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Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
https://forum.lddb.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=10222		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  stulddb [ 24 Jan 2022, 12:57 ]
Post subject:  Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
I have in my collection what appear to be 4 sample pressings of Pre-Release Discovision LDs that I think were made before the format became avaiable to the wider public.

They are

Jaws
Slaugter House Five
High Plains Drifter
The Other Side of the Mountain

They are in black pizza box cases and are single sided. They look like they have not been stuck together to form side 1 and side 2.

I was wondering if anyone has further information or stories on LDs like this from this era?
Author:  signofzeta [ 24 Jan 2022, 15:38 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
I think there is a backing plate you need to combine with these to make them thick enough to play…or maybe I’m misremembering that.

Disclord (RIP) knew everything about LD, especially early LD. If you’re into Discovision and such I’d suggest reading everything he wrote here.
Author:  stulddb [ 24 Jan 2022, 16:27 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
Thanks signofzeta,

I do know these discs can be played as they are. They play on my CLD-2950 OK anyway.

I will search for Disclords (RIP) posts
Author:  rein-o [ 24 Jan 2022, 18:57 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
Disclord would have and Blam will know the most about Discovision stuff, I think happy cube may also, he may have disclords collection??

Anyway pics would be great so we can tell what you really have.
Are these PAL by any chance?? Wonder if these are samples from the UK rather than US.
Again pics would be great, its hard to post but worth it for all others to see what these are.
Thx in advance
Author:  stulddb [ 24 Jan 2022, 23:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
Hi rein-o,

This is the fist time i've tried to post photo links.

Here is one for the High Plains Drifter set. The others are very similar. Seem to be dated 1976. I think that Jaws was the first public release in 1978?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hy5JWPMfuCQBe5HM9

I'm interested to hear your opinion.

I am UK based though I think these are NTSC
Author:  je280 [ 26 Jan 2022, 12:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
stulddb wrote:
Hi rein-o,

This is the fist time i've tried to post photo links.

Here is one for the High Plains Drifter set. The others are very similar. Seem to be dated 1976. I think that Jaws was the first public release in 1978?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hy5JWPMfuCQBe5HM9

I'm interested to hear your opinion.

I am UK based though I think these are NTSC


Thanks for posting the pictures, really interesting.

On one of the discs is showing JUL 7 1977 by the looks of it, date of manufacture perhaps?

Great to see these - thanks again.

Cheers :thumbup: .
Author:  happycube [ 26 Jan 2022, 16:37 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
It would make sense that these would play directly on later players, eventually the LD spec supported polycarbonate (CD-like) disks which were usually 8" (LD Singles), but a few 12"s were made by one of the European factories.

Very cool find, BTW :)
Author:  daffodil31le [ 30 Jan 2022, 04:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
These discs can be played on any (NTSC-capable) player. No worries about the thin discs warping, because of the speed required to play them they'll be flat enough... 1800 rpm will do the trick.

I remember these from way back in 1977 or 1978, when we had a large amount of these on loan from (my uncle who worked at) Philips, including a Magnavox player and an NTSC TV, combined with a converter to make it work on our 220V.

The discs on your pictures are not in their original inner sleeves, they were originally in white felt sleeves.
Author:  stulddb [ 11 Feb 2022, 19:15 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
Thanks daffodil31le

Great to hear 1st hand history for this type of disc.
Author:  ratkins [ 31 Mar 2022, 01:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
The black boxes were indeed test discs. Most are single sided before bonding and a few were never released. I have a couple Julia Childs titles as test discs that were never commercially released. Some even have different versions of a movie, like the television cut of High Planes Drifter. If you ever wanted to sell them....
Author:  ratkins [ 31 Mar 2022, 01:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
daffodil31le wrote:
The discs on your pictures are not in their original inner sleeves, they were originally in white felt sleeves.


Actually, they didn't start using the felt inner sleeves until later. The sleeves shown in the pictures are the correct ones.
Author:  blam1 [ 15 Jul 2022, 15:34 ]
Post subject:  Re: Discovision Pre-Release Sample Editions
Hummm.... This is the first I've ever heard of Slaughterhouse Five. Can you take a look at the discs and get the catalog number? For example, Jaws is 0918. I'll add it to my DV web site.

BTW, "High Plains Drifter" is the TV cut of the film - Disclord had a copy of this.
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