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Wait, so:

1. am i understanding that a PAL+ squeeze laserdisc requires an external decoder to actually be displayed at 16x9?
2. on the list, there are "SQZ PAL+" and "SQZ PAL", are those all actually PAL+ that require a decoder, or are there legit "regular PAL squeeze" LDs?
(it's confusing because STW1 says PAL+ but STW3 says PAL)

am i understanding that a PAL+ squeeze laserdisc requires an external decoder to actually be displayed at 16x9?

9954tony wrote:

am i understanding that a PAL+ squeeze laserdisc requires an external decoder to actually be displayed at 16x9?

It does require a compatible TV set but was there ever a stand-alone PAL+ decoder available?

Julien

Actually, i have write a post about a Pal+ standalone decoder : https://www.journaldulapin.com/2017/03/03/the-palplus-and-the-laserdisc/

Are these worth it? Compared to STANDARD NTSC releases?

There are very few PAL titles worthwhile importing and there are only 3 PAL+ titles.

xtempo wrote:

Are these worth it? Compared to STANDARD NTSC releases?

Other than to satisfy your experimental nature and curiosity, I would say no.

These external decoders are likely to degrade picture for modern equipment. They all seem cheaply made.

Unless you are in Europe and you can get these really cheaply, PAL playback capability is really not worth the cost. There are very few PAL titles worthwhile importing and there are only 3 PAL+ titles.

So earlier in the thread, i asked 2 questions, and it seems #1 has been thoroughly answered, but as for #2...

On this list:
https://www.lddb.com/list.php?format=ld ... video,desc

There are "SQZ PAL+" and "SQZ PAL", are those all actually "SQZ PAL+" that require decoding? Or are there legit "regular PAL squeeze" LDs?

If they are all "SQZ PAL+" then it seems the LDDB should be updated to change those from "PAL" to "PAL+", but i don't know how that is done.

Secondly, I bought the "Mikrocosmos" PAL+ disc having no idea it needed a decoder. It wasn't that expensive, so it isn't a big deal, but it would have been helpful to me when looking at LDDB if the "PAL+" discs had a "Disclaimer: requires compatible decoder (TV or external)", or something of the like.

I realize that second one may be seen as superfluous because 98% of the people looking at PAL+ discs may already know that, so i defer...

dandu wrote:

Actually, i have write a post about a Pal+ standalone decoder : https://www.journaldulapin.com/2017/03/03/the-palplus-and-the-laserdisc/

The screencaps don't look quite right. You didn't resize these, did you?

I've got Basic Instinct, Cliffhanger, Stargate, Fugitive, Free Willy, Grumpy Old Men and T2. Looking for Showgirls and Unforgiven.

Author:	9954tony [ 26 Nov 2019, 03:22 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
Wait, so: 1. am i understanding that a PAL+ squeeze laserdisc requires an external decoder to actually be displayed at 16x9? 2. on the list, there are "SQZ PAL+" and "SQZ PAL", are those all actually PAL+ that require a decoder, or are there legit "regular PAL squeeze" LDs? (it's confusing because STW1 says PAL+ but STW3 says PAL)

Author:	signofzeta [ 26 Nov 2019, 03:28 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
I know that “Who cares?” isn’t a very helpful answer but it was the only one I could think of. Nearly every PAL squeeze title is a demo disc

Author:	svwees [ 26 Nov 2019, 04:14 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
9954tony wrote: Wait, so: 1. am i understanding that a PAL+ squeeze laserdisc requires an external decoder to actually be displayed at 16x9? 2. on the list, there are "SQZ PAL+" and "SQZ PAL", are those all actually PAL+ that require a decoder, or are there legit "regular PAL squeeze" LDs? (it's confusing because STW1 says PAL+ but STW3 says PAL) PAL+ needs the decoder to rebuild the invisible lines to an anamorphic 4:3 sqeeuze format that then will be stretched to 16:9. It (or the decoder) gives a signal or voltage difference to 'set' the image on your 16:9 TV to 16:9. But like i said on the 1st page, the quality difference between just zooming the double letterboxed image or going through the decoder is not that much. With a 'normal' squeeze disc the difference would be more noticable. But i guess all PAL squeeze discs were PAL+ to keep them compatible with 4:3 TV's. Correct me if i am wrong. There were also TV PAL+ broadcasts during that time. It was a thing back then. Not a huge thing, but in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany it was.

Author:	substance [ 26 Nov 2019, 04:46 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
I have a couple of PAL+ titles. They look the same as any letterboxed disc without the decoder. I don’t have the decoder, never seen the unfolded picture. AFAIK, PAL+ was built into some TVs, not standalone decoders. NTSC SQZ titles look very good. I prefer them over their Hi-Vision counterparts. But the best picture out of LD is TV shows like Star Trek or X-Files in 4:3 ratio. I once compared Babylon 5 LDs to DVD which are anamorphic widescreen. They were really really close.

Author:	admin [ 26 Nov 2019, 05:20 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
9954tony wrote: am i understanding that a PAL+ squeeze laserdisc requires an external decoder to actually be displayed at 16x9? It does require a compatible TV set but was there ever a stand-alone PAL+ decoder available? Julien

LaserDisc Database https://forum.lddb.com/

Squeeze LD https://forum.lddb.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=153	Page 6 of 7

Author:	9954tony [ 26 Nov 2019, 05:34 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
There is this link on the main menu of lddb.com (catalog - anamorphic LDs) that I forgot to mention in my other post: https://www.lddb.com/list.php?format=ld ... video,desc On that list, some of the titles are listed as "PAL" and some as "PAL+", but what i am getting from you guys, is that they are all actually "PAL+"? If they are in fact "PAL+", the records should probably be updated. I think they are interesting. I bought " Mikrokosmos - Das Volk der Gräser" because i thought they worked like the NTSC squeeze titles. My NTSC "test disc for widescreen tv" looks pretty amazing, especially the girl putting on the makeup. I was interested in seeing what a "true" PAL squeeze looked like for comparison, if such a thing existed (e.g. not one that requires a decoder, but the PAL equivalent of the NTSC squeeze).

Author:	9954tony [ 26 Nov 2019, 05:40 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
p.s. in this thread: Has anyone ever gotten a PAL+ decoder to properly function? the conversation implied to me that there was an external pal+ decoder. and i found this: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 3-175-8508

Author:	svwees [ 26 Nov 2019, 13:12 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
admin wrote: 9954tony wrote: am i understanding that a PAL+ squeeze laserdisc requires an external decoder to actually be displayed at 16x9? It does require a compatible TV set but was there ever a stand-alone PAL+ decoder available? Julien No standalone? In post on the first page plus also on this page i said i used a decoder (standalone, in this case the Sony TVD-200 like this one https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 3-175-8508) and said that in my case the reconstructed image was even a bit softer than if i didn't use the decoder and just zoomed the letterboxed image. When using the decoder it sends a signal to your tv so it switches to widescreen mode. I have a 16:9 CRT and that workes fine.

Author:	dandu [ 26 Nov 2019, 16:27 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
Actually, i have write a post about a Pal+ standalone decoder : https://www.journaldulapin.com/2017/03/03/the-palplus-and-the-laserdisc/

Author:	takeshi666 [ 26 Nov 2019, 20:55 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
dandu wrote: Actually, i have write a post about a Pal+ standalone decoder : https://www.journaldulapin.com/2017/03/03/the-palplus-and-the-laserdisc/ The screencaps don't look quite right. You didn't resize these, did you?

Author:	xtempo [ 27 Nov 2019, 13:17 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
Are these worth it? Compared to STANDARD NTSC releases?

Author:	substance [ 27 Nov 2019, 15:32 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
xtempo wrote: Are these worth it? Compared to STANDARD NTSC releases? Other than to satisfy your experimental nature and curiosity, I would say no. These external decoders are likely to degrade picture for modern equipment. They all seem cheaply made. Unless you are in Europe and you can get these really cheaply, PAL playback capability is really not worth the cost. There are very few PAL titles worthwhile importing and there are only 3 PAL+ titles.

Author:	rein-o [ 27 Nov 2019, 16:41 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
substance wrote: There are very few PAL titles worthwhile importing and there are only 3 PAL+ titles. I remember back in the day when it was easier to find PAL players, I was thinking of picking up a player due to Damnation Alley. This was before any release of Bluray or DVD. But the few things that stopped me were: 1 the film was cropped 2 the cost for the single film 3 lucky for me it popped up on some cable channel at the time and I couldn't believe how bad it really was. So I opted to pickup the book, enjoy it and sell it off. Now I think there is NO need to own a PAL player other than to watch Star Wars but that is on so many other formats that you can just collect the versions and enjoy one master version on whatever format you prefer.

Author:	xtempo [ 27 Nov 2019, 19:38 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
substance wrote: xtempo wrote: Are these worth it? Compared to STANDARD NTSC releases? Other than to satisfy your experimental nature and curiosity, I would say no. These external decoders are likely to degrade picture for modern equipment. They all seem cheaply made. Unless you are in Europe and you can get these really cheaply, PAL playback capability is really not worth the cost. There are very few PAL titles worthwhile importing and there are only 3 PAL+ titles. if this list is complete then the demo discs are the only reason to get into it but still it is kinda of pointless.

Author:	therussian [ 05 Aug 2021, 10:57 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
Have now three Squeeze discs in the collection. Terminator 2 Basic Instinct Tahiti I just sold Showgirls to a fellow LDDB member. My first ever sale through the LDDB store. Also used to own Cliffhanger. Hoping to eventually get Stargate.

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Author:	9954tony [ 27 Nov 2019, 19:40 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
So earlier in the thread, i asked 2 questions, and it seems #1 has been thoroughly answered, but as for #2... On this list: https://www.lddb.com/list.php?format=ld ... video,desc There are "SQZ PAL+" and "SQZ PAL", are those all actually "SQZ PAL+" that require decoding? Or are there legit "regular PAL squeeze" LDs? If they are all "SQZ PAL+" then it seems the LDDB should be updated to change those from "PAL" to "PAL+", but i don't know how that is done. Secondly, I bought the "Mikrocosmos" PAL+ disc having no idea it needed a decoder. It wasn't that expensive, so it isn't a big deal, but it would have been helpful to me when looking at LDDB if the "PAL+" discs had a "Disclaimer: requires compatible decoder (TV or external)", or something of the like. I realize that second one may be seen as superfluous because 98% of the people looking at PAL+ discs may already know that, so i defer...

Author:	substance [ 27 Nov 2019, 19:55 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
9954tony wrote: So earlier in the thread, i asked 2 questions, and it seems #1 has been thoroughly answered, but as for #2... On this list: https://www.lddb.com/list.php?format=ld ... video,desc There are "SQZ PAL+" and "SQZ PAL", are those all actually "SQZ PAL+" that require decoding? Or are there legit "regular PAL squeeze" LDs? If they are all "SQZ PAL+" then it seems the LDDB should be updated to change those from "PAL" to "PAL+", but i don't know how that is done. Secondly, I bought the "Mikrocosmos" PAL+ disc having no idea it needed a decoder. It wasn't that expensive, so it isn't a big deal, but it would have been helpful to me when looking at LDDB if the "PAL+" discs had a "Disclaimer: requires compatible decoder (TV or external)", or something of the like. I realize that second one may be seen as superfluous because 98% of the people looking at PAL+ discs may already know that, so i defer... Sorry. I don’t own any of those PAL SQZ titles.

Author:	dandu [ 28 Nov 2019, 12:41 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
takeshi666 wrote: dandu wrote: Actually, i have write a post about a Pal+ standalone decoder : https://www.journaldulapin.com/2017/03/03/the-palplus-and-the-laserdisc/ The screencaps don't look quite right. You didn't resize these, did you? It's direct from my acquisition card (not the best model.

Author:	chente [ 06 Dec 2021, 07:00 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
I've got Basic Instinct, Cliffhanger, Stargate, Fugitive, Free Willy, Grumpy Old Men and T2. Looking for Showgirls and Unforgiven.

Author:	laserfanhld-gb [ 06 Dec 2021, 10:10 ]
Post subject:	Re: Squeeze LD
chente wrote: I've got Basic Instinct, Cliffhanger, Stargate, Fugitive, Free Willy, Grumpy Old Men and T2. Looking for Showgirls and Unforgiven. How does Free Willy look, is it a decent transfer? seen reviews/comments about most of the others but not that one.