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Hi everyone, I'm looking to buy a CDI system after coming across a bunch of software recently, but I'm having trouble figuring out which one to buy. (I don't have extra money to buy one yet, but I will later)

There's 400/550, GDI-1000, 210, 220, NO.IVO-V10, VE-200, 470, 490, like what on earth!? There are so many variants of CDI! And some of them have a "Digital Video Card" installed, others don't, and there's different kinds of those too?

Another thing is that I see a lot of CDIs from Europe that are way cheaper than American consoles, but I don't know if those are region free or not, if they run at slower speeds, etc.

So are there any CDI experts out there? Or a website that compiles all this stuff? I couldn't find a clear answer when I searched.

Thanks

There's an entire CDi community & board dedicated to the platform that will help:

http://www.cdinteractive.co.uk/forums/cdinteractive/

Some games require the digital video card (including a few bigger titles... Burn Cycle being one IIRC) & it's also needed to play the CDi movies (essentially VCDs).

Keep in mind there is a chip (time chip? IIRC) that goes out. A seller on eBay was selling refurbished systems with this chip replaced a couple years back. I'd do some research on this known issue before putting down the cash for a system running on borrowed time.

I've always wanted one for some reason. Good luck!

Awesome thank you very much! Gonna read that website up and down.

I was an owner of the thing back in the 90s when it was new, a gift for Christmas I also put some money into to grab and it was an earlier Magnavox version without the DVR (which I added later.) It will play a good deal of stuff but the DVR really makes or breaks the package with what gets left out. I would not buy one without it built in or already added by the last buyer. I don't recall the library on the whole but I do remember the games I had and most of them were pretty fun, a few though on the cheap side of things since there were a few Dragon's Lair types (including it, sequel and Space Ace) which got nasty - Escape From Cyber City being the really cruel one at least worth watching a perfect play through on youtube.

Lords of the Rising Sun, Hotel Mario, Link Faces of Evil, Mutant Rampage Bodyslam, Voyeur, Burn Cycle, Kessen, Tetris, Chaos Control are some I can really recommend.

CDi enthusiast typically rant about The Apprentice...

but honestly looks like an average platformer to me. Likely wouldve been middle of the pack on the SNES or Genesis but a nice addition to the CDi library as an exclusive.

That game looked boring to me back when the system was alive against what you said Nintendo and Sega had in our house so I ignored it. I don't see the appeal, but I guess if you really just had a CDi and ignored them it probably would appear far better.

BumbleChump wrote:Hi everyone, I'm looking to buy a CDI system after coming across a bunch of software recently, but I'm having trouble figuring out which one to buy.

I opted for this Magnavox branded model.
At least it kinda looks like a game console. Some of the others have that type of bulky VCR look.
This one has that Digital Video Card as well.
And importantly a half decent controller. You'll know what I mean if ever you get to sample some of the CDi's other controller "options".






Some of the "decent" games for the CDi have already been mentioned.
A couple other games I'd like to add are the '7th Guest' and 'Secret Mission'.
The CDi received a superior port of the former.
If you like puzzle/adventure type games then you'll enjoy these.

Actually that's probably the best controller the thing got, a good even or close second would be the blatant knockoff of the old four button reverseable gamepad with a switch where you can flip it over for lefties.

The system I had was a total DVD/VCR player style system with the slow motor tray that popped out the front.

I don't remember Secret Mission but the 7th Guest I'm almost positive we had that as I know we did have it and I don't think it was on the computer. I do remember it looking and sounding really amazing.

I have both of those games, Secret Mission is pretty fun, but having grown up with 7th Guest on a PC I just cannot get into it on any console It's really a game made for a mouse.

KalessinDB wrote:I have both of those games, Secret Mission is pretty fun, but having grown up with 7th Guest on a PC I just cannot get into it on any console It's really a game made for a mouse.

IIRC it was mandatory each game developed for the CDi had to be mouse compatible (as well as work with each CDi controller).