Growing Pains: From 'Baby' to 'CDTV'
18th July 1989, London
Gail Wellington meets hardware designer Don Gilbreath at a meeting
and the idea for a CD-based interactive video system is conceived.
Unlike current systems, this one will use tried and trusted
technology with an existing base of experts - growing daily - the
Amiga 500.
Mid-November 1989, West Chester, US
Gail Wellington receives a phone call from an excited hardware
designer in Japan. It's the middle of the night in the Land of the
Rising Sun, but the excited developer - just like a new father -
cannot contain himself any longer: "Gail! We've just delivered a
17lb baby!" He goes on to say "... she worked first time... there's
still a few bugs, but we'll fix them in the morning!" From then on
the machine is code-named Baby...
January 1990, London
The first prototype is officially shown to developers at a top
secret press conference. Initial press leaks quickly plugged.
Developers start work immediately.
June 1990, London
The British press is officially notified of the machine -
developers still working under a shroud of secrecy tighter than a
tourniquet.
September 1990, London
CDTV meets an admiring trade at the CES conference and the great
British public catches a first glimpse of the machine at the
show.
October 1990, London
Between one and two thousand preview models arrive in the country
to be placed with the press and the public for pre-release testing.
Amiga Format announces a competition to win one of these machines.
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