Commodore CDTV

Background

Much more unlike a traditional video game system, the Commodore CDTV was an attempt by Commodore to bring up a multimedia platform that could connect to a television. The console was launched in March of 1991, running on AmigaOS 3.1 and also functioning as an average Amiga computer with modifications. The very high price range, limited user support and poor sales made the CDTV a forgotten component of the video game console industry. Even Commodore tried to bring up the same CDTV functionality with the special Amiga A570 computer, which was also a failure. Besides that, it was one of the early video game consoles to make function of the CD storage (like the PC Engine CDROM2 and Sega CD), leading into advanced technology. Commodore replaced the system with the Amiga CD32 in 1993, but the limited international range and short runtime also made it perform terribly with other game consoles.

(March 1991-1993)

Logo: Set on a purple-pink gradient background (like in the 80s WMHT/WMHX logo), we see a CD lying on the side of a rock. A laser is shooting the disc from the right, which is projecting 3 spinning glass "CDTV"s in the upper-right hand corner. Then the logo fades out.

Technique: The spinning of "CDTV", the laser shooting. Good animation for the time, at least for a computer-based video game console.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen when you turn on a CDTV.