Laseractive PCE and Vajra review

[twor2005]

Does anyone actually own the Laseractive with PC Engine pack? Was this actually released in the US? I looked but never saw one; only on ebay in recent years. If it was localized, did they localize the system packs for US HuCards? How are the games? Questions abound! Thoughts and comments on the LD-ROM welcome.


This review of Vajra from the January 1993 issue of Gamefan got me curious:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/twor/gf2-2124.jpg

Sorry photobucket won't host anything over 250k, but the text is legible anyway.

edit: you might have to cut and paste the link.

[Keranu]

That was very interesting. Does anyone have links for screenshots of the game? I would be curious to see them.

[twor2005]

I also found this site:
http://www.cyberroach.com/new_laseractive_pics/default.htm

Interesting that the PC Engine pack got a sequel to JB Harold that apparently saw a US release. Check out the TurboGrafx 16 logo on the spine card (!)

[Keranu]

Yes I have been to this site a few times before. It has some good stuff on it.

[NEC Avenue]

One of the members here has both LA modules.

http://pcenginefx.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=1038&highlight=#1038

[Pingu]

I have a laseractive with pce, megadrive and gennypacks (still looking for that karaoke and computer interface ones) though it's broken now thanks to my stupidity. It's a neat machine that sadly only have composite out (and you can't use that optical digital out for sound either) but it's otherwise pretty much your standard duo and also uses the duo arcade card.

[SNKNostalgia]

You know you can easily do an S-video mod for the Laser Active and also an RGB output mod as well.

S-video:  http://www.gamesx.com/misctech/laseractive.htm

RGB:  http://www.gamesx.com/misctech/laseractivergb.htm

[GUTS]

^^ Yeah but those mods don't work with games, only with movies unfortunately.

[SNKNostalgia]

Damn that sucks. It works with the gamepacks only with RGB. So I say go with that or get a NeoBitz Encoder to convert it to S-video or Component. Kinda pointless then to use S-video mod, unless you use it for LD only. Oh well, I wonder if there is a way to get the video out of the modules or something hmmm.

I remember the system when it came out for like $2000+. I smelled failure for that system before it even came out. I was 10 years old and knew this, just how stupid can companies be at times?

[GUTS]

Yeah it sucks cause I bought one thinking it would be great to have a Laserdisc player and Sega CD/Genesis all in the same system hooked up at once, but there was no god damn S-Video on it so I never use the thing.  It just sits there under my other stuff collecting dust cause it's a pain in the ass to hook it up.

[SNKNostalgia]

Yeah it sucks cause I bought one thinking it would be great to have a Laserdisc player and Sega CD/Genesis all in the same system hooked up at once, but there was no god damn S-Video on it so I never use the thing.  It just sits there under my other stuff collecting dust cause it's a pain in the ass to hook it up.

I say get it modded. You know you can get a J-Rock encoder and use it to get a real good S-video output if thats all you need. It would only run you up at $75. Around the same price as the PCE/TG16/Duo S-video. If you want component (also includes S-video/composite) then try the NeoBitz, it will run you at $105 though. After you do the mods you can probally make a switch for LD S-video and game S-video. It would be a nice project for this system.

[Michael Helgeson]

You all are fools.The laseractive is the worst of the worst in LD players,and suffers great breakdowns.Power board dies,laser eye dies,all at random.It was not built to last,only to be cool looking and play crap games.Its great if you have a NEC pak,as it makes a better Duo,but otherwise steer clear.Also,you need nothing special to hack s-video out of it,but without  a comb filter,it sucks depending on the ld played.You need nothing special to do the hack,just a spliced s-video cable and solder.The paks can be hacked,but are cramped and messy.It i snot worth hacking them.O yea the s-video hack on the player only works for the LD video side of things.
You guy sneed to take it from me,a extremely heavy LD collector.The LaserActive S U C K S ! ! !
If you buy one, you surely
gamble,gamble,gamble,DIE!!!!!!!

[Michael Helgeson]

You guys need to know something about LDs,and th eplayers.They are anolog signal.They suffer from noise,and line drop outs.If you have a sucky player,you get a sucky picture.its not like dvd,which is digital,and which about any player will give a great picture in s-video OR  even in composite.DVD handles both well.LD doesnt depending on the player
Also,LD was created around compsoite technoligy.
Any player with S-Video out will have at least a 3-line comb filter built in for the s-video to look good.
Hacking a s-video hack into your laseractive will do nothing for you image wise,because you will end up with no comb filter to clean things up.Your best bet is to use a great TV,with a 3-line or 3-D comb filter,and use composite output on the laseractive only.
This also applies to all ld players.If your ld players comb filter,given you have a player that has s-video out,is a 3-line,and your TV has a new better 3-line or 3-D filter,USE COMPOSITE INSTEAD!!!!!
LD WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR S-VIDEO KIDS! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Only use your ld players s-video if it has a better comb filter then your TV Monitor.Also,noise reduction. Ld players do a 48-52 db noise reduction,depending on the player.The suckier the player,the lower the DB  number,which means the uglier the picture color and detail wise.
Most good players that have comb filters will have at least 49-50 db,which is fine.The high end Elite and Sony and Panasonic players all had 50-52.They offered the best in noise reduction and comb filters.
If you care to get into ld collecting,its worth it,but you need to read ahead of time,to know what your getting into.Its not like collecting DVDs,and buying any old JVC or Apex player.You have to be pickey about your player if you want a great picture.
There are some great players without S-Video also,that do good clean picture and 49 db.If your tv has a basic comb filter of any kind,using a player like this will do fine,with a clean sharp picture.

http://www.laserdiscarchive.co.uk/

A great site for player research. Go here before buying a player.This way you can get some reserch in on a certain player model to see if maybe the specs will serve your needs.

[Michael Helgeson]

http://www.gamesx.com/ should be ignored on the s-video hack comment stating that the picture will be better.I and any other real laserdisc user/collector/owner will tell you up front that if you have a average ok mastered ld,it will look like crap.Only the best mastered LDs will look ok,and if played on a great TV with a wonderful comb filter,will look way way better in composite.Just because the ability to hack the player and add a s-video jack to it is there,does in no way mean you should use it.Pioneer and every other LD player maker did NOT include S-video to players that did'nt have comb filters.
Also,There are LD players released in the UK that do both Pal and NTSC,and RGB video playback.The RGB playback is for stuff like NTSC disc being played on a dual pal,player that does ntsc in rgb,but the output is nowhere near as good as a normal/pretty good NTSC player using composite output for video.LD was NOT designed for RGB,this method was only used for dual region players to assist with signal lock and focus.Its basically giving you the ability to play the other region,but not at great quality.LD WAS ONLY DESIGNED FOR COMPOSITE COMPOSITE COMPOSITE ORIGINALLY ! ! ! THIS SPEC NEVER CHANGED ! ! ! PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND!!!
I know this from years of experience.I have 8 players,industrial to home,with comb filter to none.About any real laserdisc tech guide will tell you this also.
Take care!!!

[Michael Helgeson]

I might do soem pics of my ld stuff soemtime for you all if you care for me to do so,including pics of Salamander anime by Konami on LD.I have the first one,which basically covers Lifeforce/Salamander game all the way to the end stage boss.really neat to watch.I have alot of rare ld's,some really cools ones all in all.I have over 120 ld's,and my list grows weekly.