Did the 3DO have the first console visualizer?

[Rick Dangerous]

I was playing CD's on my 3DO this weekend while working on a computer project.  The thing has a pretty sweet visualizer.  Was it the first?

 

I don't think there was another console that had one until the PS1.

 

Pretty cool if so....

[+Sauron]

The Atari Jaguar CD had one, released a little bit after this, although it had been publicized well beforehand. I have a feeling the 3DO visualizer was slapped together just to beat Atari to the punch.

[Rick Dangerous]

Oh yes the Jaguar CD of course (duh, have one.)  But the CD-i, Sega CD, even Saturn didn't have one.

[Flojomojo]

Saturn had the space plane, which was neat. It wasn't reactive to music, though. 

 

I had a Sega CDX, which I thought had a graphic equalizer or something. Can't remember. I have a JVC X'Eye I need to test (and sell), I will check that for a visualizer. 

[roots.genoa]

I really liked Saturn's CD player. It featured the very unusual option to modify pitch.

[LaserCat]

The 3DO also played CD+Graphics discs. The only one I ever purchased was the disc that had both of Graham Parsons solo albums. When you played the cd through the 3DO it would play the lyrics and still frame images. I don't recall any animation. 

[Loafer]

I had quite a few CD+G discs. My favorite was Gustav Holtz “The Planet”, very well done.

 

I thought the Amiga CDTV and CD32 both had CD+G support, the CDTV I think beat the others by a few years

[woobman]

On 2/6/2020 at 2:21 PM, Sauron said:

The Atari Jaguar CD had one, released a little bit after this, although it had been publicized well beforehand. I have a feeling the 3DO visualizer was slapped together just to beat Atari to the punch.

While I do think that the Jag CD had a better visualizer. The Nuon a few years latter was even better. The XBOX 360 was amazing. All done by Jeff Minter. (Mr. Tempest 2000,3000,4000, and Txk). They are the best viualizers. I miss them being built into the systems. It would be nice to see something in the new machines coming out. even if it were for streaming or mp3...

 

But the title of first would have to go to the 3DO. The Jag CD was announced a month or so before the Jag came out. (November 1993). The 3DO was already on the shelves having come out in October. The Jag CD came around 1.5 to 2 years after. If anything, the people at Atari saw the visualizer and said.. Hey we can do better. And they did!!!

 

 

[+Sauron]

4 hours ago, woobman said:

But the title of first would have to go to the 3DO. The Jag CD was announced a month or so before the Jag came out. (November 1993). The 3DO was already on the shelves having come out in October. The Jag CD came around 1.5 to 2 years after. If anything, the people at Atari saw the visualizer and said.. Hey we can do better. And they did!!!

 

 

No, Jeff Minter talked on UseNet about creating the Jag's VLM long before the Jag itself came out. The VLM wasn't actually his first visualiser, it was just the first one that reacted to music. I had Trip-a-Tron for the Atari ST, which was a clear predecessor, and I know he made Colourspace for the C64 even before that.

 

[woobman]

22 hours ago, Sauron said:

No, Jeff Minter talked on UseNet about creating the Jag's VLM long before the Jag itself came out. The VLM wasn't actually his first visualiser, it was just the first one that reacted to music. I had Trip-a-Tron for the Atari ST, which was a clear predecessor, and I know he made Colourspace for the C64 even before that.

 

He was focused on consoles so I stuck with that. You are correct in there were others on computers before.

 

If we were going down that rabbit hole as far as he mentioned in on UseNet therfore he was first, I believe that the The Atari Cx240? Music Machine predates all and was released in 1976 or 1977. Maybe his original inspiration? I played with one. It's amazing for it's time. Think 2600 graphics that react to your music. It was a box with dials and buttons. I'm sure that there is something on youtube or wiki.  And I'm sure people hooked up oscilloscopes to watch music as well. I had a stupid laser light show thing in the mid 80's that projected on the wall about the same time. I played everything through that to make a "laser show"

 

Please don't think I am taking away his work. OMG. He is amazing. I played Space Giraffe a few days ago.  I currently own several machines JUST for his work. Sadly no Jag CD. Someday!

[jhd]

On 5/10/2020 at 9:57 PM, woobman said:

And I'm sure people hooked up oscilloscopes to watch music as well.

 

I saw this technique demonstrated at a local science fair in about 1983.  Grade 6 me thought that it was really cool! 

 

There was a crude visualizer cartridge for the Coco as early as 1981.

http://www.lcurtisboyle.com/nitros9/audio_spectrum.html