how exactly does the RS232 port work? I only understand the barcode reader and have never figured out how to control it by a PC.

The website number worked! and I hit jackpot where titles and numbers are concerned. While I'd like to continue expanding my catalog to hunt, I received an EXCELLENT starting springboard!

SOLAR SYSTEM STV 81506
EARTH, MOON & STARS STV 81676
RESTLESS EARTH STV 81511
ATMOSPHERE STV 81472
WORLD GEOGRAPHY: ASIA / AUSTRALIA STV 81588
WORLD GEOGRAPHY: AFRICA / EUROPE STV 81595
WORLD GEOGRAPHY: S. AMERICA / ANTARCTICA STV 81612
NORTH AMERICA: EAST / CENTRAL STV 80961
PLANETARY MANAGER GTV 81041
PLANTS: 1 / 2, 3 STV 81532 / 81537
BIODIVERSITY STV 81464
MAYA STV 81669
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: FABRIC OF A NATION Box GTV 81080 / 81081
HUMAN BODY 1: CIRCULATORY, RESPERATORY, DIGESTIVE STV 81516
HUMAN BODY 2: MUSCULAR, SKELETAL, NERVIOUS STV 81521

You need a special software, and they have it still available to order.
http://www.geodatasys.com/barcode.htm#barcode

Be aware this is older stuff that only works in 16 color, so you need a specialized retro PC like what I'm building.

I understand that software but is it just emulating the barcode remote device? Does it playback in any order you want then?

The serial software lets you do anything you can do with the remote but you can program it to times and to play sequences and to pause or whatever. You can write a script, IIRC. All an LD player is capable of is available on every LD player. The Barcode stuff and serial control are just more convenient ways of doing the same stuff Leonard Nimoy did in the old Magnavision video.

If you actually have LDs that have PC-side clients (on floppies or CDROMs possibly) then maybe, *maybe* it’s worth actually running a period PC along side your player. If not then you’re just building a 50lb remote for your player that probably uses more electricity than your entire home theater.

I’d be stunned if Pioneer’s software didn’t run perfectly fine in DOSBOX or some such product with an eBay serial adaptor. I work in an engineering lab and we use RS232 constantly for tons of old equipment. It’s still very much in use all over the world, Mac or PC. It’s really only gone in the consumer market.

I was thinking of trying to find an old mac to hook one up too. The oldest one I have is a Blue and White G3 which I don't think would work. I thought maybe its not in Terminal's functions anymore but I can check with a FB group I belong to. Also thought the software sold there was just for making barcodes on printer paper.

Well I do have other uses for that laptop as well, especially if I can expand it's ram to 126mb for Windows XP only apps and interfaces. It has a Pentium 3 processor, so it's got raw "oomph" for business apps. We'll see. I also intend on using it for windows 98 era games using the pci expansion adapter for video cards. (Not XP era games though. That stuff is 99% playable on Windows 7 or 10 with either the correct tweaks, updated versions or OS Emulators.)

Here's a link to the specific model I own. And yes, it indeed appears I CAN expanded it's ram to a theoretical 256mb. I wouldn't dare use it for gaming without an AGP slot though. But given what I've described above, this really isn't a factor.
https://www.cnet.com/products/ibm-thinkpad-a21m-2628-12-1-piii-win98-se-64-mb-ram-10-gb-hdd-series/

Although... ooph! That's going to be rough displaying ANYTHING in XP, even with lower color modes. Maybe it is better to separate the two os's, heh!
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/rage-mobility-m.c2176

Unless you get your hands on some stuff that really runs on both the computer and the LD player, like a roller coaster ride or something, I *really* think you are over preparing.

This is a CL post for a box of 55 educational LDs from a teacher near Palm Springs, CA.

https://palmsprings.craigslist.org/for/ ... 43927.html

Not my ad. I'm tempted to go grab them but not at that price.

Maybe someone here would like them? I can pick them up and ship them for an additional fee if you're too far away and really want/need them.

I hope someone can save them!

I'd get them but I'm outside of DC so driving or shipping would be a pain. Hope someone gets them. I wonder how many books there are with their LDs.

There is an ebook on books.google.com titled "Interactive Video Primer - Nursing Education" by Scott Alan Stewart that you might find helpful in searching for educational videodiscs. It also includes details of several graphic overlay and interface boards. i'm too lazy to create a short url which might seem to be a scam, but here's the link:

https://books.google.com/books?id=YMIZB ... es&f=false

I was Director of Technology at Intelligent Images which is mentioned in the ebook. We created "Shotgun Wound to the Abdomen" and several other interactive educational laserdisc based titles for nurse education and training. As already mentioned in this thread, these and most educational or training videodiscs were not sold to consumers so it will be very difficult to compile a list.

Michael Birch

I need to contact them on the Mac disc. If its system software OS (7 or under) or OS 8. Though I'll have to find a Power Mac G3 beige (precursor to my Blue and White) though I still need to figure out the serial cable for the IU-04 and the connector for a 700 or the other one.

Just a quick note, I am indeed still alive and perusing this field. I just need to let my finances recover enough to actually purchase the player and seek these disks you've all been kind enough to list! But I am DEFINITIVELY still looking, especially since I have a young scientist now who's interested in this material! I'll review the posts and keep gathering data while the money to actually buy things accumulates.

mmh! A shame I was too late to pick up that Creig's List educational set. I'll need to save up and keep money on standby for when these disks are found and become available. The link is entirely dead btw. What was the asking price so I have some idea of what to put aside? (Which I will, I'm serious about this project.)

I found and purchased (on amazon) a physical copy of the book you linked. That'll be a good for breaking down the hardware I'm saving up for. Thanks!

It was something like 55 discs, some with documentation, for $90. That is cheap considering almost anything you buy online will be $5/disc by the time you factor in s/h.

Hope you find what you're looking for when you're able to spend.

... Well, at least I know I need to save about $150 to be on the safe side. I'm sure a chance will come along. (NOT aimed at you, I'm just really disappointed I missed that.)

No harm no foul. However, I am in negotiations with a gentleman here in SoCal that is a retired Middle School Science teacher. He's got a few players (2200/2400) with barcode readers and remotes and a ton of educational discs. I don't have a list of the titles or a price yet but should be the end of the week hopefully. He does have the binders with all of the pertinent barcodes as far as I can tell.


I also don't even know if the players power on or have issues. He says they've been stored for years. Feel free to PM me here if you want to stay informed. I'll probably at least post the titles and catalog numbers here as well as add any titles to the dB as needed. I do plan on getting myself a player with barcode reader and at least a few of the educational discs myself....depending on his price point. If I pass, I'll be sure to get his info so you can deal with him directly.