Talk:Amiga CD32

The first?

From the start of the article: "The Amiga CD32 was the first 32-bit CD-ROM based game console." Surely the FM_Towns_Marty actually holds that crown? Sure, it was only released in Japan, but accuracy matters! 212.113.198.67

Okay, fixed. Mdwh 22:42, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

The CD32 may not have been the first, but that WAS how Commodore marketed it. I have the original retail box, and it does say "The worlds first 32-bit CD games console" across the top.

it is the world's first, because the "FM Towns Marty" wasn't the whole world's! :) It was only released in japan so maybe, technically, it can't count as the worlds first 32bit console... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 89.242.156.161 (talk) 03:55, 1 January 2007 (UTC).

Let's not split hairs here; the "World's first" title clearly implies it was the first 32-bit CD-ROM based console "IN THE WORLD". Which it isn't. The first 32-bit console available on (any) market was the Marty.

First "internationally available", or something like that, then? Mdwh 14:28, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Changed it just to refer to the west. Someone might want to add a bit about the Marty and it's Japan-only release, but I'm lazy. Aibara 20:49, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

What exactly makes the FM Towns Marty a 32-bit console? It isn't. Its 386SX has only got a 16-bit bus externally, exactly the same as the MC68000 in that respect - which e. g. was used in the Sega Mega Drive much earlier. -- Zac67 (talk) 11:54, 28 August 2011 (UTC)

Flop games console?

Was this console actually a flop?

Certainly, C= went bankrupt less than a year after its release; but that wasn't that due to dubious management (or exploitation) of the business and general lack of development of their overall computer business, rather than the CD32's fault?

At the time, IIRC, I read that the CD32 was a low-cost "cash cow" that provided Commodore with a quick-and-easy way to make money that they needed, and that it was the best-selling CD-based console in the UK at one stage.

Certainly, it didn't have anything like the subsequent PlayStation's level of success, but was it ever intended to? If it was created a nice income stream for Commodore for a relatively low development cost, was it really a failure?

It could be argued that the CD32 was a success; simply nowhere near as big a success as Commodore needed to bring themselves back from the brink. But then, was it ever expected to be?

Fourohfour 10:45, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

Having investigated this further, it appears that the Amiga mags may have been reporting a somewhat whitewashed picture of the situation; they didn't mention the fact that it wasn't sold in the US (due to them being impounded), or that it was (supposedly) discontinued in Feb 1994 (before C= went bankrupt). Why was it discontinued? General failure, or that they didn't pay their bills to the manufacturers? Fourohfour 11:33, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

The CD32 was sold in the US, but it was a very low key launch, with very little units sold. I have never heard of the CD32 being discontinued though. It was manufactured right up to the bankruptcy, and it is well known that the Philippine government seized the remaining units. According to Amiga Computing Issue 88 (July 1995) the manufacturing assets they seized was around US $1 million. —Pixel8 20:42, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

I was putting consoles in the category depending on if they didn't sell well on their own or were made obsolete by a new generation of consoles (eg. Sony Playstation) or market forces (eg. the 1983 video game crash). The CD32 would fall into the former category. I don't like the name of the "Computer and video game flops" category but I thought it was a useful reference. Maybe "Commercially unsuccessful video game consoles" would be a less judgemental title. - Diceman 21:21, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

All successful consoles are still eventually rendered obsolete by the next generation of consoles; it doesn't mean they weren't a success, as this applies to the original PlayStation too (ironically). I agree entirely that the "computer and video game flops" category is a poor and somewhat judgemental title. "Commercially unsuccessful" is better, but still open to interpretation. I would argue that *if* the CD32 was made and sold successfully in some markets until C= went bankrupt (*or* it was discontinued for reasons other than lack of commercial success; e.g. C= not paying their bills to the manufacturer), then it was not commercially unsuccessful.

I could have written that better, I meant that I didn't consider a console commercially unsuccessful if it was discontinued due to external market forces (like a market crash or a new dominant console). If it simply didn't sell well on its own merits or the company that made it had internal troubles, I put it in the "flop" category. The 3DO and CD-I consoles are interesting cases because neither sold very well, but they both hung around until they were yanked off the stage. The CD32 on the other hand went down with Commodore, even if it was a perfectly good console it was let in the other areas. - Diceman 14:05, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

Hmm... perhaps we disagree there; I'd say a console *was* commercially unsuccessful if it failed due to external forces (market collapse, new unexpected competition); what I wouldn't say is that (e.g.) *if* the CD32's demise was due to C= as a whole going down, despite it making money, that doesn't make it a commercial failure (assuming it met *expectations*).

I was always under the impression that the CD-I was ultimately as big a failure as the CDTV, and was only around longer because Philips had more money that they were willing to throw into its continued existence and marketing. It could be argued that this made it a *bigger* failure, I guess. Fourohfour 21:09, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

Ultimately, what defines a "flop"? Is it a "flop" if it makes money? Is it a "flop" if it doesn't meet the expectations of the manufacturer? It's hard to judge, really. Fourohfour 10:44, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

I'm going to say that most people from this generation barely remember commodore, less this system (actually I only remembered about it when i saw it listed)and hence it is a historical flop. Playwrite 03:14, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

But 10+ years later, people tend not to remember any systems except the huge commercial successes! A flop isn't simply "didn't do extremely well", it means that it's a failure. Does anyone have actual sales figures? Mdwh 22:46, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

One year on, and no references for it being a flop, so I've removed them. We provide actual sales figures, which is a lot better than unsourced weasel-worded claims. Mdwh 14:32, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Cooperation with Sony

I removed the following statement, anyone have a source for this?

Interestingly the CD-ROM interface in the machine was developed in association with Sony and many ideas from the CD32 made it into the Playstation and Playstation 2. Thanks to its PowerPC cored CELL processor there is speculation of the latest version of the AmigaOS (AmigaOS 4) being ported to Sonys Playstation 3. Pixel8 16:50, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

I believe this is misinformation. Sony worked with Nintendo to produce a CD device for the Super NES, and after that didn't come to fruition, Sony created the PlayStation. I doubt Commodore would have had need for Sony's expertise with the CD-ROM because Commodore already had experience with CD-ROM interaces due to their CDTV device. Tempestb 20:34, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

DISCONTINUED

WHEN WAS AMIGA CD32 DISCONTINUED? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.188.17.249 (talk) 20:32, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, that depends. Commodore Intl went bankrupt just before the U.S. launch. Commodore UK, however, remained and attempted to buy the assets of Commodore Intl when it went to auction. (But bowed out just before hand) I believe (But have no resources to point to) that Commodore UK had the Ireland production facility continue to produce CD32 units for their domestic market. They also had the Movie Module produced in low numbers. If this is true, then the CD32 was possibly still in production until 94/95 when the auction took place for Commodore assets. If not true, than production ceased when Commodore Intl went bankrupt in late 1993(?).

Tempestb (talk) 18:26, 27 November 2007 (UTC)

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Overall lifespan, and success

This console sold 100,000 units during the fifth generation, a fifth of the Atari Jaguar which put this in sixth place during the Fifth generation, the PlayStation sold 100 million units between 1995 and 2005, when I'm sure production stopped,putting it in first place, the Nintendo 64 sold 32 million units between 1996 and 2002 putting it second, the Sega Saturn sold 9 million units between 1994 and 1998 putting it in thrird, the 3do sold 2 million units between 1993 and 1996 putting it in fourth, the Atari Jaguar sold 500,000 units between 1993 and 1996 (though, I'm not sure if 1996 counts in sales because, Atari were selling of spare inventory) and the Amiga CD32, the discussed console sold 100,000 units through 1993 to 1995, though It was most likly discounied in the US and canada after 1994 (or possibly 1993 holiday season) because of Commodore International going bancrupt well Commodore UK carryed on intil 1995 until auctions for Commodore's assets took place, then support and, pehaps clearance consoles would have been layed of in the UK, though most likely out of the 100,000 that only a fraction would of been sold in the US and Canada, making it a bigger faliure in North America then in Europe, but this does not rule this console not being a faliure in the UK, because it was 100,000 units is no sucsess, in any circumstances even if the CD32 had 50% of the UK's cd market in late 1993 well the CD-i had 1%, but it had an even shorter life in North America, then it's still exceptionally short 2 year lifespan in the UK, and it was an even bigger faliure in north america then in the UK, even though it was a huge flop still (almost definitly selling less then the 100,000 toll, considering it was releaced outside of the UK) and ultimately sold less units outside of the UK then in the UK, though it should be noted that it was loosely releaced throughout europe (it says on the official box) and that there may have been very minor crates of the CD32 with in Aisa, in counties like china and the philipenes (hence, having units seized) that are being sold of in extremly small amounts, fresh boxed through out the internet, and that is the complete overview on the console, people seeking infomation on the consoles advanced statistics should read this edit, and I think I have ansered most people's question's relvolveing around the cd32 here, and I am trying to add as much as this infomation as possible to wikkipedia articles. mcjakeqcool Mcjakeqcool (talk) 15:48, 31 October 2008 (UTC)

Additional help

For wiki talk users who may not understand this, the amiga cd32 had the most sucsess in the UK, had a shorter run of units and lifespan in north america then europe, and had loose releaces throughout europe, and minor amounts may have came in crates, fresh boxed throughout aisa. This is just a cut down way to explain the 'overall lifespan, and sucsess' of the Amiga CD32. mcjakeqcool Mcjakeqcool (talk) 15:54, 31 October 2008 (UTC)

World's first 32 bit game console

The Commodore Amiga CD32 is the worlds first 32 bit console, and uses the mighty Motorola 68020 processesor which makes it more powerful than all home competing consoles on the market. mcjakeqcool Mcjakeqcool (talk) 23:28, 12 February 2009 (UTC)

If the CD32 is a 32-bit Console, then so is the Sega Megadrive. The Megadrive has a 68000 which uses 32bit instruction set and 16bit bus. The CD32 uses a 68EC020 which uses a 32bit instruction set and 24bit bus. Other than stupid marketing, where is the confusion here?

No is a chipest version of the processor, the Motorola 68EC020 who is a 24 bit processor. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A01:E0A:8EA:9B50:4935:E774:CE4A:F8B0 (talk) 08:02, 22 November 2021 (UTC)

The points are data bus and arithmetic logic unit which are both 32 bit wide with the MC68EC020. The width of the address bus (=addressable amount of RAM) doesn't matter. The MC68000 is 16 bit for its ALU and data bus, just the ISA is 32 bit. The FM Towns Marty's 386SX has got a 32-bit ALU but only a 16-bit data bus. --Zac67 (talk) 20:45, 22 November 2021 (UTC)

World's first 32 bit game console only in North America and Europe

The Amiga CD32 was indeed the world's first 32 bit console in Europe and North America, but it was the FM Towns Marty that was the world's first 32 bit console in Japan. mcjakeqcool Mcjakeqcool (talk) 17:10, 4 April 2009 (UTC)

AND Canada, AND Australia - makes it more worldly than the FM. Tallaussiebloke (talk) 22:43, 21 November 2018 (UTC)

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Australia

If anyone can find them, adverts exist for the system from John Martins/David Jones of the era (in this case, same department store in changeover). I personally witnessed the 32 when visiting as a kid. I highly doubt someone imported a 32 to trick me! Tallaussiebloke (talk) 22:46, 21 November 2018 (UTC)

Dick Smith's Electronics ads are up on YouTube - I can't link though! Even here! Tallaussiebloke (talk) 16:19, 6 December 2018 (UTC)

If an item is challenged it's up to the inserting editor to provide a WP:RS. --Zac67 (talk) 18:29, 6 December 2018 (UTC)