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LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
https://forum.lddb.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=5800		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  je280 [ 18 Nov 2015, 22:57 ]
Post subject:  LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
I have quite a few laserdiscs with the LD-G logo on them, mostly F-1 discs, but do not have the equipment to access the feature.

LD-G enabled players & the LD-G decoders are not that plentiful here in the UK & when they do crop up they can be rather pricey. The LD-G players listed here in the UK are usually the same ones listed by the same seller every few months, all a bit overpriced in my opinion.

Is it worth going after an LD player that is LD-G enabled or a decoder perhaps.

Not really sure if it is worth the expense so - if I went down the LD-G route what is the information that is on said LD-G discs..... can someone please advise?
Author:  samaron [ 18 Nov 2015, 23:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
It basically adds subtitles, kind of like CC and Teletext. Not sure if all discs even have English subtitles in that format. I paid 40 USD without shipping for my LG-1 unit from Japan. I got it because for me half the fun with laserdisc are the gadgets available. Hardly ever use it, though. The only time I'd use it is with Japanese movies, prefer to watch things in the original language with subtitles instead of dubs. Most movies are however in English.

I would say it really isn't necessary to get. I know some people prefer to have subtitles on eventhough they understand the language.
Author:  confederate [ 18 Nov 2015, 23:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
The database says there is a total of 120 titles with LD-G captioning. Do you really think it is worth it ? I don't.
Author:  elahrairrah [ 19 Nov 2015, 00:12 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Not really.

Unless you absolutely HATE seeing the Japanese subtitles on some Japanese discs, as I've found that the LD-G subtitles/captions tends to try to cover them up (but then you have English subtitles on your screen.)

otherwise, it's just a novelty.

I had CLD-R7G (which has LD-G capabilities) for nearly 10 years and I think I turned on the Graphics from a Japanese LD 3 or 4 times? Really not worth importing a player or decoder for that kind of thing.
Author:  happycube [ 19 Nov 2015, 05:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Keep an eye out for a cheap later Pioneer CD-G Karaoke player or DVL-V888, they do LD-G and aren't always terribly expensive.
Author:  substance [ 19 Nov 2015, 06:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
There is only 2 titles with Japanese language and English LD-G, all other are English audio. My LD-G decoder introduced noise so I removed it from my setup.
Author:  samaron [ 19 Nov 2015, 10:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Forgot to mention that the LG-1 LD-G decoder is the only seperate one. Another bad thing with it, is the fact that it only has composite video. Which gives poor quality video in general. At least for me, it is a lot of ranbow colors in the picture. All other LD-G decoders are built into players. I'd suggest getting a player instead of the decoder so you get s-video output.
Author:  audioboyz1973 [ 20 Nov 2015, 04:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
I have a built in decoder, and hoped it would be a work-around for the LD of Star Wars Ep1 where the alien languages are hard subtitled in Japanese (of course).

Unfortunately whoever did the English subtitles for LD-G was very lazy IMO and all the English dialogue is LD-G subtitled but they didn't bother getting the English translations for the alien dialogue so no English subtitles for those!!!
Author:  lons_vex [ 20 Nov 2015, 10:13 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
I have an LG-1 since a decade or so, and have maybe used it 5 times.
So is it worth it? Nope.
Is it a nice gadget to have? Maybe.
Could I have purchased something more intelligent with the money? Probably.
Author:  je280 [ 20 Nov 2015, 16:13 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Thanks for that & will avoid the LD-G decoders then.

I was thinking of getting an LD-G player mainly for the Japanese Formula One discs as the subtitles are in English I believe (although on F1 LAST RUN AT SUZUKA it has the subs in Japanese I think) & was just curious to check them out - got a few other LD-G discs so might be a bit of fun to see them in action.

I may get a player if one turns up fairly cheap but not that many here in the UK.

I can see me getting a player, using it a few times for the LD-G feature then it sitting not being used or selling it on fairly promptly - will take on the tip & look out for a cheap (if one turns up) karaoke unit as the picture quality would not be an issue, it would just be used to access the LD-G function.

Cheers all.
Author:  ertoili [ 25 Nov 2015, 02:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
i have one of these karaoke players
LD-G is useless for me,.......
Author:  takou [ 06 Dec 2015, 09:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
CC are meant for "deaf and hard of hearing" english speaking people.
But for all those (like myself) with another mother tongue as english, it has always been a wonderful tool to fully understand
the movies I was watching. Just think "Nicolas Cage" and you'll know why a CC signal was important to me.

I have both CC and LD-G decoder hooked up to my HLD-X9.
On some Japanese LD release, I get both signals on the screen (CC / LD-G) and I have to stop one (generaly CC) to
be able to enjoy a proper captioning of the movie.

But, and here's the catch, some Japanese release have LD-G only, no CC.
For those few movies, my LD-G decoder is usefull.

Examples of LD-G only LD's that comes to mind:

Star Wars Trilogy Definitve Collection
Terminator 2 Special Collection

And the best example for me:

The Terminator (THX/WS)
Whereas the US release doesn't even has CC

But then again, it's only worth it if it helps you understand english.
If you don't need it, because to you, someone like Nicolas Cage speaks clearly (maybe you're from the same region...), then it's absolutly not worth it.
Author:  signofzeta [ 06 Dec 2015, 15:00 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
I guess it would matter exactly what is on the specific disc you have.

From what I've seen LD-G only adds English subs to things already in English that were sold on the Japanese market. That...is a pretty niche demographic...honestly, I can't understand why it was ever invented.

Is this F1 disc in English already? If it actually put English subs on Japanese dialogue then I'd consider it, since I really like 80s F1. Otherwise, I'd pass.
Author:  je280 [ 06 Dec 2015, 16:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Most of the LD-G F1 LDs I have feature the commentary/dialogue in Japanese & as far as I can ascertain the LD-G subs are in English, I have been told that LAST RUN AT SUZUKA has the subs in Japanese though.

I will keep a look-out for an LD-G capable karaoke player if one is going fairly cheap, they don't pop up very often here in the UK & the higher end LD-G players are usually listed at rather silly prices to say the least.

I know that the PQ on the karaoke players is pretty poor but I would only be using it to access the LD-G feature, don't see the point in dumping money on one of the "better" LD-G players as I am more than happy with what I have & cannot justify another player at the moment unless it is "cheap".

Would like to check the feature out & as it would translate the commentary on the Japanese F1 discs that I have had for years.

Thanks for the helpful input folks :thumbup: .
Author:  signofzeta [ 06 Dec 2015, 20:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Honestly, even if there was one LD-G F-1 disc with translated subs I'd probably buy the decoder if I could find it for less than $60.

Can you post links in the LDDB for the discs you are referring to?
Author:  substance [ 06 Dec 2015, 21:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Like everyone else, this box is good for feeding your curiosity. I bought one for under $100 shipped, used it for 7 minutes to satisfy my curiosity and now sitting in the storage. There is only two titles with Japanese audio and English LD-G, Ghost in the Shell(big box) and Perfect Blue. These titles also have English audio available on the same disc if you don't care if they are dubbed. Unfortunately my decoder introduced noise when powered on (it passes video when off). Maybe mine is faulty, I didn't care to track down another one to verify.
Author:  lons_vex [ 06 Dec 2015, 23:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
I used it to watch the Memories Box with english LD-G subs.
Author:  takou [ 07 Dec 2015, 05:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
Both Ghost in the Shell and Memories also have CC.
So, here, LD-G is pointless.
Author:  elahrairrah [ 07 Dec 2015, 17:40 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
The only other time I've seen LD-G used for something other than subtitles was for the Japanese release of Disney's Aladdin. According to Nicholas Santini:
Quote:
LD-G channel 2 is empty but LD-G channel 3 carries info in Japanese about who/what the genie is impersonating.
So I guess that's pretty cool. I might include that when I re-up a youtube video giving examples of LD-G
Author:  je280 [ 14 Dec 2015, 00:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: LD-G laserdiscs, worth getting a player/de-coder???
signofzeta wrote:
Honestly, even if there was one LD-G F-1 disc with translated subs I'd probably buy the decoder if I could find it for less than $60.

Can you post links in the LDDB for the discs you are referring to?


All the F-1 Grand Prix: 1993 World Championship LDs on PILW-1121 thru PILW-1128 & the 4 LD box set of the 1993 season on PILW-1138 plus a few others including F-1 Grand Prix 1992 Special Japanese GP, Honda Last Run At Suzuka on PILW-1103.

Got quite a few Japanese LD releases with English dialogue that carry the LD-G feature, that perhaps would not be much use to me but might be good just to see them in action.

Think I may still also still have the Japanese release of U2 Rattle & Hum on PILF-2502 which has the LD-G encoding & pretty sure I have another Japanese music disc which also has the LD-G feature but cannot recollect the title just now.

As previously mentioned I really would only want the LD-G feature for the Japanese dialogue to English subs on the F1 discs so may pick up an LD-G player if one pops up at a reasonable (or more to the point affordable) price, perhaps a decoder if cheap enough but they rarely turn up here in the UK.

Between the LD-G only discs & the CC+LD-G enabled discs there are around 1100 to 1200ish or so discs all in apparently released (perhaps quite a few more than that) with just under 700ish on the database registered/listed to date - got a few here to update & will add them soon when I dig them all out.

Thanks for the helpful input folks & if I get a decoder or an LD-G enabled player I will update.

Cheers :thumbup: .
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