LD-W1 owners have you noticed the digital memory button destroys the picture and even cuts it off on the right hand side (similar to a Panasonic LX-900).

If you have not tried I suggest you shut off the digital memory and see what you think, it's night and day difference.

This is the same issue w/ the Pioneer, CLD-3030 since they both share a lot of common electronics (possibly even the LD-S1 but not sure).

I've pretty much always shut down my digital memory all the time on my CLD-3030 since it also makes the picture a tad softer (and I'm assuming a loss of resolution due to the nature of these 1st gen image grabbers). This is also the reason starting the following year w/ the CLD-3070 and ending w/ the CLD-D702 that Pioneer then kept the default of the digital memory feature "off" during normal playback and it would only kick in during special effects (it could also be switched on all the time if preferred).

At the start of the CLD-D703, the digital memory must have been improved quite a bit since it's now left on all the time (it probably also serves a dual function w/ the variable DNR as well).

I have tried on the S1 but never noticed any difference.
The only thing that I have noticed on an S1 is the sharpness knob, it will make it sharper like the old pots on older TV sets.
But still doesn't make the picture worse, it makes it better when sharper.

Digital memory on all LD players is way worse than normal, as far as I know. It’s 8 bit color at half res, I think. It was only made for special FX.

When running a Laseractive with the Sega PAC in its on all the time and looks terrible. Eject the PAC for massive picture quality increase!

Well... something must have improved once the CLD-D703 showed up along w/ Panasonic's equivalent LX-900. One can tell they have their digital memory engaged @ all times as there is no "picture jumping" as the special effects are engaged and yet past reviews of these units have stated them to have superior picture quality vs. many previous machines.

Maybe someone knows the specs for the D703 field memory to enlighten us if it's better than the 8bit one's we've seen in older players?