Recording Sound onto a Laserdisc - Is this possible?

The databits channel is pleased to provide you with the best in new tech, vintage and oddity gadgets, media formats, repair projects, electronic experiments and restorations of thrift store finds. There are also many "how to" and instructional titles. The goal is to search through garage sales, antique malls and resale shops for gadgets you didn't know existed, electronic toys you had as a kid, stereo or turntables your parents used or a film projector your school used to teach you valuable lessons. Typically we produce one video a week with several trips to a thrift store per month. Sometimes, through research, an item is searched for on ebay and purchased for review. A list of some of the most popular items watched here on the channel are: record cutting on various materials, DLP television repairs, VCR's, Camcorders, turntables, record players, records, car reviews and dictation equipment.
Follow databits:
Facebook
/ 1databits
Twitter:
/ digitalbt or @digitalbt
Thank you for watching and please subscribe!

[@manuellujan666]

I'm subscribing to anyone who turns a Laserdisc into a Record.

[@databits]

Manuel Lujan I appreciate it Manuel.

[@roybo1930]

+Manuel Lujan So Am I!!! I Record on junk 78s that I painted with automotive paint! Works Very well, Using My Roy Ola Label!

[@lucaas1307]

Same here :)

[@jcb0249]

That works?!?! Well, that's my one thing* for today. *"You learn something new every day"

[@JBearInIndiana]

Yes but it is really difficult to turn a record into a laserdisc. (Sorry, I just had to say it,)

[@bendingunit01]

that truly is multimedia

[@DoowiDoowi]

+Bending Unit 010110 This guy!

[@SammeLagom]

Oh yes haha

[@Tomsonic41]

There is some interference when you get to the 'grooved' area of the laserdisc, but I'm amazed that there's still a recognisable picture and you can see what's going on! I too expected the grooves to completely ruin the picture...

[@PascalGienger]

The sound is nuts because it cannot decode the PCM data any more, if it is a PAL disc you are out of luck but an NTSC disc has also analog audio on it (encoded in the FM modulated picture - can be true analog audio, or one channel audio comments and the other channel AC3 modulated DD 5.1) so there you will hear sound but with a crackling noise like an audio record :D The picture is resistent because it is purely FM coded. So all the minor errors due to your groove (which is 50 times thicker than the pits, so the difference between "pit" and "no pit" is still large enough for the laser pickup to detect, as you only scratched the groove in the laquer surface and not into the pit layer) and the "crackling" errors on the video just do not harm - it is just like distortions of the FM signal which make it not impossible to extract the video signal out of it. It destroys the digital sound though as it has no checksums and hence the damage is much bigger.

[@brietman_]

+Pascal ‘Le Bakala’ Gienger That's my line :). If know the technique it's logical that the sound is ruined. But the video give a excellent view of the damage that's really done to the disc.

[@romangodofvoodoo]

You make zero sense.

[@hakemon]

+romangodofvoodoo Are you talking about Pascal? Cause he made perfect sense.

[@yojoehojo4291]

+Pascal “Le Bakala” Gienger THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A UNIQUE ALBUM, DON'T YOU THINK? "IT'S CALLED LAZERVINYL, TO HEAR A SET OF TRACKS YOU PUT IT INTO A LAZERDISC PLAYER. HOWEVER, TO HEAR ANOTHER SET OF TRACKS YOU PUT IT INTO A TURNTABLE!".

[@hakemon]

Cartridge Head Based on your spelling, it would appear that you probably flunked school. However, Pascal actually has an education. So please kindly go away. Thanks.

[@jimkata77]

Wow, that actually sounds pretty good and I to am impressed that the player was still able to play the video through the grooves you cut into the disk.

[@Tangobaldy]

/sounds better than the cd. Loss of quality and added hiss but it sounds so smooth

[@databits]

+Tangobaldy - Thanks for watching!

[@kaunomedis7926]

Try to use some lubricant. All metal mechanists use lube when cutting- its reduces "chatter" and wear of cutting instrument.

[@rich1051414]

The problem is when the crystal structure of the media has an audible tone.

[@wharfmusic2845]

Wow, cool experiment! Amazing that it still played video.

[@EposVox]

Well that's pretty crazy!

[@Earthtime3978]

I'm not sure why you thought it wouldn't work. I've heard sound played back on hardened wood glue.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Ridiculous, but lots of fun! Thanks for doing this. Keep 'em coming!

[@rockerseven]

This would actually be something really cool for bands to do with CDs. Like on one side have the CD audio, and on the flip side have a layer of vinyl to play on a turntable. Obviously it couldn't fit the whole album, but they could use it for like special edition singles or something. Or maybe bonus tracks or something.

[@databits]

It's already been done: www.psfk.com/2010/06/the-vinyl-and-cd-release-on-one-disc-from-jeff-mills.html

[@Trance88]

Wow! The recording actually sounds pretty impressive! Very cool.

[@databits]

Trance88 Thanks for watching!

[@carsonkundolf3448]

It doesn't sound half bad really

[@JackOfAllTrades2022]

Loved it... never imagined that it would still play..

[@databits]

blackjack6934 Thanks!

[@BlueParadoxical]

Sounds like you had great results with this one! Very nice choice of music, too. Excellent top-notch jazz to complement your craftsmanship!

[@databits]

BlueParadoxical Thank you very much!

[@Damaniel3]

Coolest thing I've seen today for sure, and it works surprisingly well.

[@SoundFantasy]

That's freaking crazy dude awesome job

[@nein6405]

I love old technology, and I love this video. This is one of the specific songs that I played in our schools band too!

[@databits]

+Nein - thanks for the comments!

[@GraveUypo]

i can't believe it still played video after that. that's awesome.

[@databits]

Thank you!

[@bwware]

I really enjoyed this! Thank you!

[@RODALCO2007]

Awesome experiment.

[@coydog7902]

One fantastic experiment indeed Cheers!

[@OTISILOVEYOU]

Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance!

[@QUIZFILTER]

Wow that was awesome!!... I love inventive thinking & experimentation like this. You're definitely one of the definitions of mad scientist as far as I'm concerned. So cool & thanks for sharing!!

[@databits]

Thanks for your comments! I feel like a regular "doc brown" sometimes!

[@muhammadshakil5766]

oh it sounds soo nice and natural

[@Capturing-Memories]

Video is analog so it will play with little noise, Audio is a stream of digital data that has error correction codes and some other tracking data so it will be affected by the surface of the disc.

[@telocho]

James Bordon It should also have the two legacy analogue audio channels, and for testing he could have switched to those.

[@airthrow]

Found your channel from the FB group. Awesome video, creative and fun!

[@databits]

airthrow Thank you! Appreciate your support!

[@maxwelsh6121]

One of the coolest contraptions I have ever seen

[@cukedaddy]

There's a video where someone cut a record on a torilla...NUTS!

[@databits]

+Mark Gray - it is nuts! but they used a laser to cut it. my cutter would tear it to shreds!

[@samnoneofyourbisnus2543]

+databits could you replace the head on the record cutter with a laser? there reasonably cheep for an infrared laser (well over 200 bucks but still it not bad)

[@PatrickBaptist]

+Mark Gray Yeah it's in my recommended videos on the side, I'm going to check that out.

[@cukedaddy]

+Patrick TheBaptist it's pretty cool... It actually works

[@PatrickBaptist]

Mark Gray Yeah I saw, pretty funny.

[@goodsquidjapan]

Cool experiment! made my day.

[@databits]

Good Squid - Your comment made my day! Thanks!

[@zachogilman7397]

And It worked! To answer your question. Your CD did well and like the music too

[@SO_DIGITAL]

I enjoyed that. Thanks

[@Surannhealz]

I'm impressed!

[@BioShocking]

I'm liking your videos. Your Dad's band sounds great! Subscribed.

[@databits]

TheFavoritePlay Thanks for subscribing!

[@AlTheEngineer]

Crazy! Great music by the way! Absolutely love it.

[@databits]

+AlTheEngineer - Hey! Thanks for your comments!

[@AlTheEngineer]

+databits You're very welcome, I enjoy your videos! I've been wanting to get into records and record players myself, and your videos are very helpful!

[@databits]

+AlTheEngineer - glad to be of help

[@kylehazachode]

The video is still rendering through youtube. I'll make sure I'll watch it later at work. Did you know Laserdisc was the only optical disc format to offer analog audio? Yes it does have the ability to offer digital surround, but the default left and right tracks were for analog audio only. Older laserdiscs (pre-surround sound era) as well as almost all music video discs EPs were presented with analog audio.

[@databits]

Video should be ready now George Moore, and yes, the audio system was AFM with CX noise reduction until digital audio hit the scene.

[@THEREV468]

They also made something where it’s basically a movie being played off a vinyl disc, video and audio are played with a stylus, pretty cool stuff

[@EthicRadioArchiveReels]

Omg this is amazing very fascinating

[@wii1245]

Great job! What a way to reuse something that is already obsolete and turning into something wonderful ,

[@databits]

wii1245 Thanks for your comment!

[@referencetheater1742]

Obsolete?! Are you sure? Ahahahah It has much more potential than Vinyl, and if Vynil was reborn this will too in a near future.

[@wii1245]

+Reference Theater laserdiscs weren't popular due to its size and such. I would to see him cutting a record on a, ahem, "Dragon's Lair" laserdisc.

[@wii1245]

Do you have a hatred for "Dragon's Lair"?

[@AJSSPACEPLACE]

Thats really cool. You turned an outdated didgital format into a still relivent anolog format.

[@macf4426]

So your experiment... Made a record, made a laserdisc into a hybrid multiformat disc, and silenced Michael Bolton. Thats a WIN on all 3 counts :)

[@Evan420]

this is so satisfying for some reason

[@1blisslife]

Why didn't I think of this!!! That's cool... This might be the first vinyl LD recording probably! To have multiple recorded mediums onto that LD is kind of cool!

[@databits]

+1blisslife - There have been CD's introduced that have a record on the top of them.

[@1blisslife]

+databits Wow... I have seen them now that you mention it, but I thought it was for mere decoration.

[@thepirategamerboy12]

Really cool stuff. I love the song you cut onto the Laserdisc, too. Too bad I can't find anything about Ambassadors of Swing - Moondance, though...

[@databits]

+thepirategamerboy12 - facebook.com/Ambassadors-of-Swing-109404859146025/

[@Tomorops]

That's incredible!

[@databits]

+Troutlaw - thanks!

[@BlackPatti78s]

I really like the end result, it sounds like a seeburg recording from the 50s or 60s on tape.

[@martinjanda939]

surprisingly great quality, love your videos! i think the noise you're getting is from the sheer weight of the tonearm on that machine, try playing it on a different turntable maybe? i saw you asked a question on another one of your record cutting videos. i think the needle is pushed to the bottom of the groove and that creates that constant hiss.

[@JohnBilkey]

Awesome!

[@dontgoonline]

this is awesome! i really want to do this

[@VinnytotheK]

Wow, what an insane project! I would love to learn how to restore old electronics, and get them working as well as you successfully have!

[@databits]

+VinnytotheK - well get busy! do you have anything in mind to restore?

[@VinnytotheK]

+databits A bit different than this, but I bought an 8mm video recorder and I need to figure out why it's not powering on. Hopefully it will be a simple repair, but it could be a goner. I need to troubleshoot a bit and locate some information on the model I have. Besides that I have a Nintendo Gamecube and Gameboy color that need repairs. It would be great if I could restore the 8mm video camera though, and I'm considering picking this up as a hobby.

[@databits]

+VinnytotheK - it's a very fun hobby - and I'm always here for advice if you need it! I would try a different power supply on that camera first

[@TheTarrMan]

WOW! I never would of thought this outcome.

[@Roninkinx]

That actually is amazing!

[@TwesomE]

Impresive most impresive thumbs up and subbed you.

[@databits]

+T@wesomE - thanks so much

[@tuomollo]

I will not buy this record it is scratched

[@UHOH3300]

ha i get it

[@thanthanasiszamp4707]

tuomollo LOL

[@swifty1969]

first of all, this was a VERY interesting experiment and I LOL'ed at your Micheal Bolton comment.

[@unabonger777]

and the quest for recording excellence continues.

[@toneyisaiah3556]

That's awesome 👌

[@cessnaace]

Glad you used a disc that already had rot. I wonder if this would work with a MUSE HiVision LD.

[@renegonzalez6755]

Amazing. I love mixing vintage technology with newer technology myself (recording video onto compact audio cassettes and listening to mp3 files which were recorded onto 1.44mb floppy disks via the elusive 2001 era FD32 32mb format through my OTG connected android smartphone. I have noticed that laserdisc players can play very scratched discs and seem a hair more robust than DVD. I own 3 times more CED Selectavision video disks than laserdiscs at the moment. I own one laserdisc with disc-rot (Johnny Mnemonic) out of my collection of ten laserdiscs. I love the current surge in availability and lowered prices on rare vintage technology. I revently purchased a JVC SR-VDA300US PRO-HD Mastering D-VHS machine which creates password encrypted D-VHS recordings. This machine cost me $400 and originally cost over $6,000 when first sold to the Warner Brothers broadcasting stations for secure screening applications. Your project seems like a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing.

[@AMDRADEONRUBY]

LOL the HD DVD player :P and nice video!

[@databits]

+AMDRADEONRUBY - Thank ye

[@lizichell2]

Its surprising good quality

[@ThomasGrillo]

An amazing experiment. The down side is, you might have been able to sell that very disc for quite a bit. The reason there was audio artifact in the cut recording, is the laser disc is made of polycarbonate, which is much harder than vinyl. This will wear out your cutting head's needle in fairly short order, unfortunately. You did solve a mystery for me, though. Thanks for sharing. :)

[@databits]

+ThomasGrillo - glad I could solve the mystery for you!

[@JohnMackweb]

AMAZING! IT WORKED!!!!

[@NeilVanceNeilVance]

Love your video man well done! .... Vintage Analogue technology eat's future digital tech for breakfast!

[@databits]

Thank you Neil, I appreciate the compliment!

[@gabrielcortes4965]

buen experimento..buen video pero estas lucas y bien chalado..te felicito..congratulations nice work .....

[@databits]

Thank you!

[@steevvvippch5589]

I just got a record lathe and am trying to find best way to cut records. I read somewhere that putting lighter fluid on your blank and letting it soak in a for a few minutes softens up the medium so it's easier to cut and less noisy. The same people/site said that lighter fluid is pretty fumy and they found that some sort of Turtle Wax served almost as well. I watched your video to see if you might have some similar tips. It was useful nonetheless. I'm a coward afraid of messing up the expensive needle so I haven't tried anything yet so this is inspiring to give it go. Also somewhere they recommended heating up the disc with a blow dryer to make it easier to cut. So might experiment those things too. I'll see if I can find the site a friend referred me to.

[@Tsaukpaetra]

Nice song choice! :)

[@EthicRadioArchiveReels]

Omg this freaking awesome

[@rick_terscale1111]

Analog and digital on the one disc... cool!!!!!

[@HarmonyMan]

And! The laser video still looks better than a VHS video.

[@AwakeInTheBigSleep]

This is actually amazing! I love this concept oh the irony!

[@Tangobaldy]

Irony is not present in this video. Check your dictionary. Grammar police....

[@AwakeInTheBigSleep]

Tangobaldy It's ironic that he's making a record (an older format for music) out of a cd (a newer format for music) also I can't believe you have another better to do than reply to my comment in that manor wow!

[@Tangobaldy]

Awake In The Big Sleep Its not irony because that means for example. It is so hot in here, when in fact your inside a freezer. That is irony. it cant be ironic either because you are expecting him to make the end product. PS.. it's spelt manner. Whoop whoop busted. Hey don't let it bother you it was not meant to be any offensive to you at all. >:) Yes im bored.

[@AwakeInTheBigSleep]

Tangobaldy Wow touche, I'm glad you have a good english language class

[@MrMargaretScratcher]

+Awake In The Big Sleep +Tangobaldy Yeah that wasn't really ironic either... Sercastic maybe..

[@monstruoperro]

not what i expected, but this it's awesome

[@databits]

+Uriel Ortega - thanks for watching!

[@afloyd4976]

You should get some sort of vacuum attachment for that cutter. How It's Made showed one such master cutter.

[@RollyPraise]

I think, maybe I am completely wrong, but if you warm up the plastic it will cut better. the LP are the softer plastic.

[@TheRosemontag]

Pretty cool.

[@databits]

The Readers Corner - Thanks!

[@alexissmith9336]

wow databits i like that cuttung video can you make a video of the pioneer dvd laserdisc player

[@MisterTalkingMachine]

Stunning, this is performing better than I expected. Also, the music is very nice. Tell me, have you tried this one on your Grafonola?

[@databits]

MisterTalkingMachine I have not tried it on the Grafonola. Would be a good idea for a new video though!

[@MisterTalkingMachine]

databits Looking forward to it, I do believe it will turn out well, since the disk plastic is likely harder than the food plate. Also suspect that since the Grafonola's reproducer turns only vibrations that go side to side into sound, it might sound clearer, of course, with the normal distortion of it's mechanical nature.

[@BlazeMason]

That's amazing

[@databits]

+Blaze Mason - thank you

[@obamayomama8291]

Wow that is good! The record doesn't sound bad really!

[@databits]

Thank you Andre.

[@obamayomama8291]

databits Oh my god DataBits actually replied to my comment!

[@ExtremeMetal]

Perhaps lubing the laserdisc will reduce friction and stop the squealing

[@rick_terscale1111]

thats what I thought .... if it works for women it must work for laser discs!!

[@theultimateninja]

ha that's awesome! This could lead to some cryptic stuff.

[@databits]

theultimateninja Thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@nonewanted]

subscribed!!

[@databits]

+Sergio Ruiz - appreciate it!

[@derekroberts6654]

so on a laser disc (and i assume on a DVD as well) the first layer is the sudio and the second layer is the video.

[@jukumariiramuri1557]

awesome

[@databits]

+jukumari iramuri - thank you!

[@lutello3012]

Did you try switching to analog sound?

[@databits]

+Lu Tello - no, for the sake of keeping the video short, I didn't

[@lutello3012]

+databits Probably would have worked!

[@eddytennisman08]

+databits I second +Lu Tello 's opinion. At least try it on your own time and at least tell us if it worked please! :D

[@samuelfellows6923]

Looked like a rock concert with a full orchestra - instrumental infills? 🤔

[@vexedrex555]

Nice

[@EastAngliaUK]

pretty interesting stuff is that a recordable one like a CD RW as never used them? Channel looks pretty good so subbed.

[@databits]

+EastAngliaUK - Thanks for subbing!

[@SO_DIGITAL]

Ever tried a Silvatone Aluminium disc?

[@julianwest4030]

I can hear the noises that the cutting tool made when you played your laser disk swing song.

[@redneckpyromania6965]

You should try cutting a delrin disc it is a rather malleable plastic that is often used for machining parts out of plastic

[@AMOKIAN]

Skrapez and Walter Gross pressed and released a few albums on Laserdisc!!! I saw the albums at an art exhibit.

[@databits]

That's awesome!

[@AMOKIAN]

@@databits love your videos! Wishing you well.🤩📺

[@cessnaace]

I've posted this video in the Forums at The LaserDisc Database.

[@hackerinsidetm4271]

Where can you find this music disc? I liked it, and I wanted to see if I could get it anywhere.

[@databits]

If you're looking for music by Ambassadors of Swing, email my dad at [e-mail] for more information.

[@atomstarfireproductions8695]

Please try etching a CD and see if it will actually play in a CD player

[@Murdoch493]

I think I heard the Ambassadors of Swing when I was younger. Where do they normally play?

[@databits]

Around the St. Louis area.

[@WammyGiveaway]

That is incredible! How is it possible that a Laserdisc can turn into a regular record player without losing the picture? In a strange way, it reminds me of the RCA CEDs. There could definitely be an invention out of this.

[@BlueAcid9]

+databits 1) Does turning up the volume change how load the music will be recorded to the record during cutting? 2) Can a record player work as a recorder it you change the stylist? 3) What is that hissing/sawing noise during playback? 4) Why did one song take up so much space on the disc? Shouldn't a record that size hold several songs on each side?

[@Mr_Meowingtons]

would adding a light oil help with cutting? and save on the cutting head?

[@databits]

Matt K Possibly!

[@tristanpina2666]

I like how it makes cotton candy in the middle of the laser disc.

[@carslover3509]

very very smart

[@databits]

+amjad amj - Thanks! And thank you for subscribing!

[@SlasherMiniFilms]

That's a great cover of Moondance haha