Tandy Video Information System

Tandy Memorex Visual Information System (VIS) was an interactive, multimedia CD-ROM player produced by the Tandy Corporation starting in 1992. It was similar in function to the Philips CD-i and Commodore CDTV systems (particularly the CDTV, since both the VIS and CDTV were adaptations of existing computer platforms and operating systems to the set-top-box design). The VIS systems were sold only at Radio Shack, under the Memorex brand, both of which Tandy owned at the time.

Modular Windows

Modular Windows is a special version of Microsoft Windows 3.1, designed to run on the Tandy Video Information System. Microsoft intended Modular Windows to be an embedded operating system for various devices, especially those designed to be connected to televisions. However, the VIS is the only known product that actually used this Windows version.[1] It has been claimed that Microsoft created a new, incompatible version of Modular Windows ("1.1") shortly after the VIS shipped. No products are known to have actually used Modular Windows 1.1.

Reception

The VIS was not a successful product; by some reports Radio Shack only sold 11,000 units during the lifetime of the product.[2] Radio Shack store employees jokingly referred to the VIS as "Virtually Impossible to Sell".[3] Tandy discontinued the product in early 1994 and all remaining units were sold to a liquidator.

Spinoffs

Specifications

Details of the system include:[4]

Additional details:[5]

References

  1. "Building The Data High Way". BYTE.com. March 1994. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
  2. "Video Information System". MultiMedia Console Site. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
  3. "Tech Throwback: The Tandy Video Information System". blog post by former Radio Shack employee. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  4. "Video Information System". MultiMedia Console Site. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
  5. "VIS Information?". 1995 Usenet post by former Tandy employee Frank Durda IV. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, July 23, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.