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[CLD-D925] Player Review
https://forum.lddb.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=9581		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  retrolaservision [ 12 Jan 2021, 17:23 ]
Post subject:  [CLD-D925] Player Review
So lets start reviewing this player considering it hasn't got one. Kind of weird especially since this is the player Techmoan had. But anyway, at least from what I have seen this player has been considered to be one of the best if not the best PAL/NTSC player. The others in that competition seem to be the CLD-2950 and sometimes I see the DVL-919E mentioned as well.

This specific player: This is the third player I have bought. After my first player (Pioneer LD-V200) broke in February of last year. It's tray stopped working because of few plastic pieces broke. It would be repairable if I had spare parts for it. Unfortunately there are none and I don't have a 3d printer. After that I got my second Laserdisc player. A Pioneer CLD 150K I ordered but unfortunately it broke in shipping. After that I looked at a website that's kind of our version of craigslist and found this player.

It cost 125 euros and was in a working order. However it was missing it's rubber feet, the Pioneer logo and it didn't come with a remote. (Luckily basically any CLD remote works with this player.) It's biggest problem is that a rubber belt is worn out. And because of that half the time when you try to close the tray it results in a U1 error. I have even bought a replacement belt but have been too lazy to replace it. You get what you pay for. I think I got a great deal. But most of the ones you see on Ebay go for 600 euroes but they are probably shooting for the stars and overcharging. So I can't say what is the cost to expect out of this player.

Features: When it comes to features this player is packed. It got S-video (but from what I have heard. Most of the times it looks worse expect in some CRT's), two scart sockets, AC3 RF, regular digital surround out, side switching, digital memory (gives CAV features to CLV discs) and HQ circuit (this is mostly useless. It makes the image softer however it can hide some flaws of bad master or discs with early levels of disc rot)

It's most interesting feature in my opinion is the CAV features it gives to every discs. Because my replacement remote (CU-CLD038) has this feature called still with sound/strobe motion. I don't think the original remote has this feature. But what it basically does it freezes a frame while the sound is still rolling. Or you can make it so that the sound is playing at full speed. But it only shows 1/2 frames or 1/4 or heck you can make it so that it gives 1 frame every ten seconds. I watched back to the future like this and it gives a new experience watching the movie like a slide show. I think this works with all CAV discs on other players. So if your remote has this feature give it a try.

I also like that feature since it seems to be one of the only features I don't think any other format has.

Picture quality: This is unfortunately something I cannot tell you if it's good or not. Simply put I don't have a player to compare it to. And I don't have crystal clear memories of how good LD-V200 looked like. All I have are some pictures that have been taken with bad cameras. But I haven't seen much difference. So it can't be that drastic. As a PAL/NTSC player this one has got one of the best picture quality. But compared to many USA/Japanese elite players from what I have heard there is a difference. In those market this player would be on the upper mid range I think. So keep that in mind.

Sound: Not something I can give you a too accurate statement. Since I use my TV's built in speakers giving this player a huge disservice. However this one has both AC3 and Digital out. So you can use DTS, AC3, regular dolby digital, analog and all the sound formats unless there is some really weird one that works with specific players.

Overall: Personally I'm very happy with this player and don't think about getting a different one. PAL/NTSC is a must for me and you can't go much higher from this one. If you want all the features and must have PAL/NTSC then get this or one of the DVL players. If you are in Europe and just want a PAL/NTSC Laserdisc player, then I would probably recommend the cheapest CLD/DVL player you can find. If it just happens to be this one like it was with me, then go for it. Get this one. If you live in a NTSC region and for some reason want a PAL player. Well I would probably recommend just getting the cheapest PAL player but if you plan on daily driving this then it could very well work out for you. Just know you are paying a heavy premium for that PAL part.
Author:  teddanson [ 12 Jan 2021, 19:48 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
Lucky enough to have mine boxed and complete and recently fully serviced.

Reduced to floods of tears when I wrecked it playing awarped disc by accident. Fully fixed and repair and serviced now and spinning discs like the wonderous, buxom pup she is!

Love my 925 forever and all the sub par films and obscure crap that I spin in her. I hope my 925 outlives me so I can be buried with it! :angel:
Author:  je280 [ 13 Jan 2021, 02:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
Totally agree.

I also have a 925 & it is a great all rounder, love the player.

It is the best PAL/NTSC player though others may disagree.

Had a few players over a few years & I always ended up having the 925 as the main player.

Enjoy spinning your big silver discs.

:thumbup:
Author:  muzer [ 20 Jan 2021, 01:48 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
It's the only player I've ever had in a working condition, but it has largely served me well. The output can be slightly noisy/streaky with noticeable "CLV smear" on some discs, on my particular player, but generally it's very watchable.

It can play CDs and CD Video as the C in the name suggests. This basically means you can throw any disc at it besides Hi-Vision discs and get at least decent results. With the both sides play as well, just going on features alone I think this makes it the best jack of all trades player for anyone who needs to play PAL discs. Of course some will argue that the 2950 or 919E have better picture quality, but not having tried either of those two machines I can't comment myself, and opinions on the internet seem to differ wildly so I wonder if there's perhaps more variation between individual units than there are between models.
Author:  admin [ 20 Jan 2021, 11:38 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
... and don't make the same mistake I made.

Make sure to set your CLD-D925 (via the System button) to output NTSC for NTSC LDs, NOT modulated PAL.

(See page 30/84 of the User Manual).

Julien
Author:  retrolaservision [ 20 Jan 2021, 15:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
Never made that mistake. Especially since LD-V200 had pal/ntsc switches in the back I kind of knew that there were gonna be some options. And my CRT is a PAL/NTSC one so it's not like that will ever be a problem.
Author:  laserfanhld-gb [ 20 Jan 2021, 19:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
retrolaservision wrote:
Never made that mistake. Especially since LD-V200 had pal/ntsc switches in the back I kind of knew that there were gonna be some options. And my CRT is a PAL/NTSC one so it's not like that will ever be a problem.


I think what Julien actually meant specifically about the 925 was that it has the option of two different NTSC settings which isn't always obvious. If I'm thinking correctly it offers a pure NTSC output or a modified setting that was compatible with PAL only TVs which were still quite common across the European market back then, it is quite easy not to notice which setting the button is toggled to but the difference between the two signals that are outputted is quite marked!
Author:  retrolaservision [ 20 Jan 2021, 20:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
And I said that I got it. I never have made the mistake of playing a NTSC disc with the pseudo PAL signal. I always make sure to press the system button which puts it to pure NTSC rather than the pseudo PAL signal which is what it uses on default.

I said about the TV thing due to my friend having a PAL only CRT. Mine one is a PAL/NTSC one. (Many CRT's here are PAL only.). Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it since it made my post more confusing perhaps.
Author:  laserfanhld-gb [ 20 Jan 2021, 22:11 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
retrolaservision wrote:
And I said that I got it. I never have made the mistake of playing a NTSC disc with the pseudo PAL signal. I always make sure to press the system button which puts it to pure NTSC rather than the pseudo PAL signal which is what it uses on default.

I said about the TV thing due to my friend having a PAL only CRT. Mine one is a PAL/NTSC one. (Many CRT's here are PAL only.). Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it since it made my post more confusing perhaps.


Ah, no problem....it was my misunderstanding I think. :thumbup:
Author:  fortesquedaniel [ 08 Oct 2021, 12:11 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
Hi.
Is it ok that still frames from CAV LDs on my D925 have the same pixelated look as it's digital still frame buffer for CLV LDs?
I thought CAV LDs should provide pure analog frames...
Author:  rein-o [ 08 Oct 2021, 13:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
fortesquedaniel wrote:
Hi.
Is it ok that still frames from CAV LDs on my D925 have the same pixelated look as it's digital still frame buffer for CLV LDs?
I thought CAV LDs should provide pure analog frames...


Probably your set and going from analog to digital.
You are seeing the pixelated edges of 420 lines.
Author:  signofzeta [ 08 Oct 2021, 14:39 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
fortesquedaniel wrote:
Hi.
Is it ok that still frames from CAV LDs on my D925 have the same pixelated look as it's digital still frame buffer for CLV LDs?
I thought CAV LDs should provide pure analog frames...


I don’t know this player, but still frames, digital or not, are a single field with its lines doubled. They never look as good as running video.
Author:  retrolaservision [ 25 Sep 2023, 03:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: Pioneer CLD-D925
fortesquedaniel wrote:
Hi.
Is it ok that still frames from CAV LDs on my D925 have the same pixelated look as it's digital still frame buffer for CLV LDs?
I thought CAV LDs should provide pure analog frames...


I know that this is a two year old comment. But I read the laseractives manual. And in it's Digital Memory page, it meantions that the digital memory is automatically on, even on CAV discs. Meaning you would need to turn digital memory off, for CAV discs to get pure analog still frames.
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