Is Laserdisc crap or am I doing something wrong?

[Z.Sath]

Been a big fan of Tex Avery for a long time, so decided to buy the 'Compleat' LD boxed set (animation) and an LD player to play it on (with a view to backing up the set to DVD).

Thing is, I find the quality somewhat dissappointing. Things tend to be somewhat grainy throughout and the pictures seems to flicker ever so slightly as if the refresh rate isn't too hot.

Also, the picture on occasion seems to 'move' (as if the someone was filming the picture, but the camera was hand held.

And reds .... well, they're just noisy.

I've tried it on a few players (and with a few discs), and the quality is the same on both on my TV and when I try to capture to PC via my Canopus DVC-100.

Is it because the player is trying to convert an NTSC to PAL signal?

It's strange because the DVC will only work on NTSC setting while capturing - as if the player is omitting an NTSC signal.

I've never had a laserdisc player and was expecting the dogs b*ll*cks, perhaps DVD has spoilt me - but I remain generally unimpressed.

Anyone any suggestions?

Regards - Paul.

[Vejita-sama]

I suspect it's just a bad LD transfer, most likely because they couldn't find a good source to author from. I am (or rather was) into LD for years and the quaility was far superior to VHS or SVHS (eg. Star Wars CAV box).

Sorry but just sounds like bad luck on your part...

[housepig]

depends on your disc and your player - all the laserdiscs I've transferred so far look absolutely gorgeous, but I have heard that some of the cartoon collection laserdiscs are hit-or-miss for the transfer quality.

[elkfir]

I assume you're referring to the MGM boxed set of Tex Avery animation. I don't have it, but I'm familiar with it. And the quality should be very good.

I have several of the MGM "Golden Age" boxed sets of Warner Bros. cartoons and they are excellent.

[indolikaa]

I wonder if the problem isn't in the conversion from NTSC to PAL...