15 Facts About CD-i

1.

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.

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2.

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".

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3.

Philips's CD-i system implemented Internet features, including subscriptions, web browsing, downloading, e-mail, and online play.

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4.

CD-i tracks are structured according to the CD-ROM XA specification, and have different classes depending on their contents .

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5.

CD-i Ready format is a type of bridge format, designed by Philips, that defines discs compatible with CD Digital audio players and CD-i players.

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6.

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.

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7.

CD-i has a series of learning games targeted at children from infancy to adolescence.

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8.

TeleCD-i is the world's first networked multimedia application at the time of its introduction.

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9.

Internet services on the CD-i devices were facilitated by the use of an additional hardware modem and "CD-Online" disc, which Philips initially released in Britain in 1995 for $150 US.

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10.

Electronic Arts for instance was enthusiastic about CD-i and formed a division for the development of video game titles on the format, but it was eventually halted with the intention of resuming when CD-i players would reach the market.

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11.

The magazine stated in January 1994 that despite Philips' new emphasis on games "CD-i is still not the answer for hardcore gamers", but the console "may yet surprise us all in the future".

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12.

The magazine noted that while Philips had not yet officially discontinued the CD-i, it was dead for all intents and purposes, citing as evidence the fact that though Philips had a large booth at the 1995 Electronic Entertainment Expo, there was no CD-i hardware or software on display.

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13.

Plans for a second generation CD-i system were certainly present and Argonaut Software was even designated to design chip sets for the successor to the CD-i.

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14.

The last CD-i game was made by Infogrames, who released Solar Crusade in 1999.

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15.

In later retrospective years, the CD-i has become best known for its video games, particularly those from the Nintendo-licensed The Legend of Zelda series, considered by many to be of poor taste.

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