What are the advantages over CD-ROM?

At this point people ask me, why not just make a CD-ROM?. After all there are more CD-ROM's than CD-i players. Yes there are, but they have many levels of performance that reflect the speed of the CD- ROM drives and the capabilities of the computers to which they are connected.

So before we make a CD-ROM we must decide, which type of computer and for which operating system we are going to make it:

  • What is the lowest common denominator or characteristics of the computer on which our title will run?
  • What speed CD-ROM Drives are we going to make the title run on? Single Speed,?2 Speed,?4 Speed? 6 Speed?
  • Are we going to make it XA Compatible , mixed mode (CD-Digital Audio and IS0 9660), or HFS?
  • Shall we make it for a 286, a 386, a 486 or a Pentium Processor or Macintosh?
  • Are we going to display it as CGA, VGA, SVGA, AVI, Video for Windows?
  • Do we use MPEG or Indeo?
  • Do we make it for - DOS, Windows 3.1x, Windows 95, Windows NT, OS/2 or Macintosh OS?
  • How much memory do we need ? Base memory, Extended Memory, Expanded memory, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 16 Megabyte memory?


  • And all this without mentioning "config.sys", "autoexec.bat" or multiple manufacturer configuration, jumper settings, IRQ's, ISA, PCI or PCMCIA buses.

    So when you count the number of computers with suitable drives, MPEG cards, sound systems, graphic accelerators and operators that actually understand all this stuff, there are far fewer than it appears.

    When you make a CD-i title the first decisions are about designing the presentation and deciding about peripherals such as card readers, bar code readers, and modems that are needed to make a successful product. CD-i discs play on any CD-i player and include high quality images, sound, and full screen MPEG video. If you have made and edited video then you can make and edit CD-i.

    Now do you spend another $1,000 to make your $5,000 computer run video like a $500 CD-i Player , or do you purchase a $500 dollars player and use your Computer to Compute

    Back to previous page | Main screen | E-mail & Contact

    © Copyright 2005 CDinteractive.co.uk and ICDIA