Don "Mr. Wizard" Herbert explains Pioneer laserdisc (1980)

This video was created around 1980 to help explain the (then) new home video format of laserdisc. Herbert was known to generations of kids as "Mr. Wizard" as he explained all things scientific to children and adults.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Mr. Wizard
• Don Herbert
• Pioneer
• laserdisc

[AnAscendingAngel]

This is awesome! What's even more incredible is 10,000 people have watched it and not 1 turd has given it a thumbs down!

[morrisonAV]

@AnAscendingAngel

NOW you've gone and done it!! ;-) Careful what you ask for.....OR point out!

[Draikar]

Great video but One thing I would ask him is what about TV display resolution, most television sets were "basic" only color and B&W. Don't think there were RGB tv's. So was laserdisc better ?

Maybe its like my 1984 Zenith television set, It looks as good if not better then my 1080i-720p TV.

[morrisonAV]

Yep, measurably better. LD had around 425 lines or resolution vs. VHS's 240. Also, linear PCM stereo audio and the lack of tape wear made it a collector's format. Also, they added S-video outputs fairly early to improve the picture quality even more.

[MrStratofish]

These were the days when a company wouldn't just make the assumption that the customer was dumb like they do today. I wish more did things like this still.

[EzekialRage777]

1980 Mr. Wizard taught me something new that is still applicable in today's world. Man!

[swthair]

Facinating.

[Claudius131]

What an extraordinary man was Don Herbert. Apart from being a highly distinguished WW2 pilot he was a master of science and the English language, a skilled writer and actor (note how he doesn't refer to cue cards or autocue for the majority of this clip) and a supreme communicator combined with a sense of fun and entertainment. Where else do you get that in one person? RIP Don. Your legend lives on.

[noisedownloader]

@sglasspool Almost everything that involves technical specs. is an acronym. LASER, MOSFET. RAM. ROM. CPU. NASA. BRAVIA. LED. and so on..

[RetroToledo]

@Luigi84289 Got my first LD player from a school that ditched it in a dumpster one year!

[Luigi84289]

When I was in grade school all the teachers used these. Loved the picture quality as a kid.

[sglasspool]

I never knew "laser" was an acronym.

[winterka100]

All of that precision an science, and I can buy a DVD player for $25.00!

[MysticArksRevenge]

@AnAscendingAngel I agree! It is because they respect old technology and Mr. Wizard.

[rabbitsib]

I remember in school teacher playing laserdiscs and I thought is was a amazing now days it was like who would want something that big and over complicated device not to mention is couldn't hold much data.

[zazon5]

That's chocolate all right!