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elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Sony MBD-XBR950

Posted: 08 Aug 2018, 18:33

Sorry I didn't fully read your post, seems strange shouldn't 1366x768 fill a 16x9 screen? Either way I'm excited to test this, I've always thought there was a cheap LD holy grail box out there and this sounds promising.

Quests for holy grails are always hard (still waiting for that shrubbery) and even when seeming possible, often don't exist in as easy form as we'd like. The MBD-XBR950 as per OP seems quite promising for anyone with a processor that needs a comb filter upgrade but otherwise the scaling issue for the horizontal squeeze becomes a killer.

A similar model with s-video out has promise to overcome that issue but then again from a bit of reading many modern TV's don't accommodate s-video? If that's not an issue though (multi-function component in?) something like this could potentially be the 'DVD recorder solution' killer.
It definitely would be the DVD Recorder killer. A lot of DVD Recorders had some very good comb filters, but none come close to these Sony WEGA filters. I considered trying to pick up some Sony DVD Recorders trying to see if any of them have the same comb filters as the WEGAs, but they're kind of hard to find.

Now I don't even have to if these media connector boxes by Sony can be made to work like a stand alone filter.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Sony TA-F808ES user manual?

Posted: 21 Sep 2018, 16:20

admin wrote:

I can see the User Manual and the Technical Background, but can't see a Service Manual there.
Usually it's reserved for licensed retailers/professionals.

They're harder to find.

Julien

Well, he's looking for the User Manual, soooo . . .

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: non-USA with English-audio (NTSC)

Posted: 31 Oct 2018, 04:40

A lot of horror titles meet this criteria

Murder Rock (Dancing Death) (1984) [LILD0021]
Deadly Spawn, The (1983) [DLZ-0109]
Supernaturals, The (1986) [EHL-1095]
Two Thousand Maniacs! (2000 Maniacs) (1964) [NDH-006]
Season of the Witch: George A. Romero's (1972) [LVB-1016]

as well as other genres

Get Crazy (1983) [EHL-1024]

None of those English language movies have a US release.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Which TV monitor do you use?

Posted: 29 Nov 2018, 22:16

Panasonic TH-50PX77U 50" Plasma

1080p capable display, but the actual resolution is 1366x768

Beautiful picture? Absolutely. Looks great for LDs and blu-ray

Here's a pic of the THX LD of The Jungle Book and the Synapse blu-ray restoration of Suspiria on it...

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Which TV monitor do you use?

Posted: 30 Nov 2018, 02:15

Runco LJR II

nice
Model not being sold in Japan
THX acquisition
Well, you can get the Denon LA-3500G in Japan. That would be the closest you get could get to the Runco LJR II.

They're both based on the Panasonic LX-900 and both have a stock AC-3 RF output.

https://image.rakuten.co.jp/yasukukaeru/cabinet/autoseller-33f/33f1127757052dc63a16.jpg

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Which TV monitor do you use?

Posted: 01 Dec 2018, 06:07

I
PC monitors
For WEB browsing + LD viewing
I am trying

BENQ GW 2750 (full HD)

PC monitors
Compared to ordinary plasma, liquid crystal TV
Is the performance different?

Is the difference overwhelmingly inferior to PC monitors?
I used to have a Pro CRT computer monitor as my home theater display--a Mitsubishi Megaview Pro 37.

The problem with using a computer monitor for movie and TV watching is that they're usually WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get.) Meaning, you have to feed a computer monitor a good video signal as there's not much that the monitor does to the signal. If you're using any type of legacy equipment with them (like Laserdisc), you need a good processor and/or scaler between the source and the monitor in order to get a good picture.

I eventually gave the Pro monitor to my brother and opted to get a Sony WEGA.

Now that's not to say that computer monitors aren't good displays. They obviously are since they are made to handle a high quality image that computers produce. It's just that I've found that home theater video sources and computers have different needs from their respective displays. HDTVs are usually great for movie viewing sources (blu-ray, DVD, LD, etc.), but only good for a computer image. While computer monitors are great for computer images, but only good for movie viewing sources.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: My TV is dying. New screen : KURO or LGB8 ?

Posted: 31 Dec 2018, 17:13

Cool, did it have "Super Hi Fine Pitch" mode?

I got a flashing red light on my KVHR36 and I had to replace one chip that controlled the start up and totally fixed it. Chip? $1. Working KVHR36? Priceless.
Nah, it wasn't a Super Fine Pitch Trinitron. Just a Hi-Scan.

I knew about the chip replacement, but I was able to find a Super Fine Pitch KD-36XS955 for free right after the 40" went flashing red.

Figured free was better than paying for fixing the 40"

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: What have you been watching?

Posted: 04 Jan 2019, 15:56

Missed the broadcast this year (surprised that it was even shown on TV again!)

Not the best Peanuts special, but still enjoyable.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Pioneer Pressing Plant Tour Article

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 01:14

Found this article in an old issue of Video Magazine of a tour of the Pioneer LDCA Pressing Plant in Carson, California. Scanned it in so you all can read too.

http://img18125.imagevenue.com/loc564/th_165292510_LD_Pressing_Plant_1_122_564lo.jpg
http://img18114.imagevenue.com/loc347/th_165292927_LD_Pressing_Plant_2_122_347lo.jpg
http://img18117.imagevenue.com/loc217/th_165293766_LD_Pressing_Plant_3_122_217lo.jpg

Article confirms what Publius stated in another thread when I asked about what was format was used for the master which they pressed LDs from. At this point it was D-2 Digital Composite tape.

Guest

[ Jump to post ]

Posted:

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: What was the last laserdisc you bought?

Posted: 17 Apr 2019, 16:58

Found these at a flea market last week:

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/11001-11100/11007.jpg

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/00801-00900/00837.jpg

Nice to have Temple of Doom in CAV and I would like to see how badly cropped it is.

And also to compare the colors of this older Bambi release vs the THX release in the late 90s.

Just got this from Japan today . . .

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TNwAAOSwZ2pcefjJ/s-l1600.jpg

And I was outbid for this . . .

queen3_1.GIF

http://i68.tinypic.com/iw3i2d.jpg

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Deleted Extended & Alternate footage from Certain Laserd

Posted: 30 Apr 2019, 17:05

So why was this only on the remastered widescreen version and not the earlier versions?

After reading on snoops I find it amazing that it sounds like they would have used a theatrical print for the reissue, which is not usually
the case with remastered stuff especially Disney stuff.

It would have made more sense to have the nude in the earlier disc not later.

But now its one I must be on the hunt for :lol:
Obviously Disney used a different print/source for the previous release.

It's just an odd twist of fate that Disney picked out the print with the racy image for the '99 remaster.

As for why they used a print rather than a negative or interpositive? My only guess is that since they used the same transfer for the VHS release the same year (proven by the fact that the topless woman showed up in the VHS release as well and needed to be recalled too), no need to go through the process of using the negative to produce the best picture possible for the muddy VHS release.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: using Blu-ray recorders from Japan for LDs

Posted: 11 Jun 2019, 22:24

With a Bluray recorder can you choose between recording on mpeg-2 or mpeg-4 or whatever?

Another question; there is a BD release of Tomb raider 2001 encoded in mpeg-2, have you seen any DVD release encoded in mpeg-1 ?
As far as I know, some early European DVDs used MPEG-1 for the audio compression rather than Dolby Digital.

Never heard of a DVD using MPEG-1 for video though.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Rank the home media hard copyformats you're experienced

Posted: 21 Jan 2020, 20:20

1. Blu-ray - yeah, yeah, blasphemy that LD isn't #1, but I can't really complain too much about the format. Especially since we're getting a lot more obscure releases from studio catalogs on blu that in some cases never came out on DVD or LD. Just wish the soundtrack mixes were the original theatrical mixes.

2. LD - great sound, good picture quality and a lot of content not available on any other disc format. Shame we never got that backward compatible, component video LD-XR format that was once in development, but what you gonna do?

3. HD-DVD - only got into this format because I saw a deal for a player and discs I'd be stupid to pass up on Craigslist a few years ago. Was suitably impressed by the Dolby Digital Plus soundtracks on several of the discs (helped that the player I got, Toshiba HD-XA2 had 6 channel outputs.) Just that since it was on the market for so little time, not too much content to find on it.

4. DVD - yeah, the usurper. But after it killed off LD, what else were you going buy movies on? VHS? Hell no. If only the studios, when releasing a title that had a stereo soundtrack, would release it in LPCM rather than Dolby Digital 2.0 (if they gave you a stereo mix at all.) Unfortunately, it only looks like they did that on music video releases. Still, I was able to finally see several titles in OAR on DVD for the first time since they weren't released on LD. So can't really complain about that.

5. Digital8 - Sure, you can't get pre-recorded movies on these (you can get Video8 movies which you can play back on Digital8, but I never bothered.) For a short time in late 90s, early 00s, this and MiniDV were the best recording formats you could get at home before recordable DVD came along. Granted I only had a Digital8 camcorder--but it did allow you to record from other sources to the A/V outputs/inputs (and there were standalone Digital8 decks if you so wanted.)

6. S-VHS - yes there were pre-recorded titles released on this format (as few and far between as they might be), and it was a considerable upgrade over standard VHS (even if you didn't get any more color resolution.) I used to rent LDs from a couple of video stores near me for a while and make an S-VHS recording of the movie to hold on to as it did a pretty good job of duplicating the LD picture (at least on CRTs back then!) Also good for making recordings of PPV boxing and MMA events back in the day. Still have two working S-VHS VCRs in my HT setup and bedroom!

7. VCD - many are saying this is worse than VHS, and I can agree in some respects since I tend to REALLY hate MPEG tiling artifacts. However, the random access and not having to rewind the thing gives it a little bit of an edge over the magnetic tape option. Plus, when you've visited Hong Kong as many times as I have and wanted to grab as many movies as you could (since LDs were still really damn pricey back then), this was the way to go (especially since VHS in Hong Kong was all PAL--LD and VCD were NTSC.) Just had make to sure you bought your movies at HMV or another reputable video store if you wanted to avoid crappy bootlegs.

8. Betamax - granted I didn't start using Betamax until the 2000s, but I can definitely say it IS better than VHS--kind of. It's better if you're making your own recordings, but if you're getting pre-recorded tapes, you're not going to notice any difference between Beta and VHS since just about ALL pre-recorded Betas are in BII speed. Probably also helps that I use two of the best Betamax VCRs out there in the SL-HF750 and the SL-HF2100. I still need to make a Beta vs VHS and SuperBeta Hi-Band vs S-VHS comparison video one of these days.

8. VHS - it was the format that made me a true movie buff since after my family getting one and my dad taking me to this magical place called a "video rental store" almost any movie that I had hoped to see that I read about in books were available to see (and I didn't have to hope that it aired on TV at 2AM or so.) Unfortunately, I didn't learn until much later that how much of a bad quality format it was (until I saw a Dragon's Lair video game spooling off some amazing LD video then seeing a proper LD player doing its thing in a Radio Shack way back when.) Things got a little better when I upgraded to a stereo 4-head VHS VCR, but it wasn't much more than putting lipstick on a pig. You have to give it credit though--it lasted some 30+ years. I don't think any other video format, pro or home, can lay claim to that.

elahrairrah

Post subject: UMD Article in Widescreen Review

Posted: 08 Feb 2020, 00:02

Since I came across it and we have this section now, here's some scans of an article on UMD that I found:

https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fc/06/19/5b9ec11333429265.jpg https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fd/24/74/91faa01333429269.jpg https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5e/c7/4b/bafc8c1333429273.jpg

and a full page ad for them:

https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/22/d8/d8/16f77e1333429261.jpg

If I find any others I'll share those as well.

elahrairrah

Post subject: SJT-400 Review Article

Posted: 19 Mar 2020, 03:59

CED isn't really my thing, but I found this review in an old issue of Video Review magazine I found recently.

Figured those of you who enjoy the format might like it.

https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/97/fd/c7/9dea081337499345.jpg https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d2/15/5b/25a2cd1337499347.jpg

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: What have you been watching?

Posted: 24 Apr 2020, 16:52

That reminds me, I should probably watch the HD-DVD I have of Top Gun before Maverick comes out.

FYI, I used to work on F-14 aircraft when I was in the Navy. One of my instructors at Miramar (back when it was still a Naval Air Station), was a technician in the squadron that worked with the movie crew in Top Gun . Said most of the actors and staff were nice folks to work with, save for Tom Cruise. He was a bit of a prima donna.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: How is S-video on the LD-S2?

Posted: 27 Apr 2020, 20:34

the LD-S2 came out WAY EARLY in the era of internal comb filters and S-Video outputs. In this day and age I can't imagine in any setup where the S-Video out from an LD-S2 would look better.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Are we watching Laserdiscs wrong?

Posted: 11 May 2020, 22:49

Are there that many people not watching LDs in the proper aspect ratio?

I mean, if people look inhumanly wide and circles look like ovals, that should be a dead giveaway to just about ANYONE that your picture isn't right.

I guess I just expect too much sense from people.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: RAREST LASERDISCS and THIER PRICING

Posted: 14 May 2020, 18:16

Prices are always determined by a demand, not just rarity. I mean, I have a number of titles that aren't and probably won't be released on DVD or blu-ray EVER, but they really aren't worth anything.

Titles like Dark Tide

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/23601-23700/thumb/23676.jpg

Night Rhythms

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/05701-05800/thumb/05715.jpg

Disney's DTV titles

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/00501-00600/thumb/00572.jpg https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/00501-00600/thumb/00573.jpg https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/00501-00600/thumb/00574.jpg

The Academy Ratio version of Lady and the Tramp

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/08401-08500/thumb/08440.jpg

The Fighter (AKA: Savate)

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/06901-07000/thumb/06906.jpg

The UFC Laserdiscs (many of the individual fights are available on DVD or UFC's online service, but not the whole show like these)

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/26601-26700/thumb/26630.jpg https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/26701-26800/thumb/26781.jpg https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/26801-26900/thumb/26811.jpg

All of these are more or less "rare" but are they worth much? Not really. I can't imagine these selling for more than $30 each since there aren't that many people clamoring for them.

And there are some titles that aren't really rare at all, like some adult titles I've sold on Ebay that sold for over $100 each via bidding wars when I started the bidding at $15

https://www.lddb.com/cover/ld/25101-25200/thumb/25150.jpg

It all really depends on how much someone wants it really!

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Need help! Pioneer DVL-700 vs DVL-V888

Posted: 03 Jun 2020, 18:17

I've had both models and the DVL-700 is ever so slightly better for LD playback.

Is that slight improvement worth the risk of shipping the players back to and fro? I would say not.

If you feed either player through a decent comb filter, you'll get good results.

Though a hidden plus to the DVL-V888 is that you can decode LD-G on the US model if you have the remote.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: How good is the Pioneer CLD-R7G?

Posted: 29 Jul 2020, 17:35

Had an R7G for many years before selling to pay for repairs to my vehicle at the time. Very good player and one of the LD players where the S-Video output is preferred over the composite output as the NEC comb filter in the R7G is arguably the newest and most advanced in any LD player.

I tried both composite and S-video from the R7G to the Sony KV-40XBR800 CRT I was using at the time. As most know, the 3D comb filter in the later XBR TVs is AMAZING, but even that filter couldn't clean the picture up as good as the comb filter in the R7G. In comparison, I also had a Runco LJR-I LD player and connected that to the XBR via composite, and the XBR filter cleaned up the picture as expected.

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: LD Player Comparison Article in Video Magazine

Posted: 29 Jul 2020, 17:57

Since the picture host I used previously, tinypic, has gone by the wayside, uploaded this article again:

https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/0f/6f/19/7ad0fd1350360273.jpg https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/bf/80/e9/8f74b01350360274.jpg https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9f/2c/d4/0b12891350360277.jpg https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/68/bc/e4/2285c91350360278.jpg https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5e/05/17/0b7d0f1350360282.jpg

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Which player to choose?

Posted: 08 Aug 2020, 17:38

No LD player has component video out. Yes some of the DVD/LD combination players have them, but they don't work for playing LDs (if you try, you'll only get a black and white image at best.)

Only LD players I know of with "an aluminum finish" would be some of the higher end Japanese LD players so if you want something like that, you'll be paying a premium to get one of those. Maybe something like the Japanese CLD-07G would be to your liking (which appears to be a CLD-D703 to my eyes):

https://thumbs2.imagebam.com/7f/e6/81/9b59d71350979564.jpg

I wouldn't go with Sony as with my experience I bought a Sony MDP-A3 LD player new back in 1995 and it went bad in just 3 years. Other people have had better luck and I've ready that some of Sony's MUSE LD players have a very good image, but since you say you don't need a MUSE player . . .

LDs and LD players don't have zones or regions. Only aspect that prevents you from playing an LD from another country is the TV standard. Since both the US and Japan use NTSC any Japanese or US LD player will work for you.

Since you want a later model player for fear of if it having mechanical issues, the one that will fit your need is the CLD-R5 from Japan. That model was among the last models of players being manufactured by Pioneer when they finally ceased production of LD players in 2009. The DVL-919 was among those last manufactured LD players, but adding DVD playback just adds more complexity to the player and more chance of it breaking down.

Good luck!

elahrairrah

Post subject: Re: Which player to choose?

Posted: 09 Aug 2020, 04:39

>elahrairrah: thanks for your precisions and advises.

- How can I manage the 110v if I buy one from Japan (in my country we have 220v)? Could an electrician mod it?
- Any difference between scart and rgb (yellow, then the audio white/red)? Maybe S-Video is better?
- What's the use of the cubic compartiment on the back of most of the Pioneer players (including on CLD-R5)? Is it possible to take it off?

>About Sony players longevity : So I'll pray for having luck since I'll have to buy a Sony because of their smaller depth dimension.
Here are the kind of shape I like (even if it's not aluminium), and without any CD/DVD playback (true, as you say less issues if only LD).
mdp-210 / mdp-212
mdp-315 / mdp-333
mdp-440
mdp-850D
mdp-A1
mdp-K1 (or K15) I love them so much (maybe japanese versions, but I found some sat to 220/240v from Germany).
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Top-Sony-MDP-K15-NTSC-Laserdisc-Player-Karaoke-240V-NTSC-mit-Fernbedienung-LD/402110823832?hash=item5d9fac3d98:g:SQ0AAOSww-deUFJv

Thanks!!
I wouldn't go with the MDP-A1. That's the same family as the one I had, the MDP-A3.

Don't worry about scart or S-Video. 99% of the time, you'll want to use composite output (the yellow connector) from your player as the processing inside the LD player (which is what will happen if you use anything other than the composite output) will not be as good as the the processing in whatever TV or monitor you feed it to.