ATTN: Philips CD-i experts. please help with some questions

[Perkar]

today i saw a cd-i at a thrift. marked $24.99. it's model 220, listed at $40 in the guide. my problem is this.... i don't know a damn thing about cd-i.

i couldn't see any controller ports. does this system exclusively use a remote for a controller?

the system only had it's power cable. it looks like a standard double ended RCA cable would work fine in it. can anyone confirm this?

are there any plus sides to this particular model? downsides?

is it difficult to find remotes for this system?

should i even bother purchasing this thing?


THANK YOU for any help

[sisko]

today i saw a cd-i at a thrift. marked $24.99. it's model 220, listed at $40 in the guide. my problem is this.... i don't know a damn thing about cd-i.

i couldn't see any controller ports. does this system exclusively use a remote for a controller?

the system only had it's power cable. it looks like a standard double ended RCA cable would work fine in it. can anyone confirm this?

are there any plus sides to this particular model? downsides?

is it difficult to find remotes for this system?

should i even bother purchasing this thing?


THANK YOU for any help

I think the controller port for the 220 is on the back. I THINK.

Things to keep in mind:

CDi game pads are expensive. $20+ used
If not installed, you will need to buy a Digital Video Card for $15+ to play some games (there should be a door on the back you can pop open and check)
Don't know about +/- for this system
A universal remote should work just fine.
Keep in mind that the number of quality games for this system numbers in the ONES, as in I can count them all in one hand.

Me? I just bought it because I love anything Zelda :)

[The Brown Eye]

Do the store a favor and throw the fucking thing in the trash. Most of the games are horrible. But, if you want a remote, or a portable CD-I, or some shitty games, then by all means PM me! :D

[dojosky]

i own several cd-i systems and over 50+ games ... the control port is on the back of the system but i own same model myself 220 it uses infared remote control with tiny thumb stick ...check the rear to see if it has digital video cartridge then BUY It ! otherwise be patient and find one dirt cheap on ebay !

[Querjek]

i own several cd-i systems and over 50+ games ... the control port is on the back of the system but i own same model myself 220 it uses infared remote control with tiny thumb stick ...check the rear to see if it has digital video cartridge then BUY It ! otherwise be patient and find one dirt cheap on ebay !
Yep, same thing here... on all accounts... although, if you can find the remote at the thrift, I would pick it up with the system. I paid $25 for my 220 and, although I hate the software, I oddly like the hardware.

[Perkar]

thanks for the input guys, i am definitely a bit more knowledgable on CD-i now. i think i'm gonna pass on this one for now. if it was priced any cheaper i probably woulda grabbed it, but bleh....

this thrift its at is kinda funny. just a couple months ago i picked up an NES for $11.99. they have two more now, both marked $34.99. YIKES

[Ed Oscuro]

Lol @ $34 NES units. Will they be gone next time you go in? I don't think so...but I don't know your crowd :P

The old 220 has a nice display, more complete than the 210's, but all the same it's a pretty low-end product. Sure, it was positioned in their Matchline series of products, with soft clean front lines that reminds me of so many car bumpers lined up. UGLY 1990s design asthetic right there...as far as game systems go you can't do much worse.

If you're looking for a good CD-i with nice features, though, you can't really do better than that without dropping some coin on a 700 series or something like a mini-hifi system or a CD-i integrated into a TV. Or you could go really batshit insane and buy a Bang-Olufsen set with a CD-i installed (now THAT is one nice piece of hardware, shame about the TV set being obsolete though).

If you want a 220...you can get two right here off eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3272&item=3846310747&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW) cheaper than the unit at your thrift. They look okay cosmetically also.

Myself, I can't imagine buying a CD-i that's not in perfect shape. It would make me feel rather dirty to buy something that's been thrown about and pissed on since the day it was bought http://www.digitpress.com/forum/images/smiles/Llol.gif

There are some nice games for the things, though.

[Jorpho]

My, what a lot of CD-i systems there were.

What exactly were the system specifications (processor, etc.) for it?

[Perkar]

the one at my thrift looked pretty good cosmetically as well. i generally leave dirty systems wherever i find them.

ed: and did you see the shipping for those 2 units? @_@

[Ed Oscuro]

What exactly were the system specifications (processor, etc.) for it?
Motorola 68000 of some sort, though it rarely showed. Lots of RAM usually, and the DV cart adds 2.5mb.

@ Perkar: oops! @_@ Seeing how other 220s are getting a fair amount of bids it might end up that those will cost more than that thrift one. Though at $39 they're cheaper per unit (but you'd have to sell one).

[Querjek]

http://www.icdia.org/

For all the CD-i info you'll EVER want to know.

[Ed Oscuro]

Besides why Philips didn't fight Nintendo tooth and claw for Super Mario Land, and didn't try anything with polygons, yeah. Needs info about games though.

[Jorpho]

So why is it again that with the same processor as the Amiga, Macintosh, Neo Geo, Genesis, etc. and lots of RAM that no one managed to come up with something truly memorable? Were they just too focused on the possibilities of video?

[motley6]

I think this is because no major VG studios signed with Philips to make games. Thus most games produced were in-house Philips productions which equals, for the most part, crap. I would say that even for the Philips Cd-i fan only about 40 games out of the approx 115 that were produced are worth playing twice. Thats probably being generous too.

[Ed Oscuro]

That number seems a bit high lol

To be fair I see a bunch on eBay that I find interesting right now.

[Ze_ro]

If only Burn:Cycle had been made for some other system, then we could all just forget about the CD-i and go on with our lives...

--Zero

[Ed Oscuro]

Don't forget the system's excellent port of The 7th Guest...and The Forbidden City, "The only electronic multimedia publication endorsed by the Palace Museum of Beijing" (it wins the People's Official Stamp, see). Hotel Mario is a game I'd play more often if the control didn't go all to hell in the ice level...that's something I hate in Mario Bros. as well :(