Author Archives: omegalfa

Roller Controller repair

Your CD-i Roller Controller isn’t working?
The pointer doesn’t move at all?
Only the buttons are working?
GREAT! This guide is just for you!

Repair your Roller Controller now!

You can find this guide on the Open-Source section under Hardware Repair submenu.
This is the first repair guide to be published but this is not the 1st repaired.
In fact, more already done repairs will join the same section in a couple of weeks.

Let me remind that we can repair your CD-i players and accessories!
Just contact us to know how!


Sonic Eraser – Unreleased CD-i game?


I couldn’t confirm this information on any magazine articles from the era, so I can’t say if this is true story.
In 1991 Sega decided to jump into the online gaming, not like today with multiplayer online games, (this is a CD-i revolution with Ram Raid) no, just to download exclusive games.
To be able to do such a thing you needed some quite specific things.
– 1st, you needed to live in Japan or Brazil.
– 2nd, you needed a Sega Mega Drive.
– 3rd, you needed a Mega Modem add-on.
– 4th, you needed a Meganet subscription.
– 5th, you needed a game called Toshokan (or Sega Game Library).
This is where Sonic Eraser was available to download.
Well, nothing really special… very easy…

So what does it have to see with CD-i?
I found over the net some sites who claims that a Game Gear and a CD-i version was planed (as I said, I still can’t find any proof of that).

This is game developed by Sega, up to 2 players like Columns or Puyo Puyo.
The game was only available for a very limited world zone, so unknown for almost everybody until February 2004 when Sonic KulT website managed to get the Rom.
It will be hard to confirm the possible CD-i project due to the specificity of the game (Japan/Brazil zone & Online).
To be true, this means CD-i could also get a game from Sega Mascot, Sonic! Just like Philips did with Zelda’s and Mario!

You can try the game using the online emulator from Let’s Play Sega!

Source:
Nostallgia (Brazilian Blog)
Sonic Scene


Philips patents lawsuit against Nintendo


This is not a news due to the fact it is from 2014.

Let’s make a short resume of what happened.
Philips accused Nintendo for violate at least 2 patents from 1996, used on Nintendo’s gaming next generation consoles.
Philips filed a suit against Nintendo back in 2012 in the UK and Germany, then in 2013 in France and finally in the USA in 2014.

The 1st patent said to be infringed describes a virtual body control device that models a user’s body in a virtual environment and lets an animated version of the body follow physical movements of the user.

The 2nd patent describes a user interface system based on a pointing device that lets users give commands to another device by moving it in a particular way.

Philips sent a warning to Nintendo about the 1st patent violation back in 2011, but the Japanese company never tried to get the rights of it, and then with the Wii U, the 2nd patent got also violated.

With this lawsuit, Philips wanted to stop importations and sells of the Nintendo consoles in the 4 countries and get compensation for damages.

In 20th of June of 2014 the Judge Colin Birss from UK patents tribunal ruled the violation of the patents 498 and 650 under the following consoles and systems:
Nintendo Wii, Wii Mini, Wii U and accessories Wii Remote, Wii Motion Plus controllers, Nunchuk, Balance Board and GamePad.

In December of the same year Philips confirmed a settlement with Nintendo that involves a cross-licensing agreement that spans the patent portfolios of both companies. The other terms and all financial details were withheld.

“We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with Nintendo,” said Brain Hinman, chief IPO officer at Philips. “It demonstrates that both companies recognize the importance of intellectual property rights. It also shows the value of our extensive IP portfolio and our commitment to protect our significant investments in research and development.”

This is clear proof of a possible development of a possible CD-i 2 or similar system back in 1996 but unfortunatly, never made.

A definitive proof of being far ahead is time…


Ernest Adams Interview – 3rd Degree


Mr. Ernest Adams, the man behind 3rd Degree, the multiplayer CD-i party game.

Read it now!


Create your own Photo CD


What about create your own Photo-CD?
Marco Parisio Java from Philips CD-i Appreciation Group (Facebook) found this free software:
Kodak Arrange and Built-it
Compatible with Mac and Windows, and also playable on CD-i of course.

I will try it and if everything goes well, I will create a guide to use it.

It’s about 350Mb and can be downloadable for free here:
[www] [ftp] [mirror]