Amiga CDTV

Released: March 1991 Original Price: $999

Gallery

Amiga CDTV The Amiga CDTV with its sleek, VCR-like design and wireless keyboard.

CDTV remote control The CDTV's infrared remote control with numeric keypad and media controls.

CDTV software A selection of CDTV titles showing the system's multimedia capabilities.

Amiga CDTV (Commodore Dynamic Total Vision)

“The CDTV was our bold attempt to bring the Amiga into the living room as a complete home entertainment system. We envisioned it as more than just a computer or a game console - it was meant to be the centerpiece of home entertainment, combining computing, gaming, and multimedia in one sleek package. While it was ahead of its time and faced challenges in the market, it laid important groundwork for future multimedia systems and remains a fascinating ‘what if’ in computer history.” - Dave Haynie, Commodore Engineer

The Amiga CDTV (Commodore Dynamic Total Vision) was a multimedia entertainment platform released by Commodore in March 1991. Based on the Amiga 500’s hardware but with a CD-ROM drive and housed in a sleek, VCR-like case, the CDTV was designed to be a living room entertainment system rather than a traditional computer. It represented Commodore’s attempt to move the Amiga platform into the consumer electronics market, competing with devices like the Philips CD-i and Sega CD.

The Living Room Computer

The CDTV was a radical departure from traditional home computers of its time. It was designed to be used with a television and came with a wireless infrared keyboard and remote control, emphasizing its role as a home entertainment device rather than a productivity machine.

Key Features

CD-ROM Drive: Single-speed (1x) for multimedia content
Amiga 500+ Hardware: 7.14 MHz 68000 CPU, 1MB RAM (expandable)
Infrared Remote Control: For navigation and media playback
Wireless Keyboard: For text input when needed
Multimedia Focus: Games, edutainment, and reference titles

Technical Specifications

CPU: Motorola 68000 @ 7.14 MHz (NTSC) / 7.09 MHz (PAL)
Memory: 1 MB Chip RAM (expandable to 2 MB), 1 MB Kickstart ROM
Graphics: OCS/ECS - 320×200 to 1280×512, 4,096 colors (HAM)
Sound: Paula - 4× 8-bit PCM channels, 28 kHz stereo
Storage: Single-speed CD-ROM drive, external floppy drive (optional)
Ports: 2× controller, serial, parallel, floppy, expansion, RF/composite video, audio out
Operating System: AmigaOS 1.3 (Kickstart 1.3/Workbench 1.3)

Design and Features

Physical Design

Case: Black VCR-style case
**Dimensions”: 42 × 36 × 10 cm (16.5 × 14.2 × 4 in)
“Weight”: 4.5 kg (9.9 lb)
“Drive”: Top-loading CD-ROM
“Display”: Front-panel LCD for track/time

Input Devices

Remote Control: Infrared with numeric keypad
Wireless Keyboard: Full-size with function keys
**Game Controllers”: Standard Amiga joysticks/mice

Media

CD-ROM: 550 MB capacity
**CD-DA”: Audio CD playback
**CD+G”: CD+Graphics support
**CDTV Format”: Proprietary format for software

The CDTV Experience

Software Library

**Games”: Action, strategy, simulations
**Edutainment”: Reference and learning titles
**Multimedia”: Interactive experiences
**Productivity”: Word processing, DTP

User Interface

**CDTV OS”: Custom shell for TV use
**On-Screen Display”: Navigation menus
**CD Player Mode”: For audio CDs
**Game Mode”: For CDTV games

For the Family

**Easy to Use”: Simple remote operation
“Educational”: Learning software
“Entertainment”: Games and multimedia
“Music”: CD player functionality

Technical Deep Dive

Hardware Architecture

**Motherboard”: Based on Amiga 500+
**CD-ROM Drive”: Single-speed (150 KB/s)
**Expansion”: Internal and external options
**Audio Output”: Stereo RCA jacks

Video System

**Chipset”: Original Chip Set (OCS) / Enhanced Chip Set (ECS)
**Resolutions”:
- 320×200 to 1280×512 (interlaced)
- 640×400 to 1280×512 (productivity)
**Colors”:
- 32 on screen (from 4,096 palette)
- 4,096 colors (HAM mode)
**Display Modes”: PAL and NTSC compatible

Audio System

**Paula Chip”: 4× 8-bit PCM channels
**Sample Rate”: Up to 28 kHz
**Stereo Output”: 2× RCA phono
**CD Audio”: 44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo
**Filtering”: Programmable audio filters

The CDTV Legacy

Commercial Performance

**Release”: March 1991 (Europe), July 1991 (North America)
**Discontinuation”: 1993
**Price”: $999 (US), £499 (UK)
“Units Sold”: Estimated 100,000

Why It Struggled

**High Price”: Expensive for the time
“Limited Software”: Fewer than 150 titles
“Confusing Marketing”: Not clearly a computer or console
“Competition”: From game consoles and computers

Collector’s Item

**Rarity”: Uncommon but available
**Price Range”: $200-$1,000+
**Sought-After Items”:
- Boxed systems
- Complete software collections
- Development hardware
- Prototypes

Notable Software

Games

**D/Generation”: Isometric action-puzzle
“The Lost Ride”: Interactive movie
“Xenon 2: Megablast”: Shoot ‘em up
“Defender of the Crown”: Strategy
“Lemmings”: Puzzle

Reference & Education

**Compton’s Multimedia Encyclopedia
“Mozart”: Classical music collection
“The Animals!”: Wildlife reference
“The Presidential Disc”: US history

Multimedia

**Xenon 2: Megablast”: Enhanced CD audio
“Chaos in Andromeda”: Interactive movie
“The Manhole”: Interactive storybook
“The Magic Shop”: Children’s entertainment

Technical Notes for Enthusiasts

Common Issues

**CD Drive Failure”: Common with age
**Power Supply”: Capacitor issues
**Battery Leakage”: On motherboard
**Remote Control”: IR sensor failure

Restoration Tips

**Recap Power Supply”: Replace capacitors
**Clean CD Lens”: For better reading
“Replace Battery”: Prevent leakage
“Clean Case”: Restore original finish

Modern Upgrades

**Kickstart Switcher”: For newer OS versions
**CF/SD Card”: Replace CD drive
**RGB/SCART”: Better video output
“WHDRIVE”: Hard drive emulation

The CDTV Today

Emulation

**WinUAE”: Most accurate emulation
“FS-UAE”: Cross-platform
“Amiga Forever”: Commercial package

Homebrew Scene

**New Software”: Still being developed
“Hardware Mods”: Modern upgrades
“Preservation”: Archiving rare titles

Community

**Forums”: English Amiga Board, EAB
“User Groups”: Local meetups
“Documentation”: Technical references

Did You Know?

The CDTV was originally codenamed “Spellbound”
It was the first CD-based system to feature a full computer architecture
Some CDTV units were repurposed as kiosks in stores
The CDTV remote was one of the first wireless computer input devices
A planned CDTV II was canceled when Commodore went bankrupt

The CDTV in Popular Culture

Featured in early 1990s computer magazines
Appeared in the movie “The Lawnmower Man”
The subject of YouTube restoration videos
Mentioned in books about Amiga history