Laserdisc Betamax CED VHD 8mm 16mm and 35mm

Canyon

Well-known member
Many years ago, my local Virgin Megastore here in the UK started selling laserdiscs.

I was browsing through their titles and came across a box set of the Indy movies on DVD. :D At the time, I was considering buying a player just for these movies, but I didn't bother in the end. Years later, I am now thinking of getting these movies on laserdisc. I have had a look on e-bay and they have players there for about £50 and the movies are not that expensive either.

I know that Agent 5 has Raiders on laserdisc, and he tells me that the quality is pretty good. Is there anyone else out there who has any of these movies on disc, and if so, is it worth me getting them on this format.

The other question is, do these work like video and DVD, i.e. do you need the correct region to play on your player, or are they universal?

Any feedback would be welcome. :D
 

intergamer

New member
Why would you want them on Laserdisc when you can have them on DVD?
As for me, I have the old VHS versions, the DVDs, and extra-high quality DVD-rips on my computer.
 
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Major West

Member
I've got Raiders and Temple on Laserdisc. They are the American NTSC versions.

I'll sell them to you if you want.
 

IndyFrench

TR.N Staff Member
I own the complete U.S. issue trilogy on Laserdisc. These were sold individually and had widescreen transfers. The image quality and sound were awesome in their day, but they do not compare to the DVDs.

You see, while laserdiscs were twice as good as videocassettes, these discs still had an analog picture. The soundtracks were digital, but the image still had an interlaced, analog source with the typical "background video noise" you find with most videocassette images. Awesome in their day though.

Frankly, I do not understand why you'd want them unless you just want to collect the various releases of the trilogy. Europe and Japan did receive a sweet Laserdisc boxset with all sorts of fun stuff thrown in along with the films. That might be fun to own, but I can't see watching them when the DVDs are right there...

I don't think laserdiscs were regional - though obviously a PAL encoded disc might not play on an NTSC player.

Mike
 

DarthLowBudget

New member
Betamax

...on Betamax HiFi. How about that? A couple of my friends and I got somewhat bored and decided to go see if there was anything interesting at the local Goodwill. We went as a joke, but lo and behold, there was sitting, just as I walked in the door, a copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark on Betamax. As an avowed Indy nut and fan of obscure tech I had to buy it.

Only problem now is that I have to find a Betamax player. :(
 

Ska

New member
Last year I found a copy of Raiders on Laser Disc at a used book & video store.

And I have the same problem...no Laser Disc Player.

Oh well, I didn't buy it to watch it anyways...
 

DarthLowBudget

New member
You can probably snag a laser disc player for a reasonable price nowadays, and it's probably well worth it, considering the quality on LasrDisc rivals DVD.
 

Kingsley

Member
Uff, that tape will soon belong to a museum!! LOL :p

It must have a pretty good image quality nonetheless... better than a dvd for sure!
 

Aaron H

Moderator Emeritus
Kingsley said:
Uff, that tape will soon belong to a museum!! LOL :p

It must have a pretty good image quality nonetheless... better than a dvd for sure!
About the same last I saw them side-by-side at a TV station.
 

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
So no Last Crusade apparently? Any long lost bonus features?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001KLZU94
http://www.killerreviews.com/forums/entry.php?412
indybeta.jpg
 

Gear

New member
We used to have Last Crusade on VHS, taped off of a rented laserdisc from the video store, which are ALL dead formats, now. Hah, how technology moves... My computer doesn't even recognize the word "laserdisc".
 

indyclone25

Well-known member
i bought the laserdiscs on ebay about a year and half ago and they look pretty good , on the player i bought at a garage sale 3 yrs ago. they look awesome , but the big complaint is that you have to turn the disc over to see the next side. ahhhh dead formats ....:D
 

IndyForever

Active member
I have the NTSC US Laserdiscs since they first came out it was the only way to own the widescreen versions then. Still have them now & can confirm the DVD's are much better looking so its a waste of time/money to aquire now unless your a serious collector.

A decent LD player alone would cost you a lot for an inferior picture to a £20 DVD player!!! LD Players can only output a 480P max video & the picture is analog so you get horrible motion artifacts.

DVD made Laserdisc extinct for a good reason (although some Laserdiscs which use DTS or AC3 sound have superior soundtracks to even some Blurays due to the technical spec & the way the sound was mastered back in the day).
 
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