CD-i
The Compact Disc-Interactive is a digital optical disc data storage format as well as a hardware platform, co-developed and marketed by Dutch company Philips and Japanese company Sony. It was created as an extension of CDDA and CD-ROM and specified in the Green Book specifications, co-developed by Philips and Sony, to combine audio, text and graphics. The two companies initially expected to impact the education/training, point of sale, and home entertainment industries, but the CD-i is largely remembered today for its video games.
CD-i media physically have the same dimensions as CD, but with up to of digital data storage, including up to 72 minutes of full motion video. CD-i players were usually standalone boxes that connect to a standard television; some less common setups included integrated CD-i television sets and expansion modules for personal computers. Most players were created by Philips; the format was licensed by Philips and Microware for use by other manufacturers, notably Sony who released professional CD-i players under the "Intelligent Discman" brand. Unlike CD-ROM drives, CD-i players are complete computer systems centered around dedicated Motorola 68000-based microprocessors and its own operating system called CD-RTOS, which is an acronym for "Compact disc – Real Time Operating System".
Media released on the format included video games and "edutainment" and multimedia reference titles, such as interactive encyclopedias and museum tours – which were popular before public Internet access was widespread – as well as business software. Philips's CD-i system also implemented Internet features, including subscriptions, web browsing, downloading, e-mail, and online play. Philips's aim with its players was to introduce interactive multimedia content for the general public by combining features of a CD player and game console, but at a lower price than a personal computer with a CD-ROM drive.
Authoring kits for the format were released first in 1988, and the first player aimed for home consumers, Philips's CDI 910/205, was released in late 1991. It was initially priced around, and was capable of playing interactive CD-i discs, Audio CDs, CD+G, Photo CDs and Video CDs, though the latter required an optional "Digital Video Card" to provide MPEG-1 decoding. Initially marketed to consumers as "home entertainment systems", and in later years as a "gaming platform", CD-i did not manage to find enough success in the market, and was mostly abandoned by Philips in 1996. The format continued to be supported for licensees for a few more years after.
Specifications
Development of the "Compact Disc-Interactive" format began in 1984 and it was first publicly announced by Philips and Sony – two of the largest electronics companies of the time – at Microsoft's CD-ROM Conference in Seattle in March 1986. Microsoft's CEO Bill Gates had no idea beforehand that the format was under development. The Green Book, formally known as the "CD-i Full Functional Specification", defined the format for interactive, multimedia compact discs designed for CD-i players. The Green Book specification also defines a whole hardware set built around the Motorola 68000 microprocessor family, and an operating system called CD-RTOS based on OS-9, a product of Microware. The standard was originally not freely available and had to be licensed from Philips. However, the 1994 version of the standard was eventually made available free by Philips.CD-i discs conform to the Red Book specification of audio CDs. Tracks on a CD-i's program area can be CD-DA tracks or CD-i tracks, but the first track must always be a CD-i track, and all CD-i tracks must be grouped together at the beginning of the area. CD-i tracks are structured according to the CD-ROM XA specification, and have different classes depending on their contents. "Message" sectors contain audio data to warn users of CD players that the track they are trying to listen to is a CD-i track and not a CD-DA track. The CD-i specification also specifies a file system similar to ISO 9660 to be used on CD-i tracks, as well as certain specific files that are required to be present in a CD-i compatible disc. Compared to the Yellow Book, the Green Book CD-i standard solves synchronisation problems by interleaving audio and video information on a single track.
The format quickly gained interest from large manufacturers, and received backing from many particularly Matsushita. Although a joint effort, Philips eventually took over the majority of CD-i development at the expense of Sony. Philips invested many millions in developing titles and players based on the CD-i specification. Initially branded "CD-I", the name was changed in 1991 to "CD-i" with a lowercase i.
The CD-i Ready format is a type of bridge format, also designed by Philips, that defines discs compatible with CD Digital audio players and CD-i players. This format puts CD-i software and data into the pregap of Track 1.
The CD-i Bridge format, defined in Philips' White Book, is a transitional format allowing bridge discs to be played both on CD-ROM drives and on CD-i players.
The CD-i Digital Video format was launched in 1993 containing movies that could be played on CD-i players with a Digital Video Cartridge add-on. The format was incompatible with Video CD, although a CD-i unit with the DVC could play both formats. Only about 20 movies were released on the format and it was stopped in 1995 in favor of VCD.
Commercial software
CD-i software was typically developed using authoring tools from one of two companies: OptImage, which offered the Balboa Runtime Libraries and MediaMogul, and Script Systems, which produced ABCD-I. Much of the CD-i software was promoted or published by American Interactive Media, a joint venture between Philips and its subsidiary PolyGram, formed in Los Angeles in 1986 to publish CD-i consumer software. Philips Interactive Media was similarly launched in Europe.Philips initially marketed CD-i as a family entertainment product and avoided emphasizing video games to prevent competition with game consoles. Early releases focused on educational, music, and self-improvement titles, with relatively few games, many of which were adaptations of board games such as Connect Four. However, the system struggled in the multimedia device market against low-cost PCs, and games became its best-selling software. By 1993, Philips encouraged MS-DOS and console developers to create games, introduced a $250 peripheral with expanded memory and full-motion video support, and added a second controller port to new consoles for multiplayer games.
Attempts to establish a foothold in the games market were largely unsuccessful, as the system, designed primarily as a multimedia player, was underpowered compared to other gaming platforms. Notable CD-i games included entries in Nintendo franchises, though not developed by Nintendo: Hotel Mario and three Zelda titles: Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, Link: The Faces of Evil, and Zelda's Adventure. These were made possible by an earlier agreement between Nintendo and Philips to develop a CD-based add-on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which never progressed beyond the prototype stage. However, the agreement granted Philips the right to develop games using Nintendo characters.
As announced at CES 1992, numerous full-motion video titles appeared, including Dragon's Lair and Mad Dog McCree. One, Burn:Cycle, is considered one of the stronger CD-i titles and was later ported to PC. Electronic Gaming Monthly noted that CD-i’s full-motion video capabilities were its strongest feature; however, most titles required the MPEG upgrade card to take advantage of them.
Philips also released CD-i adaptations of popular TV game shows, including Jeopardy!, Name That Tune, and two versions of The Joker's Wild. All North American CD-i games, except Name That Tune, featured Charlie O'Donnell as announcer. The Netherlands released its own version of Lingo in 1994.
In 1993, American musician Todd Rundgren created the first fully interactive music CD, No World Order, for CD-i, enabling over 15,000 points of customization. Dutch Eurodance duo 2 Unlimited released a CD-i compilation album, Beyond Limits, featuring standard CD tracks and CD-i-exclusive media.
CD-i featured a range of children's edutainment titles, including Busytown and The Berenstain Bears. By mid-1996, the U.S. CD-i software market had dried up, though Philips continued publishing titles in Europe. Philips then shifted focus to kiosk and industrial multimedia applications.
In later years, homebrew developers released new CD-i titles, including Frog Feast, Super Quartet, and Nobelia.
Player models
CD-i compatible models were released in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the former European Eastern Bloc. Shortly before it was discontinued, It was reported to be released further in Brazil, India and Australia in the "coming months", with plans to also introduce it in China, South Africa, Indonesia and the Philippines.Philips models
In addition to consumer models, professional and development CD-i players were marketed by Philips Interactive Media Systems and its VARs. The first CD-i system, developed in collaboration with Kyocera, was introduced in 1988 as the Philips 180/181/182 modular system. In the United States, many players were sold rebranded under the Magnavox name, a Philips subsidiary.Philips released several CD-i player series, targeting different consumer and professional markets:
- 100 series: The modular 180/181/182 system, first demonstrated at the CD-ROM Conference in March 1988. Intended for professional use.
- 200 series: Consumer-oriented models including the 205, 210, and 220. Widely distributed through home electronics retailers. For the US market, the 205 was rebranded the 910 when released in December 1991. It initially retailed for about, reduced to within a year.
- 300 series: Portable players such as the 310, 350, 360, and 370. Designed for professional applications and not marketed to consumers. Commonly used for multimedia sales presentations.
- 400 series: Budget-friendly models including the 450, 470, and 490, aimed at the console and educational markets. The CDI 450 was positioned as a gaming-oriented unit, sold without a standard infrared remote. This series debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago in June 1994, with the 450 retailing for in the Netherlands.
- 500 series: Included the 550, functionally similar to the 450 but shipped with the normally optional MPEG cartridge video cartridge. Also introduced at CES Chicago in June 1994.
- 600 series: High-end professional models such as the 601, 602, 604, 605, 615, 660, and 670. Supported peripherals including floppy disk drives and keyboards, and were designed for software development and debugging.
- 700 series: Included the 740, a limited-release model with advanced features such as an RS-232 serial port.