CompuServe Messages

Hi Pat. I've been following CD-I for some years now. Here's what I know of it: CD-I was started in early 1987. It was planned as a home hypermedia system. It was originally supposed to hit the consumer market at Christmas 1988. I'm not sure why it didn't, tho lack of completed titles at the time may have been part of the delay. Then it was supposed to hit in 1989. The original (industrial) units did so. They're used as interactive trainers for military doctors worldwide, promotional interactive discs are being made for various companies, there will soon be point of sale kiosks in music stores containing a CD-I machine and touchscreen for previewing new music, and a museum in Mexico is being designed entirely around CD-I based information points. So CD-I itself has been ready for some time now. It is a mature technology, with outstanding graphics. The consumer units have been delayed recently in order to add full-motion, full-screen video capabilities from disc in realtime (see latest Radio-Electronics magazine What's New section). In any event, the gfx are far beyond CBMs current technology. And Philips planned to sell the first players at below cost in order to gain early buyers. CD-I machines _are_ expandable into personal computers. Multitasking/user ones. I've heard predictions that up to 25% of sales may go that way. The expansion unit comes with ram, 3.5 drives, SCSI, and other ports. I've seen it and used it. best – kev