CDTV - is it worth getting one?

[quarkx]

Hi, all,
Newbee question, but I am looking at the CDTV and I think it was rather a cool concept. But is it worth really hunting one down and playing with it or is it just a "rarity" for the collection? I know there were some units released here in Canada, but is it really worth the time (and money) to track one down?

[rkauer]

 The CDTV is an A500 without keyboard and mouse, nothing hard to track.

 Go for it, if you want a nice black A500 in a video-cassette shape with a remote control instead the joystick.

[NovaCoder]

quarkx wrote:
Hi, all,
Newbee question, but I am looking at the CDTV and I think it was rather a cool concept. But is it worth really hunting one down and playing with it or is it just a "rarity" for the collection? I know there were some units released here in Canada, but is it really worth the time (and money) to track one down?

Not exactly Commodore's best idea, one for the collector.  If you’re after a CD based retro games machine to actually use, go for a CD32 instead.  :-D

[Rob]

Oliver Hannaford-Day has nice site packed with information on the CDTV here.

If do get a CDTV and want more memory then Elbox sell 2MB and 8MB upgrades, they aren't cheap though.

[amigadave]

NovaCoder wrote:

quarkx wrote:
Hi, all,
Newbee question, but I am looking at the CDTV and I think it was rather a cool concept. But is it worth really hunting one down and playing with it or is it just a "rarity" for the collection? I know there were some units released here in Canada, but is it really worth the time (and money) to track one down?

Not exactly Commodore's best idea, one for the collector.  If you’re after a CD based retro games machine to actually use, go for a CD32 instead.  :-D

Well, since I am a collector, I guess that is why the CDTV looks so good to me.  It was another Amiga idea way ahead of its time, and might have been much better received if it had been marketed better and had slightly better features than a stock A500/A1000.  It is definitely the best looking Amiga to have in the Living Room next to the rest of your Stereo and Video equipment.  As far as looks are concerned, it is way better than the CD32 which looks like a toy console in comparison, but you are right that the CD32 is much better choice for running more Amiga software.

[amiga1084]

Hello All,

Well I have place one under my monitor for my A4000T, it keeps  great time. Thanks in advance, Merv Stent :roll:

[foleyjo]

If you can get a Keyboard, mouse and external floppy drive then yes its worth getting.

[Speelgoedmannetje]

amigadave wrote:

Well, since I am a collector,

Get it.
AFAIK it's the first CD based console, and it's a very nice idea how they set it up; the designers made a bare console which could be upgraded to a full computer, something console makers only recently adapted. (and also the joypad is very nice, it's efficient with batteries and you can play the games very nicely - also considering it has a second button!)
It's only a pity I can't find a harddisk for it :-S

[Protek]

Does the CDTV have an inbuilt SCSI controller or what type of interface is used in it?

[tokyoracer]

I thin the SCSI controller is an expansion.

[amiga1084]

Hello All,

No the CDRom is not SCSI like the CD32 it has it's own non standard custom interface. It was a SCSI interface that pluged
into the expansion slot made by a third Party company. Thanks Merv Stent :roll:

[cpfuture]

Make sure that you get an interface that allows you to hook up regular 9-pin Amiga joysticks to the CDTV if you plan on playing games. The included remote is not really suitable for most games in my experience. Unfortunately these joystick/mouse interfaces are pretty rare...

[orange]

there are plans for building such interface on aminet, but they require opening the case and getting signals from chip. factory solution uses connector.

[quarkx]

This all stems from the fact, if I can find one here in Canada. I really don't want to end up with a PAL system from the UK so I will just concentrate on finding one locally. The CD32 is much easier to get here- believe it or not, but without the expansions- like the sx etc, it makes it pretty much just a novelty in my eyes. The "Pro" system of the CDTV gives you pretty much everything for a full system.

[Speelgoedmannetje]

Protek wrote:
Does the CDTV have an inbuilt SCSI controller or what type of interface is used in it?

AFAIK it uses some custom interface...