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Andrew Lloyd Webber & Billy Ray Cyrus

 Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Premiere Collection Encore is a CD-i Digital Video release that can be a little tricky to track down if you're in the US, while the European version seems to be plentiful and cheap.


One interesting thing to do with your CDi discs (perhaps often more interesting than playing them), is to dig around in the booklet. You can often spot unreleased titles - be it unreleased regionally - or unreleased altogether.

An unreleased regional title is mentioned "Skiing: An Adventure in Apsen" (serial# 310690129-2).
Additionally on the list is "Billy Ray Cyrus: Live".



Presumably the same content as this Polydor VHS release:


It's a good thing you can always dust off your VHS player and snag a copy on tape to enjoy Billy Ray's glorious mullet in it's prime glory.

Scans for the USA release of Andrew Lloyd Webber are available here.

I'm selling my copy of the Andrew Lloyd Webber release on eBay here. Buy it so I can keep the cycle of preservation going. (SOLD THANKS!)


List of CD-i Games still for Sale (PC)

Want an easy, cheap way to play CD-i classics without owning a console? Support the devs who are still selling their games on PC! This list is Steam-centric, but some of the titles are also available on Good Old Games (gog.com).

A Tower of White Label Demonstration Discs

Yes, it's true. I'm far too lazy to arrange these into something easier on the eyes. So here you are - a tower of discs.

Some Demonstration Discs were released with serial number variations - Treasures of the Smithsonian for example - data matches. A Visit To Sesame Street Letters has a title & serial variation - data doesn't match. So far I have found that White Label Demonstration Discs largely match some iteration of retail release - more dumps are needed (both retail and Preproduction) to paint a clearer picture.























I'm collecting my Preproduction scans here on archive.org. I hope to add more as budget and lucky finds permit.

Editions: Preproduction / Demonstration

A wealth of Preproduction discs (usually called some flavor of "Demonstration") were properly pressed (as in, not CD-Rs). This page is to help identify the rules followed and broken by the various types of  CD-i Preproduction discs - and in the process attempt to categorize or define the editions. We need more research done with these discs (i.e. dumped and datted with redump.org) to come to more exactly conclusions (so some notes are in parenthesis with questionmarks? for speculation).

Additionally, an attempt at a complete list is in progress on the Redump Wiki. Images are sourced from around the web including World of CDi.


Demonstration Disc

"Demonstration Discs" are White label. And (sometimes / always? matches retail - needs research).

Sometimes they break the rule and are Red:


For this ambiguity of changing rules, we note the edition and color of disc label for CD-i preproduction. This disc was also released in a White label variant which is identical other than the color.


Pre-Release Demonstration Disc


These discs are Red are (always?) feature pre-final versions of the software.



For Demonstration Only

Dutch: Uitsluitend Voor Demonstratie Doeleinden

I do not know if these contain final builds of the game, they are possibly the European equivalent of USA's "Demonstration Disc". From what I've noticed, these tend to pop up for sale in Europe, mostly featuring European serial numbers:

However, I've spotted at least this one with a USA serial number (seller was in UK):


And the Dutch style Uitsluitend Voor Demonstratie Doeleinden:


Also bearing the "For Demonstration Only" label ("CD-I Demonstration Disc" is meant to be the title, not the edition?) (albeit different in appearance):



Review & Test

Typically white label:


Sometimes green label:



Preview & Test


(Always?) Silver disc label, similar looking to white label "Review & Test":



Other (Uncommon)


There are a few examples that don't readily fit into any of the above categories:

A. "FPD" and "TESTING - PHASE" are used in some other editions and are not unique to this disc. There's no unique callout about this disc that we could define as it's edition.



B. Similarly, the only identifying feature of this disc is the label color:



C. Unsure if "Sample Disc" is meant to be part of the title, or if it's meant to be the edition:




Preproduction CD-R

CD-R preproduction discs are in a category of their own. They can be limited to a single copy! Sometimes build version and "Beta" or "Alpha" are scribbled on them. Redump.org tends to slap "Beta" label on every and any pre-final CD-R regardless of it's actual build. I prefer to refer to them ambiguously as "Preproduction" if the are not labeled specifically.


Preproduction CD-Rs tend to look like a standard CD-R, but can sometimes have white labels which labels are printed from office computers. If you are unsure if the disc is a CD-R, you can usually tell in the ring codes, which will have a brand name of a popular CD-R company such as "Verbatim" or "TDK" and often include "CD-R" somewhere in the ring. Color can often tell you what you need to know as well, usually properly pressed CD-Roms will be plain old silver (not gold, or aqua).

CD-i Digital Video & VCD

Riding on the coattails of the Redbook CD-Audio, Philips continued to define and release a 'Rainbow Book' of format specifications. The end result was a barrage of complicated specs, often requiring different hardware, often employing immature compression formats which performed unimpressively. You could go down a wormhole analyzing the quirks associated with each format (and many preservationists have, including sarami's DiscImageCreator and claunia's Aaru dumping applications) - but an interesting takeaway I've found is that Philips was more interested in specifying how formats operated in their disc structure (TOC) than letting the software do the talking (DVD flavors).

The Philips CD-i video releases were either CD-i DigitalVideo format (exclusive played on the CD-i console IF you had the expensive hardware add-on) or VCD - which were packed with Philips with some kind of "CD-i" logo attached to them - "CD-i Music" or "CD-i Video".


Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales" interestingly was released as VCD in USA and CD-i Digital Video in Europe.

European version, note "Digital Video on CD-i" on cover and "Compact Disc Interactive" on disc label:



USA version, note "Video CD" on cover and disc label:


Among the Rainbow Books is the White Book formats. I won't go deep into the White Book format dichotomy as how they relate can be dizzying even to me. The technical way to confirm the difference between the two formats is the disc structure:

  • CD-i DigitalVideo has a single track.
  • VCDs with the CD-i logo will have 4 tracks (later iterations of the VCD format had different number of tracks).
Here's a look at the USA (VCD) release of Ten Summoner's Tales with IsoBuster open:



The legacy of  CD-i lives within Track 1 of VCD's, note the "CDI" folder:


This disc has been submitted to redump.org database and scans (minus inside of the book) are available here.

Further complicating things, Interactive Dreams notes that some CD-i DigitalVideo were re-released as VCD with the same serials in Europe.

I'm selling my USA copy on eBay so I can buy more CDi discs to examine and preserve, bid if you're interested to help out!

List of CD-i DigitalVideo (GreenBook) and VideoCD (WhiteBook) Titles available from Philips as of 6/95

 First and foremost this list is incomplete and does not represent the final, full list. It was a snapshot in time, but I want to share as-is for historical reference. The list comes from here. "X" indicates that it is a VCD (White Book). No-X refers to it being a CD-i Digital Video (Green Book). Additionally, some of the VCDs have CD-i wrappers - if I'm understanding correctly - I hope to touch more upon this in the future.


The following is a list of CD-i DigitalVideo (GreenBook) and
VideoCD (WhiteBook) titles available from Philips as of 6/95.

CD-i Software orders & info:   (800) 340-7888
International Sales:           (615) 636-5756
(Note: some titles may not be available for foreign sales,
 due to copyright restrictions)
CD-i Hardware:                 (800) 531-0039



TITLE                            CATALOG #       UPC #          VCD
--------                        -------------  -------------   -----
A Fish Called Wanda             310-690-405-2   731069040521     X
A View to a Kill                310-690-409-2   731069040927     X
Addams Family Values            310-690-326-2   731069032625     X
Airplane!                       310-690-327-2                    X
Andre                           310-690-341-2                    X
Annie Hall                      310-690-422-2                    X
Apocalypse Now                  310-690-305-2   731069030522     X
Baby Boom                       310-690-425-2                    X
Benny & Joon                    310-690-420-2                    X
Beverly Hills Cop               310-690-313-2   731069031321     X
Black Rain                      310-690-315-2   731069031529     
Bon Jovi:  Keep the Faith       310-690-294-2   731069029427     
Bryan Adams: 
  Waking Up the Neighbours      310-690-288-2   731069028826     
Bull Durham                     310-690-501-2   731069050124     X
Carreras Domingo Pavarotti:
   The Three Tenors             310-690-164-2                    X
Carrie                          310-690-426-2                    X
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang         310-690-410-2                    X
Clear and Present Danger        310-690-338-2                    X
Coming to America               310-690-329-2                    X
Coneheads                       310-690-320-2   731069032021     
Dances With Wolves              310-690-502-2   731069050223     X
Diamonds are Forever            310-690-421-2                    X
Dr. No                          310-690-404-2   731069040422     X
Eric Clapton:  
  The Cream of Clapton          310-690-292-2   731069029229     
For Your Eyes Only              310-690-419-2                    X
Forest Gump                     310-690-339-2                    X
Four Weddings and a Funeral     310-690-212-2                    X
From Russia With Love           310-690-403-2   731069040323     X
Goldfinger                      310-690-407-2   731069040729     X
Golf My Way (5 discs)           310-690-048-2   731069004820     
Indecent Proposal               310-690-316-2   731069031628     
Irving Berlin's White Christmax 310-690-306-2                    X
Lamb Chop's Play-Along:
  Action Songs                  310-690-289-2   731069028925     
Live and Let Die                310-690-417-2                    X
Married to the Mob              310-690-503-2                    X
Mississippi Burning             310-690-510-2                    X
Moonraker                       310-690-411-2                    X
Moonstruck                      310-690-401-2   731069040125     X
NFL's 100 Greatest Touchdowns   310-690-053-2   731069005322     
Octopussy                       310-690-416-2                    X
Of Mice and Men                 310-690-423-2                    X
Overboard                       310-690-424-2                    X
Patriot Games                   310-690-314-2   731069031420     
Pete Townshend:  Live           310-690-054-2   731069005421     X
Peter Gabriel: All About Us     310-690-148-2   731069014829     X
Planes, Trains and Automobiles  310-690-317-2   731069031727     
Playboy's Complete Massage      310-690-298-2   731069029823     
Posse                           310-690-254-2   731069025429     
Quigley Down Under              310-690-418-2                    X
Raging Bull                     310-690-402-2   731069040224     X
Rain Man                        310-690-408-2   731069040828     X
Road House                      310-690-428-2                    X
Robocop                         310-690-506-2   731069050629     X
Robocop 2                       310-690-507-2                    X
Rocky                           310-690-412-2                    X
Silence of the Lambs            310-690-509-2   731069050926     X
Sliver                          310-690-309-2   731069030928     
Star Trek: 
  The Motion Picture            310-690-333-2                    X
Star Trek II:
  The Wrath of Khan             310-690-310-2   731069031024     X
Star Trek III:
  The Search for Spock          310-690-334-2   731069033424     X
Star Trek V:
  The Final Frontier            310-690-337-2   731069033721     X
Star Trek VI: 
  The Undiscovered Country      310-690-304-2   731069030423     
Tennis Our Way (3 discs)        310-690-052-2   731069005223     
The Addams Family               310-690-330-2   731069033028     
The Best of Baby Songs          310-690-296-2   731069029625     
The Black Stallion              310-690-413-2                    X
The Firm                        310-690-308-2   731069030829     
The Hunt for Red October        310-690-302-2   731069030225     
The Joy of Sex                  310-690-241-2   731069024125     X
The Naked Gun                   310-690-323-2   731069032328     X
The Naked Gun 2 1/2:
  The Smell of Fear             310-690-312-2   731069031222     
The Naked Gun 33 1/3:
  The Final Insult              310-690-336-2   731069033622     X
The Pink Panther                310-690-427-2                    X
The Secret of NIMH              310-690-406-2   731069040620     X
The Three Tenors                310-690-164-2   731069016427     X
Thelma and Louise               310-690-414-2   731069041429     X
Top Gun                         310-690-301-2   731069030126     
U2: Rattle and Hum              310-690-344-2                    X
Wayne's World                   310-690-318-2   731069031826     
Wayne's World 2                 310-690-332-2   731069033226     X
Webber:
   The Premiere Collection      310-690-297-2   731069029724     
White Christmas                 310-690-306-2   731069030621     
X-Men                           310-690-149-2   731069014928     X
You Only Live Twice             310-690-415-2   731069041528     X

Interactive Math has you Seeing Double

 The Interactive Math (Matemáticas Interactivas) series appears to have come from the Estados Unidos, and based on its reversible Español manual (and dual language disc titles), possibly released South of the border.

I was able to snag tres (that's 'three') of the discs in the series, but the back of a couple of them indicate there is likely at least a fourth - "Fractions" - out there somewhere...



I've scanned (1, 2, 3 - reuse as you wish) and datted these with redump.org, so I'll call that preserved.