ScuzzBlog: Diaries May 2018
Entry 8th May 2018: Post: 2
CDTV - Commodore's Blackest Day : Part I
Odd beast the old CDTV. Never really been a fan and in truth up
until this week not even sure if I have ever used any of mine.
Somehow I have managed to acquire four over the years, two of
which that are boxed and one that has been modified.
One of the machines came with a monitor and whilst I was dubious
over whether it was the real deal I discovered on the back that
it states BLACK on the label. I was also troubled about the loss
of the front label. Then I noticed on the box artwork for the
CDTV that the label is beige and not black. Then I realised that
the label inside the drop down flap is actually the front label
that has been removed.
I am bewildered why anyone thinks of this machine as an A500.
Possibly a machine that runs the A500 software/OS and has many
of the rear ports, BUT, when you look inside this machine is most
definitely is not an A500. It's completely different. In addition
there are a few strange elements of the motherboard that suggest
further possibilities for expansions.
Trouble is cus of the CD drive the motherboard is almost tight
to the underside of the case limiting what you can put on there.
The unit is just crying out for a standard mouse and joystick
port plus hard drive and side expansion and SCSI and well all
the things Commodore should have been developing as their next
gen computer, with CD and graphics card, and not this.
It's really odd that at the very time we eventually got a CD unit
for an Amiga Commodore decided to pull the plug on the 500. I
waited an eternity for the CD on the 1200 which never arrived and
in truth it was graphics card, CD-ROM and internet ready that
drove me away from my Amiga 1200 in 1996. I wasn't in the mood to
junk my 1200 into a tower so I just got a tin box for that stuff
and used my Amiga for everything else.
Anyway... Only a metaphor, the old black thing. I really am not
a fan of black either so not something I would want out very often.
All packaged away again till I get the urge to ... er.. well.. hmmm...
' what does this thing do again ? ' Joking.
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