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From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: LaserVision - CLD 900
Message-ID: <285@omen.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 19-Jan-86 16:07:51 EST
Article-I.D.: omen.285
Posted: Sun Jan 19 16:07:51 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 21-Jan-86 07:30:23 EST
References: <227@bnrmtv.UUCP>
Reply-To: caf@.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX)
Distribution: net
Organization: Omen Technology, Portland
Lines: 65

In article <227@bnrmtv.UUCP> zarifes@bnrmtv.UUCP (Kenneth Zarifes) writes:
>I just purchased a Pioneer CLD 900,  you know,  the one that plays
>laser video disks AND compact disks (is it "discs"?). 
>
>Well,  I played about 5 movies on it which were all "Extended Play" (CLV)
>disks and all 5 of them looked terrible!  There was actually static in
>the picture.  It also didn't seem to have the awesome resolution I've heard
>about. So much for the "state of the art video" format!
>
>I have the machine directly hooked up to a monitor using gold cable connections.
>
>Is there something wrong with my machine or are all extended play disks
>this terrible?  
>
>Anyone out there have any experience with this?  
>
>
>-- 
>
>{hplabs,amdahl,3comvax}!bnrmtv!zarifes          --Ken Zarifes

The video connection should be with a 75 ohm cable, not an audio cable.
Also make sure the monitor is set to terminate the video signal, not to
loop-thru.

If you see squiggly renditions of sync bars wandering about on a 900 player
you have a poorly adjusted player or defective discs.

LaserDiscs do not have a great margin of signal to noise ratio.  If you
set the contrast and brightness controls properly, the noise should be
minimal.

It is important to det the monitor's detail control properly.  Make sure
it hasn't been cranked up to compensate for VCR's poor frequency response.
Look acrefully at titles - there should be no fringes, and the top of the
T's should not have overshoot.

Get a copy of Star Trek the Motion Picture and read the small credits at
the end.  On laser, they are good quality and easy to read.  They are
very difficult to read on VHS or Beta, and a total mess on CED.  The texture
of Uhura's hair also shows up well on LV.

The Star Trek TV episodes now coming out on LV are particularly interesting
because the LaserDisc picture picks up many details and subtleties that
didn't come through before.  In many instances the quality is *too* good,
and one can identify the materials used in the sets.

Some examples of well recorded LaserDiscs: Empire Strikes Back, Dune,
War of the Worlds.  In War of the Worlds, the wires holding up the Martian
ships are clearly visible in many scenes.

The film transfer to LaserDiscs is an utterly analog process, with an
incredible number of pitfalls at every step of the way.  If the movie
studio sends a mangey master to Pioneer, you lose.  If some "engineer"
at Pioneer decides there is too much rumble in the audio, you lose.

But when it's done carefully, it's a moby win.


-- 
   Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX  ...!tektronix!reed!omen!caf   CIS:70715,131
   Author of Professional-YAM communications Tools for PCDOS and Unix
 Omen Technology Inc     17505-V NW Sauvie Island Road Portland OR 97231
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