This is the beginning of a series of catalogs Pioneer published to promoted LD software. This style, 3-3/4 wide by 8 inches
tall, would continue into the mid 1980s for Pioneer LD catalogs. Players and other hardware would be illustrated on a few
pages, Pioneer Artists titles were presented first, followed by the various studio labels distributed by Pioneer Video.
Pioneer introduced its VP-1000 LaserDisc player in the last quarter of 1980. In the summer of 1981, the Pioneer Artists label
debuts with "Paul Simon" (PA-81-001) and "Liza" (PA-81-002). By the end of 1981, Pioneer had become the leader is LD software
distribution. This catalog's date is January, 1982 and includes the early releases for a number of labels.
Pioneer Artists and Pioneer Imports, plus OPA (Optical Programming Associates) are provided full color jacket images. Other
labels are collected in the remaining pages and included with text only. Future catalogs would illustrate color jackets,
but not this first edition. Present are Columbia, Twentieth Century-Fox/Magnetic Video, NFL Films, Paramount, and Universal.
It is interesting that Pioneer included Twentieth Century-Fox's name, as no LDs had that label in early 1982. However, this
was LDs situation in the early 1980s, always being a label behind where CBS/Fox Video was on videocassette. Also curious
is the labeling of Universal, rather than MCA DiscoVision or VideoDisc. This is a rare occasion that the Universal name is
used rather than a form of MCA for this LD label.
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