JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu (JKT) (02/09/91)
In article <1991Feb8.035143.25857@sbcs.sunysb.edu>, mrose@csserv1.ic.sunysb.edu (Michael Rose) says: > > I haven't seen any mention of it in the Amiga newsgroups for >awhile, but I was wondering if anyone had any info on the CD/TV. When >will it be available, how much? Commodore announced CDTV on Wednesday January 9th 1991 at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The press conference drew quite a crowd, and representatives from the New York Times, MTV, The Wall Street Journal, and Billboard, amonth others, were spotted. In a subsequent report in Billboard, the suggested retail price of CDTV was listed as $999.00 CDTV will be test-marketed only in certain U.S. and UK cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, and Denver. It will be sold through such retailers as Montgomery Ward, Video Concepts, McDuff, and Software etc. In the UK, CDTV will be sold through Dixons. Availability is listed as "First Quarter 1991." >What are the specs on it, does it have a hard drive port? The spec sheet is quite long - but here's the important stuff: - 68000 @ 7MHz, 1 Mb RAM - 512K storage per front panel personal memory, or "smart card" - 8x oversampling, 102dB S/N, and 16-bit D/A converters - Will play standard audio CDs, CD+Graphics (CD+G), CD+MIDI, and CDTV propriatery format discs - Uses the ISO/9660 subset of the High Sierra standard CD format, so with the proper software drivers CDTV could read nearly any IBM or Mac CD-ROM on the market - Ports for infrared and wired peripherals, including keyboard, mouse, brick/trackball with joystick ports, external floppy drive, and handheld remote. - Optional SCSI interface - Serial and Parallel ports for printer and modem - Video output to NTSC, Super-NTSC, PAL, Composite/Hi8, and Super VHS. >How easy will it be to expand it into a complete >Amiga computer system (ie. Keyboard, mouse, hard drive, monitor, memory >expansion, other upgrades, etc...)? Most of this is covered above. The keyboard, mouse, joysticks, etc. are all infrared remote units - you will be able to do Amiga computing from your armchair across the room! :-) >Does it come with ECS? This is a video machine... I'd be VERY surprised if the Super Agnus were not on board. No word on the Super Denise. By the way: CDTV runs under 1.3.2, not 2.0, in case anyone was wondering. >I remember hearing somewhere that CD's had to be placed in a tray to be >played in it, is that just for CD-ROMS or for audio CD's too? Nope. It has normal CD insertion just like any other CD player. > I've also heard that industry standard CD-I players are going >to be released later this year. What is Commodore planning to do >to compete with the CD-I players? Will the CD/TV be upgraded in the >future to provide full-motion playback of CD-I disc's? I too have been concerned with the potential CDTV and CD/I battle. Here is what I have found after asking many questions: - Nolan Bushnell (head of Commodore's new Interactive Consumer Products Division) does not foresee the two products competing for the same market. "The units have different capabilities," he says. - I somewhat disagree, because most families will not have the $$$ to purchase both. They will get one or the other. However: - Robert Baker says that many CD/I developers are develping or have already finished CDTV versions of their software. Therefore, CD/I won't have much to offer that CDTV won't have. - CD/I has yet to be shown to anyone after years of waiting. CDTV will be out for a while before CD/I is introduced. Besides, I suspect that CDTV could emulate a CD/I unit if necessary. :-) - Commodore plans to make CDTV compatible with the Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG) full-screen, full-motion standard once it is established. C= is waiting for the standard, and will support it when it exists. > Sorry to ask so many questions, but I really want to get a >CD player soon and I've been wanting to get an Amiga for a long time. >The CD/TV seems like the perfect solution. Thanks for your help! I understand and sympathize. CDTV does indeed sound like a great solution for anyone wanting both a CD player and an Amiga > -Michael Rose Kurt -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- || Kurt Tappe (215) 363-9485 || With. Without. And who'll || || 184 W. Valley Hill Rd. || deny it's what the fighting's || || Malvern, PA 19355-2214 || all about? - Pink Floyd || || jkt100@psuvm.psu.edu --------------------------------------|| || jkt100@psuvm.bitnet jkt100%psuvm.bitnet@psuvax1 QLink: KurtTappe || -----------------------------------------------------------------------