This is an attempt to collect all known and available modifications for Philips CD-i players in a single article. Consider it a work in progress – I will add new information from time to time. Please give feedback if you find an error or want to add something to this article.

Due to the plethora of different models, versions and revisions of CD-i players that have been sold under the Philips / Magnavox or entirely different brands (OEM), it is virtually impossible to create one big list that contains every player. I chose a different approach with several lists to cover most of the hardware combinations: Available modifications, mainboards, and video encoders.

Available modifications

This is an overview of the available modifications:

• 50/60 Hz modification: This is done by changing the STAND! / STANDIN! signal to make the player believe that it is from a different region (PAL = 0 and NTSC = 1). It does not really change a PAL player to NTSC or vice versa, but it changes the refresh rate of the video output.
• PAL/NTSC modification: This is the actual hardware change from PAL to NTSC. Depending on mainboard and video encoder, this can be as easy as installing a DFO or as hard as populating the entire analog video section of the mainboard or encoder panel.
• RGB modification: This will add an RGB video output to your CD-i player. Useful for all CD-i players from the NTSC regions and the cheaper players from the PAL regions.
• NVRAM modification: Depending on mainboard and ROM, the 8 KB Timekeeper chip of some players can be upgraded to a 32 KB SRAM chip in a SmartWatch socket.
• CDM: Information about the CD loading mechanism that can be connected to the mainboard and is usually found in the players.
• Adapters and cables: Various cables from Philips, adapters for connecting accessories of other computer or game systems to CD-i players and replacement power supplies/adapters.
• ROM/Software modifications: Add missing features and customise the player shell.

• PAL/NTSC modification: Probably possible, but needs some additional components or swapping the encoder panels.
  
  Encoder panels are available as PAL or NTSC versions for consumer players.

Kyocera

Found in the PRO 1000S portable player:

• Service manual: N/A.
• Video encoder: CXA1645M.
• NVRAM: 8 KB only.
• CDM: KSS-320B.
• 50/60 Hz modification: Unknown.

Sony PU-4

Found in the IVO-V10 and IVO-V11 portable players:

• Service manual: Here.
• Video encoder: CXA1145M.
• NVRAM: 8 KB only.
• CDM: KSM-311AAM / KSS-311A.
• 50/60 Hz modification: Unknown.

Sony PU-702

Found in the IVO-N7 portable player:

• Service manual: Here.
• Video encoder: CXA1145M.
• NVRAM: 8 KB only.
• CDM: KSM-311AAM / KSS-311A.
• 50/60 Hz modification: Unknown.

NVRAM

Moved completey reworked version of the NVRAM section to a new article.

Adapters and cables

Cables and adapters designed by Philips

• Many serial cables are listed on the PMpro mirror on ICDIA.
• A 22ER9208 I/O Port splitter is needed for some CD-i players to play certain games with two players simultaneously or connect a keyboard and/or modem. The world of CD-i has a project to replicate this port-splitter.
• With a null-modem cable you can access and transfer data in the NVRAM. For example, with CD-i Link (cdilink) or CD-interlink and a terminal.

Adapters for connecting accessories of other computer or game systems to CD-i players

USB

• With the Arduino CD-i Controller Library by TwBurn you can connect USB controllers, mice and keyboards to CD-i players. Several code examples are available and most of them make use of a USB Host Shield.
• There is also a USB-2-CDI adapter that can be pre-ordered on controlleradapter.com.

Bluetooth

• The CD-i Bluetooth controller module is a plug & play solution to connect Bluetooth controllers to CD-i players. Also on GitHub.
• The BlueRetro Multiplayer Bluetooth controllers adapter supports CD-i since v0.15. More information here.

Super Nintendo / Super Famicom

• With the Arduino-based SNEStoCDi adapter by Laurent Berta you can connect Super Nintendo (SNES) / Super Famicom (SFC) gamepads to CD-i players.
• This is a fork of the SNEStoCDi project by Larry Erb. It contains layout and code changes for Arduino Nano and ATtiny85.

Mega Drive / Genesis

• GenesisToCDi is an adaptation of SNEStoCDi by UrQuan3 to connect Sega Mega Drive game pads to CD-i players.
• There is also closed-source Arduino-based SMDtoCDI adapter by Lauraiss.
• Technically not an adapter, but it can be converted into one: Philips CD-i RC6 Remote Control Hack.

PlayStation

• With psx2cdi by danhans42 you can connect PlayStation pads to CD-i players. At the moment, it supports digital buttons only.

PC game port

• With the CD-i Gamepad Adapter by Paul Hackmann you can connect analogue PC joysticks and gamepads to CD-i players. The adapter is not available anymore and the website is long gone, but this capture of the website contains an archive with the specifications of the adapter.

PS/2 mouse

• With the Arduino-based PS/2 Mouse to Cdi adapter by Dan Brakeley you can connect PS/2 mice to CD-i players.

Replacement power supplies / adapters

CDI450 and other Roboco CD-i players

These CD-i players have an RJ45 (8P8C) socket for the power supply. What makes them special is that they need two voltages (+5 V / 3,3 A and -5 V / 0,25 A) and that the built-in power switch turns on the power supply remotely by connecting pin 8 to GND. A very common substitute is an arcade power supply that provides both voltages but renders the built-in power switch useless. A breakthrough was made recently by Jeff Chen, who first used an old ATX power supply and then developed a foolproof adapter for two regular +5 V power supplies.

• Arcade power supply to RJ45
  Make sure to use separate conductors for all +5 V and GND:
  1 – +5 V (3,3 A)
  2 – (+5 V optional)
  3 – +5 V
  4 – GND
  5 – +5 V
  6 – GND
  7 – -5 V (0,25 A)
  8 – n. c.
• ATX-1.x power supply to RJ45
  Warning: There are several standard and non-standard wirings. Double-check the +5 V, -5 V, GND and PS_ON lines before plugging it into a CD-i player!
  Make sure to use separate conductors for all +5 V and GND:
  1 – +5 V (3,3 A)
  2 – (+5 V optional)
  3 – +5 V
  4 – GND
  5 – +5 V
  6 – GND
  7 – -5 V (pin 18)
  8 – PS_ON (pin 14)
• Philips CD-i 450/550 Power Adapter
  GitHub repository with instructions, PCB design and STL files.

CDI370 and other portable GoldStar / LG players

These CD-i players have a Mini-Din-5 socket for the power supply. What makes them special is that they need two voltages (21 V / 1,7 A and 5 V).

• The pinout can be found on retrovideogames.de and allows you to build an adapter with two power supplies.
• As an alternative solution, it was suggested in the Philips CD-i Appreciation Facebook Group to remove the battery and connect an 18 V power supply directly to the terminals on the back (+ to the upper left terminal and – to the lower left terminal).
• Another solution has been invented on the Philips CD-i Community Discord server:
  Connect a USB-C/USB-A dual port charger (65 W or more) to a Mini-DIN-5 plug according to the pinout. +5 V from the USB-A output and +20 V from the USB-C output (set to 20 V with an additional USB-PD trigger module).

ROM/Software modifications

Simple and not so simple modifications that could render your CD-i player useless.
Remedy: Use the original ROM and/or delete the NVRAM to go back to normal.

• A modification of a ROM file has been attempted here for the first time. Even though the results were not successful, the article will give you an overview of how to patch a file and how to calculate the required checksums.
• Add the missing Service Shell for CDI660 by patching the DVC ROM. Lots of additional information about modules, headers and checksums.
• Custom ROM for CDI450 (and 550) to make 32 KB NVRAM upgrades possible.
• Customise the startup message of CDI660, 670 and even 490 players with the CDI 660/670 Key disc and PIN code 3094.
  This customization is not limited to the aforementioned models and could work on other Mono IV based CD-i players as well – if the ROM supports it.
  Hint: Use a keyboard to enter the text. CDI490 requires a 22ER9208 I/O Port splitter for the keyboard to work.
  If you don’t want to use the key disc, you can simply create a text file with your message on a PC and name it “.keycontrol” (without the quotes). You can even use special characters like “/” that are not possible with the editor of the key disc. Then, place the file in the NVRAM, e.g. by downloading it to /nvr with the CD-i Link program and restart the CD-i player.

Changelog

2020-01-13: Added pictures and schematic of the Bt video encoder.
2020-01-17: Added more details to the 50/60 Hz modifications and links to the service manuals.
2020-01-29: Added the NVRAM section.
2020-02-18: Added the ROM/Software section.
2020-04-24: Added the Adapters and cables section.
2020-08-30: Moved FW380i to Mono III-based and added link to the service manual.
2020-10-01: Added more information to the 32 KB NVRAM section.
2020-10-02: Added RGB modifications for the Bt video encoder.
2020-11-16: Split Mono IV section into three separate sections.
2021-01-08: Added the CD-i Controller Library to the Adapters and cables section.
2021-02-06: Moved the 21TCDI30 TV to Mono III.
2021-08-24: Added GW-48T08-1 and GW-1244-1 to the NVRAM section.
2021-08-29: Added 32 KB NVRAM upgrade to Roboco and NVRAM section.
2021-12-31: Moved completey reworked version of the NVRAM section to a new article.
2022-01-02: Added information about CDM. More ROM modifications. Minor fixes.
2022-01-07: Added professional, authoring and portable player mainboards. Added Roboco 50/60 Hz mod and pictures. Minor fixes.
2022-01-26: CDI602 confirmed to have Maxi MMC mainboard.
2022-07-20: Added PCDI mainboard sections. Added Bluetooth adapters to the Adapters and cables section.
2022-11-30: Added Replacement power supplies / adapters (Roboco and PCDI-portable) to the Adapters and cables section.
2023-02-02: Tidied up Adapters for connecting accessories… and added GenesisToCDi and psx2cdi to the Adapters and cables section.
2023-04-05: Updated CDM information for all mainboards. Added USB-2-CDI to the Adapters and cables section.
2023-05-28: Renamed PCDI to GoldStar / LG and updated the information.
2023-06-09: Added Kyocera and Sony mainboard sections.
2024-02-18: Added Mini MMC (NTSC) mainboard. Added VAM1205 to Mono IV (B&O). Added another portable GoldStar / LG PSU solution.