Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!mcnc!taco!hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu!kdarling From: kdarling@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Kevin Darling) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Subject: Re: CDTV & Fujitsu's FM-Towns? Message-ID: <1991Apr11.090942.5482@ncsu.edu> Date: 11 Apr 91 09:09:42 GMT References: <1991Apr10.205908.25051@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> Sender: news@ncsu.edu (USENET News System) Organization: North Carolina State University Lines: 27 In <1991Apr10.205908.25051@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> J.Norell Guttman writes: > >What is the difference between CDTV and Fujitsu's FM-Towns? I have >seen the Fujitsu in Niigata, Japan and was extremely impressed. I think >it is a 386 based machine but the software available is quite large and >impressive: much better than any Amiga game! One of the games I was >playing had video from the CD and the graphics from the FM-Towns overlayed! >The sound also appeared to be hi-fi stereo? What do you guyz think? I don't recall reading that the Towns directly played video from CDROM... are you sure that the computer wasn't overlaying gfx on the read-in data? In any case, I think it's a neat personal computer from the little I know. Yes, CDTV sound can also be of hi-fi quality. Additionally, the CDTV unit has both a video slot and a serial port, which means that it would be possible to have it control a laser disc player and overlay CDTV-CDROM graphics on top of that external video signal (using optional genlock card). But the prime market of CDTV is different from the FM-Towns machines. People who are normally wary of, or not interested in, computers are the target of interactive-TV players. The fact that it has a computer inside will no more be touted than the fact that your microwave or VCR has computer chips. BTW, I think that within a few years, we'll be seeing CDROM-equipped computers, or computers with builtin audio/video digitizing and overlay capabilities, or a combination thereof, become relatively standard fare. Or at least, I hope so ;-). best - kev