Category Archives: News

#CDiDay on Twitter

Our member and Live Streamer CDiArcade started in March of this year on Twitter an exciting project!
It’s called #CDiDay and the objective of it is very simple but also very pertinent…
Every Friday, he tweets CD-i related messages with or without pictures adding every time the hashtag #CDiDay.
In April (a few weeks after the site opening) we got a nice chat together and he invited me to help him in his honourable quest.
I am now proudly inviting you to do the same if you have a Twitter account.

Every Friday, tweet a CD-i related message using hashtag #CDiDay. More than once a day if possible!

The more people will see it, the more about CD-i they will talk on Twitter!
With some luck, your followers will retweet them. It is a good way to spread the good word over the net and who knows… call the attention of game journalists or other retro specialists.

It’s in your hands now to help us! Long life to #CDiDay!

You can find and follow me on Twitter under @omegalfapt.


All I want for Christmas is….. Philips CD-i !!

Christmas is almost upon us, and a time to not only celebrate with family & friends, eat lots of great food, watch feel-good Christmas movies but to also enjoy playing loads of Philips CD-i titles  🙂 Christmas can also be a difficult time for us; for me Philips CD-i has been part of my Festive season since 1994, when my parents bought me The Apprentice, Mutant Rampage and Hotel Mario. Here are some must play CD-i titles over Christmas, and a couple of surprises… Christmas Crisis is a traditional platform game but with a superb 3D sleigh ride bonus screen, if you can negotiate the first 6 levels. Graphics here are incredible and it really does feel like you are flying  🙂 What I also love about this game is the ability to gain a special code to return to a particular level – ONLY if you collect enough points and decorations.
The other great challenge in this game is to find the 8 hidden reindeer. Each one you find opens a new bonus stage, where you can collect more decorations and 1Ups. I have found 4 of them – how many have you found?
I have completed this game, but many years ago. I play it every Christmas to see how far I can get from scratch. Note that if you use your code to return to a level late in the game, should you find a reindeer you’ll play the same bonus screen as the first reindeer you find.

Christmas Country is an award-winning platform game from Creative Media. Curiously, it has no in-game music but superb sound effects and an overall Christmassy feel  🙂
Did you know that there is a secret place to find, where you can access a level-select? Have you found it?
There are 16 levels to Christmas Country, spanning 4 Worlds. You must collect presents during your travels, which will be used in the bonus stage to deliver to homes – and collect 1UPs (if you can hit them!). You can also collect letters to spell out ‘SPECIAL’ – and earn a random bonus.
The game has bosses at the end of each World, and these are a good challenge. I love everything about this game – a classic platformer – and even gives a nod to Sonic in how you can run (by keeping your finger on button 1) and break through walls. My Christmas wish/dream is that Creative Media release Taco’s Toyroom Troopers and Tank Doodle, which are previewed in the instruction manual to Christmas Country.

BUT one lovely bonus that DIMA gave us was to release 2 levels of the sublime Joe Guard platformer. And what a pure joy it is to play these levels.
The game has a very Christmassy feel, which can be seen in the screenshots. As is with Christmas Country, there is no in-game music but again this is more than made up for by the brilliant SFX. When you reach an owl, you can return to the same spot (should you lose a life) and collect stars to boost your score.
I was overjoyed this morning when taking screenshots for this article, to discover a hidden area in level 1 featuring this fab snowman – can you find it?  🙂 Should you progress through level 1, and it is quite a big level, you are treated to a toy shop in level 2. What a game this is – if only a full version could have been completed….

A CD-i that is a must at Christmas, is A Christmas Songbook. Beautiful traditional Christmas songs come to life through wonderful festive scenes.
For the brave amongst you, you can sing along karaoke style  😉 (that certainly wont be me!). This for me is what makes Philips CD-i so special – as well as the fantastic games, there are beautiful discs like this to enjoy.

And finally, with thanks to our very own member Blazers, is this wonderful CD-i which comes with a snowflake Christmas card ”Seasons Greetings from Philips Media”. The disc contains a festive music video.
All that’s left to say is a very Merry Christmas to you all, from The World of CD-i team  🙂


ASSEMbler Games forums going to close?

This is official from ASSEMbler’s team in this post:
https://assemblergames.com/threads/this-forum-to-close-in-30-days.71032

You can read from the Admin:

Current account status -$2880 ($120 x 24 months)
It cannot continue at such a loss.
Thank you for being companions for 23 years journey.
-ASSEMbler

ASSEMbler Games is the place that get the very first information about Mario Takes America for CD-i!
https://assemblergames.com/threads/mario-takes-america-phillips-cd-i.12062

It is more than just CD-i, this a place that helped people to develop all kind of game’s systems, selling stuff and so much more… A major lost for internet and gaming lovers! ;(

It is in fact a little bit stranger for a forum to be so expensive… $120 each months…?
I do believe there is lower prices for the objective of the forums.

If nobody buy the forum or if no money is found to pay the bills, then the last breath will be Saterday 29th of 2019…


Burn:Cycle Original Soundtrack Remastered

23 years after the released of Burn Cycle, Simon Boswell have remastered all the original soundtracks of the most famous CD-i game.
In October 2017 the 11 soundtracks, just like the ones on disc 2 (audio CD) but with an amaizing and beautiful sound for your hears have been remastered to listen in loops mode!
Any lover of the game will jump into the link below to buy it, that is for sure.

Do not miss this!

Available at:
Bancamp
Spotify
iTunes
Amazon


CD Graphics – A forgotten format


I am an Alphaville fan, this is known from everyone. As they do have a CD Graphics (CD+G) album called Alphaville – The Breathtaking Blue, this format is for me very precious for me.

There is another person with the same felling about the CD+G discs, I am talking about Orlando Arroyo, his name may not be familiar to you as it should be.
I meet Orlando back in 2004, when he was in search of all CD-G discs. This is when Le Monde du CD-i (now The World of CD-i) started to include all the collection in the data base.
Orlando Arroyo and his friend Steve Martin decided to create a website that include all CD+G discs ever created, the CD Graphics Museum, with videos (also available on there YouTube channel), screenshots and disc information.

You really should take a moment and visit this real museum dedicated to this forgotten CD format.

Orlando shared with us on our Facebook Support Group an historic picture from a magazine he can’t remember the name. You can see this picture at the top of this article.
This is a timeline that goes from 1877 until 1991, more than 100 years, and the Philips CD-i is the start that everyone is awaiting!

The CD-Graphics was a very expected format in the early 90’s, music album with pictures on screen that can play on any Audio-CD or CD+G player, with text appearing on screen to sing along. The Karaoke discs was about to born!
Philips couldn’t left this CD format out of the CD-i player and extend the wide list of compatibility that this interactive system offer.

Thank you Orlando! Thank you to preserve this format for future generations!


CD-i Bits – New post about CD-i ROMs

On my CD-i Bits blog (cdifan) a new post about CD-i ROMs is available at:
https://cdibits.blogspot.com/2021/03/cd-i-roms.html.

The post explains the ROM ID/release system used by CD-i ROMs and how new CD-i Link and CD-i Emulator versions will use them.


CD-i goodies for all tastes!

TEEPUBLIC is based in New York (USA) and it’s the world’s largest marketplace for independent creators to sell their work on the highest-quality merchandise.
An independent artist is paid with each purchase made on TeePublic. Since 2013, independent artists on TeePublic have earned around the globe.
They got the idea to sell products with Philips CD-i logo and I really love this idea!
You can choose about 26 different T-shirts colours, or just buy other goodies like:
Coffe Mug, Travvel Mug, Hardcover Handbook, Spiral Notebook, Tote, Pillow, Phone Case, Lapetop Case, Baseball T-Shirt, Long Sleeve T-Shirt, Crewneck Sweatshirt, Tank Top, Hoodie and finally there own homemade sticker logo design!

Get your goodie right now for a good cause!

Thank you “CD-i Guy” @Philips_CDi from Twitter for this info!


CD-i Oty07 PCB details

RetroMan send us pictures of the inside of the Oty07, the remote control we reviewed in July here.
He had to change the batteries and took some time to share with us those pictures.

We can clearly see 4 AA batteries for a total of 6 Volts. It is also possible to see the following components:

1x HEF4060BP – 14-stage ripple-carry binary counter/divider and oscillator.
(http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/H/E/F/4/HEF4060BP.shtml)

2x TC4024BP – 7-stage ripple-carry binary counter/dividers. (http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/T/C/4/0/TC4024BP.shtml)

2x 14051B – 8–channel analog multiplexer/demultiplexer.
(http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/M/C/1/4/MC14051.shtml)

1x 14040B – 12-Bit binary counter.
(http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/M/C/1/4/MC14040BD.shtml)

2x? 14093B – Quad 2-input NAND Schmitt trigger.
(http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/M/C/1/4/MC14093BD.shtml)

More components are there, but it is not possible to see them in those pictures with this definition. More pictures would be needed.

Now, I have to clarify some points about another review made by others about this remote.
I don’t know how they see a glass contacts on the remote, as it is only InfraRed LEDs like the ones used on others CD-i remotes.

Also, this remote is absolutely not waterproof, not at all…
We can’t just read things on the internet and take it as definitive answer, we have to read it and be sure what is written is about the specific thing we are talking about, especially when we have no electronic knowledge.
The buttons really generate energy? I would love to see that happening, but in this device… sorry…

I also found all the info and articles/reviews (from the 90’s) when writing the 1st review, but they are about other Oty reference for other purpose (mouse and keyboard). This is what happen when we love to copy/paste things from others… without knowing the subject.

There is no need of any extra device to connect it to a CD-i player, as the IR LEDs works just like an usual CD-i remote.

There is also an EPROM with a white sticker, this is where probably the configuration holding the protocols of the RC5 or RC6 or even both for a recognition by all CD-i players shells.

With RetroStuff.org was are watching the possibility of reproducing this big wireless remote to make a CD-i wireless gamepad. As there is no micocontroller but standard ships, it is possible to reproduce it dumping the EPROM to get the configuration code.

RetroMan already sent many pictures of his collection, and this device is a pretty cool one. Thank you for sharing this with us 😉


Console Purist Chronicles

I have been invited by Stacy Burns, owner of one of the biggest Facebook groups called Console Purist, also member of The World of CD-i, under the username of Benaiah.
He needed to fill a void on his Facebook group about CD-i information, and I am so glad he turns to me to take this challenge. I am really exited to show to the world this underrated system, loved by ones and hated by others. Part of the people that does not love it have been influenced by crappy YouTube videos and other jokes when they most of them didn’t even tried once to play a CD-i title.

I am posting every Friday, to follow the #CDiDay Twitter movement, and this way improve in a higher level the divulgation in the same day of CD-i related information. You will find reviews, repairs, opinions, and other kind of stuff all write by myself, Omegalfa.
Each chronicle will get a topic on the our forum community, so you will be able to contribute with your opinions.
I am also adding in this section all the chronicles I will post there. A new Top Menu link called “Console Purist Chronicles” have been added to find all the posts, so take a good seat and have a good reading!

1st – 07/02/2020

What is the best CD-i player for a rooky?


Coronavirus COVID-19 advices


Dear Community,

With the very sensible situation our world is facing, it is not enough giving more advices.

If you have the possibility to work from home, please stay home.
Wash your hands and face frequently, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose without a disinfected hands.
Be even more careful if you are asthmatic!
If you have grandpa’s or old parents, they are also a risky group.

If you feel fever, difficulty to breathe, cough, avoid people and call your doctor our your country health emergency system.

REMEMBER:
– The coronavirus is 400 to 500 Nano meters, so most masks may bloc it.
– If someone infected sneeze at 3 meters of you, the virus will fall to the floor until touch you.
– When the virus is on metallic superficies, it will be stay alive for around 12 hours.
– It can stay alive on clothes for around 6 to 12 hours. Your habitual detergent can kill it. If it is clothes that can not go to the machine, put them in the sun light for some hours.
– In our body, the virus will travel through the humidity of our noose and mouth. It will go down to our trachea and install into our lungs, causing pneumonia. This part can take 5 to 6 days.
– Pneumonia will give you high level of fever and difficulties to breathe but you will not feel the usual cold feeling of the fever.

HOW TO AVOID (OR TRY TO):
– The transmission is mostly due to direct contact, touching material, tissues, or people. WHASH YOUR HANDS!
– The virus will die after approximately 10 minutes in your hands (due to the body heat), but in 10 minutes a lot of things can happen, like touching our eyes, mouth and noose. WHASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY!
– You can use mouthwash liquid, to minimize the quantity in your mouth. This way you can remove it or kill it before it can access inside your body.
– Clean your laptop and desktop keys, clean your cell phone, Android, etc..
– The car’s steering wheel also need to be cleaned as your gear box handle.
– Drink water, avoid letting your trachea stay dry. Drink water frequently, this way it will not go to the lungs and the gastric acid of the stomach to kill him.

FOR YOUR, YOUR FAMILLY, AND THE REST OF THE WORLD, WHASH YOUR HANDS AND STAY AT HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

This world pandemic situation may stay for some more months, WE CAN NOT TAKE THOSE ADVISES AS USELESS.
Countries are spending millions and millions to try to stop it, and we know how much they love money…

Stay safe, play some games at home!
Use your CD-i to watch movies, play games, keep you children playing kids games… a lot of things to do to be entertained with!