Infomercials... Anyone?

xanfan · Post by **xanfan** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:24 pm

Hi everyone! My name's Kris. I'm new here, but I've been a fan of CDi for many years now. I'm 24, and have been big on videogames since I was a kid, but out of the 25+ systems I've collected over the years, without a dought, my favorite system is the CDi. (And not just for the games either. Some of the entertainment, educational and reference discs are great as well. Much better than that 3DO attempt. Yuck!) While my first system was the Magnavox 450, I now own a Philips 220 model, as well as the Philips 605 model.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone out there had copies of either of the two informercials that Philips/Magnavox aired for the CDi. Specifically the "Meaning Of Life" one, in which when I saw it as a kid, I just knew it was going to be a special machine. I'd really love to see it again to relive the early days of the system, but it seems that no one has it out there. Anyone here have it?

I could work out a video trade (I have game shows from the 50s to the current in my archive, as well as a few select historical events that I taped off the news, like the Oklahoma City Bombing, the 6.6 magnatude earthquake from 1994 in California, OJ Simpsons's attempted runaway, etc...), or I could pay for the tape and postage, etc. Anything at all, I'd love to see those infomericals again!

Just drop me a line here. Thanks in advance!
-Kris

Post by **Bas** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:46 pm

You're hitting the nail, Kris,

It's been on the boards for ages, apparently it took a long way to find its way again here. I have never seen it, and I would love to see it, yes. When was it aired exactly?

xanfan · Post by **xanfan** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 8:00 am

Bas wrote:It's been on the boards for ages, apparently it took a long way to find its way again here. I have never seen it, and I would love to see it, yes. When was it aired exactly?

I remember that the first informerical (the "Meaning of Life" one) aired sometime around early to mid 1992 when the system was still pretty new. The second informercial (which was aired when the system was being advertised as a game system instead of a home entertainment center), aired around 1995, when it had to compete with PS1 and Saturn.

So I take it that I'm not the only one around here that's been looking for it, eh? I know this is a weird one, but has anyone here ever contacted Philips themselves? Even though they probably don't want to remember the whole ordeal, I'm sure they still have them someplace...

-Kris

Erronous · Post by **Erronous** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:05 pm

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtop ... hlight=cdi

Captain J · Post by **Captain J** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:05 am

Erronous wrote:http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtop ... hlight=cdi

thats was mine and actually im not selling that anymore, but stay tuned as i have future plans for the infomercial and more!

Post by **Bas** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:23 am

I was wondering if anyone out there had copies of either of the two informercials:

I was aware of this "Meaning of Life" infomercial, although I have never seen it. Does someone know if it was aired in the Netherlands as well? Now, you say there are two infomercials, what's the other one about? What's the difference....? I hope our Captain doesn't hold our breath for too long

xanfan · Post by **xanfan** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:52 pm

Bas:

Obviously, since I'm from the US, I have no clue about airings over in the Netherlands.

It wouldn't have been too difficult to air over there though, all they would have to do is change the screens with the American dollars and change it to the appropriate currency.

The second informercial, aired around 1994-1995, when Philips decided to market the machine as a full blown game system instead of a media center type device. It featured 2 guys: One was a CD-i pusher/seller type person, the other guy was I think a cable man. The whole commercial is how the cable man is mad because he takes his time getting to peoples homes to install or repair their cable service, while in the meantime, the CD-i pusher gets to the house before him, offers CD-i, and the homes take the CD-i over cable.

It was pretty laughable then, and I bet it is even more laughable now.

And yes, I too hope we don't have to wait too much longer.