How to Connect a LaserDisc Player Using MCI Driver

• Microsoft Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article describes how to connect a Pioneer LaserDisc player using the MCI Pioneer LaserDisc device in Windows 95.

MORE INFORMATION

To connect a LaserDisc player using the MCI Pioneer LaserDisc device, the LaserDisc player must meet the following criteria:

• It must be a LaserDisc player manufactured by Pioneer.
• The connecting cable must be a Pioneer cable (part number CC-12 or CC-13) to connect to a 9-pin or 25-pin serial port.

  The Pioneer CC-12 and CC-13 cables are RS-232 cables that connect Pioneer's LD-V8000, LDV4000, CLD-V2600, CLD-V2400, LD-V2200, or LD-V4200 LaserDisc player, and the LC-330 AutoChanger to a computer with a 9- or 25-pin male D-sub-connector RS-232 port.

• The LaserDisc player must have Level III capabilities.

LaserDisc Player Control Methods

Level I - Manual Control:

In Level I, the player is controlled using the remote control, the front panel buttons, or a laser barcode reader. All current Pioneer industrial LaserDisc players support Level I. Level I alone does not support computer control.

Level II - Internal Program Control:

The Pioneer LD-V6000A (discontinued) and the LD-V8000 are the only models that currently support Level II. In this level, programs encoded on a LaserDisc are sent to the player's memory. Level II program codes can also be sent to the player using the remote control or by a computer. This configuration could communicate with a computer, but would not need the MCI Pioneer LaserDisc device driver. If the device driver were installed, it would overwrite the information encoded on the LaserDisc, and would probably cause the connection to be dropped.

Level III - External Computer Control:

In Level III, commands to control the player are sent through an RS-232 cable from a computer or controller. The MCI Pioneer LaserDisc device driver is required for this configuration.

Installing the Pioneer LaserDisc (Media Control) Device

To install the Pioneer LaserDisc device driver, follow these steps:

1. In Control Panel, double-click the Multimedia icon.

2. On the Advanced tab, double-click Media Control Devices.

3. Click Pioneer LaserDisc Device (Media Control), and then click Properties.

4. Click the Use This Media Control Device option, and then click Settings.

5. Click the appropriate communications port option, and then click OK.

6. Click OK, and then click OK again.

7. When you are prompted to restart your computer, do so.