Nuon is a technology that adds additional 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 video. 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.

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.

Nuon as Gaming Platform

Nuon originally started off as "Project X," and was featured in EGM's 1999 Video Game Buyer's Guide. One of the Nuon's main software developers was Jeff Minter, who created a version of Tempest (entitled Tempest 3000) for the system, and the built-in VLM-2 audio visualizer.

Models

In North America, Nuon was used in the Samsung DVD-N501 & DVD-N2000 models, they also released several models in other parts of the world which are DVD-N504 (Europe), DVD N505 (Europe) & DVD-N591 (Korea) and a Toshiba DVD player & 2 RCA which are the DRC300N & DRC480N. The Nuon was also used in Motorola's Streamaster 5000 "Digital DNA" set-top box. However the format has appeared to have died off. As of November 2004, there are no Nuon enabled DVD players shipping and no new Nuon software titles.

Peripherals and Accessories

Peripherals for Nuon-enhanced DVD players included the following:

• Logitech Gamepad
• Pro-elite controller
• Stealth controller
• Warrior Digital-D pad
• controller extension cable
• port replicator to move the Nuon ports to anywhere desired

Bankruptcy of VM Labs

NUON was created by VM Labs who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001. The rights to the NUON technology was purchased in 2002 by Genesis Microchip^{[citation needed]}.

Released Movies

Only four DVD releases utilized NUON technology:

1. Planet of the Apes
2. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension
3. Bedazzled
4. Dr. Dolittle 2

Unreleased Movies

1. Galaxy Quest
2. Stigmata
3. Toxic Avenger

Released Games

Eight games were released for the NUON:

1. Tempest 3000
2. Freefall 3050 A.D.
3. Merlin Racing
4. Space Invaders X.L.
5. Iron Soldier 3 (later recalled due to incompatibility with some players)
6. Ballistic (only available with Samsung players)
7. The Next Tetris (only available with Toshiba players)
8. Crayon Shin Chan 3 (Korean-only release)

 

This has to be one of the strangest consoles I've seen yet. How was Tempest 3000?

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