Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!aelric
From: aelric@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (John S Schroder)
Subject: CDTV impression and marketing (NOT!)
Message-ID: <xplh51n@rpi.edu>
Keywords: cdtv marketing
Nntp-Posting-Host: aix01srv.aix.rpi.edu
Date: 28 May 91 16:23:42 GMT
Lines: 59


Hello All!
 
  Recently I was introduced to a Commmodore Dynamic Total Vision, CDTV
for short.  The only reason I actually knew that this machine was available
at my local Amiga dealers was because of recent usenet posts about people
encountering them on their trip to amiga stores.  After a quick tally
of who wanted to go a, few friends and I jumped into the car and headed to the
store.  When we arrived, there was nothing announcing that the store even had
CDTV (no posters or stickers on windows).  Well maybe they havn't put any
up we thought.  As we walked in we looked about but could see nothing.  When
asked if they had a CDTV the guy said yup but when we asked for a demonstration
for some reason this caused the dealer to laugh and say that he couldn't do that.
 
  A little bewildered we asked why?  It turns out that when they received
their CDTV unit they were told by Commodore that in NO sense were they to
advertise or promote the product (typical CBM marketing strategy) or they
risk loosing their license to sell Amigas.  After some bewildered looks they
said we could play with it anyway.
 
  When we finally got over to the machine it looked like, well a CD player
with a Nintendo remote controller.  The machine as billed has a stereo
component look to it.  To the average person it looks to be nothing more
than a CD player.  As we all know it's not just that but also contains
a 68000 Amiga inside with 1 meg of chip ram.
 
  Most of the CDTV GFX output seems to be in low color - low resolution which
makes sense as the output would most liklely be going to TV's only.  Even
with low res some fairly impressive GFX can be produced as seen by the
screen when a regular music CD is inserted (look for a mag. pic of this).
CDTV will allow users to view CD+G GFX but the fact is that VERY few CD's
have this encoded and the GFX are of very low resolution.  It also takes about
10 seconds for a full picture to fade/wipe into view.
 
  The few examples of software they had were of questionable quality.  They
were just adventure games to speak of (like Cinemaware games but by another
company).  The GFX were ok and sound was excellent, not to surprising as it
was reading sound data from the CD.  We didn't see any arcade games where the
true test would lie.
 
  What I defintily did NOT like was the way you inserted a CD into the CDTV
unit.  First you must insert the CD into a small plastic case that looks
alot like a normal CD case.  You have to then insert that case into the
player.  Now at the rate I change CD and tapes this would never do for a
serious music listener.  Meaning it's really a weird way of doing it.  Why
not just your typical eject box system that most CD's have?  As I am
also looking for a CD player I would not buy CDTV currently because of this 
'feature'.
 
  All in all it is a revolutionary concept but to what extent people will
buy it questionable.  In my humble opinion it would not do well as a CD 
player.  Yes it can do more than that but will Commodore let people know
or keep stifling it's dealers???

-- 
/John S. Schroder                  +  SCA: East Kingdom, Shire of Anglespur   \
/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  +  Underachiever, And Proud of It Man!     \
/aelric@rpi.edu                    +  Amiga 3000 - THE ONLY Computer          \
/=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=\
