Hello, my name is Ştefan (Shtefan) (Steven) and I'm from Romania.
Found about LaserDiscs from the internet about 8-9 years ago. 1st I thought that where as big as a C.D./D.V.D., and after I found out how big they where, I still belive there where L.D.'s as big as C.D./D.V.D.
Since Romaia is one of the poorest country in Eastern-Europe (during the glory days of the Laser Discs I think only Bulgaria, Albania and some former Soviet States where bellow us) this disc and this machines wheren't popular around here (in the best case there where 1000-5000 machines to a country of 22-23 milion) I've seen the 1st machine (a "Philips" V.L.P. 600/700) and a disc ("Titanic" movie) at an expo with old electronic equypment... this was around 2008-2010. And still didn't know how great machines there where made. So that's why so many "I didn't know".
But I becamed somehow inlove with the format and wanted me a machine... I got one Sunday, from a second-hand (s.h.) market that brings stuff from Germany... because it got the nice price (I negociated it) - not a crazy price *... but I didn't find discs.
And the bad thing that the day after, searching for discs on a forum, I found out an old add and this time I've seen the phone number... and the owner of the discs (N.T.S.C. discs) haves also an player! I went yeastrday and I realized that I shouldn't buy the P.A.L. player... I bought that player because I found it by happening - I went to that store looking for old portable radios and it camed to my mind looking for an L.D. player. Maybe I'll get some P.A.L. discs one day.

Anyway, most people in Romania don't know about LaserDiscs. I try to tell them about it. And the old repair men (there are still few reamined in Bucharest - thanks God I can repair my V.C.R. or the 1st color tv from the family - bought in 1984 - we had colour televiosion in Romania in aug. 1983 - even Albania was before us!) know LaserDiscs as VideoDiscs (I avoid this term, because the C.E.D.'s are Video Discs too; I don't know if the C.D.V. is a video disc) - if they know about this format...

* some one sells a "Pioneer" C.L.D.-1200 for the price of 650 lei - minimal legall wage (sallary) around here is about 820 lei. And it's for sale for month. Other sell them for 200-500 lei. I payed for the P.A.L. player 70 lei. Oh, there was an multisistem "Pioneer" D.V.L.-909 or 919 at sale for 600 lei... maybe that worthed the money. The dollar is around 3,5-3,6 lei (Lei = Lyons; Bulgarian currency, Leva also means Lyon; the Romanians cents are coled bani, which also mean money ). But 4 years ago some sold an multisistem "Pioneer" C.L.D.-515 for 150 lei (the initial price was 350 lei).

P.S. On this day I'll buy the N.T.S.C. player and 2-3 discs. Hope my tv will work N.T.S.C. in colours on the R.C.A. input (beeing an machine not made for Europe, it dosen't have a S.C.A.R.T. connector)

Hello Stefan! Do you speak German as well? If it is easier to do this in German you can write to me in a private message/email and speak German as well!

Wow that is a great story! I have friends who are missionaries from a large church here in the USA and they go to Romania quite often and work with children there!

Happy to have you join the LDDB!

Unfortenley I know only few words in German. English is the only forgein langiage that I know.
And that player that I wanted to get me... it dosen't work well, so I didn't bought it. I bought 2 disc for the situation when I'll find another player and the owner dosen't have discs.