoprocessor that transform the analog signal into a very good digital signal for new flatscreens. And they would also play the analog and (optical) digital sound from the Laserdiscs.
That's too bad you weren't able to compare the player's S-Video. From a theoretical standpoint, S-Video should have better picture quality because of the "component" signal (IE clear separation between RGB). Less interference and better signal might still be noticeable even on low budget TVs. S-video was a notable upgrade from composite, but is more of a footnote because of component interfaces and now HDMI connections being able to carry 3D HD and lossless audio.
It was a Pioneer. Pioneer had a decent system and they designed the components for interoperability. Meaning that there was a single remote that could run the tape deck, the Vcr, the Disc player, or the Turntable. The remote system had an option for a device that would sense the remote in a different room (The system would be in one room with the speakers and you could go to another room and control the speakers in there with the same remote).
The pause after sixty minutes was annoying. It reminds me of the original BetaMax that had a max of 60 minutes per cassette. My first movie was "The Exorcists" and I think the overall length was two hors and five minutes. The distribution company had three cassettes for that movie. The first two were each a hour long. The final five minutes was on its own cassette. Talk about a way to kill the viewing enjoyment.......
I got out of component systems after my Pioneer stuff dies off. Even if I got a Blue-Ray, I don't have anything to feed it into. I do like the idea of optical as it won't be susceptible to electrical interference.
Yup, that is correct but I'm one of the few guys whose only dirt is under my fingernails. Maybe my cheapness will allow me to skip a generation of media developement....?
Cool! I just pulled a laserdisc in it's case out of a thrift store, it's the second of two, the other I have yet to find. It's Movie is An officer and a Gentleman.
I was wondering what this was. I have Fantasia, Snow White, my fair lady, Cinderella, sleeping beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Pinocchio box sets of these large laser discs. No clue what they were. First I thought they were vinyls. They. Are. Not. Ha!
Yeah, I think the medias large size helped to doom the format. I think the boys in Marketing spent too much time listening to LP audio albums, and they assumed that everyone would want that size. However, that is about when the CD's started to take off and I think people were perceiving smaller as more modern...? Thank-You very much for viewing and commenting!
Grind the edges down and one can play suicide Frisbee! seriously, that was the media. There was also another large platter format that preceded these. The quality was fantastic, but using those large platters is akin to using dial-up to get on the internet. (Said by a guy who stupidly bought a couple hundred movie DVD's).
Don't feel too bad about the Goodwill thing since I found them on [shopGoodwill com] and my 1st VCR cost 650.00 & it died. The Mitts was 200.00 and the Pioneer was 65.00 so Goodwill & you might get lucky. You will have to sign up [Free & Bank Card / No Paypal] and bid on the items similar to ebay. I went through the same with most of my Pioneer components and some just got to old. Moved up to an Onkyo receiver, still have my Pioneer tape decks. Most of my vintage electronics are happy accidents.
I bought the unit in the early or mid 1990's. At that time it was the first optical out that I ever owned. I was aware of optical for a long time before I made that purchase. I also had the matching mp. It had a optical in but I never utilized it.
You should see an RCA videodisc from the 80s. They really were records. I think they were nickel plated vinyl. They were stamped on record presses, and they were played just like records in a videodisc machine.
I remember those from my days at the Sears Catalog. I was into A/V so I was incredibly interested when they came out. The cost was way too much for my teen budget. That was a good thing as that format failed fairly quickly!
Don't feel too bad, with technology things age quickly. I saw a cartoon which showed a computer store. There was a pile of computers with a sign that said, "Day old computers, one half price." LOL!!!!
I got to see and use 1/2 inch reel to reel VTR's. In Grade School, during the 1970's, the Teachers were recorded for training puposes. In 1980, when I was in High School, I took a TV production class and it was probably the exact same reel to reel that I used in Grade School being the main recording machine. When I got to College, and took TV courses, we were using 3/4 inch video cassettes. Along the way I went through a lot of Beta and VHS machines. Beta and this Laser Disc Player were alike in terms of AV quality. I knew some musicians who would record to Beta audio only. The signal to noise ratio was excellent and the pre-amp had no noise. The video output was also excellent. Tapes are flawed as every time they get played there is some decay of the media. the discs were neat because every play would be the same to theoretical infinity. However, none of that stuff compares to streaming where the media is high quality. Thank-You for viewing and commenting!`
A format that lasted over 20 years can hardly be called a failure.
Too be honest, I had no idea that laser discs was a thing. I have been around since VHS, CD's, DVD's, DVD HD? Bluray etc, but never seen a laser disc. So even though it has been a thing for 20 years as you said, I don't think it was that popular because there were other alternatives.
That's because it was a more upscale medium. It was the FIRST consumer product to utilize a laser. It was the FIRST consumer VIDEO product to feature STEREO sound. It was the FIRST consumer product to feature DIGITAL sound.
THIS Wikipedia entry is particularly informative - especially the section on "Comparison with other formats":
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserDisc
Thank-You for viewing and commenting!
Cost of the movies! VHS movies were half or a third of the cost of a Disc. Additionally, that cost kept a lot of video stores from investing in the movies. I think people were OK with buying an expensive machine but the cost of the media was a put off. Too bad as it was a great to watch TV!
Stereo? I'm pretty sure that Sony's Beta players had stereo......
Watched regular show and didn't know wtf a laserdisc was....thanks for the vid!!!
They are pretty massive. Thankfully, the DVD format came about. Can you imagine a library of Laser movies? You would have to expand the house to hold it all!!!
Yes... they probably released this a couple years too soon. It's hard to believe that they thought a giant disk format would work. Looking back at my purchase of it, I think it is simaltaneously funny and tragic! Thank-you for viewing and commenting!!!
Im glad I found this video! I’m 20 and really just wanted to know more about it! It’s funny because it’s almost the opposite of how it went for 45s with Vinly, even though 45s were still really popular! Thanks for sharing man!! ❤
I finally watched their Laser Disc episode. I laughed my ass off! Yup, nothing like a big battle of the formats!
Nice video and nice laserdisc player you got a fancy one .....I'm a Newby I have a pioneer player where you have to flip the disc but that's fine with me. These laserdisc players were built tough. Mine came from a school and trying to build my collection of disc. Thanks again.
Yes, my machine "flips" the disc but the video gets interrupted. While the mechanism is changing sides, the machine holds the last video frame on the screen. Thank-You for viewing and commenting. I hope your collecting efforts go very well!!!
Me being born in 95 I find this video both interesting and hilarious. Its cool to see older technology like this but when I saw that disc I just thought "Wow"
Laserdisc was for real movie person or the rich it was not a failed format.
In los Angeles Laserdisc was very popular and still are a little cause some movies are not on DVD or Blu-Ray
Maybe a regional thing due to all the movie industry folk in your area? Here in the Chicago area, there was only one decent Vendor/renter in my immediate area. That one was in a near by affuent area and while the choices were many, I had to pay for the variety.
Your technical information is much appreciated. I can still remember the salesman demonstrating the low end units and almost sneering about the need to flip the disc. But! The high end unit does it automatically. However, he never explained how epic movies had two discs in the package. That meant I had to get up and handle the disc anyways. This is probably a good example, of a great technology, being rushed to market a little too quickly.....
I know it's been mentioned here before, but optical still exists, and actually, I'm surprised it existed way back then. I only started using it recently when I bought a surround sound system, which uses optical to connect to my TV and DVD player.
I never hooked it up despite having a complete Pioneer system. I do still have the cable...
Its found on most dvd/bluray players and games consoles
I guess I'm further behind the times than I thought....? I'm glad the connectivity is still available.
Nothing wrong with analogue. I use it on alot of seperates. Speakers are analogue anyway so the digital signal has to be converted to be audible
I did try to buy qualit cables. It's amazing how a bad cable can create audio or video noise!
The Laser is still able to deliver a quality picture just with the single video out, into a non HD TV. That was fairly impressive. I agree that S has become a footnote especially when, like you say, the new HDMI into HD sets, are compared. Back in 1979, I thought I was a genius when I was pumping my VCR's video out into a monitor style set. I used to get upset when I saw people usinf RF into the sets when they had that video in monitor. Now, I kind of feel like a relic.....
I did clean it up for the video. I had it in a rack cabinet, but the dust still got in. A damp rag got most of the dirst, and some tissue the rest. I like that it still plays twenty years after purchase!
I think I paid about $ 750.00 for it, plus a 200.00 repair, and those discs were over twenty bucks each. I think the overall quality was pretty darn good, and most people might not be able to detect which is which. I think the TV's are so much better, now, and since the Laser had only the component video cables, there is a good chance the difference would be revealed on a newer, better, TV set....?
Laserdisc,an expensive but cool format that people love to talk shit on it.
I feel sad for the format so I gave it a new home (Pioneer CLD-V2600),it will arrive anytime now!
I really admired the picture quality. That was back on the old monitors. I probably should hook it up to the $K widescreen and see how it compares....? Thank-You for viewing, commenting, and finding a new home for that CLD!
according to some folks at laserdisc database this can depends on your flat panel TV some have great comb filter and some don't but I think many flat panels nowadays have better comb filter on it than the best of LD player so the picture will look surprisingly good on big screen flat panel TV.
Just like my VHS player,same player but it looked completely different,it looked grainy and ugly on my Philips LCD set but looked pretty good soft but not wavy blurry mess on Sony LED set.
The ancient order of VHS will destroy this heathen!
Yes!
No, laser disk will win format wars 2
You just made me recall that one of the "features" of the LD player was that it could also play CD's! Additionally, there were video CD's. Somewhere, here at the bunker, I have a Dire Straits music video CD. Dang! I should have put that into the video!
The first video tape recorder I ever saw was a 1/2" reel to reel unit. It only recorded in black and white. The first VCR I saw was a BetaMax, which could only play one hour on each tape. I've got a bad feeling that DVD will also go away pretty quickly....
Outstanding information! I recall numerous stories of faulty pressings, however, I may be confusing memories of CD stories.
An excellent summary. I'll agree completely, however, can you define laser rot? That sounds like what happens to a person's brain when they watch too many movies.
You are welcome. That machine could play three size disc's. The large platter, the CD/video disc, and the tiny, half-dollar, size disc. This machine went from expensive toy, to boat anchor, in record time!!!
Man I wonder how many video platforms their were back then
Yeah...... There's a back story here. After owning this thing for several years, I began to have trouble finding rental places for movies. Also, the purchase cost of a moview seemed to be about thirty bucks on average. This machine then had less use and I began to here about the new DVD technology. Well, as I felt let down about the laser disk, I held off on DVD until ten years ago. The original promise was to avoid disc media and wait for internet movies.... Well, another broken promise.
The earlier format was sold at Sears, and through their catalog. If I get motivated I might check my old catalogs (oddly enough, I have about seven years worth of Sears catalogs ).
Glad we're moving forward.
I was never able to get the S-Video to work either through the monitor, or the matched A/V tuner. Thank-you for the tech side of the "S-vid." I remember when it first got rolled out and how it was supposed to change the world. I think that it never got big as the TV's, from that Era, just did not have the res or screen size to make much of a difference as compared to single line video out.
That's pretty wild. They must have paid big bucks to get the recording transferred to LD! It would have been excellent quality....
Nice video you really helped me understand how the Laser Disk works! Way to go Irving, glad you're recovering well after the incident XOXOXO
Hi, I'm just catching up, now, on my comment thread. I'm glad you liked the video!
Cracked is new to me (unless it's an old comic magazine) please explain......?
OK, Thank-you. I was curious as I have managed to burn out my last two AV receivers, and I hesitate to buy another.. I had a Pioneer AV receiver which could handle, and was built for, the optical input. It was a good system for 7-8 years, then everything began to die. I am currently using a tube style hi-def TV which has standard inputs, and I no longer have a "system" of any type. Hopefully, in the near future, that will change!
I grew up with Vcrs, and casset tapes, it wasn't untill 2000 that we bought the first dvd player and by 2005 we got the internet
I have the Pioneer CLD-703. I know I can mod it for AC-3 but that's what the
Mitsubishi M-V7057 is for, also a Pioneer CLD-704 re-brand.
I own both [Goodwill] in working order with remotes.
The LD's come in 2 flavors.
CAV [SP] is 1/2 hr. per side. CLD [EP] is 1 hr. per side.
The disc flipper [Laser] is a mechanical device that flips to the other side of the disc to continue the presentation.
The digital TOS link is for 5.1 audio. Some high end receivers still support this feature.
At this moment, I'm sitting next to my DVD collection and wondering how soon they will become obsolete? Yeah, LD was a great format. I wonder how different things would have been if they had waited a little longer to roll it out and had reduced the disk size?
I remember that some of the early CD's had a similar problem. That was back in the Era when "Armor-All" would repair all sorts of disc's...........
Given that Laserdiscs were manufactured for 20 years, and the players for 30 years, I have trouble seeing this as a "failed" format. That's longer than VHS's lifespan. By no means a LD fanboy, I just have always found it odd that people think this "failed". I guess it depends on what "failed" to you means?
The Jimbo Channel Yes, it is a subjective comment. I will suggest that since the LD's never made a significant pentration to most retail outlets, that it never was much of a success in overall sales. Please keep in mind that I loved the quality ( I did buy one after all) but I was very frustrated by having to drive a good distance to find outlets with a large library, as compared to the purveyors of VHS who used to be on every other street corner. I'm only a few minutes from the OakBrook Mall, and even that bastion of rich upper crust stores, never had a decent outlet. So, my opinion is that it was a great format to view, but I think it never came near what the VHS folks were able to do. Thank-You for viewing and commenting! (And just about everything, these days, is getting net delivered... sigh ...
Someone buying a Laserdisc player in the 1990s was more likely to be watching it on a 40-50 inch rear project system than a 19" CRT. Laserdiscs were high end systems used primarily in home theater setups.
it was the first medium to allow for discrete surround sound. and opened the door for the home THX program for the consumer. I used to calibrate Lucasfilm sound systems for the home. So market penetration for low end user no. but for high end user it was a must have. you couldn't build a 5.1 sound system with out it. laser disc is the reason that by the mid 90s one out every 3 houses had a Dolby sound system. it just penetrated a different market and gave new life to high end audio manufacturers like Marantz and Pioneer, Runco, and a host of other name brand manufacturers.
The audio was awesome! I have several mini discs with music and I got to see concerts on the large discs. I pumped it through my Pioneer integrated receiver. (I think it had a sub woofer out?) As an aside, the Amp was junk. I had it only two years when one channel burned out. Repair cost too high to justify repair. I still have it in the same closet with this Disc player. Thank-You for viewing and commenting!
No, I missed that. They must have been using it for slo-mo???
I loved my laserdisc player and collection I had from 1990 to 2000 then I started buying dvds for the convenient storage. I then stupidly traded most of my collection for dvds. I wish I had my criterion edition discs. I still have the original Star Wars box set on laserdisc. Pretty cool to watch the original solo shooting first and no CGI ruining the scheme of things. Still have my original THX1138 Laser before Lucas had to mess with it. I like what he did but there was no reason to mess with it , good picture quality and sound, not as good as blu ray but still had great times in high school collecting discs. Instead of buying a car I bought a top of the line pioneer Elite setup and tower speakers with surround and powered subwoofer man that system was cool. The one I have now is better but just great memories putting that system together piece by piece was so much fun when I was 13 in 1988 I started the process buying a graphic Equilizer and then the pioneer VSX 9300 with that teac eq 10 hooked up to it and my pioneer 5 way dual subwoofer towers with a 8 in sub and a 12 in sub with mid and two tweeters paired up with two pioneer three way speakers with 12 in sub. My father still has the speakers I gave them to him back in 2001 and they still work great the tuner I gave to my brother and it still works great and the eq I kept and I have it hooked up to my shop stereo when I working on stuff in there. The laserdisc player is in my basement and it still works I just played THX1138 and liked what I saw but blu ray is far superior. All this Nostalga makes me remember the good times with the laserdisc and buying them every week after I got paid from my job as a box boy at the local grocery store.
Hi! Those are great memories and you and I seem to have built similar home AV empires. I got started in the mid 1970's and it took off from there. By the time I went Laser Disc, I already had the Pioneer A/V Tuner, and tape deck. I also had the gizmo that would let me use the remote from a different room. I loved all the Pioneer gear except for the A/V tuner. The S-VHS never did work, and the amp burned out after only a few years. Being in the Chicago area, I had access to near-by video rental stores and I never built up much of a LD collection, however I do have over 300 DVD's (sigh). My original A/V amp had the first real surround sound I ever used and I did have the proper speakers for that. (Previously, I had a Koss Digital Delay system. It could add presence, but as one widened the range it also increased the distortion)! I hate to admit this, but I am currently viewing/listening to all my music through the web. Big screen TV with good speakers plys a soundbar. Sounds great but none of the romance of my old systems...... (sigh)!
That's good to know. Do the new TV's have the inputs?
I would not consider a technology that lasted well beyond 20 years a failed format. It was just outdated just like tapes went to cd, and dvd is now going to blueray
You phrased your comment in an excellent manner, however, the LD's never got close to the market penetration like VHS did. Even here in the Chicago metro area one had to drive a bit to find a place that sold the machine or platters. Keep in mind that I respect the quality of the format, I just maintain that it failed in terms of a replacement technology.
Digital Out is still in use. It's found even on the PS3, my Pioneer receiver, and even more modern home threatre systems.
+Tom E It never worked on my integrated Pioneer recever coupled to this player. I think there was a circuit that cut it out if I was using the analog inputs for the other devices....? I still have the cable (and player, of course) but the receiver died after about five years of moderate use. I loved the Pioneer system as I could run everything from the couch. That was a huge advance over keeping the components next to the comfy chair. And... an even bigger adnance over using a broom stick to change channels in the old VHF click channel tuning of yore! Thank-you very much for viewing and commenting!
Nice video. I remember these. They didn't last long. From 78-84 I believe.
That optical output format still excist by the way. It's a Toslink port and you can hook up the LD player to an modern AV receiver and playback the uncompressed PCM Track of the laserdisc. Like you would connect a CD deck to your Receiver, via optical connector.
And, if you have extra guests for dinner, you can use it as a plate!
A 1969 flick called, "Chisum." It's about the Licoln County War in New Mexico.
See the below threads for more details. Watcher 3223 shared some good stuff on another format. A quick run down would be; Beta, mini Beta, VHS, and there were still some 1/2" reel to reel machines. The pro's had 1" and there was also 3/4" (I have a video on this channel about my Panasonic Umatic 3/4" machine) There was also a 8mm video format, but I think it had pretty much died by the time Laser Disc came around.
Just got it open, and it looks like a cross between a CD and a record, it's got the size, thickness, and color of a record, but the shine of a CD, it also says on the package RCA Video Disk, did I make a mistake by thinking it was a laserdisk?
Satchel Hogan There was another format that used a large platter but I forgot the name....
VIDEO DISK = LASER DISK
You have a way with words! I love that comment "vain and misguided." I'm still laughing! Again you have made me recall some info.... My LD player accepted three different size formats; the big video platter, the CDV, and there was also a smaller disc; maybe the size of a half dollar. I never bought any of those but the LD tray has the three sizes sort of formed into the holder. The other thing is that there was another format that came out in, maybe, the late 70's or early 80's.
One more tidbit...I notice you say s-video being before "composite"...actually that yellow RCA video output is composite. S-video was the first video standard that was "component". With component, you have more signals to be able to carry color and a separate B&W higher resolution channel. During its introduction laserdisc did hold a distinct advantage with lines of resolution (videotape was interlaced). When SVHS came out, it utilized S-video interface to keep higher "component" resolution.
Excellent information, except for the Goodwill part, which got me depressed.... I spent a lot of bucks on this thing and the Digital/Optical link was a big part of it. At that time, I had a complete Pioneer System with the Universal Remote that came with the receiver. I also had the remote room remote control. Sadly, the receiver and CD Player, and tapedeck all died about the same time. Repair cost was too high, so I bought into another brand....
I'll look for it. Thank-you!
Good, informative video, but I must say that the format, while it never appealed to more than a niche audience, was not so much a failed format as an interim one between VHS and DVD . The format did, after all, last two decades. The biggest disadvantages, to me, were the size and weight of the discs and the tendency (at least in the early days) toward the dreaded "laser rot".
I had one of those modal LD player. There is only one read head. The read head would flip over to read the other side.
Wait, this was an actual thing?
Jesus, what else do I not know?
The first video machine I ever saw was a 1/2" reel to reel recorder/player. It was so heavy it needed a cart!
I have noticed there is a laserdisc vs DVD camp, but I wonder why there still is a division between the two. From a technical standpoint they are different: laserdisc was optical media encoded with uncompressed analogue video. DVD was optical media encoded with compressed digital video. With compressed digital, DVD could be a smaller size. Depending on compression quality, digital video has many advantages from analog video.
The music video CD thing started to bug me so I pulled it off the shelf.... It was marketed as "CD Video." Tiltles: Dire Straits Sultans of Swing. Three songs; one of which is the title track. They got cute and offered three audio tracks plus the video. Of course, one of the audio tracks is merely the soundtrack from the video ....
The optical out also know as TOSLINK was the few ways of providing 5.1 audio before HDMI. Although its odd seeing it on a laserdisc player as far as I know it only had track in stereo.
A belated answer but, only in the last couple years have I utilized optical. Even when I had close to a full Pioneer system, I never tapped into it. Mostly, because I was content with the amps output coupled with some sketchy speakers. I knew the speakers were the weak link and I never did replace them. These days, it's a sound bar fed by optical from the TV. My widescreen TV cost far less than the Disc Player. Thank-You for viewing and commenting!!!
On top of that, even a superior system can give bad results if operated in a noisy, or too well lit environment. Also, I know folks who will spend top dollar for their components, but go to the discount store for cables. The new flat screens are radically changing how people furnish their homes, but even expert AV installers can't stop some idiots from placing the screen too high or low. Then their are the people who plug into the same circuit with electrical interference. Relative, I agree!
No, I missed that. What sort of evidence was it used for?
I think laser discs are soooo cool though. Just recently started collecting discs.
I'm still finding them but I'm not gonna pay to collect them. It was a great machine with excellent A/V outputbut feeding the machine costs more money than I posess. However, if someone wanted to gift me with movies, I would gladly take them! Thank-You for viewing and commenting!!!
The laser disc player also reviewed in the episodes from regular show
Nice old Laserdisc player. Never owned one myself, BUUUUT the school did. We where baffled when we saw them... I'm contemporary to the format at 27 years old, but, man they where never all that common.
That optical jack for audio is still used, if it's SPDIF I think it's called. My computer can output it, as well as my cheap stereo having an input line... good luck finding cable for it, though.
DFX2KX Thank-you for viewing and commenting. I loved the quality of the machine in both its construction and the output A/V. When I purchased it I was never aware of schools using them. I'm a throwback to the filmstrip days along with 16mm film projectors. I guess the schools used them as they could get beat up and still function.....???
Irving P. Feldspar yeah, that was the idea, they don't wear out like a VHS tape does, then again, the DVD replaced the VHS tape for in-school stuff, too. So they're replaced only when those laser disc programs get far too out of date XD.
The first laserdisc player came out a couple years after the first VHS player (1978 vs 1976). There are several reasons why it remained a niche market. Betamax/VHS offered convenient cassettes that were also recordable (and there's an ongoing debate about whether it was content, prolonged recording abilities, etc that won the tape wars). Laserdisc was a pioneer for optical media, but is very outdated by today's standards. I'd much rather watch Blade Runner on BD with my HDTV then laserdisc.
hi i just got a pioneer laserdisc player, im using newer audio visual cables to connect to the tv but i get black and white visual and no sound. idk what to do now.
Try borrowing a set of older cables before you commit to a purchase. They also might just be plugged into the wrong feed. I know if one uses the 3-way video, it can be very easy to get bad colors. I had a major flaw on my own system. I had the Pioneer A/V tunes that had standard video as well as S-VHS inputs. For whatever reason, it never worked on S-VHS. However, the standard video cable, along with the incredible video quality of the Laser Disk, has such a great picture that I never complained too much. Thank-You very much for viewing!!!
I'll check it out! Thank-you!!!
I have the Pioneer CLD-2080, a really vintage player I found in the garage with a bundle of laser discs. I hooked it up using the composite out red/white/yellow cables to the the same video composition inputs on the TV. I can get a picture but the sound is almost inaudible even with the sound turned up to its highest setting. Tried the same with another TV and same results. Tried composite connections with those TVs and a modern DVD player and it works fine. Anyone know why I'm not getting sound volume? There are no other output connections on the 2080 to try. Thanks!
Did you try some different audio cables? Might just be a bad wire. Did that model have a optical audio out? If so, check the back of the unit for any related switches. Also, be sure that nothing is wedged into the optical out. I cannot recall if there was a video menu, but if there is, check for audio options.
Yup, the format was not easy to use. It was a huge mistake to buy this machine, and after getting burned by the format, I resisted going to DVD for the first several years. I'm looking forward to the near futre when the computer, phone, and TV all get merged into a single device. Are you aware that Google is going into TV in a big way? Once Google is up and running they will be looking for content..........
What 'killed' it was disc rot. The glue that held the two disk plates together, disintegrated over time and fell apart. This was solved but it was too late.
Yeah, it is all relative. Reminds me of some claims that 3D HD or FullHD vs 720P are each inherently better just on stated specs alone. I was born the same year laserdisc came out, and the only times I saw it were high school science classes. It was revolutionary, but always stayed niche. By the time I was in college, I was able to adopt to DVD very early thanks to early DVD-ROM drives. DVD, then blu-ray have more features since they're not just a single tracking record.
Tom Cruise on Jimmy Fallon brought me here - Top Gun laserbeams... er... laserdiscs.
Thank-You for the visit!
The only time I ever saw this was when in High School Geography and Physical Science. I think it went obsolete far quicker than the 8 track and the Coleco video game set.
Looks nice a sharp for an old machine
I have finished watching this video completely.
(我看完這部影片了)
I am a Taiwanese who cares about the global affairs.
(我是一個關心全球事務的台灣人)
And, sadly, most of my fellow Taiwanese don't really care about the world.
(但是，很不幸地，我大部分的台灣同胞不那麼在意世界。)
Hopefully Taiwan can become increasingly globally-aware and globally-competitive.
(希望台灣可以越來越有全球意識與全球競爭力。)
God bless Taiwan.
(天佑台灣。)
Thank-You for viewing and commenting. That old Laser Disc Player is getting pretty popular and I should thank everyone who tuned in to watch. I'm glad that Taiwan is watching as I love Taiwan! Your Nation has been in the news and I see Taiwan as the only legitimate Government for the Mainland. I wish you many blessing and great prosperity!!!
@@ipfeldspar thank you
lol antique....that's just hilarious!
Ouch! You made me feel like an antique! LOL!!!
Awesome video, thank you for making it. Subscribed!
I thank-you! There will be more out-dated gizmos to come!
Funny that I'm not the only one who looked for what a laser disc was after regular show. hahah
Well laserdiscs are quite unwieldy to handle...but the space for the library isn't that bad. One of the small things I like about BD vs DVD is that the BD cases are a bit thinner and aren't as high. Laserdiscs are basically LP records....that while large in diameter, just have a sleeve for a case. Maybe the next optical media will approach that thinness for its packaging!:)
Some do. But it's optical out, that is designed for leading the audiosignal into a AV receiver. Because optical in wouldn't make much sense because of the shitty sound-quality of flatscreen TV loudspeakers. Good AV receivers also have a Videoprocessor that transform the analog signal into a very good digital signal for new flatscreens. And they would also play the analog and (optical) digital sound from the Laserdiscs.
That's too bad you weren't able to compare the player's S-Video. From a theoretical standpoint, S-Video should have better picture quality because of the "component" signal (IE clear separation between RGB). Less interference and better signal might still be noticeable even on low budget TVs. S-video was a notable upgrade from composite, but is more of a footnote because of component interfaces and now HDMI connections being able to carry 3D HD and lossless audio.
is that a sony trinitron? or something close to that? i want to get one at some point what is it like?
It was a Pioneer. Pioneer had a decent system and they designed the components for interoperability. Meaning that there was a single remote that could run the tape deck, the Vcr, the Disc player, or the Turntable. The remote system had an option for a device that would sense the remote in a different room (The system would be in one room with the speakers and you could go to another room and control the speakers in there with the same remote).
when they recorded the crime scene evidence, they played it in court using a laserdisc player!
What is your favorite movie of the Duke? And your favorite western by the way?
The pause after sixty minutes was annoying. It reminds me of the original BetaMax that had a max of 60 minutes per cassette. My first movie was "The Exorcists" and I think the overall length was two hors and five minutes. The distribution company had three cassettes for that movie. The first two were each a hour long. The final five minutes was on its own cassette. Talk about a way to kill the viewing enjoyment.......
Optical out is still used today on Blu-Ray players.
I got out of component systems after my Pioneer stuff dies off. Even if I got a Blue-Ray, I don't have anything to feed it into. I do like the idea of optical as it won't be susceptible to electrical interference.
Irving P. Feldspar Digital TV's are dirt cheap.
Yup, that is correct but I'm one of the few guys whose only dirt is under my fingernails. Maybe my cheapness will allow me to skip a generation of media developement....?
LOL boat anchor!!! Is it that heavy??! Lol
That's why I keep mine in a secure vault. (mostly out of embarassment that I wasted money on this thing!)
Cool! I just pulled a laserdisc in it's case out of a thrift store, it's the second of two, the other I have yet to find. It's Movie is An officer and a Gentleman.
Satchel Hogan Someone told me that a good condition platter/cover may actually be worth more, now, then when new.........?
Irving P. Feldspar I honestly just grabbed it because it was unique.
If there was a war betwen lazer disk ans VHS VHS would win
VHS could be recorded and reused. That is what most people wanted. Thank-You for viewing and commenting!
did you know they used a laser disc player during the OJ Simpson trial?
I was wondering what this was. I have Fantasia, Snow White, my fair lady, Cinderella, sleeping beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Pinocchio box sets of these large laser discs. No clue what they were. First I thought they were vinyls. They. Are. Not. Ha!
Yeah, I think the medias large size helped to doom the format. I think the boys in Marketing spent too much time listening to LP audio albums, and they assumed that everyone would want that size. However, that is about when the CD's started to take off and I think people were perceiving smaller as more modern...? Thank-You very much for viewing and commenting!
Laser Disc So Big That CD
Grind the edges down and one can play suicide Frisbee! seriously, that was the media. There was also another large platter format that preceded these. The quality was fantastic, but using those large platters is akin to using dial-up to get on the internet. (Said by a guy who stupidly bought a couple hundred movie DVD's).
COOL
Red Dawn 2: Dirty Dancing lol very funny!
Most viewers don't notice that I slipped that in....! TY!!!
Irving P. Feldspar I noticed, but I thought you had absolutely no idea what the heck you were talking about.
Well, I'd be the first to admit that I might not know what I'm talking about......
Irving P. Feldspar LOLing like there is no tomorrow.
That was so deadpan loved it
Don't feel too bad about the Goodwill thing since I found them on [shopGoodwill com] and my 1st VCR cost 650.00 & it died.
The Mitts was 200.00 and the Pioneer was 65.00 so Goodwill & you might get lucky. You will have to sign up [Free & Bank Card / No Paypal] and bid on the items similar to ebay.
I went through the same with most of my Pioneer components and some just got to old. Moved up to an Onkyo receiver, still have my Pioneer tape decks.
Most of my vintage electronics are happy accidents.
Awesome
Thank-You....!!!!
@@ipfeldspar 🙌
So your aware that optical is on just about everything these days, I can see how you have never seen one before
I bought the unit in the early or mid 1990's. At that time it was the first optical out that I ever owned. I was aware of optical for a long time before I made that purchase. I also had the matching mp. It had a optical in but I never utilized it.
regular show brought me here
The disc Looks like a record
You should see an RCA videodisc from the 80s. They really were records. I think they were nickel plated vinyl. They were stamped on record presses, and they were played just like records in a videodisc machine.
Yes!
I remember those from my days at the Sears Catalog. I was into A/V so I was incredibly interested when they came out. The cost was way too much for my teen budget. That was a good thing as that format failed fairly quickly!
Antique? God am I that old?
Don't feel too bad, with technology things age quickly. I saw a cartoon which showed a computer store. There was a pile of computers with a sign that said, "Day old computers, one half price." LOL!!!!
before VHS there was laserdise
I got to see and use 1/2 inch reel to reel VTR's. In Grade School, during the 1970's, the Teachers were recorded for training puposes. In 1980, when I was in High School, I took a TV production class and it was probably the exact same reel to reel that I used in Grade School being the main recording machine. When I got to College, and took TV courses, we were using 3/4 inch video cassettes. Along the way I went through a lot of Beta and VHS machines. Beta and this Laser Disc Player were alike in terms of AV quality. I knew some musicians who would record to Beta audio only. The signal to noise ratio was excellent and the pre-amp had no noise. The video output was also excellent. Tapes are flawed as every time they get played there is some decay of the media. the discs were neat because every play would be the same to theoretical infinity. However, none of that stuff compares to streaming where the media is high quality. Thank-You for viewing and commenting!`
lol am i the only person that came here from cracked?