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How's your laserdisc collection?

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How's your laserdisc collection?

Old 07-25-06, 07:32 PM
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How's your laserdisc collection?

With all this talk about HD-DVD and Blu-Ray DVD do you still have time for the first ever disc format laserdisc.I am watching fewer and fewer maybe watch them every other month in the mornings when I don't work.Still looking to add a few music video's or concert laserdiscs.
Old 07-25-06, 08:10 PM
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Mine is relatively dormant. I actually aquired all my LD after I had DVD, but I have about 70 and have viewed most of them. Several are movies not available on DVD or not available in OAR. I still enjoy them occasionally, but I have been working to reduce my backlog lately and they have been ignored. I am not planning to get rid of them anytime soon and I did watch Seven Samauri CC about a week or two ago.
Old 07-25-06, 08:26 PM
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I aquired my first laserdisc player over three months ago. and have a LD. collection of under 50 titles. trying to add some more lasers of titles that are not availble on dvd, or dont stand a chance of being on the digital format, if ever for while.. plus I have a few titles that are available on dvd, that I got when i bought a lot various titles of them on ebay.there are lot of titles that are rare on laserdisc,and thats the only good reason to keep this format going, cause you cant get it on another format beside vhs.
Old 07-25-06, 08:46 PM
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Mine is pretty dusty, but the player still works and I will pop in one now and again.
Old 07-25-06, 09:11 PM
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I just bought a 300 laserdisc collection, as well as a better player. I'm going to be unloading most of the collection.. and my old laserdisc player. I specifically collect horror movies not on DVD.
Old 07-25-06, 09:17 PM
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Didn't CED discs exist before LaserDiscs?

I saw some for sale in a used store this weekend, but $6 per disc seemed still too much.

-jason
Old 07-25-06, 09:20 PM
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Laserdiscs have been around alittle bit longer-I did have an RCA CED disc player and I still have the movies but the picture and sound didn't hold up to laserdisc.
Old 07-25-06, 09:49 PM
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I have around 300 LDs(I went to check my list by www.laserdisctracker.com is gone right now...hopefully just for a bit). I haven't watched any of them in ages. I did however just buy a few more LDs in the last few weeks and will hopefully get back to watching them soon.
Old 07-25-06, 10:16 PM
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I still have around 200.

I don't keep duplicates of titles, so the only ones that didn't go down the garbage chute are the ones that either haven't come out on DVD yet or the ones with bonus features (mainly commentary tracks) that haven't been ported over to later editions.

My player is on its last legs, though. Getting the drawer to eject sometimes requires Herculean effort and patience.
Old 07-25-06, 10:16 PM
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I was just rewiring my den's setup the other day when we picked up a new (used) TV, and I threw in a laserdisc to make sure it was all hooked up right. I had found a few music titles at the Kane County Flea Market a few months ago, two music video "sampler" discs, that are slightly smaller than a regular LD, plus a Madonna concert one, can't remember the title right now.

The music video one included an R.E.M. video where Michael Stipe had on enough eyeliner for a linebacker, and a rattail halfway down his back.
Old 07-25-06, 10:35 PM
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I've whittled down a pretty substantial collection to about 20 titles that I kept either because I loved the cover art, or there was no way I'd get what I originally paid for them. I've replaced all but 3 titles, still unreleased on dvd: Ken Russell's The Music Lovers and The Boyfriend;and Lost Horizon (73). I thought the Broadway revival of the Boyfriend would inspire a dvd release - no such luck. I thought Richard Chamberlain coming out would inspire a release of the Music Lovers - no such luck. Lost Horizon may the one true one-of-a-kind release on any format that I own.

My copy of The Road Warrior still kicks major ass on Laser Disc!
Old 07-25-06, 11:38 PM
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honestly? I wish I could find someone to buy mine.. they sit there..and are never watched. Is there a way to tranfer LD to dvd? I have Maniac Cop on LD and I missed the dvd pressing.
Old 07-26-06, 12:12 AM
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My collection is still alive and kicking. I have about 140 LDs and watch at least one title per week.

I can't bring myself to getting rid of them. I've invested too much $weat in acquiring them while being a college student in the early 90s.

Does anyone remember:

alt.video.laserdisc?

Ken Krane's LD in HB, CA (could not believe my eyes the first time I walked into the LD mecca, after years of mail-ordering from them), LaserCraze in Boston with its huge rental section, Big Emma also in Boston (saving me pennies with good quality "useds"), the LD section at Virgin Times Square (tons of imports)?

The small LD newsletter (can't recall the name, sold on newstands) full of upcoming release and imports info?

Grabbing one of the free Image monthly release booklets from the small stack left at Tower? What about the harder to find Criterion Catalog?
Old 07-26-06, 12:22 AM
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Originally Posted by SuckaMC
honestly? I wish I could find someone to buy mine.. they sit there..and are never watched. Is there a way to tranfer LD to dvd? I have Maniac Cop on LD and I missed the dvd pressing.
I sold mine on eBay about a year ago and got about $80 for it. I also included about 10 quality discs with the purchase as an incentive.
Old 07-26-06, 12:26 AM
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Mine is thriving and I usually watch at least 2-3 a week, often more. I'm up to about 250 titles now, although I'm probably going to weed out about half of them to make room for cooler stuff. A lot of the fluff I got when I was just starting out and buying in lots. Nowadays, I mostly buy Criterions, movies not on DVD, concerts or Image Silent Classics line.

Some of my favorites newer purchases

War of the Gargantuas
Houdini
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
Fallen Idol
Strike up the Band
White Zombie (for insert and cool as hell cover)
Johnny Guitar
The Egyptian
T-Men/Raw Deal (Cool looking cover, great noir movies)

I'm not above buying movies that I don't own even if they are on DVD if the price is right ($3-4 tops) or if I really like the packaging. When I do this, I usually try and stick to single disc CLVs just because i'm buying it at rental prices and having to get up off my ass to switch disc is a pain in the ass.
Old 07-26-06, 01:02 AM
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I've never owned a single laserdisc in my life. To be honest, I had no idea that it even existed. Heh.
Old 07-26-06, 01:56 AM
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Still picking up lasers now and then - collection is around 1500

Have 2 704's as players and a number of lesser models that still work.
Old 07-26-06, 04:13 AM
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I found a player in very good condition at a thrift store over a year ago for $20. And I now own exactly 6 Laserdiscs:

2001
Blue Collar
Star Wars: A New Hope
Taxi Driver CC
Terminator 2 SE
Trainspotting CC
Old 07-26-06, 07:04 AM
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Originally Posted by onabudget
The small LD newsletter (can't recall the name, sold on newstands) full of upcoming release and imports info?
"The LaserDisc Newsletter" later become "The DVD-LaserDisc Newsletter". All of their articles can be found online at www.dvdlaser.com.
Old 07-26-06, 07:25 AM
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No one's gonna start a "how's your betamax collection?" thread?

I still have about 20 of those, all of them OOP music titles (seriously, is ANYBODY ever gonna reissue Blondie's 'Eat To The Beat' on DVD ever?). Haven't owned a working betamax maching in about ten years, though.
Old 07-26-06, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by SuckaMC
honestly? I wish I could find someone to buy mine.. they sit there..and are never watched. Is there a way to tranfer LD to dvd? I have Maniac Cop on LD and I missed the dvd pressing.
Sure, there is no copy-protection on laserdiscs, so just hook it up to a DVD recorder and burn it.

I have 600+ laserdiscs, but I've replaced most of them with the DVD version. I never sell anything, so I keep them mostly for sentimental reasons. I think the last one I watched may have been Beastmaster 2 a couple of years ago. I have four LD players and all of them are suffering from the age-hardening spindle pad that makes the disc get stuck and make weird noises upon insertion. I did love them back in the day, especially compared to the VHS everyone was watching.
Old 07-26-06, 09:01 AM
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I get nostalgic every few months and pop a laserdisc in. I honestly miss the format, mainly because of the great packaging. The jackets were great to display while watching the film, the backs sometimes contained nice essays. And nothing can compare to the Deluxe Gatefold jackets! I purchased a used McIntosh LD player a few months ago to be my reference player.

Years ago I worked in Waltham,Ma next to Sight & Sound. I'd go in there on my lunch breaks, check out the used section for treasures and talk with the staff. The owner would keep me informed of Japanese releases and helped me order some of my favorites. I'm trying to collect additional laserdiscs that may never see the light of day on DVD or were just cool. Someone should keep a thread going with must-own laserdiscs, greatest laserdisc packaging, etc...
Old 07-26-06, 09:13 AM
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Originally Posted by matome
I have four LD players and all of them are suffering from the age-hardening spindle pad that makes the disc get stuck and make weird noises upon insertion.
Spindle Cleaning Instructions
Old 07-26-06, 09:13 AM
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I bought a LD player a few years back, and sold it off about a year ago. I think it came with about 30+ LD's. I ended up getting the Star Wars Trilogy, Cool As Ice, Ford Fairlane, License To Drive (all not on DVD when I bought). There were some other good LD's also, but nothing great.

When I bought my house, I basically got rid of this since I did not watch it or have room. Someone got a decent deal on my collection on Ebay
Old 07-26-06, 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Josh Z
I had already done that to my CLD-703 with the Radio Shack kit and it worked like a charm (that guy Kurt is good). Kinda pain in the butt to do though, so I haven't bothered with my other three player yet.

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