Where to begin? Let's see ... well, here's the thing: In all the years I've been collecting laserdiscs and slowly building the optimum presentation setup for viewing them, one thing that has remained just outside my reach has been the fabled AC-3 Dolby Digital discrete 5.1 sound capability.
What does that mean? In short, many laserdiscs contain an audio track specially designed to deliver specific sounds to each of the six speakers in a standard 5.1 setup. But if you don't have the very specialized equipment to process it, your sound system will sort of "guess" how do disperse the audio.
I didn't feel like I was missing out on THAT much until recently, when I acquired the Pioneer Special Edition of Capricorn One, which makes a big deal about the sound design the disc offers. Suddenly, I was gripped with the desire to once and for all bump my shit up to PROPER AC-3 Dolby Digital.
So I began scouring the internet for options. I'll skip over all the hunting and researching; the bottom line is, I found a Sony processor for a very good price that from all appearances seemed like it would do the job.
I received the unit on Thursday; Friday night, I set about hooking it up, which is honestly a very simple matter of one cable in, one cable out. I fired up my LD player and put in Capricorn One.
Picture comes up. No sound. My heart starts to sink. I start adjusting things, rearranging things, plugging this into that, changing one setting to another. No matter what I do, silence.
Finally, I give up and head to bed, but I bring my laptop with me and start consulting AI about what the problem could be. To my great dismay, AI tells me that I've been duped ... misled ... this piece of electronica I purchased is not capable of rendering my AC-3 audio, and I've basically gotten stuck with a useless hunk of metal.
Now I was absolutely distraught.
But this morning, I arose and decided I wasn't ready to accept defeat just yet. Maybe, just maybe, I still hadn't pinpointed the problem.
After fueling myself up with a nice breakfast, I dove into it again. I tested one connection after another, and soon enough I discovered that a certain pertinent cord seemed to not be functioning. Now I knew what needed to be done.
I jetted off to Best Buy, picked up a new cord of the particular variety in question, shot back home, and swapped out the new cord.
Once again, I fired up the laserdisc player and inserted Capricorn One. Picture up. And then, SOUND ... rich, beautiful, encompassing sound. My heart soared. I had done it. I wasn't stuck with a useless hunk of metal after all.
So that's my story. The AC-3 is flowing in my humble abode, and I couldn't be happier. Can't wait to bask in its glory with the many LDs I own that boast it.
Now, alcohol.
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