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Are laserdiscs dimmer than DVDs ...

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... or is it just some internal adjustment is required inside our Theta Data III player?
I have tried adjusting brightness & contrast but never seem able to get the same whiteness with laserdiscs than with DVDs, videotapes or direct broadcasts. This is so with NTSC LDs and NTSC DVDs so it not a function of NTSC - our broadcasts are PAL and the colours are great. However they are just as good on NTSC DVD but not on LD. On LD the colours are washed out & the picture generally dull.
Any suggestions?
Peace at AA
John

Follow Ups:

maybe obvious but what about connection/cabling? chris e. 11:08:26 08/15/00 (2)
You probably have already accounted for this, but are you using comparable outputs (e.g., s-video for both) and similar cabling? With component outs, you'll likely always have a richer and sharper picture with dvd. Also, your s-video cable (presumably) for the LD maybe 1) long; 2) modest quality either of which might reduce the saturation of the color for the LD.
Ultimately, it may just be a format difference that can only be partly compensated for with your system. I'm running both formats through a Faroudja (2200)/Sony (8") crt and I have the two reasonably close for intensity and saturation but LD nearly always loses out to dvd.
- S video cable on LD, component on DVD but composite on video! John C. - Aussie 14:56:07 08/15/00 (1)
  And the composite picture through the video player is just as bright as the DVD. I'm suspecting there might be an internal adjustment or faulty component in the Theta Data III (alias Pioneer DL703-770). Anyone any clues?
  Thanks for your post
  John
  - puzzling... chris e. 07:38:37 08/17/00 (0)
    Just out of my own suspicions, I watched and compared my own set-up with LD on s-video (Pioneer 703 with Monster 1000s cable and a 15 ft. run from processor to faroudja 2200) versus dvd on component (Sony 850 200 disc player). I actually get a slightly brighter picture with LD! However, colors are still more saturated and vivid with dvd (I compared Austin Powers 2 on dvd with dts The Jackal on LD) but not all that much different.
    Could you by chance have different memory settings for your projector/tv unit for the different inputs and maybe one of them has inadvertently been set oddly?
    Otherwise, perhaps it is something idiosyncratic about your player's internal setting for the LD, or maybe a cabling issue? Try switching the S-video cable perhaps.
You need to calibrate your picture... Rich 08:15:08 08/13/00 (3)
separately for laserdisc. Try Video Essentials on laserdisc.
- Maybe I'm missing something John C. - Aussie 14:06:59 08/13/00 (2)
  Hi Rich
  Intensity is set at 9300, brightness & contrast tweaked on both the Barco enhanced & on the Braco projector but still not nearly as bright as the other formats. Am I missing something?
  John
  - I've found that... Rich 15:02:22 08/13/00 (1)
    a correctly adjusted picture for DVD yields a dull, washed out picture for Laserdisc in my setups. The picture settings for getting the most out of Laserdisc are completely different from DVD. My Faroudja doubler enables separate picture adjustments for each input which can be stored in separate memories. After correctly adjusting the Laserdisc input settings and storing them in memory, all I have to do is press a button when switching from Laserdisc to DVD. I suspect your Barco has a number of picture setting memories (my Sony projector does) which can be used for this purpose. If you have a doubler, quadrupler, or scaler, use its memories since its more convenient than stepping through projector menus.
    - Yes it does ... John C. - Aussie 15:12:10 08/13/00 (0)
      and I've tried to get the correct set up for the laserdisc input but have failed so far. Have you suceeeded in lifting LDs to DVD brilliance? If so, some hints please? Are there other factors besides brightness & contrast I'm missing?
      The Barco has heaps of adjustments everywhere for each of its 5 inputs. On LDs I've got rid of smearing, "ghosting" and have finally got a crisp picture but have not been able to eliminate the dullness.
      These sophisticated video processors can be rewarding when set up correctly but MOST frustrating when the correct combination of the almost infinite ones available cannot be found. :-( This one has been here over a year and I'm still not master of it!!!!
      Thanks for your interest Rich
      John

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