Some models have locking screws to prevent damage during shipping. If I remember correctly the NAD-5900 had TWO lock-down screws.

STAY AWESOME!

My first player was a refurbished Pioneer CLD-97 (currently at a repair shop) that I bought in 1994, from the now defunct Dave's Video in Studio City, CA. (I couldn't afford to buy a new one back then.) My second LD player is a Pioneer CLD-D704, which I bought off of Ebay in 2006 as a back up player.

My first player was a Magnavox CDV-474. Didn't realize how soft the picture was until I got a CDV-488 to replace it. Cannot recommend the 474 as it was the old school single D/A switching R/L and the picture looks out of focus compared to anything else today. It was actually a Yamaha built player.

My first player was a Pioneer CLD-1950 that I bought new Antwerp September 1993

After 1.5 year I upgraded it with an AC-3 rf output and a Sony rf-d1 demodulator
I remember Clear and Present Danger being released as the first AC-3 laserdisc.
When I first heard the 5.1 soundtrack in the shop and was thrilled to get home ASAP with my new modified cld-1950 player. Never had the pleasure of feeling that surrounded again. It was breathtaking in those days.
All equipment still up and running until this day

These days I use the Pioneer cld-d925 combined with a lexicon LDD-1 demodulator for easy switching between soundtracks
This way I only use one coaxial digital in on my Amplifier

Back up players are all cld-d925 machines now.

First player was earlier this year, a Pioneer CLD-3070 that I purchased off Craigslist for $75 along with 30 discs. I was a little disappointed with the picture quality at first as it looked a lot closer to VHS than DVD, but this was before I did any research about the format. I was definitely impressed with the sound quality, especially with DTS discs. I've upgraded to the CLD-704 (after the CLD-59 I bought from E-bay arrived DOA) since then and couldn't be happier. I have no real desire to upgrade again until I get some sort of huge bonus or raise, in which case I'll immediately invest in an HLD-X0.

My first player was a Philips CDV496, bought in 1991 for 120euro (new & boxed during the sales as CDV did not sell)
My dad's first player was a Philips CDV 475, bought in 1988 (still know he bought it for 50euro as it didn't play any disc at all - cleaning the optical lenses did a miracle )

My first disc was Eurythmics: Live in Australia (080 220-1), 30 euro back in 1989

Both Philips players (PAL only) are very bad compared to Pioneer (picture noise, drop correction, ...),
where the CDV475 is really the worst player I have ever seen ...
Also these players do not support the Pioneer introduced CAA format (only CLV and CAV),

Changed to Pioneer CLD-1950 at the end of 1994 (PAL/NTSC) - still owning this one though, it's a correct player -
Currently using CLD-D925 which is perfect for me as I own a mix of PAL music discs and NTSC discs

My first player was a Pioneer CLD-D406 low end machine bought in the late 90's to go with my 32" Sony CRT TV.
Worked fine, never let down, still have it boxed in storage. Was replaced by the DVL-909 I bought refurbed a few years later. The Sony TV is long gone (given away - still working). What a beast to move. The convergence was out in the corners a bit and that drove me crazy.

There have been so many. Very first was the Pioneer LD-660. I have owned the following:

Pioneer:
PR-7820 (total of 7 - currently 5)
VP-1000 (total of 5 - currently 3)
LD-660 (total of 2 - currently 1)
LD-1100
PR-8210
CLD-3030 (total of 3 - currently 1)
CLD-909
CLD-1010
CLD-D703
DVL-919 (1 US, 1 Japan)
DVL-919E (2)
LD-W1 (total of 2 - currently 1)
LD-V1000 (total of 4 - currently 2)
LD-V6010A
LD-V8000 (2)

Magnavox:
VC-8000
VC-8010

Sylvania:
VP-7200 (total of 2 - currently 1)

I think that's all of them...

My first player was a Pioneer CLD-D704 which I purchased in February 2010 on eBay. I had to buy it online from the U.S, and have it shipped to Canada, which cost a bit. I'm probably the only person in my area with one, as I don't think they ever sold them here.

TWO LD-V8000s!?! Cool. I have one, and it's a great machine. Heavy, but great. lol. It has (I believe) the fastest seek time of any LD player, and the best frame buffer too. I never have unsteady frames when I pause. It's always rock-steady solid. The only down side is the weight. I bought mine from someone on eBay, so I had to pay something like $80 to ship it. That was several years ago. Mine was pulled out of a full size flight simulator.

I have it set for LD-ROM 2s as the default, although I don't have any LD-ROM or LD-ROM 2 discs. Maybe someday.

STAY AWESOME!

wow!
i guess my father was WAY ahead of the game.
he bought our first player back in 1989 pioneer CLD-3070

great player that he still has, but since i have the collection of discs i'm trying to get him to sell it.

My first was an NAD-5900 which I bought in 1984. I actually came close to buying a player in 1978 (I live in a test market), but I had just spent $1,500 for RCA's top-of-the-line VHS VCR, so I was broke.

STAY AWESOME!

My first LaserDisc player was a Pioneer CLD S360 that I purchased in Japan 1993 or 1994. Still own the machine and it still works but needs the door fixed ... doesn't want to open sometime. It seen hard use for the first 18 months I owned it (Rentals) ... then it sat around (with extremely rare use) for 15 years. I believe that I damaged the door opening mechanism some 14 or so years ago ... the LD player use to sit in a stereo shelf with a glass door ... every once in a while I would hit the open button and forget to open the glass door.

I know own four other working players so the unit is back in caretaker status ... until I take the time to get the door fixed.

yes you do beat mine, didn't really read all of them that close

anyway glad that there is this form for people.

you bought some great stuff when it came out

And I was always broke because of it. lol.

STAY AWESOME!

My first player was a CLD-V2120D which I bought around a year ago. I think it's dated 1995. It's a pretty basic player, single side play, no AC3 or digital frame freeze but it works like a charm. I got it for the princely sum of 1p (less than 2 US cents) plus £17 postage and it's been a great introduction to the format.

I'm currently repairing a broken DVL-919E from 1998 which appears to have been through a few traumas in its life but I reckon I can get it working as good as new. If I can't then it's not really too big a problem as it was being sold as broken so was again very cheap!

Once the DVL is fixed I'll probably be looking to re-home the CLD as my better half can barely stand having one of "those things" in the house let a lone two!

If I get the DVL working I don't really see myself getting a new player in the future until it is finally beyond repair. I'd love to get an Elite or HLD but I think I'd have to win the lottery first.

The Sony MDP-A3 that I had was the opposite of the portcullis door that your model had. The door would drop down and the tray would slide out. But other than that, it was total crap.

My very first one is my beloved CLD-D99, purchased in 2006. It is a working horse so far so good.

My first player was a Pioneer CLD-702, which I bought refurbished from Ross' Exchange in San Diego. Great, rock solid player that I used consistently for about 8 years. I ultimately sold it to a friend when I got my first CLD-704 and got my demodulator set up.