Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.multimedia
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!cumin.engin.umich.edu!baronz
From: baronz@caen.engin.umich.edu (Aaron L Richards)
Subject: Re: Multimedia on CBM
Message-ID: <1991Apr11.125026.21028@engin.umich.edu>
Summary: CDTV for sale in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Michigan
Keywords: CDTV, Denver, etc.
Sender: news@engin.umich.edu (CAEN Netnews)
Organization: The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
References: <patrick_meloy.2791@outbound.wimsey.bc.ca> <1705@tardis.Tymnet.COM> <1991Apr10.180739.1987@kessner.denver.co.us>
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1991 12:50:26 GMT

> >    Commodore's machine, which it demonstrated in January at a consumer
> >  electronics show, will go on sale April 19 in five cities:  San Jose,
> >  Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Chicago.
> 
>    It is already for sale, and at the very least, add Denver, CO to that
> list. Don't ask me why, but we've got them.
>  
Also add Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Michigan to the list as well.  The 
CDTV is currently for sale at a local dealership.

It is a pretty sharp unit with just a few characteristics that could
be improved.

	It is lower than I expected, very slim and trim.
	It is quite quiet, and looks exactly like a CD player.
	Sound quality of the few pieces of software I have seen
	   seems quite good, I don't have any data on these however.
	The disc holder is hard eject ie. it is a mechanical ejection
		system similar to the floppy drives on an Amiga 500.
		It really struck me as odd.
	The infrared remote has an incredible range with new batteries,
		we had it in an auditorium, and the remote worked quite
		well at a range of 50'.  We didn't attempt to max it out.
	All of the software that I had seen (Case of the Cautious Condor,
		Board games, and some type of coloring storybook) had
		the screen graphics done in lo-res (320X200) and looked
		quite poor.
	The intro disc should be thrown away.  It is very difficult 
		to use, displays lousy graphics.  Is boring, monotonous,
		and simply doesn't even come close to showing off the
		abilities of the CDTV.
	There is a "credit-card" memory expansion slot.  It is hidden behind
		a pull-away cover on the CDTV.  It has its own ejection
		button.  I believe that is is probably for personal storage
		like a diskette, otherwise why would it have an eject 
		mechanism?
	The infrared controller has a nice set of controls on it, the
		full complement of sound CD controls < > << >> etc.
		and some cursor keys and "option-buttons".  It really
		needs (I would prefer at least) an 8-way directional
		control to emulate a joystick.  If the CDTV is going to 
		be a Nintendo+Stereo component+Home computer, and you
		want to have nifty games, it would be nice to integrate
		the directional controller into the remote.  Note:  the
		are joystick ports on the back of the machine.
	There is a full complement of ports on the rear of the machine.
		MIDI in/out, joystick, disk-drive, keyboard, audio, video...

It is a machine with incredible potential, much like the Amiga 1000 when it
came out.  Rough around the edges, physically beautiful.  I am glad that
Commodore has beaten Apple to the punch by a couple months.  I hope that when
Apple releases their CD player/Mac, Commodore can be cost competitive.  


--
*	President MACRO on Campus			  	    * 
*       (Michigan's Amiga Computer Resource Organization)           * 
*	Senior Computer Consultant -> Organizational Studies Lab    *
*	Amiga Student Representative on Campus		 	    * 
*	baronz@caen.engin.umich.edu 			   	    *
*	Ph: Day 8-5 (313) 763-4563 Eve 2AM-7:30 761-7871	    *
