Hello all.

I've got my eyes on a Pioneer CLD-1950 LaserDisc player, but I'm getting conflicting answers as to whether it will play older PAL discs with analogue sound (I'm in the UK). Some say it will, some say it won't. Can anyone give a definitive answer to save disappointment if I spend out? A lot of my discs are BBC titles from the early 80s. Thanks!

Hi,

Not the definitive answer you seek but one would have thought it should be capable of retrieving analog audio at least from a PAL LD as it's both sides play CLD-2950 brother did. Interestingly I found a copy of a 1996 price list from a UK company (Videotec) that back in the mid 90s offered various mods/upgrades on the Pioneer players made for our European market. Along with upgrades for AC3 & coaxial digital outs disc tray illumination etc. They offered restoration of analog output on CLD-1850 & 2850 the previous models to the newer 1950 & 2950, this list does not show this mod as available on the latter machines suggesting Pioneer had perhaps listened to the reviewers criticisms of its omission on the former players and made it available again, my first player was a 2950 and that did support analog audio, at least on PAL LDs.

Btw, if this is the machine that is currently offered on eBay I'd have to admit it does look like a rather nice proposition