Tandy Video Information System
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The Tandy Visual Information System or "VIS" was an interactive, multimedia CD-ROM player. It was similar in function to the Philips CD-i and Commodore CDTV systems.
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[edit] Specifications
- CPU: Intel 286 (Made by AMD)
- Video System: Cirrus Logic
- Sound System: Yamaha
- Chipset: NCR Corporation
- CDROM x2 IDE by Mitsumi
- OS: Microsoft Modular Windows
[edit] Microsoft Modular Windows
Modular Windows is a special version of Microsoft Windows 3.1, designed to run on the Tandy Video Information System (VIS). 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. 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
[edit] Spinoffs
- While Modular Windows was discontinued, other modular, embedded versions of Windows were later released. Some examples are Windows CE (which was also released embedded in the Sega Dreamcast game console) and Windows XP Embedded.
- VIS applications could be written using tools and techniques similar to those used to write software for IBM PC compatible personal computers running Microsoft Windows. This concept was carried forward in the Microsoft Xbox.
