LD-1100

Pioneer produced two different models for the 2nd generation of LaserDisc players. Based on the knowledge that both units were manufactured the same year, in the same facility, one would think this Pioneer LD-1100 player is nose-to-nose as good at playing DiscoVision as the LD-660. If you think that, you'd be wrong. While the mechanical pickup is essentially the same as the LD-660, the LD-1100 doesn't perform anywhere near the same as the 660. In fact, service centers were told to quietly replace the pickup assembly with that of the PR-8210 (Pioneer's "industrial" version of the LD-1100) should any of the faulty units come in for repair. This beefed up assembly was also used in the Sylvania & Gas Tube Pickup Assembly Magnavox units, which Pioneer was manufacturing for Philips. Pioneer eventually figured out what was wrong with the LD-1100 pickup and production units were again acceptable. (Rumor has it that Pioneer abandoned the entire pickup assembly and replaced it with the PR-8210 unit.) Upgraded units had improved DiscoVision playability.

The normal array of features was included to this player, making it feature identical to the VP-1000 with the addition of CX Noise Reduction. These features, which rely on the presence of Philips code on the disc, preclude the use of the player for use on the incorrectly mastered Frenzy Side 5. It seems to also reduce the player's ability to handle some of the various anomalies present on many DiscoVision titles.

The player incorporates a variable tangential circuit which does help compensate for time based correction errors, but it is not quite as robust as the same system utilized in the LD-660. The tangential correction is accomplished with the use of a 2nd pivoting mirror.

On startup of a disc, the pickup will simply begin playback from the players inside limit setting. This can cause some problems on older CLV titles where the player will refuse to play the beginning of a side.

AdvantagesDisadvantages
632nm HeNe Laser
Will play MCA Code GM discs in "free-form" mode
Consumer Grade slider assembly

Updated: October 24, 2017
Copyright ©1998 Blam Entertainment Group