The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-

[laseractiveguy]

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!!)

[laseractiveguy]

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!!

[NecroPhile]

Welcome aboard, Tom.  $2630 for a game is kinda crazy (especially so for something like Myst), but at least it was bought for a good cause and will be shared/showcased instead of disappearing into some collectard's basement.

[DragonmasterDan]

LaserActiveGuy: Nice to see you  joined the forum

[SignOfZeta]

Boy, this guy sure likes Laseractive.

I enjoyed the Zoom 8 video, mostly because of the vintage Pioneer stuff other than LA. I'd love to see other volumes in Zoom if they go in depth about LD a lot, which I assume they do.

[Keith Courage]

Just came across this if anyone is looking for a PC engine pac for a good price.  http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/surugaya-a-too/item/257772-1/

[esteban]

First, welcome comrade!

Love all the LA coverage, Tom.

Who needs audio rips of games... which ones were u thinking of?  We dont have EVERY game, but we have quite a few.

HOT DAMN! I am looking for ANY and ALL audio rips of LD games (MegaDrive and PCE) to put here:

PCE LD-ROM soundtracks available for all

I would love anything you are willing to share

[laseractiveguy]

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!!!!

[laseractiveguy]

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!

[laseractiveguy]

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?

[laseractiveguy]

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.

[BigusSchmuck]

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?

A port of the Dragon's Lair games, the way they were meant to be played. Oh yeah and Timegal too...

[DragonmasterDan]

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?

A port of the Dragon's Lair games, the way they were meant to be played. Oh yeah and Timegal too...

Time Gal actually came out in Japan on LA

[BigusSchmuck]

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?

A port of the Dragon's Lair games, the way they were meant to be played. Oh yeah and Timegal too...

Time Gal actually came out in Japan on LA

Oh yeah huh. Space Ace then!

[laseractiveguy]

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

[laseractiveguy]

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

[BigusSchmuck]

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

Well this is a retro gaming forum. ;) A dungeon crawler like Wizardry would be cool....

[laseractiveguy]

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

[laseractiveguy]

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...)

[SamIAm]

I think a neat way to use the LA would have been for a top-down Zelda style game where each screen is unique.

It's bad, but take a look at the third Zelda CD-i game:

That load time could have been practically nothing with the LA. A few other tweaks, and you'd have a fun game that couldn't be done as well on any other system.

I think that the LA's ability to store and display thousands of full-color still images is probably more applicable to quality, unique game designs than its ability to store video.

[laseractiveguy]

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

[CrackTiger]

It would be cool to see a digicomic like Policenauts done with LD videos for cinemas and stills that are balanced to blend in with PCE graphics.

It would be neat to see a quality shooter which uses fmv backgrounds that are actually pre-rerendered PCE color/res to look like traditional 2D graphics, only with all kinds of layering and special effects not possible on 16-bit consoles, plus tasteful sections cgi, like Fast Striker, only not just the same 1 second loop for an entire stage. Above the videos layer, would be a top quality PCE shooter, no different than one which runs exclusively on PCE hardware.

Regular PCE CD RPGs would be cool to see with LD video for the cinemas. Like Gulliver Boy with the same cinemas, only LD quality or Tengai Makyou II with the redone cinemas from the PS2/GC remakes.

[futureman2000]

Sewer Shark LD.  Niner!

[DragonmasterDan]

Here's a DragonmasterDan TurboTip for the LaserActive.

Using a super cheap Dollar Tree 6 in 1 remote you can get basic functionality out of your Pioneer Laseractive including Play,Stop, Fast Forward, Rewind, Pause, and the chapter features. Choose AUX and then code 059.

These remotes can be found for 1.00 plus tax at a lot of dollar tree stores. So they're worth picking up even if they're flimsy cheap plastic.

[laseractiveguy]

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!

[BlueBMW]

I use a remote from another old Pioneer LD player with mine.  Works perfect!  I've got a few original remotes, but they just dont feel as cool as the big blocky one I use.

[xcrement5x]

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...)

OldSchoolGamer had an AIWA PAC but he sold it to someone here I think.  Can't remember who but they might pipe up.  There is also a dude up in Denver that Sadler and I ran into who besides having a bunch of arcade stuff had basically every LA game out there.  Though that might be who you bought the MYST from already, since that guy was up in Denver area.

As for a new LA game, Ninja Hayate (Revenge of the Ninja for the Sega CD) would be pretty badass. 

[laseractiveguy]

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.

[laseractiveguy]

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

[SignOfZeta]

I use a remote from another old Pioneer LD player with mine.  Works perfect!  I've got a few original remotes, but they just dont feel as cool as the big blocky one I use.

I love the CU-CLD114 since it has the jog dial and shuttle on it. Several functions won't work on the LA (key change, side flip) but its a very great remote ergonomically speaking and its as good as it gets for old school nerd frame-by-frame analyses of movies. You can get them for $30-40 on eBay (peanuts for anyone buying $500 LA games) or just buy a broken player on Craigslist for $20 and junk everything but the remote.

[nectarsis]

I have a CU-CLD121, works like a charm

[BlueBMW]

That jog wheel looks all sorts of awesome though, I want one now!  I had a VCR with that kind of remote and it was pretty slick even on VHS tapes.

I have a james bond edition CU-LD007
Behold it in all its blocky square awesomeness....

i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/LAR_zps89fdc0f9.jpg

[SignOfZeta]

The jog mode is fucking awesome, especially on CAV disc. Home video has advanced a lot since the day of LD, but no format has ever had better search/seek/scan features than LD does.

[laseractiveguy]

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!

[EvilEvoIX]

I so want one of these things.  My Shitty Sony unit just died on me today so I was looking into one of these things and man the Laser-active is EXPENSIVE!!!  Amazing Composite quality, especially via a CRT.  Anyone wish to part with a regular LD?  Is S-video out better to use?

[laseractiveguy]

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.

[SignOfZeta]

I so want one of these things.  My Shitty Sony unit just died on me today so I was looking into one of these things and man the Laser-active is EXPENSIVE!!!  Amazing Composite quality, especially via a CRT.  Anyone wish to part with a regular LD?  Is S-video out better to use?

If you mainly watch movies the LA is not a great choice. The video quality is basically the same as a CLD S201 or other low end Pioneer. For the price of a LA you could have a CLD-704, CLD-99 or even an R7G, all of which are vastly superior for movies since they have noise reduction, 3D comb filters, Both Side Play, etc.

Of course basically all of these players, including the LA, would probably be better than any Sony LD player.

[xcrement5x]

Of course basically all of these players, including the LA, would probably be better than any Sony LD player.

Ooooh, BUUUUUUUURN!!


I'm glad modern remotes don't have buttons that are all the same size, and are all the same freaking tiny rectangle on a slab of plastic.  The LaserActive stock remote is pretty crappy, and mine is so light I feel like I'm going to break it most of the time.

[laseractiveguy]

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.

[SignOfZeta]

I'd say that the near impossibility of anyone ever pressing any kind of LD ever again make homebrew for LA hugely unlikely. I suppose once the emulators are perfected then you could make something that way, but that's not much fun.

[laseractiveguy]

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!

[Vecanti]

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!

Emulation?

I'm going to be semi-pissed if you have a garage full of blank laserdiscs laying around.

[TheClash603]

I stand by making a Street Fighter clone with obnoxious FMV backgrounds.  Possibly naked women or porno in the spirit of the original LA software.

[SignOfZeta]

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!

What "discs" are you talking about? I missed something.

[laseractiveguy]

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....

[SignOfZeta]

What is it exactly that you can burn? From what I know about writable LDs the only machines that do it use proprietary systems that can only be played back on the machines that made them (ie: won't work on LA or any other commercial player) or they use large industrial burners that probably don't exist anymore.

Have you figured out how to trick a CD recorder into burning analog video? That's the only way I can see this happening and even that would be pretty hard to figure out. It would also give you a shockingly short LA game (five minutes of video). I can think of a few ways to make five minutes of video go a long way in a well designed game, but I'm not sure how you could actually do it (ie: make a Laseractive CDV). Will the LA even recognize a LA CDV? Were there any commercial ones?

[laseractiveguy]

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!

[TheClash603]

If it can be done, I'd love to see it.

Is this all hypotethical now, or have you actually made a working LA demo?

[McKie1]

If a new game gets off the ground, please put me down for one!

[Psycho Punch]

Too bad no one presses Laserdiscs anymore... maybe Pioneer Japan?