Laserdisc player with AC-3 out need receiver to play it through

Sorry to say it, but I think you have a 0 chance of finding this on any receiver these days, regardless of price. I haven't even seen an AC-3 RF input on $5000-10000 devices. Haven't ever seen anything higher than that, but I don't think you'll find it there either.

Since no LD player can output AC-3 via a coax or optical output (AC-3 is stuff into the right analog channel, meaning that it's very different from how it's stored on DVDs), you're going to have to find an RF demodulator. I'm pretty sure this is what you need:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...2BSI%26otn%3D2
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...2BSI%26otn%3D2

As you can see, they are rather pricey. Your other options are:

1) Find someone who can modify the player to include an RF demodulator and allow the AC-3 bitstream output via coax or optical. Finding someone will be challenge enough, but it's quite certain that this will cost far, far, far more than it's really worth. You might be better off trying to buy a modded player from someone who doesn't want theirs anymore.

2) Use 2-channel analog outputs and just your receiver mix it as desired. This is the cheapest option, and if you use PLIIx on the two channel mix, what you get will be pretty close to the original 5.1.

Believe it or not, the Pioneer SC-09TX, an AVR released w/in the last year, does have a Dolby AC-3 RF input. It is, however, $7000 MSRP.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...i.SC-09TX.Kuro

I did not believe it at first, as AC-3 RF is passe by about a decade. But you can see the RF input here:

http://z.about.com/d/hometheater/1/0...txreceiver.jpg

AJ

Of course it's on Pioneer - they introduced the LD They probably feel they owe some high end buyers an AC3 decoder

@SC-09. Wow! I had no idea that an RF in made it onto any receiver (I'm guessing the SC09 is it, or close to it). They should have put that one on the highlight sheet.


Laserdisc actually stores its video in composite format, so you won't really get much of an upgrade using s-video. At the least, you don't lose anything using composite video. SVHS was the first format to introduce separate chroma and luma channels (and why s-video cables used to be called "SVHS cables" on occasion). Using s-video won't really look better, although s-video does have the benefit of separating cross-talk between the chroma and luma channels. If your TV has a decent comb filter in it, the results will be the same as if you use s-video. Further, your TV's comb filter will be invoked to take the s-video into RGB or YPrPb to be digitized for display, so by sending it in composite, you avoid filtering it twice (once to take composite -> s-video, once more to take s-video -> RGB/YPrPb). Further, I'd wager that the comb filters in TVs now are better than the ones you'll find in LD players from 20-some years ago--even really nice LD players.

S-VHS was the first consumer format to output physically separated luminance & chrominance channels. But S-VHS, VHS, and Betamax all recorded electromagnetically separate luma & chroma channels. I think the issue, though, was that the earlier formats did not utilize sufficient recording bandwidth to warrant physically separated luma & chroma output.

As for the parenthetical reference, that brings back memories. When I was 14 or 15 in 1991-92, I bought a new Sony CRT TV and ordered a special cable so that I could take advantage of the novel "S-VHS" output capability of my new Super Nintendo (and, later, my Japanese Super Famicom). And, as I recall, both cable & pin out on the SNES used the "S-VHS" nomenclature. Of course, I subsequently decided that S-video was not good enough and constructed my own RGB cable.

But I greatly digress...

AJ

Using the composite output over the S-Video for Laserdisc is widely thought to be better, but in fact it's not (unless you happen to have a Pioneer Elite player or other player with direct composite). This is because most players' composite output is nothing more than a recombined S-Video signal.

Pioneer SC-LX90 has AC3, one of the best Amplifiers in the World.
Actually it competes in the High League with new Denon flagshipp AVP + POA.
In Europe you can get this baby for 5000 Euros new from dealer.
And in USA for $3500 USD New on Ebay from dealer.

Just get an RF Modulator and then any AVR works great with the AC3 output.

Interesting on the no svideo inputs on displays. I suppose eventually there will be no composite inputs either. Maybe concentrate more on AVR's that offer transcoding from these types of inputs to component or even HDMI I suppose.

That is so wrong, I don't know where to start.

Laserdisc is a native *composite video* format. To what end would a LD player separate the native composite luma/chroma signal to S-Vid and then immediately re-combine it for output????

Because it's cheaper.

Go look in the LD topics in the AVS DVD player section or do a search for "direct composite" or "pure composite" if you don't believe me.

jd is right. ALL of the later model ld players re-combine already seperated y/c into composite. Most of the ld players y/c seperate then apply time base corrector and then some do digital video noise reduction plus some more processing and then recombine into composite. some ld players apply y/c seperator one more time after combining back to composite so its 2 times y/c seperation in such case composite out is prefered. high end ld players such as elite line up and hlds composite is prefered but then hlds and most elites use higher quality comb filters than most tvs so s-video is still the best output.

Amen brother!! I would love to get a 1987 Buick Grand National or the Buick GNX !

LOL ... well this is the first time I've heard of any such foolishness ... I don't see how it would be "cheaper" or "easier" or even a remotely coherent design.

Back in the day when I actually used mine, the recommendation was to use the composite output ... unless you had a high end machine with more than a simple comb filter (ie. elite series.) This would seem to be the exact opposite of what you are recommending a decade later.

Edit: LOL ... well I did a bit of checking ... including checking the back of my old LD player ... and it pretty much a moot point (for me) since the player doesn't even have a S-Vid jack.

Dilemma solved.

That is interesting, because rarely when comparing have I found compsoite to be better, the svideo has always been better in an A/B comparison. I've tested this many times with my own LD players.

Right now, I use a Pioneer CLD99 in the theater and a Denon LA-3100 in the living room.

Wow, you still have TWO LD players hooked up? I thought I was bad with the CLD99 still in my theater.

But in any case, the OP would be much better served by getting an RF demodulator off eBay than trying to track down a receiver with an RF input. If you watch the auctions like a hawk, you can find them reasonably priced from time to time. I picked up a Pioneer RFD-1 for $80 last year. It took about three months of checking eBay twice a day, though.

I chose the RFD-1 over the APD-1 because it lets you combine the AC3 and optical out from the player into a single optical output from the demodulator, saving one input jack on your receiver/pre-pro. The APD-1 will require two input jacks; one for AC3 and one for everything else.

Don't feel left out...

I've got the SC-09 just for LD - replaced a VSX-49TXi bought for LD purposes too. Two players as well still active in my theater and bedroom.

We still can't get the ORIGINAL STARWARS THX box set on DVD or BD. And we never will with Lucas' changes to them ever since.

I'm not interested in watching a Lucasized version of the ORIGINAL Episodes 4-6 when I can pipe the LD through a Marvel or a Reon and it's just visually stunning enough to bring back fine memories.

TheZog:

Do a quick E-bay search for the following recivers:
Pioneer: VSX 49TX, 49TXi, 59TXi or SC-09
Sony DA-ES80/90 or -ES90G

All of those are fantastic units (without HDMI of course) but will rock your LD and analog world. The 49/59s from Pioneer can be found pretty readily some even new still.

Check this thread also for other options:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=652457

I noticed the RF in in the back of the SC-09 the first time I looked at it. Its a beautiful receiver with many connections ( it has phono in too, many dont). The only comparison I could find was the Denon AVR 5308 or AVPA1. Denon AVP was a pre-pro design which got my attention quickly and the realta t2 based video processor which i ve heard is almost on par with a high end standalone video processor. I already knew both Pioneer 09 and Denon AVP are great reciever but i wanted one with very good video processing as well. I know QDEO is a good chip and I have a LG BH200 Super Blu player with it. When I compare it to my Samsung up5000 or friends dvd3800 i prefer the reon and realta over qdeo. it could be a better implementation in pioneers but then again i read the benchmark tests for 07 which uses the same VP section and it was no more than average but denon avr 5308 in video processing was the best in its class. So I decided to go with the AVP-A1HDCI and a RF re-demulator. My LD player is a McIntosh MLD-7020. it has a very low noise composite out (second to S2 and X0) but i dont have a good comb filter to take advantage of its composite out so i am using the s-video out.

I think the easier solution is just to replace ones LD's with BD or DVD as they become available.

I only have 3 that are unavailable in at least one of the newer formats. None of them are StarWars, I refuse to subscribe to the Lucas/padmybankaccountregularlyandoften program.

Some of the DVD versions are dirt-cheap these days.

In my 900 disc collection I have about 75 that are either not available or the version I really like is not available.

I still buy very rare titles on LD even.

Never the less. I still ike the format just fine and I Generally don't replace them with DVD versions, and I have no time to transfer it all to DVD-R's either.


I've been collecting since 1985 and still going.

I think my DVD,BD,HD-DVD all combined has also hit around the 900 mark. I love truly owning my content. It will be very beneficial when I retire to the middle of nowhere. I fear the day when only downloads may be available for content.

My Marantz SR7001 AVR in the theater has an excellent Mono Movie surround mode, that does well even with the oldest mono, analog only LD soundtracks. Quite a nice bonus I never expected when I purchased the AVR.

Well, LD was fine for my old 27" analog TV's, but the limitations of the format are instantly visible on the 50" HDTV. Replacement is a no-brainer for me. Of course, I don't have a 900 disk library either ... YMMV

Uderman the SC-07 does NOT use the QEDO only the SC-09 does.
Who told you the SC-07 uses the same video section? That reviewer needs to check his facts quick.

The SC-07 uses an OLD Faroujia design. Also the Denon 5308 does not have a AC-3 imput.

I am pleased with my Silicon Optics Reon-VQ in my Integra DTR 8.8 and its upconversion over composite to HDMI of a very poor LD transport imput (the CLD-M403) to even a 106" screen (except of course for its SD-HD colorspace conversion errors (an Onkyo screwup that they refuse to fix and for that reason I don't recommend any Onkyo/Integra products at all)).

I have yet to complete the connection with my SC-09 (theater construction ongoing) and the Marvel QEDO with my other LD player but will post later. I am anxious to see how it performs.

Also the Denon 5308 does not have a AC-3 imput



for that reason i said avp-a1hdci and a RF re-demodulator


The SC-07 uses an OLD Faroujia design.

It wasnt in the review I thought they shared the same video section, my mistake


I would say for LD players most important aspect of a VP is the comb filter design, line doubler and the zoom/strech functions since most LDs are in 4:3 but letterboxed for widescreen aspect ratios.Do you think qdeo is superior for analog sources than silicon image chips?

I run mine on 106" screen, letterbox zoomed and all. I actually chose the projector I chose because it was far and away the best on LD's.