Bluetooth to CD-i

Maartje Eyskens is an applied computer science teacher in Belgium, she is one of the many other developers from the Philips CD-i Discord server who are enjoying developing new accessories for the Philips CD-i system.

We all know how expensive it is to get an original CD-i gamepad or touchpad, that is why she has developed a CD-i accessory to connect any Bluetooth controller and let you play your favourite titles with.
Her work is based on Anarterb SNES2CDi and TwBurn Controller Library, but with modification to get the Bluetooth working, and she still keep it as an Open-Source on her GiHub.
But she went further… you can pair 2 Bluetooth controllers and play 2 player games! No need to use the same controllers to play Head-to-Head. Any working controller will be OK (the compatible controllers is on this article).

Visit her personal website at www.eyskens.me to discover all the process done since day 1 until the final product.

You can buy them at the official online store. Depending on your skills you can buy different products:

The complete set-box is for me the best choice you can make as it is a ready to go device, including a Mini DIN-8 pin cable!

Compatible controller list:

• DualSense (PS5)
• DUALSHOCK 4 (PS4) controller, both 2013 and 2016 editions
• DUALSHOCK 3 (PS3) controller
• Nintendo Switch Pro controller Confirmed by community
• Nintendo Switch JoyCon Confirmed by community
• Nintendo Switch Online SNES Controller Confirmed by community
• Nintendo Wii U Pro controller
• Nintendo Wii Remote and Remote Motion Plus, including Nunchuk and Classic Controller Confirmed by community
• Xbox Wireless controller (model 1708, not the Series controllers) Confirmed by community
• 8BitDo controllers Confirmed by community
• Android controllers
• iCade controllers
• Nimbus SteelSeries
• OUYA controllers
• Some TV remote controls, like the Amazon Fire TV

From the first attempt until the final product, it just took a few days… incredible!
She worked on it mostly figuring out hardware issues at first, the biggest challenges were to re-work TwBurn library to work on ARM based micro controllers and debugging behaviour of the latest CD-i devices not recognising the controller due to a timing issue.
Only 3 prototypes where needed to get a final full working device, a very efficient work.

With the help of MrMii6 and Victonator, they designed a PCB, produced a prototype batch. Tested in well. Prepared packaging, shipping, assembly, a website a shipping box was made and a website for selling setup.

Congratulations and thank you Maartje Eyskens,you did an awesome work!

A work done by a lady must have a feminine touch, look at the back of the PCB “Made with ♥ in Belgium for the CD-i community”
A HUGE thumb up for the Interactive Community technical experts who contributed to the final product:
cdifan, Rosewood (retrostuff.org) and TwBurn with helpful tips on the community, MrMii6 with testing.

Comment on this page, our on our Forum Topic!