What were the EBXA "Electronic Books" playable by the X'Eye?

[Jorpho]

This came up a while ago: a JVC X'Eye is supposedly capable of playing "electronic books" in the EBXA format, with the appropriate add-on. (I think I saw one reference to that add-on somewhere, and that it was listed as rare and expensive - but then, what isn't?)

I can't seem to find anything on EBXA books; it may have been a predominantly Japanese format.

Any ideas on what these were? Were any EBXA titles released in North America? What were they like? (Who would want to read books on a TV screen?)

[Jorpho]

Oh dear. Nobody? Surely some of you own an X'Eye?

[Emperor Megas]

I'm positive a lot of us do, but I've never heard anything about this before.

[buzz_n64]

Well, the JVC X'Eye is an American system, the Japanese version is the Wondermega, so this would have to be a product intended for the American market then. About the format, I have never heard of it, but I would love to learn about it since I own a JVC X'Eye.

[Zoe F]

I've owned an X'Eye for a very long time, but I've never heard of this. A Google search doesn't seem to turn up anything either. Do you have a source of some sort?

[Jorpho]

It comes up in the X'Eye demo (previously posted here) at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvRve...ailpage#t=537s (8:56).

I think this is the reference I saw. (The trick is to search for "electronic book". How quaint!)
http://www.sega-16.com/forum/archive...p/t-15450.html
http://www.gamegavel.com/item.cgi?show_item=0000691591

[j_factor]

I saw one for sale at CGE 2K10. I passed since I didn't see myself getting any use out of it, and also the asking price was $200.

I took a pic:

[Zoe F]

Wow. I've definitely learned something new today. I had been looking up various combinations of X'Eye, EBXA, and ebook.

So I guess the next question is this: Does anyone actually have one of the "electronic book" discs which would be compatible with that decoder? I've never seen any of them either.

[xelement5x]

I saw one for sale at CGE 2K10. I passed since I didn't see myself getting any use out of it, and also the asking price was $200.

I took a pic:

Wow, possibly a rarer cart than Outback Joey? I'd believe it if someone told me.

I remember hearing about the format as well, and I think there is some mention of it in packaging but I'm not positive, I have no clue if the Ebooks were released, but I can only imagine they'd be similar to the Karaoke disc or something.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I found this thread (Google Cache; the actual site has been invaded by squatters and spam. Also sorry for the bit.ly link, but the forum keeps fucking up the real address.)

I also found some info on Japanese Wikipedia, but it's in Japanese. :P

[xelement5x]

I found this thread (Google Cache; the actual site has been invaded by squatters and spam. Also sorry for the bit.ly link, but the forum keeps fucking up the real address.)

I also found some info on Japanese Wikipedia, but it's in Japanese. :P

Nice link, they've actually got a picture of one:


Also from the page (translated using Google Chrome)

EBXA
Issued by domestic and international later, an e-book, including text and images and audio / image / character and characters only
EBXA-C
Chinese e-book support (bundled with the Sony e-book player DD-CH10 "only during the day dictionary / Chunichi Shogakukan." This title contains the text and images and audio)
S-EBXA
E-books (such as data compression) specification has been extended to 1998