Submitted by binaryvalue
on Wed, 05/25/2022 - 14:51
The Commodore Amiga CD32 is a 32-bit game console released in September of 1993 in Europe. It was also released in Canada, Australia, and Brazil. Initially, the system sold well in Europe, and managed to gain a 50% share of the UK’s CD-ROM-based market. Later, 30,000 CD32 units, that were produced to be sold in the US, were seized in the Philippines due to a lawsuit. This was devastating news for Commodore’s fragile cash flows. The console was discontinued in April, 1994.
It is estimated than only 200,000 CD32 units were ever manufactured
THE CD32 AT A GLANCE
The CD32 is hardware-compatible with all Amigas, and it is actually an A1200 with a CD-ROM and a controller, but without the keyboard and the mouse.
2 MB Chip Ram (70 ns) onboard / up to 64 MB Fast RAM on processor boards
Akiko - system address decoder
3.1 Amiga Operating System
Compatible with old Amigas (OCS & ECS)
148 listed games (according to Wikipedia)
Graphics & Modes
The CD32 features 24-bit graphics, and more specifically, Commodore's Advanced Graphics Architecture chipset (AGA). This means it offers the same graphics as the A1200 and A4000 computers.
24-bit (16.8 million colors), up to 256 on-screen colors (without tricks)
262,144 on-screen colors in HAM-8 mode
Resolutions from: 320×256 to 1280×512 (PAL)
Improved hardware sprites and scrolling compared to older OCS/ECS Amigas
Screen Resolutions:
320×200 to 1280×400, 1504x484 overscan (NTSC)
320×256 to 1280×512, 1504x576 overscan (PAL)
640×480 (VGA)
Sound Capabilities
Basically, CD32 offers the same sound chipset as other Amigas, by adding the enhanced sound capabilities of the built-in CD.
2 stereo channels (4 × 8-bit PCM channels)
28 kHz maximum DMA sampling rate
CD audio
I/O Ports
On the Left
CD32 with a CD32 RISER, plus the original PSU and a third-party controller -Photo from our collection
2 × Mouse/Gamepad 9-pin ports (compatible with classic Amigas)
AUX port (suitable for adding a keyboard, etc.)
On the Back
S-Video out (French versions had an RGB output instead of the classic S-Video)
RF audio/video out
Composite video out (RCA)
Audio out Left & Right (2 × RCA)
Expansion slot behind a plate (check below)
On the Front
Headphone jack 3.5 mm
Suitable Monitors
The Amiga CD32 can be connected to TVs via various methods but also to RGB monitors, (French models or by using the CD Riser expansion).
Old TVs via the S-Video and RF audio/video
RGB monitors (French models or by using the CD Riser expansion)
Composite monitors
CD32 Upgrades
You can upgrade CD32 using third-party devices via the expansion slot on the back. Using the expansion port, you can add a cheap PS/2 keyboard, a CF/SD hard drive, a 68030 CPU, and up to 64 MB RAM. Note, that by adding 8MB Fast Ram and an SD card hard drive you can use the Amiga WHDload software. WHDload enables access to thousands of Amiga games and apps.
CD32 RISER (offers RGB out + PS/2 keyboard port) -As seen in the image
Terrible Fire TF328 (8 MB of Fast RAM and a 2.5" IDE interface for CF/SD hard disk drives)
Terrible Fire TF330 (the same as above, plus a 68030 CPU)
The old Paravision SX-1, SX-32 (optionally with a 68030 CPU)
Notable CD32 Applications
These are some notable CD32 applications:
In 1993, more than 100 CD32 units were installed at the London Transport Museum, Covent Garden (interactive content in several languages)
In 1994 the company Sylvan Learning Systems used the CD32 in their Wall Street Institute education center
In 1995, an Italian gaming company used the CD32 as the basis of an arcade machine called "CUBO CD32"
In 1999-2000, the gaming company StarGames used the CD32 board in many of their slot machines
THE CD32 AT A GLANCE
Graphics & Modes
Sound Capabilities
I/O Ports
Suitable Monitors
CD32 Upgrades
Notable CD32 Applications