Memorex Video Information System

1992 - 4th generation system

The Memorex Video Information System, also known as the VIS, was a video cassette player and home computer system that was produced by the company Memorex in the 1980s. The system was designed to allow users to play video tapes, as well as access educational and reference material through the use of interactive video cassette tapes.The VIS system consisted of a video cassette player, a keyboard, and a monitor or television to display the video and computer graphics. The system was built around the 6502 microprocessor and had 64KB of RAM. It had a built-in BASIC interpreter and could be programmed with a simple text editor. The system was capable of displaying text, graphics, and sound, and had the ability to control external devices such as a cassette recorder. The VIS system was used primarily for educational and reference purposes, with interactive video cassette tapes available in subjects such as history, science, and literature. The system also had some games available, but it was not marketed as a gaming system. The Memorex VIS was not a commercial success, and the company discontinued production of the system in the late 1980s. Due to its lack of success, it's not widely known or used today. The Memorex Video Information System was primarily marketed as an educational and reference tool, so the number of games available for the system was limited. Some of the games that were available for the VIS include: "Math Blaster" - An educational game that teaches players math concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division through interactive problem-solving. "Word Attack" - A game that teaches players spelling, grammar, and vocabulary through interactive exercises. "Adventure" - A text-based adventure game where players navigate through a virtual world and solve puzzles to progress through the game. "Maze" - A game where players navigate through a series of mazes, avoiding obstacles and enemies to reach the end of the level. "Memory Match" - A game where players must match pairs of cards to clear the board. "Blackjack" - A card game where players aim to get a hand with a higher total point than the dealer's but not exceeding 21. It's worth noting that the games available for the VIS were not as advanced or diverse as the games available for other home computer systems of the time and were primarily geared towards educational purposes.