Laser Disc Player

[frazzbo]

I got a chance to buy a Panasonic Laser Disc player, model LDV8000. Does anybody know anything about this LD player?

[Hardcoreruss]

Shite player don't buy it. If your going to go laser go pioneer. I would recommend in order

Pioneer 919 (integrated dvd)
Pioneer 909 (same as above but older)
Pioneer 925 (the best)
Pioneer 2950 (I have this one)

If you are going to go for the 2950 make sure it has an ac3 board fitted otherwise you won;t be able to get dd 5.1 out of it. Also as the 5.1 is ac3 you will need to check that your amp has a built in demodulator to convert the sound or you will need a standalone demodulator, yamaha do a good one.

[frazzbo]

Oops! I made a BIG mistake in the make of Laser Disc player I asked about. It's a Pioneer LDV 8000, not a Panasonic. I'm not sure Panasonic even made a LD.

[BJ_M]

this was the top of the line industrial player .. ive used 1000's of these ....


they are an industrial model .. VERY heavy duty motors .. they will last about 10-12 years of heavy use ...

often the laser needs replacment after 4-5 years -- again heavy use .. we have many going 12-14 hours a day , 7 days a week ..

but on the down side -- picture quality is only so so --

they are easy to control from a computer also ..

they are NOT meant to be switched on and off all the time -- they take a while to warm up ... and then you leave them on all day ..

fixing one will be expensive ....

used ones built beween 1990 - 1995/6 sell for about 300-400$ if they have a lot of hours on them , they have a hour meter (which can not be reset) ... bonus if you get the remote with it also (wired) ...


new they were about 3000$ tops ...

i (company) have still about 20 of these -- for spare parts or replacements and still make about make about 50 laser disks a year -- we have a laser disk burner (but now send them out to be made as i cant buy blanks anymore) ... there are only a few thousand (or less) blanks around and they are all crap now .. no glass masters left .. only cheapo plastic ..

there are a lot of used ones of this model -- mainly becuase they were built like a tank .. and some locations would have 20-100 of them .. all replaced by video servers or dvd now ..