Messages

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

There is an auction for 2 japanese Time Gals... sealed no-less.... anybody want to go half/half on them?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

 You want me to honestly tell the truth?  I have yet to see the artwork.  I dont even know who did it.... We only had one submission... so unless its total crap  (which I doubt), I have a copy of Zoom 5 ready to be shipped out.... someones gotta pull his finger out of his butt...  For some reason its being held from me...and I'm not sure why.   If that person would like to resubmit it to me personaly... instead of the site, please do... I want to keep my promises.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Would anybody be willing to trade some of their LA games (1 or 2) for Myst 110?  Get ahold of me at LaserActiveGuy channel on youtube if interested...   (Season 2 of LaserActiveGuy coming soon...)

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

In my theory, it (PC Pac) also allows 'computers' to access individual field interlaced frames... ie Look at Triad Stone or Road Prosecutor without seeing both fields at the same time, as if putting it into a normal LD player.  As far as I know though, this software IS NOT included in the normal floppy discs... but I am sure the pac can do it.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Your right.  Working too many hours to have missed that one... i gota go to bed!  Thanks

Looks like Dora Dora paradise

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

What is the Blue LD-ROm disc on the left side next to Zoom 7?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEGA-CD-LaserActive-GENESIS-Mega-Drive-KEIO-TurboGRAFX-Lords-of-Thunder-SNATCHER-/161028440357?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257e0b0125

So, is this auction a decent deal?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Believe it or not, this is percisely what the PC pac allows a person to do.. by making LD discs readable, searchable, and perhaps put txt on screen, with user selectable options.  If software could be made that fits in a MegaDrive or PCE flashcard to do similar operations, it can easily be done!  Not original games, but some creative stuff could be done witha lot of 'fairly easy' to get LDs.   Now, I have heard that once 'cart' mode is enacted, it basicly locks down the LD drive.  That will have to be circumvented somehow.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

If you wanted to get into it just a little bit... even though LA played 'movies' of its time... the Playstation was pretty much only backward compadible.  The LA played its Own games, plus a bunch of other consoles games, making it superior in that regard.

The Playstation 3... It only Does Everything!
The LaserActive...  It only Did Everything!

Lets get back to figuring out how to make a game!   Is it possible for a Mega Drive cart to control the LD functions?  If so, were home free!  I'll worry about making the non-digital discs.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

No matter how advanced LaserActive was in its hay-day, todays systems and a $20 game just blow it out of the water.

There is no other home entertainment device that was released in the U.S. that had the format and capabilities the LA did.
  /
- I beg to differ.  I present to you the PlayStation 3! - Granted, the 1st version!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

I see all the time on forums people picking up LaserActives for 20-50 bucks in pawn shops...  but they are just LUCKY!!.  Then, most of those people only use it for Sega games and LDs... not even knowing theres a whole selection of 'real' titles for the sytem, or dont want to spend money to get them.  I was on a LA kick (still really am to be honest) when I first got it, but a few months later, went back to more modern systems.  No matter how advanced LaserActive was in its hay-day, todays systems and a $20 game just blow it out of the water.  I'm not even sure why i'm devoted to such expensive antique equipment... but I do admit its cool-as-heck!!   Part of the problem as to why its typicaly isnt cheap today... is because it wasnt cheap back in the day.   In fact, except for the elite title game group... were getting quite a bargin compared to original prices!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

New Scientist March 19, 1987
Snippets..    Philips also sees CD Video as a way of relaunching the technicaly acclaimed but commerical unsuccessful Laservison videodisc system.  A conventional compact disc record the sound as 16-bit digital code...yada yada...  so this is nowhere near fast enough for moving video pictures in digital code, unless comlex and expensive circuitry is build into the player to compress the digital data.  So the CDV system compromises by recording moving TV pictues as an analogue waveform.  The disc also spins faster while the video pictures are playing, around 2000 times a minute.  The Laser then tracks the disc surface at a linear velocity of around 10 meteres/second.  The high speed is a cheap way of providing clear pictures, but it limits video playing time to around 5 minutes.

The old Laservision videodiscs had analog sound, but the new CDV discs will have digital sound to accompany the picture.  In the NTSC television system, there is room in the recorded video signal for both analog and digital soundtrack.
----------------------
In a later artical in the same magazine, it actualy talks about Video CD technology, at least in prototype stages.  It mentions that General Electric's RCA Labs can get about 70 minutes of video out of cd's (which were original designed just for audio) and that it could have great potential because it does not have the HYBRID nature of CD Video... as its all digital.  It however, says dedicated 'chips' are needed due to its slow access speeds of 1500kb/s  ...which people have since developed faster 'drive' motors... lol.  52x anybody?

I also found another website going into details about nessasary wave-lenghts of 'pressing' CDV's... but its pretty technical.  Useless unless you had equipment you could modify to accomidate such adjustments.

Now, having said that, I dont think a CD burner could make CDV's... but could a LD burner do it?  Would really sensative 'cd-r's take the 'burning' signal?

Also.. are your VSD's... the mini-laserdiscs that have CDV format?  I have one of those... its a 'single sided' LD... but it doesnt make any sense to me why they would make such a thing... I'd just burn it in normal LD format?  My 'only one' has both a digital and analog soundtrack.  (It does say CD Video...not LD)

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Ohh... that just gave me an idea....  making a LD with video is NO problem.   However, the problem I have is making it a digital LD. 

Would it be possible to make the game on a real LaserDisc using only footage.. and adding a Sega Gen cart to control the handling of LD video?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

The Computer Pac is not required to make LaserActive games, I am almost certain.  The only reason developers had such machines was to see the different fields if the disc was multi-layered.  They used it to help 'line up' programming cues.   I was so close to buying (that one)... but financials are a huge problem at the moment.   I will be buying, probley the next one that comes up.  But I DO already have the floppy discs, or at least the data for them.  I was the supplier, if you remember 'Max' behind the LA Preservation project, he may have distributed a copy or two. 

Road Prosecutor for SNES?  Wow... the FMV one?  I bet its just as grainy as the Sega Cd version... but who knows, the technology from 'the future' aka now is amazing compared to stuff of old.   Theres even a Sega Cart game that can utalize the Sega CD for background music...

I have done hard core thinking on cdv...  it might be just that in name... do you suppose it is digital, or analog format?  If its digital, couldnt the person with the Sega link cable just 'download' it?   If you need a disc, I have one.... albeit its Frank Sinatra and Madonna...lol

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

I have to admit, this 'Might' be possible... and even if the game spanned 5 cd's or so (apx length of a 30 min LD)... it would be loads cheaper.  However.... now I know 'exactly' what kind of hardware I need for LD's... i am VERY good at tracking down stuff.  Before I purchased my copy of Myst... I located 3 different people who (currently) have copies within about 8 months.   Unfortuantly... one of these 3 people's Myst appeared on ebay... without his knollege.  I'll have more details in the official video.  Then, after aquiring my copy... another person with one contacted me, with some interesting and distrubing news!  No more hints... gotta keep 'something' to myself at least for now.

Searching for a way to make CDV's is top of my priority list.. at the very least it will 'help' keep costs down development wise.  I still and trudging forward (not detered) towards new LA titles.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Your right... I have done some research into the 'claimed' model that can burn normal LD's... its not the case...   it was a Sony Laser Recorder LVR-3000N.

I'll have to get ahold of that OCR unit somehow.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

My figures would be similar to...  Myst Reproduction apx 400... it could be cheaper, but its purpose is to generate cash to 'help' complete the real game.  The Real game would be somewhere around 600-750... again this is to cover costs and NOT to make money!  Insane prices, but then again some of the real discs go for that much anyway.  With a low production run like this... the cost can not be spread out over 'many' copies.

Contacting Pioneer for LD blanks... unlikely.  Novel Idea.  People I have come into contact 'on the inside' say Pioneer does not keep a museum of items they make or warehouses full of products for obsolete stock.  An example,  Its just like the Zoom Discs... they do not have ANY of them, and disposed of them quickly after Zoom Magazine was scrapped in the mid 90's...  practicaly throwing away BOX loads of brand new sealed Zooms they didnt distribute to dealers...  this is where I have gotten access to all of the editions!!!  Even LA Discs in 1996 were advertised for $9.99 in Pioneer Catalog to get rid of overstock.  Unheard of to think Don Quixote, Road Prosecutor, and mabye even Time Gal discs in Japan going for that low at one time. 

Its up to you, I was hoping to get a couple people on-board to help with the project.  If most of you think this is pretty futile.. I can disapear and 'reappear' in the future when I have something concrete and sellable?  I was just trying to generate excitment in a 'otherwise' dead LaserActive world.  However, I'm not just saying something I thought up one bored afternoon...  there is a lot of passion behind this and I have given this a lot of thought for just about a year now.  Instead of just dreaming... it time to actualy try it out!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Its funny you mentioned 8" LDs... I so wanted 'something' to go on the smaller discs instead of using full size ones... but i cant find any mention of them being able to be made!  Theres a long road, I admit, but my chances are much greater than 1%.  Everything that exists started with a dream, and my favorite game says "Dreams are a Reality!"    I hope its true in this case.  If you ever read the orginal 'press release', even as the machine was being launched, it does mention percisely what I propose.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

I dont own an LD burner, but I know somebody who does!  The only problem is, he only has 3 blanks.  I'm in negoations right now to buy it, and a computer system it goes to.  I've read on a bunch of fourms where people picked up 10 or 15 LDs here and there... and have them in their garages.  I'm sure they can be 'conned' out of them for lots of cash.  Soon I'm going to be making lots of accounts and practicaly beg them to sell.  They probley wouldnt if we were going to use them for video productions, but they might just be facinated that 'new laseractive' titles could be made!  Thats what i'm hoping on.

Hardware wise, I dont think its a problem.  I know a person or two who can extract code from LD discs, so theres the boot code.  From there, its simple programming in old sega genesis fashion (plus LD stops/seeks ect).  I've got 3 brilliant artists willing to help (for money of course) and they are already working on some stuff for me. 

Cost... aint going to be cheap.  I have an incredibly hard time keeping secrets, but I was going to use the burner to release 'reproductions of Myst' in early 2014 to help pay for the new game, (This is WHY I had to have it, another reason for the Cover Art Contest at LaserActiveGuy).. and the new game which would be released in 2015.  Again, production numbers would be 20-30 a peice.  I dont there there would be demand for much more than that at the prices they would have to sell for (to break even).

A lot of this is in the very early stages, but I am fully confident it can be done.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

From what I understand, there are two different types of burners.  Yes, the one you describe exist.. (ie cartridge based). but I may have access to the 'other' type.  The LD's are blue, and do indeed work in ANY Ld machine!  If you want to make a bet, I'm sure we can come up with a LA bootable short demo to try in your game system.  Of course, if it works I expect $150, pretty much the cost of a blank.  It would be about a 1 minute game demo, and a 5minute video of something 'pretty' modern from my website!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

We can burn them.  I already have an art team working on walking sequences!  Its costing a fortune.

If we want to make this a community based project, we can lower the cost dramaticaly.  I dont see it out of the realm of possiblity to make 20 to 30 copies of the finished title.

Dont be angry... and no 'there is no garage' of blanks.  Although, they are available out there.

Naked street fighter?  There already is that Strip Fighter for Hu-Card.  Bimboette Purgatory a good name?  As to address your concerns, this should be the 'Ultimate' game.  I wouldnt object to include 'one' fight durring the gameplay somewhere!!  (Remember, we've only got 30 minutes of FMV to play around with).  Perhaps it could be a little more friendly, and take place, sort of in a Bar like the Sega Cd/Arcade  "Crime Patrol?"  Risk'a is ok by me, just not nudity.  Also we could work in the 'Top-Down CDI Zelda style section.   I dont want to water it down too much, sometimes a game that does 'everything' doesnt do anything well.   We've pretty much got one shot... we CAN NOT screw this up and make a dud.

I also have another ambitious plan... so 2 titiles are released.  interested?  This 'other' one will blow your socks off....

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

If we have the boot code, making a new game is WAY easier than trying to emulate an old one!  Plus, we dont have to press LD's to make them!

The only limitations I see... are the discs will be 30 minutes, instead of 60 minutes... and we cant use LA's dual field frame technology.  All other features are easily done!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Well, I guess thats it for ideas on new game!  What a small group. I'll tell you my idea for a game, go ahead and chime in.

First off, we start with a detective/free roaming world.  A lot of elements similar to Blue Chicago Blues, but now to go to places, walk in a world like Don Quixote, except the environments are commic book style.  I'd add a lot of spice to it, making the world 'interactive' and instead of using the same scenes over and over, each part of town is different, and uses different animation.  Each 'door' can be unique.  A futureistic Tokyo style city, half 'Rachet And Clank' style, the other style "Vector" with deep blues, purples.  Walking will be kept to a minimum, since its not the best way to 'show' laseractive capabilities.  There wont be needless wandering for hours.

Interacting with charrecters, static images like Manhattan Reqiuem, but they are 'cartoony' and commic book style... rich voice work.  Durring the game, theres a shooting gallary at a local bar, and even 1 car chase scene, similar to Rocket Coaster.

I wasnt going to say anything quite yet, but excitement is WAY low for this system.  Almost every other system has homebrew... why cant we?   I'm propose this is going to be Sega coded... not everybody has the NEC pac.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

The LaserActive is a 'quality' player.  However, sometimes the problem lies in what people expect from it.  With a Pac unit inserted, it is indeed does not have hi-quality output due to the video basicly being downgraded digitaly.  Its cool that it can freeze frame any disc, even the CLV ones.  The reason why is expensive is because people use them also for its games... so people seek out CLD-A100  as far as other players, except the DVD players... all the others are pretty much lumped into two groups... cheap players/good players, so there is a far much larger pool of Sku #s to choose from... thus less demand for a specific player, and lower prices.  LaserActive and its discs are super obscure in comparison to almost any other game unit... and even "Pyramid Patrol' which seems to pop up on ebay a lot is even much rarer than one realizes... in comparison to other games from other systems. 

If you ever opened up a CLD-A100.... there is no room for anything except Disc mechanisms and 'lot of computer circuits'.  I think its just about as advanced as a normal computer from the time... minus hard-drive and ram.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Hey BlueBMW... that is the exact remote I have that goes to my 'Palcom' Refurbished Player!  I haved used the player less than1 hour since 'total rebuild'.. but i use other remotes for my normal players/LAs.  Now if only I had the Palcom itself!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

The Full Story will be revealed sometime in the future at LaserActiveGuy channel....  its going to be incredibly HARD to believe.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

The person I bought Myst from was a House Hunter who had no idea what it was.  He said it was with only with 9 other titiles... and except for Don Quixote... they were VERY average games.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: Does this game suck as bad as the first 30 seconds let on?]

If Myst went for anymore... I might have had to sell my 1988 Fiero....  what game were u talking about?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

I'm guessing it would work for all Pioneer LD Players... they all use 'the same' IR Port configurations... even the remotes from the 80's.   They are the only smart "remote control' company out there I think!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

A Top-Down Zelda CDI Style game, interesting...  anybody else?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Also, i've run into some information about the AIWA Sega? Pac.... anybody have picture so we can put them up at the Preservation Site? 

(Keep the 'NEW LA Game' Thread going... i need information into what people would like to see...)

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

I'd go look at Zoom 5 if you havent already... its REALLY about Pioneer stuff!!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Lol about Time Gal... what kind of fourm you guys running...haha

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

You wouldnt want to make... a more modern title using our new technology?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Too many posts...I appologize.   I would seriously trade my copy of Myst in exchange for 3 LA games to complete my meager collection..... email me at treehouse2000us@yahoo.com if you want details.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

The 2nd question... and this is pretty important to me... personaly!!   Alright... I'm going to lay a big one on ya... if it were possible to bring back LaserActive and make one more game, yes on LaserDisc... what type of game would it be?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Hey Guys... and gals mabye?  Misty?   I've got 2 questions... this is the first....  Does anybody know what happened to John Harvey... he is thought to have 'multiple' copies of Myst... i think he has passed on within the last 6 months or so... i would like to confirm this... it would bring some closure to an issue I have!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

I've got direct rips from Manhattan Requiem, Vajra 1 and Vajra 2 already done about a year ago.  I just plugged a CLD-501A player into my stereo system...and into my computer.  Wish I had road prosecutor, believe it or not before I went into the Airforce (sad story there)... i routenly played Road Prosecutor background music on my tv while doing pushups/situps... lol, kinda funny now.  Any old LD player will do... the newer ones Do not like LA discs... probley in the ROM programming to reject it.  Dont have any new players, so cant test it out for myself.  Thank you for all the welcomes.. I want to bring back the greatness of LaserActive to this day and age... that is my end goal!!!!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Oh... I forgot about the Contest we at LaserActiveGuy is running in CELBRATION of finding the Long-Long MYST

*** DESIGN us a cover for MYST... front and back.
*** It Can be hand drawn or computer art!
*** We are looking for something unique.  The original cover was shown on LA ExPRESS No 12... if you have access to that.  (Pretty much the standard Myst for other consoles with the LA logo). 
*** This Jacket design will be taken to a profesional shop and proper cover fitted for the Rarest LA Game!!!

You WILL win a copy of the Jacket for yourself... and a copy of ZOOM 5! 8" ld which has footage of hilarious roaming buffalo, AND an interview with FRENCH STEWART before he became an iconic Celeb!  Its funny to see his 'antics' so early in his career!  Zoom (contrary to popular though) isnt just about Pioneer Products!!! 

Make your submissions at the preservation site   www.laseractive.wordpress.com  at the CONTACT US icon
or email me personaly at treehouse2000us@yahoo.com

THE LASERACTIVE PRESERVATION PROJECT and LaserActiveGuy are the GO-TO Spots on the web for ANYTHING LaserActive!

Visit the new annex LA Project at www.youtube.com/laseractiveguy for WEEKLY Updates!!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-]

Myst at $2630 was expensive, but I was willing to go UPTO $4000... even if that is about 3 1/2 months of pay.  I am a lot poorer than a lot of people would have even guessed.  But your right.. it did go to the GUYS behind the LaserActive Preservation Project!  There is even now a video teaser at my brand new (Less than 7 week old) LaserActiveGuy YouTube Channel.

Also... if you have seen the promotional Zoom 7.. or even portions of Zoom 8 (thanks to ME!).. you can watch the whole video of Zoom 8... AND EVEN No. 5 now at my channel!

Even more to blow your mind... we have ACCESS to ALL Zoom discs... expect no 1 soon... and the rest of the series in the future!!!

We just OBTAINED the J.H. Long video... its on 8" LD.... it was expensive.  Whoever thought it previously was on video tape..... its one of those Hit-Your-Head Moments.

We are trying for a major release video of MYST Prototype with all sorts of information and footage at the Preservation Site  www.laseractive.wordpress.com  in MAY 2013!!!

Who needs audio rips of games... which ones were u thinking of?  We dont have EVERY game, but we have quite a few.  I appologize for SLOW updates at the site... my partner is Busy or something...even i'm not sure... but LASERACTIVEGUY will have updates weekly, and will be linked to the Main Site Soon!!!...errr. again I think.

My name is Tom Porter... join us at www.youtube.com/laseractiveguy for ANYTHING LaserActive.

Also..we are looking for help, anybody willing to donate?  I'll take almost anything LA related!  (VIDEOS...not physical items....silly!!)