CD-i Technical Documentation / System

On this page, you will find several technical documents related to CD-i hardware components and other system related subjects. Most of them are in Portable Document Format, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print them.



  • MONO II Player Status

  • Philips Media Electronic Publishing - February 1994
    This document is a technical summary of the status of the MonoII players. It begins with some general information and then gives specific problem reports. If workarounds are known they are presented.
    Download mono2status.zip (428 KB - 1x PDF in ZIP)

  • Main differences CDI660 and CDI670

  • Philips Consumer Electronics - April 1998
    This document is an internal memo concerning the new CDI660 and CDI670 players. It describes the hardware and software differences with earlier players and contains notes about testing the new ROMs.
    Download cdi660_670_memo.pdf (668 KB - PDF)

  • MCD212

  • Motorola, Inc. - 1995
    This document describes in full detail the MCD212 Video Decoder and System Controller (VDSC) that is used in CD-i players. It delivers extensive information about CD-i's video features, including technical aspects such as memory handling.
    Download mcd212rev0.pdf (873 KB - PDF)

  • MCD221 Technical Summary

  • Motorola, Inc. - 1995
    This document contains a technical summary of the MCD221 CD-Interface and Audio Processor (CIAP) that is used in CD-i players. It delivers some information about CD-i's audio features and the way the system communicates with the CD drive.
    Download mcd221tsrev0.pdf (286 KB - PDF)

  • MCD251 Technical Summary

  • Motorola, Inc. - 1995
    This document contains a technical summary of the MCD251 MPEG1 Full Motion Video (FMV) decoder that is used in the VMPEG Digital Video Cartridge (DVC) for CD-i players. It delivers some information about CD-i's MPEG video features and the way the system communicates with the MPEG decoder.
    Download mcd251ts.pdf (1.11 MB - PDF)

  • MCD270 Technical Summary

  • Motorola, Inc.
    This document contains a technical summary of the MCD270 MPEG Integrated Video and Audio decoder that is used in the IMPEG Digital Video Cartridges (DVC) for CD-i players. It delivers some information about CD-i's MPEG video and audio features and the way the system communicates with the MPEG decoders.
    Download mcd270ts.pdf (376 KB - PDF)

  • M68000

  • Motorola Inc. - 1992
    This archive contains Programmer's Reference Manual and Errata documents for the M68000 Microprocessor family. The M68000 family consists of 16/32 bit general-purpose microprocessor devices with varying external bus sizes and a common base instruction set. The Green Book specifies an M68000-compatible main processor for all CD-i players; an actual MC68HC000 is used in the Sony IVO portable CD-i players. Download m68000.zip (1.97 MB - PDF + TXT in ZIP)

  • SCC68070

  • Philips Semiconductors - November 1990 / April 1993
    This archive contains Technical Information documents for the SCC68070 Highly Integrated Microprocessor. The SCC68070 consists of an 68000-compatible CPU core, a two channel DMA controller, two serial channels, three timers, an I²C interface and a serial interface. It is used in all Philips players except the CDI 370 portable.
    Download scc68070.zip (8.80 MB - 2x PDF in ZIP)
    Note: There are some inaccuracies and inconsistencies in these documents.

  • MC68340/MC68340V

  • Motorola, Inc. - 1992
    This archive contains Product Information and Manual documents for the MC68340 Integrated Processor with DMA. The MC68340 consists of an 68020-compatible CPU core, a two channel DMA controller, two serial channels and two timers. It is used in the Philips CDI 370 / Goldstar GPI 1100 / Goldstar GPI 1200 portable playerss.
    Download mc68340.zip (2.77 MB - 4x PDF in ZIP)

  • MC68341/MC68341V

  • Motorola, Inc. - 1993
    This archive contains Product Information and Manual documents for the MC68341 Integrated CD-i Engine. The MC68341 consists of an 68020-compatible CPU core, a two channel DMA controller, two serial channels, a timer, an SPI serial interface and a real-time clock. It is used on the I²M cards.
    Download mc68341.zip (1.75 MB - 4x PDF in ZIP)

  • TMP68301A/TMP68303/TMP68305

  • Toshiba - 1994
    This archive contains Technical Information chapters for the TMP683xx Microprocessor with Integrated Peripherals models. These processors consists of an 68HC000 CPU core and model-dependent numbers of DMA controllers, serial and parallel interfaces and timers. The TMP68305 is used in the Kyocera Pro-1000S portable player.
    Download tmp683xx.zip (15.3 MB - 3x PDF in ZIP)

  • DSP56001

  • Motorola, Inc. - May 1998
    This archive contains the technical data for the DSP56001 Digital Signal Processor that is used in the Digital Video cartridge.
    Download dsp56001.zip (689 KB - 4x PDF in ZIP)

  • MC68HC05C8 Programming Reference Guide

  • Motorola
    This document contains programming information about the MC68HC05C8 microcontroller that is used as the SLAVE and SERVO chips in CD-i players.
    Download mc68hc05c8rg.pdf (3.49 MB - PDF)

  • MC68HC05i8 Advance Information

  • Motorola
    This document contains advance information about the 68000-interface version of the MC68HC05 microcontroller that is used as the IKAT chip in CD-i players.
    Download mc68hc05i8ai.pdf (11.6 MB - PDF)

  • M48T08

  • STMicroelectronics
    These documents describe in full detail the M48T08 Timekeeper RAM. This IC contains SRAM that is used in CD-i players as 8KB NV-RAM, as well as a real-time, battery backed clock.
    Download m48t08.pdf (149 KB - PDF - May 1999)
    Download m48t08-m48t18-m48t08y.pdf (495 KB - PDF - June 2011)

  • DS1643

  • Dallas / Maxim
    This document describes a compatible replacement for the M48T08 Timekeeper RAM.
    Download ds1643-ds1643p.pdf (204 KB - PDF)

  • DS1216

  • Dallas / Maxim
    These documents describes in full detail the DS1216 SmartWatch RAM socket. The socket is used in CD-i with an SRAM chip as 32KB NV-RAM, as well as a real-time, battery backed clock.
    Download ds1216-ds1216h.pdf (660 KB - PDF)

  • DS1244

  • Dallas / Maxim
    This document describes a compatible replacement for the DS1216 SmartWatch RAM socket.
    Download ds1244-ds1244p.pdf (639 KB - PDF)

  • CD-i Base Case Video Board

  • Motorola Ltd. - July 1994
    This application note describes the design of a CD-i Base Case Video (BCV) board which forms part of the Motorola CD-i Development System (MCDS).
    Download an492d.pdf (3.89 MB - PDF)

  • Technical Info Pointing Devices

  • Philips Interactive Media Systems - August 1990
    Technical specification about CD-i pointing devices, including the connector pin layout, the data signal format and device identification for mice, joysticks, graphic tablets and touch screens.
    Download pointing_devices.pdf (1.17 MB - PDF)
    Note: See also Chapter 9. Input devices of the Technical Documentation for CDI 605 / 605T Users documents in the CD-i Technical Documentation section.

  • Technical Info Keyboards

  • Philips Interactive Media Systems - May 1993
    Technical specification about CD-i keyboards, including the connector pin layout, the data signal format and device identification. This is the original specification covering so-called 'K' and 'X' mode keyboards.
    Download keyboards.pdf (1,44 MB - PDF)
    Note: See also Chapter 9. Input devices of the Technical Documentation for CDI 605 / 605T Users documents in the CD-i Technical Documentation section.

  • CDI Keyboard Specification

  • N.V. Philips Industrial Activities Hasselt - September 1996
    Updated technical specification about CD-i keyboards, including the data signal format and device identification. This covers both newer so-called 'T' mode and the original 'K' mode keyboards.
    Download keyboards_1996.pdf (918 KB - PDF)

  • Download New CD-i Keyboard Drivers for CDI 450 & 380

  • N.V. Philips Interactive Media Centre - July 1996
    Document describing the downloading of drivers for the CD-i keyboard 'T' mode into the CDI 450 and 380 players. This is needed because these players do not support the regular CD-i keyboard 'K' mode on splitter port.
    Download keyboard_drivers.pdf (2.14 MB - PDF)

  • Technical Info CD-i Picture Quality

  • Philips Interactive Media Systems - December 1992
    Information about obtaining the best possible pictures from your CD-i player, esp. choosing the right connection (RGB, Y/C, CVBS, RF).
    Download picture_quality.pdf (467 KB - PDF)

  • CD-i to be extended with Full-Motion Video

  • Philips Interactive Media Systems - May 1991
    Announcement of Full-Motion Video extension for Philips CD-i players.
    Download fmv_extension.pdf (625 KB - PDF)

  • CD-i Nullmodem Cable Specification

  • Philips Professional Products - 1995
    This document describes the full pin-layout to connect a CD-i player to a PC or Macintosh via the serial port. Please refer to Can I connect a CD-i player to a terminal display? in the FAQ for more information on how to use this connection.
    Download cdi_nullmodem.jpg (86 KB - JPEG)

  • Application Note 'CD-i Ready' disc

  • Philips Interactive Media Systems - October 1991
    Technical specification of the 'CD-i Ready' type disc. CD-i Ready is an Audio-CD with CD-i data located in the pre-gap before track 1. Contains info for producers of CD-i players and creators of CD-i titles.
    Download cdi_ready.zip (664 KB - JPEGs in ZIP)

  • CD-i Y2K Statement

  • Philips Electronics NV - August 1998
    Official statement from Philips about any year 2000 related CD-i issues. It describes ways on how to bypass possible problems when using MS-DOS formatted media in conjuction with a CD-i player.
    Download cdiY2k.pdf (70 KB - PDF)

  • CD-i Patents

  • Philips System Standards & Licensing - December 2000
    This document describes the CD-i specific parts of Philips' CD patents, including the countries in which they are filed and their expiration dates. More info about CD patents can be found at Philips Licensing.
    Download cddiscgeneralrcdiexhIII.pdf (6 KB - PDF)

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