Editing LaserDisc (section)

== Further developments and applications ==

=== Computer control ===
In the early 1980s, Philips produced a LaserDisc player model adapted for a computer interface, dubbed "professional." In 1985, Jasmine Multimedia created LaserDisc jukeboxes featuring music videos from [[Michael Jackson]], [[Duran Duran]], and [[Cyndi Lauper]]. When connected to a PC this combination could be used to display images or information for educational or archival purposes, for example, thousands of scanned medieval manuscripts. This strange device could be considered a very early equivalent of a CD-ROM.

In the mid-1980s [[Lucasfilm]] pioneered the [[EditDroid]] [[non-linear editing system]] for film and television based on computer-controlled LaserDisc players. Instead of printing [[dailies]] out on film, processed negatives from the day's shoot would be sent to a mastering plant to be assembled from their 10-minute camera elements into 20-minute film segments. These were then mastered onto single-sided blank LaserDiscs, just as a DVD would be burnt at home today, allowing for much easier selection and preparation of an [[Edit Decision List|edit decision list]] (EDL). In the days before [[video assist]] was available in cinematography, this was the only other way a film crew could see their work. The EDL went to the negative cutter who then cut the camera negative accordingly and assembled the finished film. Only 24 EditDroid systems were ever built, even though the ideas and technology are still in use today. Later EditDroid experiments borrowed from hard-drive technology of having multiple discs on the same spindle and added numerous playback heads and numerous electronics to the basic jukebox design so that any point on each of the discs would be accessible within seconds. This eliminated the need for racks and racks of industrial LaserDisc players since EditDroid discs were only single-sided.

In 1986, a [[SCSI]]-equipped LaserDisc player attached to a [[BBC Master]] computer was used for the [[BBC Domesday Project]]. The player was referred as an LV-ROM ([[LaserVision Read Only Memory]]) as the discs contained the driving software as well as the video frames. The discs used the CAV format, and encoded data as a binary signal represented by the analog audio recording. These discs could contain in each CAV frame video/audio or video/binary data, but not both. "Data" frames would appear blank when played as video. It was typical for each disc to start with the disc catalog (a few blank frames) then the video introduction before the rest of the data. Because the format (based on the [[Advanced Disk Filing System|ADFS]] hard disc format) used a starting sector for each file, the data layout effectively skipped over any video frames. If all 54,000&nbsp;frames are used for data storage an LV-ROM disc can contain 324&nbsp;MB of data per side.<ref name="bbcdomesday" /> The Domesday Project systems also included a genlock, allowing video frames, clips and audio to be mixed with graphics originated from the BBC Master; this was used to great effect for displaying high-resolution photographs and maps, which could then be zoomed into.

During the 1980s in the United States, [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] developed the standalone PC control IVIS (Interactive VideoDisc Information System) for training and education. One of the most influential programs developed at DEC was Decision Point, a management gaming simulation, which won the Nebraska Video Disc Award for Best of Show in 1985.

Apple's [[HyperCard]] scripting language provided Macintosh computer users with a means to design databases of slides, animation, video and sounds from LaserDiscs and then to create interfaces for users to play specific content from the disc through software called LaserStacks.<ref name="laserstacks" /> User-created "stacks" were shared and were especially popular in education where teacher-generated stacks were used to access discs ranging from art collections to basic biological processes. Commercially available stacks were also popular with the Voyager company being possibly the most successful distributor.<ref name="Martin" />

[[Commodore International]]'s 1992 multimedia presentation system for the [[Amiga]], AmigaVision, included device drivers for controlling a number of LaserDisc players through a serial port. Coupled with the Amiga's ability to use a [[Genlock]], this allowed for the LaserDisc video to be overlaid with computer graphics and integrated into presentations and multimedia displays, years before such practice was commonplace.

Pioneer also made computer-controlled units such as the LD-V2000. It had a back-panel [[RS-232]] serial connection through a five-pin [[DIN connector]], and no front-panel controls except ''Open/Close''. (The disc would be played automatically upon insertion.)

Under contract from the [[U.S. Military|U.S. military]], [[Matrox]] produced a combination computer/LaserDisc player for instructional purposes. The computer was a [[Intel 80286|286]], the LaserDisc player only capable of reading the analog audio tracks. Together they weighed {{convert|43|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and sturdy handles were provided in case two people were required to lift the unit. The computer controlled the player via a 25-pin serial port at the back of the player and a ribbon cable connected to a proprietary port on the motherboard. Many of these were sold as surplus by the military during the 1990s, often without the controller software. Nevertheless, it is possible to control the unit by removing the ribbon cable and connecting a serial cable directly from the computer's serial port to the port on the LaserDisc player.

=== Video games ===
{{Main|LaserDisc video game}}

The format's instant-access capability made it possible for a new breed of LaserDisc-based [[video arcade game]]s. Several companies saw potential in using LaserDiscs for video games in the 1980s and 1990s, beginning in 1983 with Sega's ''[[Astron Belt]]''. [[Cinematronics]] and [[American Laser Games]] produced elaborate arcade games that used the random-access features to create interactive movies such as ''[[Dragon's Lair]]'' and ''[[Space Ace]]''. Similarly, the [[Pioneer Laseractive]] and [[Halcyon (console)|Halcyon]] were introduced as [[home video game consoles]] that used LaserDisc media for their software.

=== Hi-Vision LD ===
{{Infobox media
| title = Hi-Vision LD
| logo = 
| image = 
| caption = 
| type = [[Optical disc]]
| encoding = [[Multiple sub-Nyquist sampling encoding|MUSE]]
| capacity = 60 minutes per side on CLV discs
| read = 670&nbsp;nm wavelength semiconductor laser
| write = 
| standard = 
| owner = 
| use = 
| extended to = 
| released = 1994<ref>{{cite web |title=MUSE HI-DEF LaserDisc Players |url=http://www.laserdiscarchive.co.uk/laserdisc_archive/muse_high_def_ld/Muse_high_def_ld.htm |website=LaserDisc UK Web Site |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430061324/http://www.laserdiscarchive.co.uk/laserdisc_archive/muse_high_def_ld/Muse_high_def_ld.htm |archive-date=30 April 2016 |url-status=dead|access-date=13 January 2025}}</ref>
| discontinued = 
}}
In 1991, several manufacturers announced specifications for what would become known as '''Hi-Vision LD''', representing a span of almost 15&nbsp;years until the feats of this HD analog optical disc system would finally be duplicated digitally by [[Comparison of high definition optical disc formats|HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc]]. Encoded using [[NHK]]'s [[Multiple sub-Nyquist sampling encoding|MUSE]] "Hi-Vision" analog HDTV system, MUSE discs would operate like standard LaserDiscs but would contain high-definition 1,125-line (1,035&nbsp;visible lines; [[Sony HDVS]]) video with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The MUSE players were also capable of playing standard NTSC format discs and are superior in performance to non-MUSE players even with these NTSC discs. The MUSE-capable players had several noteworthy advantages over standard LaserDisc players, including a red laser with a much narrower wavelength than the lasers found in standard players. The red laser was capable of reading through disc defects such as scratches and even mild disc rot that would cause most other players to stop, stutter or drop-out. Crosstalk was not an issue with MUSE discs, and the narrow wavelength of the laser allowed for the virtual elimination of crosstalk with normal discs.

To view MUSE-encoded discs, it was necessary to have a MUSE decoder in addition to a compatible player. There are televisions with MUSE decoding built-in and set-top tuners with decoders that can provide the proper MUSE input. Equipment prices were high, especially for early HDTVs which generally eclipsed US$10,000, and even in Japan the market for MUSE was tiny. Players and discs were never officially sold in North America, although several distributors imported MUSE discs along with other import titles. ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'', ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'', ''[[A League of Their Own]]'', ''[[Bugsy]]'', ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'', ''[[Dracula (1992 film)|Bram Stoker's Dracula]]'' and ''[[Chaplin (film)|Chaplin]]'' were among the theatrical releases available on MUSE LDs. Several documentaries, including one about [[Formula One]] at Japan's [[Suzuka Circuit]] were also released.

LaserDisc players and LaserDiscs that worked with the competing European [[HD-MAC]] HDTV standard were also made.<ref>{{cite web |first1=J.B. |last1=Tejerina |first2=F. |last2=Visintin |url=https://tech.ebu.ch/docs/techreview/trev_254-tejerina.pdf |title=The HDTV demonstrations at Expo 92 |work=EBU Technical Review |date=Winter 1992}}</ref>

=== Picture discs ===
Picture discs have artistic etching on one side of the disc to make the disc more visually attractive than the standard shiny silver surface. This etching might look like a movie character, logo, or other promotional material. Sometimes that side of the LD would be made with colored plastic, rather than the clear material used for the data side. Picture disc LDs only had video material on one side as the "picture" side could not contain any data. Picture discs are rare in North America.

=== LD-G ===
[[Pioneer (company)|Pioneer Electronics]]—one of the format's largest supporters/investors—was also deeply involved in the [[karaoke]] business in Japan, and used LaserDiscs as the storage medium for music and additional content such as graphics. This format was generally called LD-G. While several other karaoke labels manufactured LaserDiscs, there was nothing like the breadth of competition in that industry that exists now, as almost all manufacturers have transitioned to [[CD+G]] discs.

=== Anamorphic LaserDiscs ===
With the release of [[16:9]] televisions in the early 1990s, Pioneer and Toshiba decided that it was time to take advantage of this aspect ratio. Squeeze LDs were enhanced 16:9-ratio widescreen LaserDiscs. During the video transfer stage, the movie was stored in an anamorphic "squeezed" format. The widescreen movie image was stretched to fill the entire video frame with less or none of the video resolution wasted to create [[Letterboxing (filming)|letterbox]] bars. The advantage was a 33% greater vertical resolution compared to letterboxed widescreen LaserDisc. This same procedure was used for anamorphic DVDs, but unlike all DVD players, very few LD players had the ability to unsqueeze the image for [[4:3]] sets, If the discs were played on a standard 4:3 television the image would be distorted. Some 4:3 sets (such as the Sony WEGA series) could be set to unsqueeze the image. Since very few people outside of Japan owned 16:9 displays, the marketability of these special discs was very limited.

There were no anamorphic LaserDisc titles available in the US except for promotional purposes. Upon purchase of a Toshiba 16:9 television viewers had the option of selecting a number of Warner Bros. 16:9 films. Titles include ''[[Unforgiven]]'', ''[[Grumpy Old Men (film)|Grumpy Old Men]]'', ''[[The Fugitive (1993 film)|The Fugitive]]'', and ''[[Free Willy]]''. The Japanese lineup of titles was different. A series of releases under the banner "Squeeze LD" from Pioneer of mostly [[Carolco]] titles included ''[[Basic Instinct]]'', ''[[Stargate (film)|Stargate]]'', ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'', ''[[Showgirls]]'', ''[[Cutthroat Island]]'', and ''[[Cliffhanger (film)|Cliffhanger]]''. ''Terminator 2'' was released twice in Squeeze LD, the second release being THX certified and a notable improvement over the first.

=== Recordable formats ===
Several recordable variants of the LaserDisc format were developed for professional and industrial applications, but none were marketed to consumers. Their limited availability contributed to the common perception that LaserDisc lacked recording capability.

{{Visible anchor|Recordable Laser Videodisc|RLV|text=The '''Recordable Laser Videodisc''' ('''RLV''')}}, introduced by the [[Optical Disc Corporation]] in 1984, was a [[Write once read many|write-once, read-many]] format that was fully compatible with standard LaserDisc players. Compared to conventional LaserDiscs, RLVs were distinguished by a red/purple tint of the dye used in the reflective layer that is burned by the laser.

{{Visible anchor|Component Recordable Video disc|CRVdisc|text=The '''Component Recordable Video disc''' ('''CRVdisc''')}}, developed by [[Sony]], was another write-once, read-many format intended for professional use. Housed in a protective [[Caddy (hardware)|caddy]], the disc resembled an oversized [[floppy disk]]. The CRVdisc was used by the [[BBC]] for many years to playout [[idents]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ-yIsrOUU8 |title=RECORDABLE ‘Laserdisc’ - Sony CRVdisc |date=December 22, 2019 |last=Taylor |first=Matthew |author-link=Techmoan |type=Video |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/KQ-yIsrOUU8 |archive-date=2021-12-13}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

{{Visible anchor|LaserRecorder|text=The '''LaserRecorder'''}}, introduced by [[Pioneer Corporation|Pioneer]] in fall 1991, was a [[Rewritable media|rewritable]] LaserDisc system designed for professional video production. It used CAV mode and protective caddies, with discs, which could hold 32 minutes of video per side, were rated for up to one million record/erase cycles. The dual-laser design enabled real-time, frame-accurate non-linear editing by allowing one laser to read while the other searched. The system's rapid access made it useful for editing workflows, including its integration into [[EditDroid]], an early digital film editing system. The recorder sold for around {{US$|39950|1992}}, with blank discs priced at approximately {{US$|1295|1992}}.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hunt |first=Dennis |date=1992-01-10 |title=An Affordable Laser Recorder? Not Yet |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-10-ca-1614-story.html |access-date=2025-05-27 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pioneer VDR-V1000 |url=http://www.laserdiscarchive.co.uk/laserdisc_archive/pioneer/pioneer_vdr-v1000/pioneer_vdr-v1000.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127002330/http://www.laserdiscarchive.co.uk/laserdisc_archive/pioneer/pioneer_vdr-v1000/pioneer_vdr-v1000.htm |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |access-date=April 23, 2017 |publisher=LaserDisc Archive}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="160px">
File:Recordable Laser Videodisc.png|A Recordable Laser Videodisc with a [[DVD]]-R for size comparison
File:CRVDisc.jpg|A CRVdisc with a [[VHS]] tape for size comparison
File:LaserRecorder.jpg|A Pioneer LaserRecorder that can be connected to a computer or a video source
</gallery>