From: calexndr@flash.net (Clark Alexander) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews Subject: REVIEW: CD32 Full Motion Video module Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Date: 20 Nov 1998 17:54:44 -0500 Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett Lines: 165 Sender: barrett@relativity.cs.umass.edu Message-ID: <734rvk$pkv@relativity.cs.umass.edu> Reply-To: calexndr@flash.net (Clark Alexander) Keywords: hardware CD32, full motion video, commercial X-Review-Number: Volume 1998 Number 25 NNTP-Posting-Host: relativity.cs.umass.edu X-NNTP-Posting-Host: relativity.cs.umass.edu X-Trace: 20 Nov 1998 17:52:56 -0500, relativity.cs.umass.edu Path: rcfnews.cs.umass.edu!not-for-mail Xref: bangor.cs.umass.edu comp.sys.amiga.reviews:572 PRODUCT NAME Commodore Amiga CD32 Full Motion Video Module BRIEF DESCRIPTION The CD32 FMV module is a plug in cartridge that gives the CD32 the ability to play full screen/full motion MPEG1 Video movies and Video Karaoke CD's. COMPANY INFORMATION Name: Commodore Business Machines Address: No longer in business LIST PRICE MSRP is unknown The price of the product as shown by the Creative Computer Advertisement in the May 1994 Amiga World Magazine was $267.95 US Dollars SPECIAL HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS HARDWARE A CD32. SOFTWARE None COPY PROTECTION None MACHINE USED FOR TESTING Stock Amiga NTSC CD32 INSTALLATION Unplug the CD32 from the power supply. Remove 1 screw in the back left of the CD32 to take off the backplate. Insert the FMV module taking care to line up the connectors at the bottom of the CD32 and the FMV module. Seat the FMV and them replace the screw. Plug in the Power supply REVIEW The Commodore CD32 FMV module is hard to find and easy to install. I bought a used CD32 with the FMV installed for $310. Included was Video CD movies; The Firm and Naked Gum 33 1/3. It does a very good job of playing MPEG 1 movies/MPEG 1 Music Videos and Video Karaoke CD's. I have mine connected to my television via the S-VHS video port. The Stereo Audio is connect to my stereo system. It sounds very good. I purchased Goldfinger, Aretha Franklin Live, Forrest Gump, Ghost, Patriot Games, Indecent Proposal, Sade and Black Rain from Phillips Multimedia http://www.pmpro.com I began to notice that Phillips was not offering any new movies so I did a search on the internet for Video CD. I found a lot of places in the United States offer Video CD's but they are porno. Europe, Canada and Asia have recent movies in the MPEG1 Video format. McNo LTD. has a large selection current video CD's. Their website is http://www.mcno.com Fortunately for us VideoCD's can be played by DVD players because the MPEG2(DVD) standard is backward compatible with the MPEG1 (Video CD) standard. Unfortunately, we can not play a DVD CD in a Amiga CD32. DOCUMENTATION The FMV module comes with a 10 page manual. It is in English, German, French and Spanish. It shows how to install the FMV module and how to use the buttons on the CD32 joystick to control the VCR like functions of the FMV module. The documentation is the same format, font, layout as that received by the CD32. The documentation written for beginners. LIKES Easy installation. Works flawlessly. simple operation. Just put the Video CD in the CD32 close the lid and press the play button on the CD32 controller. DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS NONE COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS Any Wintel or PowerPC can play these Mpeg1 videos. Also the DVD player and Computer's with DVD can play the VideoCD's. Only the CD32 can play the Video CD's and the Digital Video CD's. BUGS NONE VENDOR SUPPORT NONE WARRANTY NONE CONCLUSIONS The FMV delivers full motion/full screen MPEG 1 video to the screen very well. I rate it 10 stars out of 10 stars With the CD32 FMV the CD 32 can play CDTV CDs, CD32 CDs, Audio CDs, CD+G CD's, CD+Midi CD's, MPEG 1 Movies and Music Video CD's and Karaoke CDs. This is powerful and Versatile Amiga in a small package. The stereo sound is good connected to my stereo System. If you do a search on the internet for VideoCD you wil find sources of Video CD's in the United States but most of them are porn. The cost of the VideoCD and the DVD is a problem because in many cases the DVD movie is the same or less than the VideoCD. The AmigaWorld Magazine mentioned that Mad Dog McCree was going to use MPEG1 Video as part of the game. This machine was rally aheard of its time. Current CD's use quicktime or AVI to play video in a game. In my opinion, MPEG1 video is just like watching a movie. CD32 with the FMV is awesome. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Copyright 1998 Clark Alexander, calexndr@flash.net --- Accepted and posted by Daniel Barrett, comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator Send reviews to: amiga-reviews-submissions@math.uh.edu Request information: amiga-reviews-requests@math.uh.edu Moderator mail: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu Anonymous ftp site: math.uh.edu, in /pub/Amiga/comp.sys.amiga.reviews Web site: http://math.uh.edu/~barrett/reviews.html