Table of Contents
Amiga CD32
Commodore's final attempt of making a computer-based games console. Releasing on September 16th, 1993 for the EU, the CD32 was actually a relatively successful system during it's very short life of under a year, but it was simply not successful enough to save Commodore from bankruptcy - a classic tale. As for specifications, the CD32 featured a Motorola 68EC020 CPU, 2 MB of RAM, and an output resolution range of 320×200 to 1280×400i (NTSC), at 24-bit color.
Operating Systems (Motorola 68EC020)
Classic Mac OS x.x.x (in Shapeshifter, Mac OS 7.5.3?)
This EOP appears to require the TF330 expansion, which will make the CD32 function like an Amiga 1200.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbEVlhpHkxw
Emulation Nest
This device runs an operating system which is known to emulate various devices with EOPs. See the AmigaOS and Classic Mac OS pages.
Hidden Boot Menu
the CD32 has a hidden boot menu that can be accessed by plugging in a Amiga Mouse into port 2 and holding both buttons down while turning the system on.
Within this menu are boot options, display options, and a few other minor things. Might be useful for running Workbench (the shell/GUI normally found in AmigaOS). It's also useful for changing the system's video output from PAL to NTSC (or vice versa).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkNMGE0yeEE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkKBeinq2-I (not on CD32, but identical to what CD32 has)
NetBSD
[…]MMU requirement; it will not run on[…]CD32[…]out of the box[…]must install a CPU board
With the installation of a CPU board to add an MMU, NetBSD will run on this system. This CPU board doesn’t seem to be the “TF330” expansion, but it may be an expansion to the expansion…
Stock BIOS/Kickstart 3.1
What is installed by default on the system. On the CD32, Kickstart 3.1 merely functions as a disc loader, although it does have a little GUI for playing CDs.
Workbench 3.1
Using Workbench requires certain expansions, but with them, the CD32 turns into an Amiga 1200. Of the expansions available, they include the DCE SX-32 and the Paravision SX-1, alongside others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxtwluxOdCI (Paravision)
https://old.reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/ttgyql/second_working_amiga_in_2_days/ (unknown example, but clearly running workbench)
Internet
Modems/Network Cards for Amiga 1200
When following the suitable conversion steps to make a CD32 into a 1200 (expansions, as above), it is possible to access the internet using the same methods one would apply for an Amiga 1200.