JAGBDED%PANAM.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu (09/14/90)
I can't believe what I've just read out of the September issure of the
Communications of the ACM. They have this massive article on what they are
calling "compuvision" and talk about "teleputers." Listen to this:
CACM SEP 1990 pg 30:
Teleputers: Smart TV
That is the party line according to Intel, IBM, and Microsoft,
but the entertainment world has also been busy. In the summer of
1991[!], Sony and Phillips will roll out CD-I, and interactive
CD player designed to be connected to a tv set. A CD-I player
contains an optical disc drive, a Motorola 680X0 CPU, and a
megabyte of memory, but it will be marketed as an enhanced CD
player, not a computer ...
Haven't these guys heard of CDTV? It is not mentioned at all in this article.
The Amiga 3000 and AmigaVision are briefly mentioned as being the leader in
multimedia technology and summarize the Amigas capabilites in this area. But
the next paragraph starts out with "Tandy has taken a more mainstream approach
than Commodore. They listened to Bill Gates' decription of phase-one multi-
media PC's and built the 2500XL." Then they go on and on about how it can
do almost but not quite everything you wanted in multimedia. This is
unbelievable!
I have great respect for the ACM, but this time, IMHO, they have over-
looked the reality under their noses. Speechifying mode off . . .
Jose Aaron Gonzalez
JAGBDED@PANAM
jagbded%panam.bitnet@ricevm1.rice.edu
imbibo ergo sumhuebner@aerospace.aero.org (Robert E. Huebner) (09/14/90)
In article <30400@nigel.ee.udel.edu> JAGBDED%PANAM.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu writes: > > Teleputers: Smart TV > That is the party line according to Intel, IBM, and Microsoft, > but the entertainment world has also been busy. In the summer of > 1991[!], Sony and Phillips will roll out CD-I, and interactive > CD player designed to be connected to a tv set. A CD-I player > contains an optical disc drive, a Motorola 680X0 CPU, and a > megabyte of memory, but it will be marketed as an enhanced CD > player, not a computer ... > >Haven't these guys heard of CDTV? It is not mentioned at all in this article. >The Amiga 3000 and AmigaVision are briefly mentioned as being the leader in >multimedia technology and summarize the Amigas capabilities in this area. But >the next paragraph starts out with "Tandy has taken a more mainstream approach >than Commodore. They listened to Bill Gates' description of phase-one multi- >media PC's and built the 2500XL." Then they go on and on about how it can >do almost but not quite everything you wanted in multimedia. This is >unbelievable! This was my main worry when I heard about CDTV, since I know someone who is working on the CD-I team here in S. Cal. That fact that electronics giants Phillips (a.k.a. Magnavox) and Sony (a.k.a. everything-in-your- stereo-cabinet) are pushing this CD-I will continue to get it more visibility in the marketplace. Think of the distribution network these two already have set up. In order to get a foothold, I think CDTV will have to precede CD-I for at least a year (probably too late for that already), and a media blitz would be in order. Perhaps the greatest thing in CDTV's favour right now is that it is based on existing technology with an existing software base (Amiga). The CD-I machines are starting from the ground-up: new OS (well, not completely new. OS/9), new development tools, and no software base. Also, my impression was that peripherals like floppy disk drives and modems might not be available as CD-I options until later. Most local CD software developers I know of (Tiger Media, for instance) seem to be developing for both systems, so as not to put all their eggs in one basket. Please note that all of the above is speculation, since Phillips is keeping a tight lid on their CD-I plans. +---- Robert Huebner huebner@aerospace.aero.org The Aerospace Corporation "Have a day" +----
martens@xylophone.cis.ohio-state.edu (Jeff Martens) (09/14/90)
I wouldn't be too bothered by anything in the CACM -- it used to be a decent journal, but now it's just a mediocre magazine that keeps getting worse. Other ACM journals are maintaining their high standards, however. It used to be that CACM was similar to IEEE Computer; now it's closer to Datamation or Byte, and the best reason I know of to join IEEE instead of the ACM. -- -- Jeff (martens@cis.ohio-state.edu) Currently popular among Iraqi tank commanders: little yellow signs proclaiming "Child on board."
mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (My Watch Has Windows) Meyer) (09/15/90)
In article <30400@nigel.ee.udel.edu> JAGBDED%PANAM.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu writes:
CACM SEP 1990 pg 30:
Teleputers: Smart TV
That is the party line according to Intel, IBM, and Microsoft,
but the entertainment world has also been busy. In the summer of
1991[!], Sony and Phillips will roll out CD-I, and interactive
CD player designed to be connected to a tv set. A CD-I player
contains an optical disc drive, a Motorola 680X0 CPU, and a
megabyte of memory, but it will be marketed as an enhanced CD
player, not a computer ...
Haven't these guys heard of CDTV?
Even if they have, does it really deserve mention? CD-I is a
multi-national standard for interactive CD players. Even people who
really love the Amiga are wondering how many of them can be sold at
around a grand a pop, the key question being "what are they really
for?"
Sony/Phillips have been working on the answer for longer, and I expect
they'll have a cheaper box to sell also. CDTV is going to wind up in
the same place CP/M was when IBM announced the IBM-PC. Only they won't
have had years of being the biggest game in town to pay for the
development.
Now, if a CDTV can be convinced to use CD-I disks, and the
Sony/Phillips pricing is about the same, the CDTV box is going to be
in great shape. But I don't expect the latter, and would have expected
the former to be announced if it were possible.
<mike
--
Cheeseburger in paradise Mike Meyer
Making the best of every virtue and vice mwm@relay.pa.dec.com
Worth every damn bit of sacrifice decwrl!mwm
To get a cheeseburger in paradise