I should probably first mention that because I have no clear way to capture footage from my LaserDisc players, there won't be any photo comparisons (sorry) and the photos that are included were taken with a cellphone (hence all the noise).

This is sort of a continuation of the Panasonic LX-600 and LX-900 thread, but I didn't want to hijack it, so I made a new one for the 703.

I'll start with the features. The 703 has a hardwired electrical cord, whereas the 600 has a detachable two-prong plug (like the ones you'd use for a Dreamcast or PS2). The 703 conveniently features both coaxial and TOSLINK S/PDIF, but the 600 only has TOSLINK, which is a pain, because now I'll have to rewire everything for TOSLINK instead. The 703's door is attached to the tray, which always looked kind of cheap to me. I much prefer it when the door actually opens on hinges, like a door. I mostly prefer the look of the 600, but the remote is pretty boring (and lacks a jog mode).

Also, If anyone cares, the front panel display of the 600 is a light blue and the 703 has an orange colored one.

Anyways, on to the PQ part. My biggest gripe with the 703 was its chroma noise, so when I got the 600, I checked the color bars at the end of the disc first. Normally, what I've come to expect from this pattern is (starting from the far right and going left) that I'd see a little noise in blue, the most noise in red, and then each bar after that gets progressively less noisy. However, with the 603, red doesn't have as prominent of those rolling dark red bars and it stops getting nosier after magenta and green through that white/gray color at the end have about the same level of noise (though that's not to say those colors are 100% clean, though they do look that way at seating distance (which for me is about 6' from a 42" screen). Also, on the 703, the borders of (I'm writing this based on memory, so forgive me if I get the exact borders confused) yellow/cyan and green/magenta have these sort of "running lines" (They kind of look like aliasing, but they're not. If you've seen them, you should know what I'm talking about), but I no longer see them on the yellow/cyan border (and they're slightly reduced on green/magenta). On the S&W pattern, the red bar at the bottom right was definitely less noisy on the 600 than the 703 and the colored squares at the top two corners didn't smear as much as they do on the 703. Unfortunately, on that pattern (I presume it's for luminance response) just right of the moving "zone plate," there are slight lines to the right of it (I'll call it an outline, hopefully you get what I mean) on the 703 and those "outlines" are more prominent on the 600. Also, on the sharpness pattern, the outlines of those four lines protruding from the main circle are more prominent on the 600 than the 703. I checked the resolution pattern again again (the one with the four white/black designs, I think they're right after the color bars) on both players and they looked the exact same to me at least.

I should also probably mention, that while I don't care for most of the gimmicky-seeming features on the 703 (like the still-mode with sound type of things), they are mostly missing from the 600. There's also no adjustable NR on the 600 like on the 703.

The 600 I got is mostly functioning (which is why I carried on with the "comparison"), but it does seem to have some problems. For example, whenever I turn it on, it automatically tries to "CLOSE" (though after I presume it realizes that closing a closed door doesn't make any sense, it stops). It does this weird thing when I fast forward or rewind where it thinks it's a rainbow VCR.

And when I was watching the VE montage, the brightness would occasional slightly waver really fast. It was subtle to the point where I'm not 100% sure it's even happening, but I'm pretty sure it is since I wasn't expecting it at all and it happened a few times.

All in all, it was pretty close, but I think I prefer the 600 over the 703

I'll be putting my 703 up on eBay in a few days. If anyone wants me to try something in particular or wants to buy a 703 that was AC-3 modded and serviced by Duncan, send me a PM before then. I eBay-ed it.

Also, I've quick question for anyone who can answer it, If you turn off the color on your TV, would you stop seeing chroma noise?

EDIT: The 600 has decent feet, but there are only two in the front (the thing sort of goes convex at the back) and they don't screw on like Pioneer players do.

EDIT: I should also mention what my system chain for video was like... the two LD players > Panasonic DMR-E20 > iScan HD > TC-L42U30

What are you feeding the video out of the 600 into before your television? I ask because that brightness fluctuation - its actually chroma fluctuating, the 900 let's you turn off the color and it isn't present in b/w - anyway, both of my 900's do that when input through my Panasonic DVD-Recorder to use its comb filter. The 900 has jitter just before the color burst, which The Perfect Vision noted in their Runco review and since the 600 uses most of the same digital processing, it's probably the same. Anyway, only my Panasonic recorder doesn't like the signal - direct composite into my TV and receiver and into my PC's capture card doesn't exhibit that effect at all. And with the Panasonic, it only seems to do it on some discs. Since only my Panasonic is affected, I don't consider it a big deal, especially considering the picture quality.

Was the scanning quality pic a CLV or CAV disc? If CLV it could just be interaction wi the way the 600 scans and your television. The Close upon power on could be the way that unit works - I wish there was another 600 owner on the boards.

Duncan does excellent work on Panasonic LaserDisc players, as long as it doesn't need any parts beyond a loading belt - so if everything like the digital out works fine and stuff, you might consider sending it to him for full alignment, cleaning and lubrication of the U turn system. As I've said, I was floored by the improvements it made to my player - having AC-3 added on it was nice too.

On standard CD's I prefer the sound of the MASH converters Panasonic used to more modern ones. I know there should be no real difference, but I prefer them - placebo effect I guess.

Pretty amazing that a mid-line Panasonic, that we don't know is aligned perfectly, beat out the 703.

BTW, does the 600 have better color detail and saturation than the 703? I ask because the 900's color quality is just stunning - and super saturated without being overdriven and 'flickery' like reds can get when the color level is set too high.

Regarding the ringing on the sharpness pattern, what do you have your televisions sharpness set at? The 900 is a super sharp player and doesn't need the same sharpness settings as my other players, so the 600 might be similar - that's if you have the sharpness up at all.

Yes, if you turn off the color, chroma noise goes away.

Aw, man. I am using a Panasonic (the Panasonic DMR-E20). Is there something that can go between the two that'll fix the jitter? Or should I just get out another recorder for discs the Panasonic doesn't like? What do you do?

The picture is from the VE montage. It's the part where the couple are on the beach and the camera pans out.

Yeah, I'm hoping I can get coaxial added as well.

The colors were much crisper and vibrant when I actually sat back in my couch. Though I've only sat back and watched the VE montage on it. Most of the time I was comparing them, I was standing with my face a foot from the screen. I haven't watched any movies on it yet, but judging by the VE montage, I'm expecting the colors to be much better. I feel pretty silly for spending so much money on the 703 (counting one broken player and getting the second one serviced and modified, I probably spent something like 600) when I could've just gotten a Panasonic.

Also, I probably should've noted this up at the top, but my copy of VE is a former library copy (is it normal for a library to have calibration discs?) and pretty scratched up.

First off, how's the side changing speed compared to the 703? The Pamasonic auto reverse syste, is simpler than Pioneers and more robust. For many years Panasonic's were the fastest side changers at about 11 seconds.

I too am using a DMR-E20 recorder as a comb filter - I have my DVL-700, LD-1100 and Sony LDP-180P Lasermax, which is a Pioneer LD-700 consumer model actually manufactured by Sony industrial with higher quality components - its the only player I've ever seen from Pioneer OEM'd and built by another company for their own use. All 3 players go through a switch box to the Video 1 input of the Panasonic and my two LX-900's extra composite outputs go to another JVC pasive switcher to the other back Input 3. The digital Toslink outputs from the DVL-700 and LX-900's are switched by my Sony SDP-EP9ES AC-3 demodulator. When I get the EAD TheaterVision at the end of the week I plan to route the AC-3 RF outputs from each player to a passive Radio Shack switcher with its single output going to the RF input on te Sony. The Sony's coax digital output goes to my Denon receiver for all decoding chores.

The main composite outputs of the LX-900's go into the two inputs my Toshiba TV has - it also has an excellent 3D comb filter. The Y/C 'S-Video' outputs go directly into the Denon receiver.

With that out of the way (it sounds more complex than it really is) when playing the LX-900's into the Panasonic, the flashing occurs mostly on discs that are poor pressings, have mild rot or are generally defective in some way. Almost as if the TBC and Velocity Correction is happening faster than the auto level circuits in the Panasonic can adapt to the signal. Going straight into the TV using its comb filter or into the Denon using the 3-line Logical comb filter in the player, there is no flashing at all. In fact, with later Super NTSC pressings, like The Fifth Element, the S-video output from the player produces the sharpest, most colorful image with the fewest artifacts since Super NTSC signals are already pre-combed to eliminate artifacts. So, for older discs, I use the component directly to my TV - for late era discs, I use the Panasonic's comb filter due to its excellent chroma and Luma resolution and lack of artifacts on those specific discs. The input to the DVD recorder I just don't use anymore since the comb filter in the TV is so good - my recorder in my Sony Vaio PC has an excellent 3D filter too and there is no flashing so I make all my recordings there now. all my other sources work fie into the Panasonic recorder.

I don't know what kind of comb filter the 600 uses, but I would give it a try on discs made from about 1993/4 onward. I assume it's not too different than the 900's.

Do you have another recorder with a good comb filter? If so, which is it and let me know how it performs with the 600 - I've been wanting anotjer DVD recorder with a 3D comb that the 900 works well with.

The EAD TheaterVision will be here Friday, so it will be interesting to compare them since the comb filter in the EAD is 3D, although NEC's first generation model.

It's a shame no company built a player without digital CLV FX with a remote that had a jog dial - they only gave them shuttle dials and a jog would be great. The new 900 I got came with the jog dial remote, but it doesn't work, otherwise I would offer it to you to see if the jog function worked on CAV discs or the 'retro' function that turns off the color for B/W films, which is wonderful.

BTW, MSB still has the gold remote overlays in case you want to get ome from them to dress up your remote and make it look like the 5 grand MSB Gold LS-1 that I sent you pics of.

I have a little Radio Shack box that converts Toslink to Coax and the reverse - it cost 20 bucks and performs perfectly so you should try one of those to have a coax output on your player. If you decide to upgrade to the 900 in the future - and the digital field noise reduction is worth it - the 900 was also sold under the Quasar name as the LD700 and is exactly the same in every way, only with Quasar in place of Panasonic on the door.

The 600 and 900 Panasonics were really underrated players - yet they perform superbly. I feel really lucky to own two, and you got a deal on yours even if you have to spend a little bit with Duncan. The AC-3 upgrade and everything else he did were less than $140 and worth every penny.

Sorry to run so long in my reply. I'm watching 'The Haunting Of Sara Harding' LaserDisc and I'll stop writing, watch a bit, then go back to writing and didn't realize how long the reply was getting.

I took notice of the power on cycle of my 900's and they both display 'close' before cycling to ready state. So it's normal for your 600.

That's another thing that made me think the 600 wasn't in perfect working order. The side change was about 3 seconds longer with the 600 than the 703.

I also have a DRC8335, so I'll try that and I'll test the 600's comb filter once I get around to setting up my system for TOSLINK.

Oh! Do you have a link to the gold overlays?

No, you have to email the CEO of MSB, his contact info is on the MSB site. The overlays are cool looking, aren't they? They have the Runco LJR remote overlays too, but it's only for the 900's remote which has a different layout. If you want one for your 600 contact him and let him know - they are all in storage and will be retrieved when MSB moves to a bigger warehouse in a month or so. They also still have the video board that makes the 900 into the Runco THX model.

Which brand is the DRC recorder and how much are they now? Let me know it's zone plate performance, especially on the diagonal patches at the top of the pattern.

Side change on my 2 900's is about 11 seconds.

Well this is good that LX-600 performs well against one of the more highly touted Pioneer models. I might snatch up that LX-600 that is still available. Wonder if the LX-900 remote works for the 600 since the one I'm getting doesn't have a remote.

It's major functions would probably work - I say that because I have one LX-900 remote that doesn't fully work and another from one of the lower model number players and it operates the 900 just fine, replacing those functions on the 900's remote that doesn't work.

I use my other, fully working, 900 remote for both of my 900 players - I just which there was a way to change the code so they both didn't respond. Tape over the IR port is my current work around.

I see the LX-600 that was on eBay with remote for $179 has sold.

I just tried the 600's comb filter and I was impressed given how old it is and how awful the 703's is, but it's still not that great.

On the color bars, the amount of interference between the bars is really noticeable. On the "400" square on the S&W pattern, it's just a desaturated square of rainbows. The various tiny colored blocks on the top two corners were full of lines. However, on the moving zone plate, it performed almost as well on movement as the DMR-E20 does, but it doesn't improve much at all on stills. Also, the "300" square looks really great. There are faint transparent rainbows, but from a distance it looks totally clear.

I'll try the RCA DRC8335 with the 600 tomorrow (I already know it's not as good as the DMR-E20, but hopefully it doesn't have that brightness problem).

EDIT: So, I tried it. It seemed alright until I got to the S&W pattern and the 1.5 red/teal bars at the bottom didn't have any teal. They were red and gray bars. I should also mention that on the 600's comb filter I can't tell how much teal is there because there are so many lines and the pattern on the DMR-E20 has teal but it's desaturated and a bit noisy. I tried my TV again ( I don't think I've tried my TV's comb filter since I was using a Marrantz LV-510) and It's actually incredibly good. It features zero rainbowing on either the 300 or 400 squares, no rainbowing in the slightest on stills and only slight rainbows on movement. Unfortunately, it's unusable because the TV overscans and its scaling is trash.

EDIT: I just tried the Samsung DVD-R135 and it's also no good. It's only a 2d comb filter, but it has decent zone plate performance (albeit unchanging). However, The 1.0 and 1.5 bars are incredibly desaturated and the player introduces a bit of what looks like luma noise. So at this point I'm about out of new comb filters to try (that I can use with my iScan HD), any suggestions?