My Latest Laserdisc Buys ......

[Uncle Jay]

Originally Posted by Dave

Blu-Ray has greater storage capacity and countless other advantages over DVD.

Yeah, too bad 60% of the Blu-ray titles don't carry over all the extras certain DVD editions have. All that space wasted. Makes me sick.

-UJ

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Uncle Jay

Yeah, too bad 60% of the Blu-ray titles don't carry over all the extras certain DVD editions have. All that space wasted. Makes me sick.

-UJ

Agreed but that has nothing to do with the technical superiority of the format. That's just studio greed as they plan to double dip.

[Uncle Jay]

Originally Posted by Dave

Agreed but that has nothing to do with the technical superiority of the format. That's just studio greed as they plan to double dip.

Oh I know, I'm just ranting.

-UJ

[Paff]

Hey, I just bought a few last night off of E-bay. I think this bumps me up to a whopping 6 titles since getting an HDTV

Fong Sai Yuk
Shaolin Kung Fu
Girls Unbutton

First two are some Jet Li films, and the third is, well, exactly what it sounds like. Hong Kong softcore with the lovely Loletta Lee (who isn't quite Shu Qi, but still...)

This guy on Ebay, "beandipandguacamole" has access to tons of these Hong Kong discs, although his shipping gets a bit pricey. I thought I'd save money by buying a few, and all he did was knock $1 off shipping. But I really do like getting these on LD still. Believe it or not, a lot of the more obscure HK titles that are on DVD are non-anamorphic. Worse, they have the subs in the letterboxed area below, so if you zoom in, you lose the subtitles. The lasers were all taken from theatrical prints, with the dual subs in the picture. You zoom in, you still have 'em (even if they're completely illegible and in horrible English...but then again, that's part of the fun factor too)

[SaxCatz]

Originally Posted by Dave

How so?

VHS = 250 lines of resolution.
LD = 425.
DVD = 480.
Blu-Ray = 1080.

Blu-Ray has greater storage capacity and countless other advantages over DVD.

LD has greater resolution and multiple audio channels, but otherwise that was about it when comparing it against VHS.

Ok, I'm not going to take the time to word this eloquently...

Firstly- law of diminishing returns. To the average eye, the additional resolution of DVD or LD over VHS is much more apparent than the additional resolution of Blu-Ray over DVD or LD.

Yes... about 4x greater luminance resolution. Don't forget about FAR superior chroma resolution. Also, direct control over the transport mechanism for superior control on discs, especially CAV, plus conveniences such as chapter selection. And don't forget about durability- since LD is a "no contact" medium, LDs (excluding the unfortunate ones that developed "rot" from manufacturing defects) play just as well today as the day they were minted- no matter how many times they were enjoyed. Meanwhile, many VHS tapes begin to show wear as early as the 2nd or 3rd viewing. Then you didn't have to rewinds... didn't have to worry about tracking... didn't have to CONSTANTLY clean the heads (sure, the laser lens could benefit from an occassional cleaning- but VHS heads required constant maintenance if you were watching "dirty" rental tapes, etc)...

The list of LD advantages over VHS is length and significant. LD was a "quantum leap" beyond VHS- if only its price weren't also, there is little doubt that LD would have completely dominated VHS.

Meanwhile, Blu-Ray offers better PQ & AQ over DVD. As far as revolutionary new features... uhm... pop-up menus and BD-live? Wow... stunned.

I am a huge proponent of Blu-Ray, but it is really better to think of Blu-Ray as the evolution of technologies emerging in LD & DVD rather than a revolutionary new technology. However, LD in its day WAS a revolutionary technology that indeliably rewrote "the book" on home theater for a generation to follow.

[NIN]

Uncle Jay, Cool Japan LD, I have that too.

[Paff]

Ah, just had to add more to that HK order (and continue to get ass-raped on shipping).

Executioners (I already have the Tai Seng LD of this, but the subs are below the picture so I can't zoom it in. This is the HK release, should have the theatrical subs)
Red To Kill (I understand this is one of the most extreme HK movies ever made)
Trilogy of Lust (not available on DVD as far as I know)

Hi, found this thread and wanted to join in as I have just purchased my first ever L/D player. I am a huge fan already and I am currently bidding on a copy of Freddy's Dead in 3D - not a great film I know but lovin the 3D - a copy of the exorcist and the 1931 Dracula, encore edition. The thing I love is the covers. Any way would like to hear from other L/D users and get advice about good discs to buy, and general appreciation for the genius that is LaserDisc

[NIN]

Originally Posted by SaxCatz

Firstly- law of diminishing returns. To the average eye, the additional resolution of DVD or LD over VHS is much more apparent than the additional resolution of Blu-Ray over DVD or LD.

I do not agree with that. I think that there is less difference between a good VHS and good DVD/LD than over a good bluray over a DVD.

[SaxCatz]

Originally Posted by NIN

I do not agree with that. I think that there is less difference between a good VHS and good DVD/LD than over a good bluray over a DVD.

Well, I disagree to the nth degree. Guess we'll have to agree to leave it that way.

[NIN]

Yes and I think it depends on the viewing distance/size. I have a 100 inch screen that I sit 9-10 ft from. At that distance, all SD media look soft and only HD are really nice.

Been a while since I posted (new job has this site blocked)

Picked up a crap ton of LDs since then, but I'll just post the ones that are horror-related:

Fall of the House of Usher, The/Pit & Pendulum Dbl Feature
Body Snatchers
Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things: Special Edition
Zombie (Magnum Video P&S version
Sword & the Sorcerer
Dawn of the Dead (Republic Pictures P&S Theatrical Cut)
Contagion not on DVD! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123733/
The Green Man BBC production not on DVD http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098813/

Closing in on 400 LDs. Had to vacate some space from the large bookcase I keep my LDs and video games in to make room for them all. The bookcase is now all LDs! I guess I'll stop collecting the big shiny discs when I fill that up completely.

[SaxCatz]

Originally Posted by NIN

Yes and I think it depends on the viewing distance/size. I have a 100 inch screen that I sit 9-10 ft from. At that distance, all SD media look soft and only HD are really nice.

I'm sitting 14' from a 120" screen. The effect should be the same.
Yes, all SD looks soft. I also feel that cable/sat "HD" looks moderately soft as well. Only Blu-Ray looks particularly sharp.
However, DVD and LD look pleasant, if soft. Meanwhile, VHS is a disgusting, blobby/noisy mess.

[Iron Jaiden]

Just snagged:

Robocop (Criterion)
Halloween (Criterion)
Ghostbusters (Criterion)
Tron (3 Disc SE)
The Thing (Signature Edition Japanese)

I just started collecting LDs for the first time since the 80s so I'm sure I'll be keeping this thread alive for a while

[ekent]

Originally Posted by Iron Jaiden

Just snagged:

Robocop (Criterion)
Halloween (Criterion)
Ghostbusters (Criterion)
Tron (3 Disc SE)
The Thing (Signature Edition Japanese)

I just started collecting LDs for the first time since the 80s so I'm sure I'll be keeping this thread alive for a while

I've got a handful of commons for sale if you are interested in bulking out your collection