Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Path: utzoo!utgpu!craig
From: craig@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Craig Hubley)
Subject: CDTV VCR support/control - infrared ?  serial ?
Message-ID: <1990Aug16.182516.2512@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Organization: Craig Hubley & Associates
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 90 18:25:16 GMT

I saw the CDTV at SIGGRAPH and was told that it would be supporting some form
of VCR control.  I am wondering what the nature of this is - will it be a sort
of trainable infrared system, like universal remote controls ?  Will it also
be able to hook into VCR serial ports ?  I thought that the actual control
protocols on these things was pretty proprietary, but perhaps not anymore.
There also doesn't appear to be an industry standard yet - perhaps we are
waiting for CEbus to provide that.

----OBLIGATORY POST-SHOW FRIENDLY "SHAPE UP COMMODORE" FLAME----

At SIGGRAPH, Commodore had the CDTV well-hidden in the middle of their booth,
while there was only a demo video running at the corners.  There was certainly
no CDTV with a huge sign saying "CD-Audio!  CD-ROM!  Amiga 500!  Remote Control!
UNDER A THOUSAND BUCKS!" like there should have been.  No excuses, please,
Commodore.  Not only was the final price not set by SIGGRAPH time (whose fault
was that?), and the product hidden in the booth, but its capabilities were not
well advertised (although the personnel at the booth had a good background for
questions).  Meanwhile, NewTek was drawing huge crowds with a cute 
demonstrator editing video of herself, and Penn and Teller's demo tape.  I
happened to overhear a NewTek person tell a Commodore person that the first
time NewTek had heard of the A3000 was "at the launch".  Therefore the Toaster
doesn't work on the A3000.  Commodore sure has a lot to learn.  Their press
kit didn't mention the CDTV at all, that I could find.  In the press room, 
Commodore had the highest pile of undistributed press kits.  I found better
press coverage of the CDTV from Tiger Media, who are doing a CDTV game. I
guess I should thank Commodore for not beating up and kicking out the single 
newsman that I saw find the CDTV at the booth.

I don't think I have to elaborate the effects this kind of bungling has on
CDTV developers, and people's inclinations to become developers. 

----END OBLIGATORY POST-SHOW FLAME----

Anyway, I would like to know what level of VCR control is likely to be provided
for the CDTV off-the-shelf, and what Commodore sees being provided by third-
party products.  This is a pretty critical issue if the CDTV is to fit snugly
into existing home-entertainment systems.

  Craig Hubley                     kid after Live Aid: "Is that it?"
  Craig Hubley & Associates        ---------------------------------
  craig@gpu.utcs.Utoronto.CA   UUNET!utai!utgpu!craig   craig@utorgpu.BITNET
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-- 
  Craig Hubley                     kid after Live Aid: "Is that it?"
  Craig Hubley & Associates        ---------------------------------
  craig@gpu.utcs.Utoronto.CA   UUNET!utai!utgpu!craig   craig@utorgpu.BITNET
  craig@gpu.utcs.toronto.EDU   {allegra,bnr-vpa,decvax}!utcsri!utgpu!craig