{"id":24094,"date":"2021-02-27T20:00:29","date_gmt":"2021-02-27T19:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jungsi.de\/?p=24094"},"modified":"2026-08-27T22:00:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T20:00:15","slug":"amiga-cd%c2%b3%c2%b2-commodore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jungsi.de\/en\/amiga-cd%c2%b3%c2%b2-commodore\/","title":{"rendered":"Amiga CD\u00b3\u00b2 [Commodore]"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Commodore games console? The Commodore Amiga CD\u00b3\u00b2 has found its way into my retro corner. This device wasn\u2019t Commodore\u2019s first attempt to break into the games console market \u2013 for example, the C64 Game System was launched in 1990 and the CDTV in 1991.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Die Basis f\u00fcr das CD\u00b3\u00b2 lieferte der Amiga 1200, der 1992 ver\u00f6ffentlicht und mit dem neuen AGA-Chipsatz (Advanced Graphics Architecture) ausgestattet wurde. 1992 war ein Jahr, in dem viel falsch lief f\u00fcr die Firma aus USA \u2013 die Spezifikationen des A1200 wurden zu fr\u00fch ver\u00f6ffentlicht und Commodore konnte das Ger\u00e4t nicht p\u00fcnktlich zum Weihnachtsgesch\u00e4ft ausliefern. W\u00e4hrenddessen wurden noch viele Amiga 600 produziert oder waren auf Lager. Da aber am Horizont schon der neue, bessere Rechner in Sicht war, blieb Commodore auf einem riesigen Berg A600 (und A500) sitzen, womit auch viel Geld fehlte. Zudem kostete der Amiga 600 viel Geld \u2013 er sollte eigentlich eine g\u00fcnstige Version des A500 werden, wurde aber wegen seiner Bauweise sogar teurer als der A500. Commodore arbeitete nach dem Prinzip etwas herzustellen, zu verkaufen und mit den Erl\u00f6sen die \u201eRohstoffe“, die sie eingesetzt hatten, zu bezahlen. Das r\u00e4chte sich nun\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Diesen Hintergrund wollte ich vorher erkl\u00e4ren, um das weitere Geschehen besser verstehen zu k\u00f6nnen. Seit 1992 arbeitete Commodore am \u201eCD Game System“ (interner Fr\u00fchcodename: Amigo, sp\u00e4ter offiziell \u201eSpellbound“) und im Januar 1993 wurde das Design des Gatearray-Chips mit dem Namen \u201eAkiko“ daf\u00fcr fertiggestellt. Dieser konvertierte Bitplane-Grafiken hardwareseitig in das sogenannte \u201eChunky-Pixel“-Format und vereinfachte damit die Portierung von PC-Spielen mit bis zu 24-Bit-Grafiken auf das neue Ger\u00e4t erheblich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February 1993, development was nearing completion. As the console urgently needed high-quality games, 15 prototypes were produced for game developers. As the casings weren\u2019t ready yet, the circuit boards were simply screwed onto wooden panels \ud83d\ude09 Before being delivered to the developers, the name was finally changed to CD\u00b3\u00b2. That said it all: a CD-based system with a 32-bit processor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Im Oktober 1992 begann auch die Entwicklung des Controllers f\u00fcr das Game System. Das Design lehnte sich an SNES\/Super-Famicom-Controller an. Aus heutiger Sicht ist die gequetschte Form eines \u201eU“ aus ergonomischer Sicht fragw\u00fcrdig. Trotzdem liegt das Joypad recht gut in der Hand. Der rote Knopf wurde etwas gr\u00f6\u00dfer gestaltet und wird damit zum Hauptknopf. Leider ist die Verarbeitung mangelhaft und das Steuerkreuz besteht aus einer flachen Scheibe mit vier Noppen. Bei sp\u00e4teren Versionen wurde auf die Steuerscheibe einfach noch ein Steuerkreuz aufgeklebt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Das Geh\u00e4use des CD\u00b3\u00b2 wurde von Don Kaminsky, der auch f\u00fcr das Design von A600 und A1200 verantwortlich war, entworfen. Als Ausgangspunkt diente das \u201eTop-Loading“ CD-Laufwerk, das aussieht wie bei billigen CD-Spielern ohne Schubladen f\u00fcr die CDs. Immerhin war es ein Double-Speed-Laufwerk!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Commodore<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Commodore Amiga CD\u00b3\u00b2 \u2013 Logo<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside the device itself, a separate MPEG video decoder card was developed, which enabled the CD\u00b3\u00b2 to play digital videos from CD (VCD \u2013 Video CD format). It was also possible to use CD-i Video CDs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CD\u00b3\u00b2 was due to be unveiled at the CES in Chicago in June 1993, but Commodore lacked the funds for a large stand. The only place where the Amiga was on display was at the stand of NewTek, the developer of the LightWave 3D software, which ran on Commodore computers. This software was used to create scenes for Babylon 5<\/em>, seaQuest DSV<\/em> and Jurassic Park<\/em>. Commodore\u2019s main rival \u2013 the 3DO \u2013 was also unveiled at CES. The device was very well received at the exhibition, and Commodore developers were successfully poached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Production of the CD\u00b3\u00b2 began in Asia in August 1993 to ensure that sufficient units would be available for the Christmas shopping season. Then the problems began to escalate, as Commodore owed too much money to too many companies, and they would only supply goods if paid in cash. Added to this were shortages of CD drives, which were not simply off-the-shelf components, but required a specific CD-ROM mechanism. There was only enough money to purchase parts to produce 100,000 units. Then Commodore was also caught up in legal proceedings with CADtrak, which had sued several computer manufacturers for infringing its XOR patent relating to the manipulation of bitmap graphics. As Commodore failed to pay the licence fees demanded (around 10 million US dollars), a US court imposed an import ban on CD\u00b3\u00b2 units manufactured in Asia into the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Europe, the console was officially unveiled on 16 July 1993 at the Science Museum in London. The actual launch took place in September 1993 \u2013 making the CD\u00b3\u00b2 the first standalone 32-bit CD console in Europe. Its main competitor in Europe was Sega with the Mega Drive, which, however, was only 16-bit and, with the Mega CD, could only offer an add-on to the existing console. The CD\u00b3\u00b2 initially cost 299 pounds (approx. 750 DM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the CD\u00b3\u00b2 had to be brought to market quickly, there was a lack of software capable of making full use of the device\u2019s capabilities. Consequently, numerous titles originally developed for the Amiga 1200 had to be ported. As a result, in 1993 only 26 of the promised 70 games were available. In total, there were around 140 commercial releases by 1995.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end of 1993, Commodore had sold only 166,000 CD\u00b3\u00b2 worldwide (25,000 in Germany), whereas 400,000 would have been needed for Commodore to survive. This was not due to low demand, but to limited production caused by a lack of financial resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In April 1994, Commodore International filed for bankruptcy and discontinued the CD\u00b3\u00b2 after just eight months on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Commodore
Commodore Amiga CD\u00b3\u00b2 \u2013 Joystick und Tastaturanschluss<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Technical Specifications<\/strong>
\u2013 CPU: Motorola 68EC020 @ 14.18 MHz (PAL) \/ 14.32 MHz (NTSC)
\u2013 RAM: 2 MB chip RAM
\u2013 Save data storage: 1 KB EEPROM
\u2013 Graphics: AGA chipset with Akiko (chunky-to-planar converter)
\u2013 CD drive: Double-speed (2\u00d7)
\u2013 Operating system: AmigaOS 3.1 \/ Kickstart 3.1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connections<\/strong>
\u2013 RF output (antenna socket)
\u2013 Composite video (RCA)
\u2013 S-Video
\u2013 Stereo audio (2\u00d7 RCA)
\u2013 Headphone output with volume control (front panel)
\u2013 Two 9-pin joypad sockets
\u2013 Amiga-compatible (e.g. mouse or joystick)
\u2013 Expansion port (e.g. for FMV module and expansion cards)
\u2013 Auxiliary port: for Amiga 2000\/4000 keyboard
\u2013 CD control buttons on the front (Play\/Stop\/Skip) allow the CD\u00b3\u00b2 to be used as a dedicated audio CD player<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Commodore
Commodore Amiga CD\u00b3\u00b2 \u2013 Anschl\u00fcsse R\u00fcckseite<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tips<\/strong>
\u2013 It is very important to replace the old electrolytic capacitors with modern ceramic ones, as the former, like those in the Amiga 1200, are prone to leaking. Whilst doing so, you can also replace any capacitors that have been fitted with the polarity reversed.
\u2013 when buying, make sure the cover for the expansion slot on the back is included
\u2013 the CD drive\u2019s hinges are delicate \u2013 but the drive still works
\u2013 Replacement parts are available for the laser unit
\u2013 To get the most out of the machine today, it\u2019s worth fitting an expansion such as the TerribleFire 328\/330<\/a> or the Wicher CD32. Both expand the memory with additional FastRAM and add an IDE port \u2013 together with a mouse and keyboard, this effectively turns it into a fully-fledged Amiga 1200 with a CD drive.
\u2013 the controller\u2019s D-pad is very sensitive and can easily be faulty
\u2013 as an alternative to the original controller, there\u2019s the HoneyBee or Competition Pro Pad \u2013 apart from the name, they\u2019re both the same (see separate section below)
\u2013 Power supplies: small\/large power supply \u2013 the large one can be opened and therefore repaired
\u2013 Various cases: white Commodore logo and a raised section behind the CD flap \u2013 the other one doesn\u2019t have this \u2013 it doesn\u2019t matter which one you choose
\u2013 Restart the CD\u00b3\u00b2 and press both mouse buttons (mouse in Port 2): Early Boot Menu
\u2013 CD\u00b3\u00b2 start screen \u2192 right mouse button \u2192 language menu
\u2013 CD\u00b3\u00b2 start screen \u2192 left mouse button \u2192 save menu \u2013 if there is no free space, the oldest save file will be overwritten. Save files can be protected from being overwritten in the menu. Unfortunately, only 1 KB(!) was available, which was often filled up by just a single save file. \u2013 A good way to test the CD\u00b3\u00b2\u2019s functionality is to use the \u2018200\u2019 or \u2018444\u2019 CDs, which can be found online. If the sound works on the first CD, the demos run smoothly and you can navigate through the menu without delay, the device is in good condition.
\u2013 the Mega Drive or Master System controller can also be used (though some buttons won\u2019t work)
\u2013 the joypad can also be used on standard Amigas
\u2013 if using a mouse, it should be connected to Port 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A special Kickstart (3.1) has been created for the CD\u00b3\u00b2, which enables the system to boot automatically from the CD. If the console is started without a CD inserted, a colourful, animated welcome screen is displayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Commodore
Commodore Amiga CD\u00b3\u00b2 \u2013 Controller<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

strong>Well-known expansions<\/strong>
\u2013 Paravision SX1: converts the CD32 into an Amiga 1200 \u2013 including an IDE port, floppy drive port and memory slot
\u2013 DCE SX32 MK1\/Mk2: as above
\u2013 TerribleFire 328\/330<\/a>
\u2013 Wicher CD32
\u2013 Indivision ECS
\u2013 Competition Pro\/HoneyBee
\u2013 Alternatives to the original controller<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Competition Pro CD32 \u2013 the better pad<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to play the CD\u00b3\u00b2 for any length of time, you\u2019ll find it hard to do without an alternative to the original pad \u2013 the wobbly D-pad and the poor build quality simply spoil the fun. A very decent alternative is the Competition Pro CD32 (also available as the HoneyBee \u2013 the only difference is the logo).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pad is clearly modelled on the Mega Drive controller: it has a classic curved shape, a decent directional pad with a distinct click, and the four coloured action buttons (red, yellow, green, blue) are arranged in the typical diamond pattern this time, rather than in a flat square. This makes it fit much better in the hand than the original CD\u00b3\u00b2 model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the real added value lies in the additional functions: each of the four action buttons has its own mini-slider switch, which can be used to individually enable or disable Turbo\/Autofire. A central three-position switch (OFF\/TURBO\/AUTO) sets the global mode, and a SLOW switch allows for slower playback \u2013 formerly the typical cheat to help with difficult passages. The CD control buttons (Play\/Rewind\/Forward) are also included, so the pad works in audio CD mode too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you spend a lot of time playing with the CD\u00b3\u00b2 or want to use the pad on another Amiga (all 9-pin models from the A500 to the A4000), you shouldn\u2019t stick with the original pad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Competition
Competition Pro CD\u00b3\u00b2 \u2013 die deutlich ergonomischere Alternative zum Originalpad, mit Turbofeuer pro Taste und SLOW-Modus<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Type plate and serial number<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the underside, there\u2019s a whole collection of stickers that reveal quite a lot about the device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Das Haupt-Typenschild tr\u00e4gt das Commodore-Logo und nennt die Modellbezeichnung \u201eAMIGA CD“ sowie die ID No. 513515, die f\u00fcr die Modellvariante steht. Daneben die Stromversorgung (5 V DC \/ 2,2 A und 12 V DC \/ 500 mA), die Herstellungsangabe \u201eMade in the Philippines“ und die deutsche Funkentst\u00f6rungs-Kennung DBP-VFG 1046\/1984. Erg\u00e4nzt wird das durch das GS-Zeichen f\u00fcr \u201eGepr\u00fcfte Sicherheit“ und das gelbe \u201eClass 1 Laser Product“-Warnschild, das auf das CD-Laufwerk hinweist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An additional label records the production details: \u2018Manufactured January 1994\u2019. This means my unit rolled off the production line just three months before Commodore International went bankrupt in April 1994 \u2013 one of the many CD\u00b3\u00b2s produced during the company\u2019s final days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Die Seriennummer 8510294365158001109597 l\u00e4sst sich teilweise entschl\u00fcsseln: \u2013 851<\/strong> = Werkscode f\u00fcr die Philippinen (passt zur Beschriftung \u201eMade in the Philippines“) \u2013 02<\/strong> = Kalenderwoche 2 \u2013 94<\/strong> = Produktionsjahr 1994 \u2013 die folgenden Ziffern bilden die fortlaufende Chargen- bzw. Seriennummer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damit ergibt sich als Produktionszeitpunkt die zweite Januarwoche 1994 \u2013 konsistent mit dem \u201eManufactured“-Aufkleber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oberhalb des Typenschilds findet sich noch ein Barcode-Etikett mit dem Zusatzcode \u201eAL00 GR“. Das GR d\u00fcrfte die Auslieferungsversion f\u00fcr den deutschen Markt (Germany) kennzeichnen, was zum DBP-Funkentst\u00f6r-Aufdruck passt; AL00 verweist vermutlich auf eine bestimmte Hardware- bzw. Kickstart-Konfiguration der Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The small white sticker \u2018Kerko\/Elko 05.2015\u2019 is not a factory mark, but a label I added myself: in May 2015, I replaced the old electrolytic capacitors with ceramic capacitors \u2013 the same precautionary measure I recommend in the tips above. This way, it\u2019s easy to trace later on exactly when the recap took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Commodore
Type plate and sticker on the underside of the CD\u00b3\u00b2 \u2013 manufactured in January 1994 in the Philippines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Games<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, many games were lacklustre ports of the floppy-disc versions, but there were also a few titles that were given new sound and music in particular, as there was plenty of space on the CDs \u2013 for example, *Disposable Hero*, *Xenon* and *Fire & Ice*. There were also titles exclusive to the CD\u00b3\u00b2, although many other official releases were Amiga 1200 games that had been expanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Flink
\u2013 Pirates Gold
\u2013 Diggers
\u2013 Defender of the Crown 2
\u2013 Microcosm
\u2013 Prey: An Alien Encounter
\u2013 Litil Divil
\u2013 Amiga CD Football
\u2013 Castles II
\u2013 Final Gate
\u2013 Labyrinth of Time
\u2013 Lunar-C
\u2013 Summer Olympix
\u2013 Ultimate Body Blows<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commodore Amiga chipsets<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 OCS (Original Chip Set) \u2013 used in the Amiga 1000, 500 and 2000 \u2013 HiRes 640\u00d7256 or 640\u00d7512 (PAL interlaced) with 16 out of 4096 colours; LoRes 320\u00d7256 (320\u00d7512) with 32 colours, HAM6 4096 colours; EHB mode (Enhanced Half Bright) \u2013 64 colours \u2013 32 freely selectable, the remainder generated from the first 32 at half brightness <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 ECS (Enhanced Chip Set) \u2013 Amiga 600, 500 Plus and 3000 \u2013 SuperHiRes mode at 1280\u00d7256 (1280\u00d7512) with 5 out of 64 colours; freely programmable line frequencies and the ability to address 2 MiB of chip RAM <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 AGA (Advanced Graphics Architecture) \u2013 Colour depth ranging from 12-bit (4,096 colours) to 24-bit (16.8 million colours), of which a maximum of 262,144 colours can be displayed simultaneously in HAM8 mode at all resolutions. With AGA, colour palettes can consistently comprise 256 entries. Here too, 2 MiB of chip RAM is possible. \u2013 AAA (Advanced Amiga Architecture) \u2013 a 64-bit graphics chipset that was intended to be the successor to the AGA. Unfortunately, the project never progressed beyond three prototypes, which still had many faults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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