Pioneer Laserdisc Player with 45 movies

[noprayer]

I remember watching laserdisc movies at one of the stores in the mall by my house when i was a kid in the late 70's and remember thinking how cool and futuristic it was. Well, an ad popped up on craigslist here for a working Pioneer CLD-D604 Laserdisc player with 45 movies for 75 bucks. I emailed the seller and was contacted this morning with the details. Husband bought it new, was not used very much, and still has the remote. Some of the movies are the original Star Wars Trilogy and Forrest Gump. I bit and am picking it up on saturday. What have i gotten myself into?

 

[rhiohki]

I remember watching laserdisc movies at one of the stores in the mall by my house when i was a kid in the late 70's and remember thinking how cool and futuristic it was. Well, an ad popped up on craigslist here for a working Pioneer CLD-D604 Laserdisc player with 45 movies for 75 bucks. I emailed the seller and was contacted this morning with the details. Husband bought it new, was not used very much, and still has the remote. Some of the movies are the original Star Wars Trilogy and Forrest Gump. I bit and am picking it up on saturday. What have i gotten myself into?

You've gotten yourself into a fine world of LD collecting my friend. This site:
http://www.mindspring.com/~laserdisc-forever/

has everything you will need to know to get you up to snuff. The PQ really depends on the laserdisc player as the later generation Pioneer elite units were considered the best U.S. commercially released LD playback decks.

In the early days when DVD first hit the consumer market, there were many comparisons done between PQ of DVD and LD, with LD PQ beating out some of the horribly mastered DVD PQ. As DVD mastering progressed, there was a difference in picture quality, DVD beating out LD. However, sound is a different issue altogether and many the LD afficiando will tell you that there are plenty of LDs that offer superior sound quality (full bit tracks) over their DVD counterparts.

There are many movies that are not yet released on DVD that are on LD so that's that best picture quality you will get. With the advent of the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, I'm not sure where LD collecting will be in the next 5 years. The big LD boxed sets and collector editions do have the advantage of being tangible and getting a good deal of extras like lithos, Cds, books, and they all came with Chapter sheets.

 

[noprayer]

This Pioneer deck was made in 1995 but i'm not sure where it falls in the quality catagory. It does sport an optical out which will be nice as i've heard the audio quality is top notch on Laserdisc. (How long before i can call LD?)

 

[tentoze]

If JDaniel pops by and reads this, I know he has a couple of those things.

 

[gyusher]

I have a Pioneer LD player about a couple models up from this one still new in it's factory sealed shipping box, never been opened. . .Thought I'd save it for future posterity. . . I've thought about dragging it out and either using it or selling it. . . Since LD are cheap I might use it. . .

The other day I found a collector selling 200 discs in mint condition for 100 bucks OBO. . . I offered him 40 bucks and hes thinking it over. . .

 

[SoCal Sam]

I've got two LD players, both with remote. One is a Mitsubishi that is a branded Pioneer and the other is a Pioneer.

 

[thedelihaus]

Had a Sony I gave away. I broke my back and couldn't get out of bed to flip it over myself. And there's nothing worse than waiting 45 minutes for someone to do it for you.

Gave away the movies too.

Traded it for an Onkyo 6-disc DVD changer. Like the convenience of that.

But the LDs were fun, nice to watch and listen to, and if I knew my health would improve, I'd have kept it.

Beefy motors in these things. Good to keep around for a nice cd transport too.

 

[jlindsey86]

The CLD-D604 is a pretty decent average machine. It has an AC-3 output so with a demodulator you will be able to decode dolby digital from your laserdiscs. I have always found LD to an interesting format, I am 20 and got into it when I was 18. During this time I have learned quite a bit about the format. I am now on my forth player and have a decent collection of movies. Let us know what you think.

BTW, if any of the discs are DTS and you would like getting some of your money back let me know. :thmbsp:

 

[noprayer]

The CLD-D604 is a pretty decent average machine. It has an AC-3 output so with a demodulator you will be able to decode dolby digital from your laserdiscs. I have always found LD to an interesting format, I am 20 and got into it when I was 18. During this time I have learned quite a bit about the format. I am now on my forth player and have a decent collection of movies. Let us know what you think.

BTW, if any of the discs are DTS and you would like getting some of your money back let me know. :thmbsp:

You mention a "demodulator" in your post and i was wondering if my 5.1 and dts capable pioneer home theater receiver can decode the ac3 signal from the laserdisc. otherwise, where would one get a demodulator?

 

[ARguy]

Nice grab Mike. I saw the ad too and was tempted but I already have a LD player and numerous movies and I've about run out of room for anymore stuff...unless it has that two letter name attached to it. Enjoy and let me know what movies you get.

 

[Chazzer]

Sega Player

I picked up a Pioneer LD player that has a port for the old Sega cartriges and also plays the Sega CD games.

 

[rhiohki]

I picked up a Pioneer LD player that has a port for the old Sega cartriges and also plays the Sega CD games.

what you have my friend is a laseractive system. Quite popular among Sega Collectors, espeically those completists.

I myself, as my reference player have a Runco LJR-II. Basically a souped up Panasonic LX-900u with beefier transport, video baords, etc. The only THX certified player, which to some isn't saying too much, since many of the higher-end Elite Units, CLD-97, CLD-99 could have passed but never actually went through the process of getting THX certified. Quite rare though.

It plays LD superb, especially on an Analog Loewe CRT. The playback pictures really do NOT do it justice. It's sharp and crisp.

 

[Sandy G]

Damnation ! They thought HIGHLY of this schtuff, didn't they ?!?

 

[rhiohki]

Damnation ! They thought HIGHLY of this schtuff, didn't they ?!?

They sure did. Before the advent of DVDs, LDs were the highest consumer picture quality standard in early home-based cinema setups. Many were used with high end Line Doublers (i.e Faroudja) or even line quadrouplers displaying on over-head CRT projectors for the best possible picture quality in the video-phile world.

 

[jlindsey86]

You mention a "demodulator" in your post and i was wondering if my 5.1 and dts capable pioneer home theater receiver can decode the ac3 signal from the laserdisc. otherwise, where would one get a demodulator?

If your home theater receiver has an input that says "AC-3 RF IN" then it will decode Dolby Digital from laserdiscs. In all probability your receiver will NOT have this input. AC-3 demodulators are not made any more and have to be bought used. You can usually find some on ebay. You can buy a stand alone demodulator, a processor that has an AC-3 input, or a preamp/receiver with an AC-3 input. Just depending on what kind of flexibility you need.

Here is one on the bay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-SDP-E800-S...ryZ14978QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[john_w]

I picked up a Pioneer Laserdisc/5 CD changer combo several years ago, and grabbed all the remaining discs I was interested in when the local Laserland store finally went out of business. It's still a pretty sold unit - I think it was manufactured in '94.

Back when I was a college kid still living at home, we picked up one of the cheaper LD players and checked out discs from the local library, which got a huge grant from some oil or railroad baron for digital media. We were in video heaven! Perfect marriage to a good hi-fi system with the superior sound quality, and image as sharp as you could imagine.

The only drawback is having to flip the disc in the middle of the movie. And some movies had to span two discs, both sides each.

Gyusher - I would definitely get that thing out and play it - you won't regret it! And get those discs at whatever price you can afford. Just my 2 cents.

 

[gyusher]

Gyusher - I would definitely get that thing out and play it - you won't regret it! And get those discs at whatever price you can afford. Just my 2 cents.

Mine is a CLD-M301. . . I remember when I bought it. I bought several items including 4 brand new factory sealed Kenwood KT-917 Tuners. . .Sold 2, used one for years then sold the one remaining NIB 917 for around 1500 bucks about a year ago. . . This LD player was in the same closet.

At one time not so long ago I had a NIB pair of JBL L-112/150A and a B-380 sub as well. . .Mice ate through the 150s boxes and the surrounds dissapeared even though they were sealed since new. . .

Only thing left now is a Kenwood Integrated amp KA-601 I think and this LD player. . . Everything else had to trickle out so we could eat. . .among other reasons. . . I do have a few Laser Discs, maybe 20 also still new. . .

I think I'll dig it all out this weekend and make a decision. . . What reminded me was buying a used LD player cheap to use as a CD player. . .I thought that was kinda stupid since I had one in the hole that I had forgot about. . .