Grease LD PCM preservation

[TServo2049]

Buster D thinks PAL LD audio would be "vastly inferior", even when slowed down. He even said that slowed-down PCM PAL would sound worse than analog NTSC? That doesn't make any sense.

How could that be, anyway? 50Hz vs. 60Hz?

He thinks he's found a copy, but said it has a different Paramount logo in the corner. If he means different from PILF-1984, then it's probably yet another SF078-1204. (I believe that without the Obi, you have to look at the back to find the cat #. The covers are nearly identical otherwise.)

Also, I'm buying the "digital" U.S. copy on LDDB, even though I'm betting it will be analog. It's only 5 bucks (before shipping from Norway, I can afford it), but I have to know for sure.

If this one isn't digital, I will resign myself to the assumption that there was no digital, only a later pressing of the analog version with different mint marks and a barcode on the back, and that the later pre-98 transfer with the letterboxed credits that was on later VHS/cable was never pressed to disc in the U.S.

(Why the heck did the original "DiscoVision leftover" pressing(s) not have a barcode, anyway?)

[SilverWook]

I think Paramount was just cutting corners. I had a copy of Explorers from the year Pioneer rolled out Digital Sound with the markings, (one of the first LD's I ever bought in 1986) yet there is no PCM track. Sometimes studios didn't even opt for CX encoding, which makes a difference in analog tracks. Pioneer, and later Image, were subject to the studio's fickle whims unfortunately. There were a whole bunch of analog only titles released well after 1990 even.

PILF-1984 does have a digital sound logo on the back jacket. You can see the back on LDDB if you're registered on the site.

[SilverWook]

[Image: 25631_back.jpg]

I don't know if hotlinking this is going to work.

[TServo2049]

I signed up, so I did see it already.

[SilverWook]

I'm asking that dedicated ebay seller to check his copies of Grease for digital sound. That ought to increase our chances. Would be nice to settle the mystery once and for all.

[deblock]

Hi, I last heard no one knew if a Grease LaserDisc was ever released with a digital original English soundtrack. Can we all band together to find this out? I can help...

Can someone make a list of Grease LaserDiscs WITHOUT a digital original English soundtrack? Are we still unsure about PILF-1984?

Unfortunately, I can no longer log into my OT account, I wasn't banned and didn't lose my credentials, but the mods don't want to help, otherwise, I probably would be posting there.   =(

Thank you.

[TServo2049]

We know PILF-1984 is digital. The problem is that we've never found a copy.

SilverWook bought a copy, I think from a seller on LDDB, but it was only analog - we think that the seller thought they had PILF-1984 but actually had the earlier SF078-1204 that was only analog. The covers are nearly identical, and a copy without the obi only has the catalog number on the back.

Buster D had a lead on a copy, but he told me it had a different Paramount logo on the front. When I asked if it was the solid black one (which means it'a SF078-1204), he said he thinks so, so that's another lead that's gone cold.

The Dutch LD 21.04.002 would be a good alternative, but we need someone with a PAL player and bit-perfect audio capture capabilities.

Discs with English analog:
U.S. P&S CLV - LV 1108 (LDDB claims there was a later pressing with digital under the same catalog number, but SilverWook and I are convinced this is inaccurate info)
UK P&S CLV - LVG 2003
Japan P&S CLV - SF078-1204

Foreign language dubs (all presumably digital, but useless to us - some are/may be mono as well)
France CLV - 21.02.002
Germany LB?) CLV - 21.03.002
Spain LB?) CLV - 21.06.002
Italy LB?) CLV - LPHSVVS 70102
France CLV - 082 854-1 (This may be the same as above, these numbers seem to actually be the last part of the UPC and it may just be the UPC for 21.02.002)

20th Anniversary:
U.S. LBX CLV 20th - LV011081-WS
UK LBX CAV 20th - PLFEC 37551

Discs that are pre-98, have English, and have digital logo on the back:
Japan P&S CLV remaster - PILF-1984
Netherlands P&S CLV - 21.04.002

[deblock]

Is PILF-1984 likely to have become rotten? Thank you for the info.

[TServo2049]

No rot reported. But LDDB only lists 1 copy of this sold ever, and I think that's the one SilverWook bought that turned out to be SF078-1204.

Do you actually have a lead on a copy or something?

[SilverWook]

I may have a lead on the Japanese Digital sound LD. Cross your fingers, and hold onto your hats if you've got them.