FS Laserdisc players and laserdiscs

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

I've been looking for an affordable HLD-X9

If you post a list of what LD players / Movies you have for sale, I would pick up a few I think.

the HLD-X9 is expensive as hell..I wander how much that thing used to cost new?

 

[kevindg86]

yeah thanks again for that terminator, it is awesome. I feel the transfer is a bit subpar though, like it looks the same as my '97 thx extended cut disc but definitely still really cool

I feel you on that one, but it does have the distinction of being a transfer that was not corrected for telecine. Its a unique print of T2, that was not timed to JC's tastes which is why they reissued it later. Try it side by side with the latest print of it and yours is way better! (btw the Japanese prints of both on Bluray are the best, DNR free and OG color spec).
Did you find the chirashis in the package?

yeah I did thanks definitely interesting.

While I have a laserdisc people anybody look at that retrotink 2x upscaler for use with laserdisc s instead? I've been slight intrigued to buy it for that purpose

 

[tate&yoko]

@tate&yoko - a general question - the widescreen and later box version of movies, is that the same just different wording? Are those formats at 16:9? Thanks

Ok, so 'widescreen' can mean a lot of things, but generally it will mean the disc carries the original aspect ratio of the theatrical version. Widescreen can be:

16:9 - the same framing as a modern, widescreen TV with no black bars
1.85:1 - Slightly wider than 16:9, small black bars on a widescreen TV
2.39:1 - One of the widest, larger black bars in a modern widescreen TV

If it is on a laserdisc it will carry this image within a 4:3 frame, black bars at the top and bottom (and occasionally, tiny ones at the side). So any widescreen laserdisc movie carries less resolution and to view them on a modern TV you can use zoom functions, or an external scaler to help (just like the arcade world).

But the term widescreen refers to all these aspect ratios and more. If you want feedback on a version, just hit me up for the one you are looking at on the LDDb and I can help.

 

[tate&yoko]

yeah thanks again for that terminator, it is awesome. I feel the transfer is a bit subpar though, like it looks the same as my '97 thx extended cut disc but definitely still really cool

I feel you on that one, but it does have the distinction of being a transfer that was not corrected for telecine. Its a unique print of T2, that was not timed to JC's tastes which is why they reissued it later. Try it side by side with the latest print of it and yours is way better! (btw the Japanese prints of both on Bluray are the best, DNR free and OG color spec).Did you find the chirashis in the package?

yeah I did thanks definitely interesting.
While I have a laserdisc people anybody look at that retrotink 2x upscaler for use with laserdisc s instead? I've been slight intrigued to buy it for that purpose

Scaling is a tough one, one of the best steps you can do is to 2x but also inverse telecine. All laserdiscs in NTSC are 29.97i, but you can restore the correct cadence to 23.98 to make it more cinematic. If anyone wants to get into interlacing/de-interlacing and cadence then by all means. It is a way bigger topic than these few lines.

 

[tate&yoko]

@PascalP I'm coming to IBC at the RAI in Amsterdam, I fly Monday, I could try and pack you some discs? I'm from England originally, not a good place to collect Laserdisc either

that would be cool, until when are you staying?might to cool to start are small LD collection, not sure what a reasonable value for those Star Wars discs would be?
Might be their weight in gold for all that I know, have zero knowledge of this stuff

From 9/11 until 9/19, right near the RAI. Which versions were you thinking of?

 

[tate&yoko]

You got good taste in movies @tate&yoko -- would love to see photos of the Suspiria LDs

Here it is - no OBI, this is a theatrical print master so uncut with the theatrical color timing. Very vibrant and rich. Audio is the original theatrical mono, sounds full from a whisper to a roar and is analog only. You get that amazing psychedelic trailer at the end of side 2. Based on Ebay today, you can get this with an Obi for $25 plus shipping, so how about $15 for this. Also, why is this being remade? Just go get the 4K transfer and put that at the theater again.

 

[tate&yoko]

The US Suspiria I sold earlier, my apologies. For pricing clarity:

Suspiria US Laserdisc, Dolby Surround - VG - $25

 

[djsheep]

You got good taste in movies @tate&yoko -- would love to see photos of the Suspiria LDs

Here it is - no OBI, this is a theatrical print master so uncut with the theatrical color timing. Very vibrant and rich. Audio is the original theatrical mono, sounds full from a whisper to a roar and is analog only. You get that amazing psychedelic trailer at the end of side 2. Based on Ebay today, you can get this with an Obi for $25 plus shipping, so how about $15 for this. Also, why is this being remade? Just go get the 4K transfer and put that at the theater again.

Thanks for the photos. I actually don't have a LD player, but have a few movies here I picked up on my travels. I'm just a huge fan of that movie, in particular the Soundtrack by Goblin.

If postage wasn't expensive, I'd definitely grab it! Essential stuff. I didn't know it was being remade, agreed - a stupid move considering how cult Dario Argento and his giallo are. They won't even come close.

 

[tate&yoko]

Yeah, I'm thinking it might be pricey to ship it to you. But let me find out and I will advise. If you have a preferred carrier, let me know.

 

[PascalP]

@tate&yoko, I’m flying out of Amsterdam the 18th early morning, so this could work out!

I’ll send you a PM later, will think a bit bout it

 

[tate&yoko]

No way! I love it when the vast world shrinks to the size of a gumball.

Great, I fly Monday so lets see what we can do.

 

[tate&yoko]

@PascalP i would have totally traded you a big old bunch of discs for a PGM Demon World btw

 

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

@tate&yoko - thanks for the feedback in the 16:9.. follow up - what I would like is true 4:3 CAV movies is that a thing? Not widescreen or Lettie box.. if the above is not a thing, how do I know if a move is 4:3 CLV without the widescreen or letter box? Most of my CRTs are 4:3 and that is how I want to view the movies, filing the entire screen..I do have a 32" BVM but that one is half way through the door to a fellow out of state.

 

[tate&yoko]

@tate&yoko - thanks for the feedback in the 16:9.. follow up - what I would like is true 4:3 CAV movies is that a thing? Not widescreen or Lettie box.. if the above is not a thing, how do I know if a move is 4:3 CLV without the widescreen or letter box? Most of my CRTs are 4:3 and that is how I want to view the movies, filing the entire screen..I do have a 32" BVM but that one is half way through the door to a fellow out of state.

NP, happy to help. Yes, there are true 4:3 movies and for the most part (but not exclusively) they predate a lot of widescreen material. It gets described as 4:3, 1:33 and sometimes 'Academy Ratio'. Pick a classic of yesterday, like 'Its a Wonderful Life', that is full screen, so every line is used to provide definition on screen. Most TV shows from before the 2000s were shot full frame, so I have sets for the The Outer Limits that look really amazing, just being monochrome and full frame makes great use of the format, no crosstalk and very little rainbow effect sue to the lack of clashing color. For 4:3 full frame modern(ish) movies that look amazing AND are CAV, that is harder, but you may find the last reel of the movie is CAV. Ones I would recommend for full frame are:

The Abyss Special Edition PAN AND SCAN (it was made by JC for home TVs, the framing are all more or less unique and it looks stunning)

Total Recall - Full frame print of the masked widescreen theatrical release (this means they added black bars for the movie theater which masked the image)

The Back to the Future Trilogy - All full frame masters on DVD (sorry switching formats but you need this one for 4:3) - the theatrical prints all were simply black bars added over the frame, with a a small portion of information lost at the edges for the full frame release. You can see this one compared here:

 

[tate&yoko]

If anyone wants to pick their favorite movie that fits the laserdisc time frame of release, I'll help you to identify the best version for the TV you want to watch it on

 

[tate&yoko]

@SNK-NEO-GEO Full Metal Jacket was shot full screen academy 1:33 by Kubrick because he thought more people would be watching movies at home, so he wanted the framing preserved for every viewer. At that time it was all 4:3 TVs with no sign of that changing. So if you get that full screen version you are seeing it exactly as he wanted you to. It isn't a hack and Pan and Scan.

 

[tate&yoko]

I've been looking for an affordable HLD-X9

If you post a list of what LD players / Movies you have for sale, I would pick up a few I think.

the HLD-X9 is expensive as hell..I wander how much that thing used to cost new?

I believe it was made to order and it retailed for $5000? I would love one and I would love some MUSE discs too but it is painfully pricey and if it went wrong parts are super scarce. The nice thing about jumping in with anything CLD-99 based is the parts are plentiful. Your player is one of the sharpest for industrial players, they're really good for capturing video for tweaking and again there are plenty of spares. The best hack I know of is to put the player on sorbothane pads and put another heavy player on top of it! The player you have already cuts a lot of noise due to its weight and damping.

 

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

Thank you for all your feedback...

If anyone wants to pick their favorite movie that fits the laserdisc time frame of release, I'll help you to identify the best version for the TV you want to watch it on

thank you for the offer here we good: My nonitor NEC XM 29 plus 4:3 full frame.

movies that I want to watch on laserdisc on the NEC full screen view.-
Dune
Legend
Willow
Secret of my success
Rocky 1-4
Mortal Kombat
Predator
Rambo I and II
Conan the Barbarian
Indiana Jones all 3 movies
Jurassic Park
Terminator 1 and II
Die Hard 1,2,3
Batman
Abyss, The
Commando
StarGate
The fugitiveall
three Star Wars movies
Goldfinger
Dr. now
diamonds are forever
from Russia with love
Octopussy
the karate kid
romancing the Stone
Robin Hood Prince of thieves
top gun
tomorrow never dies
The never ending story I and II
American Ninja II
Contact

 

[tate&yoko]

I'll post you all the things on there that I have, with pictures and prices. That I can do later, I pulled the discs just now. Be later this evening.

 

[PascalP]

American Ninja II, one of my best childhood memories