Memorex VIS - Your opinions about it?

[SteveW]

There's a thrift store that has a Memorex VIS machine, and on their software shelves, they have something like a dozen VIS programs, all of them kid's edutainment. I'd like to hear everyone's opinions on this machine, what you think of the software available for it, and whether it would really be worth it to add it to my collection.

[ubersaurus]

You're in luck, I'm the guy that did the VIS section of the new Digital Press guide

 

Software library sucks. Plain and simple. There's like 5 worthwile games. On the other hand, the system and games are all pretty hard to find, so it's good on that front. On the other, other hand, only the system is really worth anything. You can get games from a site online for literally, only a couple of bucks.

 

If you do pick it up, look for the Sherlock Holmes games, Vampire's Coffin, Links, and the title sampler demo...those are all about as good as the VIS gets.

[SteveW]

I didn't see any controllers with the console. And the horrible irony is, I bought two VIS controllers and mailed them to rpmxxipt! Those are the only VIS controllers i've ever seen, and it'll probably be years before I find another one in the wild. I guess i'd have to buy one online.

[ubersaurus]

I believe oldsoftware.com still sells VIS controllers seperate...if you really want that console bad enough, you can get those there.

[Tempest]

Dear god you had to research the VIS? I feel so sorry for you...

 

Tempest

[ubersaurus]

Dear god you had to research the VIS?  I feel so sorry for you...

 

Tempest

 

You think that's sad? I VOLUNTEERED to.

[Tempest]

You think that's sad? I VOLUNTEERED to.

 

Well we all have our odd systems of interest. I did a ton of research on the VideoBrain when everyone said I was nuts to do so. Then again at least the VB had some interesting titles...

 

Please tell me you didn't actually play all the titles. I mean how many edutainment titles can you choke down before going nuts?

 

Tempest

[Dutchman2000]

If anyone is interested, I might be able to dig up the program that allows you to play a VIS game on a regular PC.

 

I used to work for Tandy Corporation and that program was used to test VIS games if you didn't have a VIS in the store. I still have the disks.

[ubersaurus]

If anyone is interested, I might be able to dig up the program that allows you to play a VIS game on a regular PC.

 

I used to work for Tandy Corporation and that program was used to test VIS games if you didn't have a VIS in the store.  I still have the disks.

 

I'd be interested in any VIS stuff you could dig up. I must have a masochistic streak in me to want to check this stuff out, but I guess part of me considers the VIS a system that coulda been something cool, had it gotten some of those cooler looking games to come out. Sure, they're all on PC, but I'd prefer a console version any day.

 

So yeah, let me at em...they sound interesting. Any other VIS programs or items that you have and don't want, I may take em off your hands.

 

And no, I didn't have to play every game...just all the ones I owned, and were already unsealed. So, about 30 titles, and most of them will never go back in the machine again.

[Cootster]

So the VIS is essentially just a PC w/o a keyboard? I would assume so, if the games could be run on PCs of the day, and I doubt the Radio Shack program is an emu. . . Probably just different encoding. . .

 

Which seems like that would make it an ideal homebrew platform. . . Has anyone done any conversions?