Laser Disc Player Help Needed

[Rachael Bee]

RB, You are indeed incredible. My wife and I are both Ph.D.'s (actually she is a D.Sc., but it is the same thing). I understand where you are coming from. To make extra money as grad students my wife wrote programs for radiation dosages to cancer patients. Since I did my thesis on radiation dosimetry (in rocks not humans) I was offered positions at well known hospitals as a radiation physicist. It would have meant working with cancer patients all the time. I knew I did not have the emotional fortitude for that. It haunts me to this day that I could not bring myself to help people in their greatest need. :sigh:

Thanks for the kind words! BTW, I'm not with the Incredibles. :)

[Rachael Bee]

Rachael, you helped me out several years ago when I posted a similar question on the Home Theater Forum.

I had a Sony MDP-something that just stopped spinning up discs after about 8 years of use. I was never really happy with the picture but as my displays got bigger over that time I was really itching for something else. I saved your advice and after the Sony died, I started ebay hunting. I ended up with a great D704. It's great as a CD player too. :)

Amazing how many of us from HTF ended up over here. I'm amazed your and Deepurrple man's Sony's lasted so long. I bet both of ya'all's MDP's had drawer problems. Mine's drawer was needing a gentle push to close, often times, after about 6 months. Funny, while my MDP was working, I came to believe it a much better CD player than LD player. :)

[Spitfire]

Amazing how many of us from HTF ended up over here. I'm amazed your and Deepurrple man's Sony's lasted so long. I bet both of ya'all's MDP's had drawer problems. Mine's drawer was needing a gentle push to close, often times, after about 6 months. Funny, while my MDP was working, I came to believe it a much better CD player than LD player. :)

As a matter of fact you're right about the door. I just got done watching Wayne's World and the door never opens fully so the drawer gets stick about half way so I have to help it. One reason mine may have lasted so long is that I never used it as a CD player.

[JoelDF]

The drawer was never the problem on my Sony. It just stopped spinning up the disc. I'd hear the motor try several times and then just quit. It started doing it slowly with some discs but not others. Then one day it just counldn't spin up any disc I put in there.

[Rachael Bee]

The drawer was never the problem on my Sony. It just stopped spinning up the disc. I'd hear the motor try several times and then just quit. It started doing it slowly with some discs but not others. Then one day it just counldn't spin up any disc I put in there.

Joel, your's was the rare exception. I gave my 333 to somebody else who had one. He planned to fix his drawer, hopefully, with mine's parts. However, his girlfriend burned down their entertainment centre, and almost their house, with candles that got out of control. You're the only person I've ever heard say they didn't have drawer problems with their 333. BTW, you will eventually have the spindle motor, disc spin-up, problem with the 704. I've had to put one in my 99 and in a few years I expect I'll have to put one in my S9. The spindle motors in post '94 Pioneers don't seem to be quite as durable as the older players. Best wishes! :)

[greg_t]

Before I had my X9 imported from Japan, I had it's laser pickup, spindle motor, belts, and fuses replaced and bought another new set just in case. Then I also recieved the old spindle motor and pickup back as they were still in working order as well. I would suggest that anyone who has a player they want to keep for a while pick up some spare parts as well.

[4_everyman]

My advice would be to contact Duncan at www.laserdiscservice.com for a player. Duncan has been servicing LD players for many years and is the best there is. He will get used players and make sure they are in top operating condition. You can also try ebay but you take your chances with what type of condition you might get.I would like to echo Greg_T's recommendation for contacting Duncan. He fixed my player Pioneer player a few years back and it's been running great since. :righton:

[Steve D.]

Just thought I would put in a plug for my RCA model LDR600 CD/LD player. For it's time it had several nice features. 16x9 playback, automatic two-sided disc playback, twin one bit digital/analog converter and s-video and digital optical output. This was RCA's top line LD. I'm not sure who built the machine for RCA.

-Steve D.

[JoelDF]

I would like to echo Greg_T's recommendation for contacting Duncan. He fixed my player Pioneer player a few years back and it's been running great since. :righton:

Strangely enough, my Pioneer D704 had come to me from the ebay seller with a repair slip from Bayview Electronics (where that website goes to). It apparently did have drawer problems and the work description said it was not properly shut down and the optics overran the detect switches and jammed against the spindle motor. They fixed that, then checked, aligned and cleaned everything to specs.

I had a local HT shop that used to sell these things and at the time I got this Pioneer my contact told me they would service it for me should anything go wrong (this was almost 2 years ago). Unfortunately they recently closed down. And they'd been in business since the early 70's selling hi-fi and then home theater stuff. Now my only option would be to use Bayview since they did a great job with this unit already.

[greg_t]

Besides bayview there is also Kurtis Bahr. Kurtis is also a great guy and extremely knowledgable about ld and ld repair. He is in virginia. Duncan is in Washington. Kurtis fixes LD players as a hobby, whereas with Duncan it's his business. Both are very good. I myself primarily recommend Duncan because I had such a good experience with him, but Kurtis is right up there too.

[Rachael Bee]

Just thought I would put in a plug for my RCA model LDR600 CD/LD player. For it's time it had several nice features. 16x9 playback, automatic two-sided disc playback, twin one bit digital/analog converter and s-video and digital optical output. This was RCA's top line LD. I'm not sure who built the machine for RCA.

-Steve D.

Steve, all RCA players were made by Pioneer. Duct tape over the S-video output. :)

[Mal]

Rachael,

I'm looking for a laserdisc player that plays both PAL & NTSC discs (and CAV and CLV and both sides of the disc!). Do any of your recommendations have this capability?

:)

[Rachael Bee]

Rachael,

I'm looking for a laserdisc player that plays both PAL & NTSC discs (and CAV and CLV and both sides of the disc!). Do any of your recommendations have this capability?

:)

I've never had a PAL player and none of the U.S. and Japanese models I favour are thusly capable. However, in LD discussions over at the AVS Forum, the Brit's involved in said talks, mostly liked the CLD-D925. See it at:

www.laserdiscarchive.co.uk/

Pick the Pioneer section and look around. Another player worth a glance is the CLD-D515. The 925 has everything you could possibly need though. Mind you, you must have a PAL capable display and you'll need a power converter. The Archive has a link to a North American version of the deck but I've never seen or heard of it until I just looked at the Archive just a few minutes ago. I must be quite rare!?!

The 925 has a Scart output, AC-3 output, Digital Field Memory, optical output, composite & S-video outputs. Be sure to duct tape up the S-video output if you get one! :winkgrin:

I suppose you'd best look for one at the U.K.'s E-bay...? This deck originally listed for 800 Pounds Sterling. The Pound was lower to the Dollar back then but that was stille a whole lotta Pence gonna on.

You'll have to go to alot of trouble and expense to play PAL discs. I hope it's worth it? The Brits always said the 2950 was a pretty average, by U.S. standards, NTSC player. Proably, it's comparable to a CLD-59 in that regard...? ...so, I'd expect a 50 db machine...? Good luck, you've got some hurdles! :)

[Kevin Bresnahan]

My Pioneer CLD-2090 player has started having problems flipping the optics to the other side. Is this model worth repairing? I am willing to ship it out to Bayview if it's worth it.

I'm thinking about this because all along I was figuring I'd just switch to the spare player I have in storage when this Pioneer unit stopped working... unfortunately, it's a Sony. Now I'm reconsidering.

Kevin

[Rachael Bee]

My Pioneer CLD-2090 player has started having problems flipping the optics to the other side. Is this model worth repairing? I am willing to ship it out to Bayview if it's worth it.

I'm thinking about this because all along I was figuring I'd just switch to the spare player I have in storage when this Pioneer unit stopped working... unfortunately, it's a Sony. Now I'm reconsidering.

Kevin

Kevin, it's such an old model, late 80's. I think your money is better spent on another, newer Pioneer. Any Pioneer player after '94, even the budjet models, will have a better pic. A 50 db player would seem like a big improvement. A 51 or 52 db player mght seem like a revelation in reduced video noise...?

[Pinknik]

Rachael, any thoughts on or experience with the Pioneer industrial line, specifically the top of the line LD-V8000? Thank you.

[Rachael Bee]

Rachael, any thoughts on or experience with the Pioneer industrial line, specifically the top of the line LD-V8000? Thank you.

I've never had one but many folks swear by that model. They say it's video is pretty equivalent to a 703/704, maybe better and certainly more durable.

[Mal]

....The 925 has everything you could possibly need though. Mind you, you must have a PAL capable display and you'll need a power converter......

.....I suppose you'd best look for one at the U.K.'s E-bay...?

.....You'll have to go to alot of trouble and expense to play PAL discs. I hope it's worth it? The Brits always said the 2950 was a pretty average, by U.S. standards, NTSC player. Proably, it's comparable to a CLD-59 in that regard...? ...so, I'd expect a 50 db machine...? Good luck, you've got some hurdles! :)

Thanks for the info, "arby" ;)

You may not know it, but I am as English as "Fish and Chips". I'm only living in LA for a few months before I return to the UK in September (kicking and screaming!).

I will investigate the D925 on my return. Although, from your advice I wonder if I should pick up a really good NTSC player while I'm here and then pick up a PAL only player back in the UK.....

:)

[Rachael Bee]

Thanks for the info, "arby" ;)

You may not know it, but I am as English as "Fish and Chips". I'm only living in LA for a few months before I return to the UK in September (kicking and screaming!).

I will investigate the D925 on my return. Although, from your advice I wonder if I should pick up a really good NTSC player while I'm here and then pick up a PAL only player back in the UK.....

:)

Picking up a really good player to take home sounds like a good plan. A CLD-79 or 99 would be a step up. If U.K. TV's have good 3-D comb filters, either's composite would be about the same. If U.K. sets don't have good combs, aim for an S-video player. If that's the case try for a CLD-99 or 97. If your pocketbook is deeper, look for a Japanese import like the LD-S9 or HLD-X9. The comb filter they share is heads above what's in the U.S. players. It will bring out all the colour trapped in LD's. I have one of each and they have spoil't me, BIG time!

IMO, the Japanese never sent their best stuff to the U.S. after the CLD-97. They never sent anything resembling their best stuff to the U.K. Good luck on your search and best wishes! :)

P.S. - your mileage thing-y did have me suspecting.

[-=Rudy=-]

I had an MDP-333 for a little over the 1 year warranty. What a mistake! I got it on sale. My 333 had it's main board go out and the laser head went beserk and dug a trench in an X-Files disc.

After its second or third laser assembly replacement, my 333 did the same thing, and had to take it back the day after I got it home. Never trusted it after that. I will probably dump mine on eBay when I get a chance, as-is. That was the beginning of the end with Sony products for me.

The first DVL's were the DVL-700 and Elite DVL-90. I have a 1983 Magnavox toploader that works. It's only video output is RF. I got it as a throw-in with some discs about 10 years ago. Right now it's in the closet and I doubt it's ever coming out...? It belongs in a museum. :)

I checked downstairs: the DVL-700 is the one I have, and the ancient model is an LD-660 (and it may be RF-only too). I don't know if the DVL-700 is worth fixing either--it works but probably needs some adjustment. The DVD player section needs the firmware update too.

[kenrothman]

I've got a Marantz LV-510, which is a rebadged Pioneer of some sort. I think it's somewhere between a 503 and 703.

It's been great for years, but is now having problems with the door. Everytime I put in a disc, it closes, groans, and re-opens. One or two cycles of this before it accepts the disc and spins up.

Annoying... but I don't care enough to replace it.

I'm still kicking myself for flinching on the Elite model on Craigslist last year for like $100

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I can get a DVL-700 for $199. I'm thinking I should do it. The only thing is, I really don't need the DVD playback capability. Does this added ability degrade the LD capabilities?

Kevin

[Rachael Bee]

I can get a DVL-700 for $199. I'm thinking I should do it. The only thing is, I really don't need the DVD playback capability. Does this added ability degrade the LD capabilities?

Kevin

If it's a really low-milage player, it would be a fair deal I suppose. It's a good 50 db player. Repair gurus will tell you that DVL's have a few more things to go wrong, however, it's a 1997 model, so, it's newer than most used stuff out there. The DVD section has annoyingly bad ergonomics like all of the other 1st generation Pioneer DVD players. The only way that affects LD use is that you get a rather poor remote without the traditional shuttle. If I had a 700, I'd use another Pioneer remote with it.

The only reason to pass on the deal would be to hold out for a 51 db, or better, player. But, you'd proably end up paying more...?

[Rachael Bee]

Here's my LD Primer at Moe's place now, it was once at the HT Forum.

http://www.moesrealm.com/hometheater/laserdisc-guide.html


It could use an update and a few edits, maybe someday...?

[greg_t]

very nice writeup Rachael. The one thing I still can't figure out is what exactly that clock reference setting does on the X9. It has the video and audio settings, and somewhere there is supposed to be a narrow and wide setting. Have you ever come across those or have any idea what the clock reference actually does?