Nuon (DVD technology)
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 The DVD-N2000 Nuon player made by Samsung with pack-in controller. | |
| Developer | VM Labs |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Motorola, RCA, Samsung, Toshiba |
| Type | Home video game console |
| Generation | Sixth generation |
| Release date | July 2000[1] |
| Discontinued | 2003-2004 |
| Website | www.nuon-tech.com (archived) |
Nuon (stylized as NUON) is a technology developed by VM Labs that adds features to a DVD player. In addition to viewing DVDs, one can play 3D video games and use enhanced DVD navigational tools such as zoom and smooth scanning of DVD playback. One could also play CDs while the Nuon graphics processor generates synchronized graphics on the screen. There were plans to provide Internet access capability in the next generation of Nuon-equipped DVD players.
History
Nuon was first unveiled under the codename "Project X",
The system's software development kit (SDK) was priced at roughly one-third of that of the PlayStation SDK, and following a strong showing at the 1998 Consumer Electronics Show, VM Labs shipped out several dozen SDKs to developers.[6]
When it was first announced, the Nuon's creators envisioned it as a competitor for the upcoming video game consoles from the leading manufacturers.[3] However, the Nuon platform was primarily marketed as an expanded DVD format. A large majority of Nuon players that were sold in fact resembled typical consumer DVD players with the only noticeable difference being a Nuon logo. Nuon players offered a number of features that were not available on other DVD players when playing standard DVD-formatted titles. These included very smooth forward and reverse functionality and the ability to smoothly zoom in and out of sections of the video image. In addition, Nuon provided a software platform to DVD authors to provide interactive software like features to their titles.
In North America, Nuon was used in the Samsung DVD-N501 and DVD-N2000 models; they also released several models in other parts of the world: DVD-N504 (Europe), DVD N505 (Europe), and DVD-N591 (Korea). Toshiba released the SD-2300 DVD player, and there are two RCA models, the DRC300N and DRC480N. The Nuon was also used in Motorola's Streamaster 5000 "Digital DNA" set-top box.
Nuon was created by VM Labs, whose assets were sold to Genesis Microchip in April 2002.[7] By November 2004, there were no Nuon-enabled DVD players shipping and no new Nuon software titles released or in development.
Specification
- Four 128-bit 54 MHz or 108 MHz Nuon MPE (Media Processing Element) clock frequencybut it was never released widely.
- MCS-251 microcontrollerfor background task
- 32 ROM
- 2x 3d Media GL MPE with 8 MB 32-bit video RAMat 66 MHz.
- 64~256 MB writable ROM and optional hard drive (up to 137 GB)
- Optical drive support DVD or CD-R
Peripherals and accessories
Peripherals for Nuon-enhanced DVD players included the following:
- Logitech Gamepad
- Pro-elite controller
- AirPlay wireless controller
- Stealth controller
- Warrior Digital-D pad
- controller extension cable
- port replicatorto move the Nuon ports to anywhere desired
Released movies
Only four DVD releases utilized Nuon technology. All of them were released by
- The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
- Bedazzled (2000 remake)
- Dr. Dolittle 2
- Planet of the Apes (2001 remake, Bug Free Version UPC - 024543028987)
Released games
Only eight games were officially released for the Nuon:
- Tempest 3000
- Freefall 3050 A.D.
- Merlin Racing (later had a sequel entitled Miracle Space Race for the PlayStation)
- Space Invaders X.L.
- Iron Soldier 3 (later recalled due to incompatibility with some players)[9]
- Ballistic(only available with Samsung players)
- The Next Tetris DLX (only available with Toshiba players)
- Crayon Shin-chan 3 (Korean-only release)
Collections and samplers
- Interactive Sampler (three different versions)
- Nuon Games + Demos (collection from Nuon-Dome)
- Nuon-Dome PhillyClassic 5 Demo Disc (giveaway collection)
Proposed games
- aMaze[10][11]
- Atari's Greatest Hits
- Battleship: Surface Thunder
- Boggle
- Breakout[12]
- Bugdom[12]
- Dragon's Lair[12]
- Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp
- The Game of Life[12][15]
- Hoyle Card Games
- Jeopardy!
- Knockout Kings
- Madden NFL Football
- Monopoly[12][13][15]
- Native II[17]
- Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit
- New Scrabble
- NUON Board Games
- NUON Casino
- NUON R.C. Racing
- Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
- Pong: The Next Level
- Power Shovel[12]
- RC de Go![12]
- Risk II
- Riven[12]
- Shanghai: Mahjong Essentials
- Sorry!
- Space Ace
- Speedball 2100
- Spider-Man
- Star Trek: Invasion
- Tiger Woods PGA Golf
- Titan 3[18]
- Wheel of Fortune
- Yahtzee
- zCards[18]
Homebrew development
In late 2001, VM Labs released an SDK which allowed developers to program apps/games for their Nuon system. Only the Samsung DVD-N501/DVDN504/DVDN505 and RCA DRC300N/DRC480N can load homebrew games.
Some homebrew titles have been created for or ported to Nuon. They are not commercially available and require the user to burn the material to a Nuon-compatible CD-R.
Notes
- Moss, Richard (28 June 2015). "Remembering Nuon, the gaming chip that nearly changed the world—but didn't". Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- Moss, Richard (2 June 2014). "Life after death: meet the people ensuring that yesterday's systems will never be forgotten". Edge Online. Future plc. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
References
- ^ "NUON Hardware page". nuon-tech.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2002. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ "X Marks the Spot". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 103. Ziff Davis. February 1998. p. 26.
- ^ Imagine Media. January 1998. pp. 18–19.
- ^ "The Project X Files". GamePro. No. 115. IDG. April 1998. p. 26.
- ^ a b "Fast, Cheap and Out of Control". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 105. Ziff Davis. April 1998. pp. 22–23.
- Imagine Media. April 1998. p. 18.
- ^ "Genesis Microchip to buy assets of bankrupted DVD chip supplier". Eetimes.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
- ^ [1] "NUON Multi-Media Architecture Aries 3 Specifications, Full OEM Version", September 26th, 2001
- ^ Santulli, Joe (June 2002). "Collector's Closet: Collecting Nuon". Tips & Tricks. No. 88. Larry Flynt Publications. p. 93.
- ^ a b "VM Labs' Nuon Technology Endows Next Generation Of DVD Products With Interactivity" (PDF). VM Labs. January 6, 2000. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- ^ CNET Networks. Archivedfrom the original on 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mehta, Andrew J. (March 2001). "Nuon: Cambridge hits the USA; "Show me the Games!"". United Games Fanzine. Vol. 2, no. 2. United Games. pp. 25, 26–27.
- ^ a b "Technologies: M3DL". Miracle Designs. 2007. Archived from the original on 2014-03-11. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- Hookshot Media. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- ^ a b "VM Labs and Hasbro Interactive Ink Multi-Title Software Deal for NUON Interactive DVD Games". Business Wire. May 10, 2000. Archived from the original on 2001-02-10. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- Imagine Media. March 2000. p. 10.
- ^ Raso, Domenic (V-SNES) (February 24, 2023). "Untold Nuon Tales: Native II…or is it Feuerland?". The Helper. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- ^ a b "Dossier — Nuon: quand les lecterus DVD deviennent des consoles!". Playbox (in French). No. 1. Posse Press. December 2000. p. 61. Archived from the original on 2024-04-02. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
External links
- NUON's homepage (archived August 2002)
- Nuon—Dome Page
- Nuon Alumni Page
- Entry at Video Game Console Library
- Entry At Giant Bomb
- "A Fan’s History – The NUON" blog post at arcryphongames.wordpress.com (Dated February 22, 2015. It has a copious amount of embedded video links and media shots.)