Laser Disc Player & Movie Buyer's Guide

Laser discs are similar to DVDs in shape and appearance, but use a different format and are much larger. Although the movie discs and players are harder to find than their VHS and DVD equivalents, it is still quite possible to purchase them. Read on for details regarding the purchase of a laser disc player and/or movies...

MOVIE DISCS: A few of the websites where laser disc movies are most commonly available include eBay.com, iOffer.com, and lddb.com (Laser Disc Database). Like eBay, iOffer lets individual users sell items, but uses "make an offer" (or pay the full price) rather than an auction format. Lddb.com also lets users buy or sell and, as of August 2007, has over eleven thousand laser discs listed for sale. Because of their size, laser disc movies tend to have higher shipping costs than VHS tapes or (especially) DVDs; buying a large set of multiple movies online can reduce this cost. To completely avoid shipping costs, try checking local newspaper and CraigsList.org classifieds, but don't expect to find as much of a variety (especially in rural areas). The majority of these movies appear to be from the 1980s and early-to-mid '90s. A few examples of movies which are available on laser disc include "Back To The Future II", "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Rocky III", and "Groundhog Day."

LD PLAYERS: Laser disc player systems have been manufactured by a number of mostly Japanese brands, including Pioneer, Sony, Yamaha, Panasonic, and Samsung. They are the easiest to find on eBay.com; a smaller variety can be purchased on a few other websites, along with the occasional local newspaper classified ad. They can sometimes be found at pawn shops, yard/garage sales, or general used merchandise stores, but not very commonly. Many working laserdisc player models can be purchased for about $25-75 (plus shipping/handling), but some of the more sophisticated units can cost up to two-thousand dollars. DVD/Laserdisc player combination units are also available, such as the Pioneer DVL-700 and DVL-919, usually for about one-hundred to five-hundred dollars. Items which are sometimes sold with laser disc player systems include cables for connecting it to a television, a remote control, or movie discs to use in it.

When searching for either movie discs or laser disc player units online, be sure to try searching with both the "laserdisc" and "laser disc" spellings; both are often used. Many laser disc player models require an RF modulator if connected to an older television which lacks A/V and S-Video jacks.