Author Archives: omegalfa

CDi2SNES Splitter Adapter!

Robert Dale Smith, from controlleradapter.com the usual suspect, is now making the final tests with his new CDi2SNES splitter adapter!
We all know the price nowadays of a CD-i gamepad or touchpad, so if you want to play a 2 player game, just image the investment you will make…
With this new adapter, you will be able to connect two SNES (Super Nintendo) controllers and enjoy playing against your friends!

This time, Robert Dale Smith didn’t worked alone to design and develop this adapter. He worked with Fragol Tech, specialised in Consoles Mods, both are making a strong team with a great future for more upcoming CD-i stuff!


New Homebrew CD-i splitter!

Robert Dale Smith from controlleradapter.com developed a very tiny CD-i Splitter for 2 player games!
Located in Austin, Texas (USA), I followed all the development of this homebrew adapter and I am happy to share some pictures with you.

He designed the PCB, mounted the 8 pins connectors and created a box using a 3D printer.
You can order your CD-i Splitter directly at Controller Adapter that includes a 3 feet (approximately 90 cms) cable.
The price is 25USD plus shipping.

Absolutely easy to use, just connect the 3 feet cable into the CD-i Splitter, plugin to the CD-i player, then connect your 2 wired controllers and enjoy the 2 player games (Head-to-Head) available on CD-i!

We are in touch to make possible more adapter options for more accessories.
Stay tuned!


Clean Air System Informatie CD-i – Presentation discs

When you think you have seen enough obscure CD-i titles… more appears!
Jos van den Berg from our Facebook Group gave us the privilege to show 2 titles from his collection:
Clean Air System Informatie CD-i 1993 and Clean Air System Informatie CD-i 1994, both produced by Merlin Interactive and do not need the Digital Video Cartridge (DVC).

We are talking about Dutch titles, also called Philips Luchtreiniger which means Philips Air Purifier.

Seller used this titles to let consumers watch the different models available in an interactive way, possibly using a portable CD-i player.
We can see 2 discs but, more might exist.

Take a closer look at the CD-i logo on the disc from the first one… the “i” is upside down “!”. Maybe the image got flipped vertically… intentional? We don’t know… But the same logo from the second disc is the correct.

Two new additions to our Professional titles list.

Thank you Jos van den Berg!


The Green Book


I like to share my CD-i experience with people. Talking with my friends, people registered on this site, Facebook group or Twitter.
RetroMan is a person who do have an impressive collection of titles, hardware and accessories. But what I really love about him, is the fact he shares with me in a very natural way what he owns, just like if we was neighbours. I can see it is something he really enjoy to do: Discover CD-i stuff and share it with us, and I can’t thank him enough for that.
A few weeks ago, he was excited about a deal he was about to conclude… and what a deal…

He got the Green Book. Maybe for some of you it is nothing special, a green book is a green book, we can find so many coloured books in any stores… right…? NO!
I am talking about THE GREEN BOOK, the CD-i Holy-Grail, with all the specifications you need to create a CD-i related work.

When Philips and Sony defined the Audio CD specifications, they gave to it a name, the Red Book, in June 1980. This was the 1st colour from a long collection…
In fact, more books followed as Yellow Book (CD-ROM), Green Book (CD-i), Orange Book (CD-R and CD-RW), Beige Book (Photo CD), White Book (Video-CD), Blue Book (Enhanced-CD), Scarlet Book (Super Audio CD) and Purple Book (Double Density CD).

Any company interested in developing CD-i titles or release his own branded CD-i player had to get a paid licence from Philips to get the CD-i Full Functional Specification (Green Book).

The CD-i player is able to read the following Specification:

Red Book
Audio CD, CD-Text, CD-MIDI, CD+Graphics
Green Book
CD-i titles, Digital Video on CD-i (Movies & Music Videos)
Beige Book
Photo-CD
White Book
Video-CD (Movies & Music Videos), CD-i Bridge

That is why we call the CD-i player, a Multimedia player.

Coming back to RetroMan item, what can he do with this Green Book if he is not a programmer? And we can’t forget Philips did turned the Green Book accessible to anyone recently.
Well, that is simple, just like many of us, he is a collector, and every time something shines with a CD-i stamped on it, we try to get it.
The case sizes are 25.7cm x 8.8cm x 21.2 cm.

Now, there are more versions out there to collect…
– 1st version
November 1989
– 2nd version
September 1990
– 3rd version
March 1993
– Final version
May 1994

cdifan, our CD-i Titles Development responsible owns an Electronic Green Book.
So, before Editorial Green Book became available, Electronic Green Books was used.
You can access the specification through Read Only files.

On the Change Log from this Electronic Version, we can read:
In that CHANGE_LISTS directory are revision documents for “Revision 3” from July (no year is stated), “revision 3.3” and “revision 4” (no months or years stated), and a final document that states:

This list has been compiled of corrections, additions, clarifications and editorial amendments since the introduction of Revision 4 (dated 14 November 1988).
The CD-i Full Functional Specification (Green Book) will achieve here with the status which will be further referred to as release 1.0.
This list is dated and complete up to 15 October 1989.

Congratulations RetroMan you’ve got the latest version!
This version seems be in a plastic finish style. The older ones are made in Paper Box.
I am sure you will find more CD-i related things for your collection!


New CD-i game Nobelia is finished!


This is it!
Jeffrey aka TwBurn has finished his 1st CD-i homebrew game! Congratulations!
The game is now under the test of several persons (including The World of CD-i mates) under the most CD-i players as possible to guarantee a full compatibility.
We are proud of him and proud for being part of it with cdifan knowledge improve a faster development.

This development started 1 year ago, and in May a demo was already available.
For someone that is not involved into the gaming industry… damn…  😎
He started from scratch, and even adapted a level editor specifically for this game.
The lucky ones who joined The Philips CD-i Community got the chance to watch all the evolution of this gem.

What kind of game is it?
You are Nobelia, a female character and will explore several zones in a top view reminding the firsts Zelda’s on NES to defeat enemies using bombs (like Bomberman).
The different soundtracks are wonderfully chosen, movements are fluids and the SFX well done.
Hours of fun will be present for you!

The game is awesome! If you have tested Demo 01, well, you will get surprised!

Jeffrey is now correcting some bugs already detected and at the same time, looking for the best way to release the game. Only a Digital release or a Digital and a Physical one. To define what to do, he has created a poll to know all the different opinions from the possible future buyers you can answer right here.

In addition, and this is something that didn’t happened for so long… Nobelia do have now an official trailer!

Congratulations!