The
VMU, or
Visual Memory Unit is a
memory cardA memory card or flash memory card is solid-state electronic flash memory data storage device capable of storing digital contents. These are mainly used with digital cameras, handheld and Mobile computers, mobile phones, music players, digital cinematography cameras, video game consoles, and other...
peripheral for the
Sega DreamcastThe Dreamcast is the last video game console made by Sega, and is the successor to the Sega Saturn...
. Its official name was changed by Sega for each of the three key regions:-
- Japan = Visual Memory System (VMS)
- USA = Visual Memory Unit (VMU)
- Europe = Visual Memory (VM)
The name was changed from VMS to VMU for the USA market as the name VMS was already owned and in use by the
Digital Equipment CorporationDigital Equipment Corporation was a pioneering American company in the computer industry. It is often referred to within the computing industry as DEC...
for their
VMSOpenVMS , previously known as VAX-11/VMS, VAX/VMS or VMS, is the name of a high-end computer server operating system that runs on VAX, Alpha and Itanium-based families of computers...
operating system. It is not known why the name was changed again to VM for the European market.
While its most basic function is as a removable storage device the VMU may also serve as an auxiliary display during normal gameplay and, through use of additional software, act as a
handheld game consoleA handheld game console is a lightweight, portable device with a built-in screen, games controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. Console-like features of the VMU include a small black and white screen, speaker, directional pad, and four
buttonsA push-button or simply button is a simple switch mechanism for controlling some aspect of a machine or a process. Buttons are typically made out of hard material, usually plastic or metal. The surface is usually flat or shaped to accommodate the human finger or hand, so as to be easily depressed...
. Also the ability to download additional games makes the VMU fall under the same jurisdiction as a game system. They were initially only available in white, but expanded to transparent Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Black and many other color variations.
Mini-games
Several titles for the Dreamcast included mini-games that could be downloaded onto a VMU. The
Sonic Adventureis a video game developed by Sonic Team and released on December 23, 1998 in Japan by Sega for the Sega Dreamcast and is the first game in the Sonic Adventure series. One of its development titles was Sonic RPG,...
series, for instance, included the
Chao Adventure mini-game. In the game players could transfer Chao eggs to the VMU and play to increase the stats of their hatched Chao, where upon they could upload their improved Chao back into the Dreamcast game.
Dreamcast titles that include VMU games and extra features
- Evolution 2 (12 Hour Clock)
- Demolition Racer: No Exit
Demolition Racer: No Exit is a racing game developed for the Sega Dreamcast. It was produced by Infogrames and Pitbull Syndicate. It is an enhanced port of Demolition Racer for PlayStation....
- Godzilla Generations
Godzilla Generations is a Godzilla video game released only in Japan for the Dreamcast home console. It is one of the four launch titles for the Dreamcast in Japan...
(Japanese Version)
- Grand Theft Auto 2
Grand Theft Auto 2 is a video game that was released worldwide on October 22, 1999, by developer DMA Design ; initially for the Windows operating system and the PlayStation console. The game was later ported to the Dreamcast console and the Game Boy Color. It is the sequel to 1997 hit Grand Theft...
- Jet Set Radio
, is a video game developed by Smilebit and published by Sega on June 29 2000. Jet Set Radio was developed for the Dreamcast, although a 2D version of the game was later released for Game Boy Advance and was developed by Vicarious Visions, and published by THQ. Its sequel, 2 years later, Jet Set...
[PAL] / Jet Grind Radio[NTSC]
- Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
- Namco Museum
Namco Museum refers to the series of video game compilations released by Namco for various 32-bit and above consoles, containing releases of their games from the 1980s...
- NFL 2K
- NFL 2K1
- NFL 2K2
- Power Stone
Power Stone is a fully 3D arena fighting game series made by Capcom. Power Stone was initially released on the Sega NAOMI hardware and later ported to the Dreamcast. In February 2006 Capcom ported the entire series to the PSP with a few enhancements: most notably, the PSP version of the original...
- Power Stone 2
Power Stone 2 is a multiplayer fighting game that built on the innovative gameplay introduced by its predecessor, Power Stone. Power Stone 2 allows up to four players to choose from multiple characters and use the environment around them for advantage.Power Stone 2 originated as an arcade game,...
- Quake III Arena
Quake III Arena , is a multiplayer first-person shooter computer and video game released on December 2, 1999. The game was developed by id Software and featured music composed by Sonic Mayhem and Front Line Assembly...
- Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2, known in Japan as , is a survival horror game by Capcom originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. It is the second installment in the Resident Evil series, and was later ported to Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast and GameCube.-Gameplay:Resident Evil 2 follows the...
- Sega GT
Sega GT, released as "Sega GT Homologation Special" in Japan, February 17 2000, is a semi-simulation oriented racing game for the Dreamcast. This game was secretly designed by Sega to become the Dreamcast system's very own Gran Turismo and compete with the announced but not yet released "Gran...
- Sega Rally Championship 2 (Stats and Records)
- Shenmue
is a 1999 adventure game developed by Sega-AM2 and published by Sega for the Sega Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player...
- Silent Scope
Silent Scope is an arcade game that puts the player in the shoes of a sniper during a series of terrorist incidents. Unlike most first person shooters, this gun for this game is mounted to the machine, requiring players to physically alter their position to shoot...
- Skies of Arcadia
Skies of Arcadia, released in Japan as , is a console role-playing game developed by Overworks for the Dreamcast and published by Sega in 2000. Skies of Arcadia Legends, a port, was released for the GameCube in 2002. Legends was also in development for the PlayStation 2; however, it was canceled...
- Sonic Adventure
is a video game developed by Sonic Team and released on December 23, 1998 in Japan by Sega for the Sega Dreamcast and is the first game in the Sonic Adventure series. One of its development titles was Sonic RPG,...
- Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 is a platform game developed by Sonic Team USA and published by Sega in as a part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Sonic Adventure 2 is the sequel of Sonic Adventure....
- Soul Calibur
is a fighting game developed and produced by Namco. It is the second game in the Soul series. Originally released in the arcades running on the Namco System 12 hardware, Soulcalibur was ported to the Sega Dreamcast with improved graphics and new features...
(Japanese Version)
- Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage
Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage, released in Japan as , is a video game for the Sega Dreamcast based on the popular Berserk manga by Kentarō Miura. It takes place anywhere between volumes 22 and volume 23 of the Berserk manga; right after Guts and Puck depart for Elfhelm with Casca, but before...
- Tech Romancer
is a 1998 3D fighting arcade game by Capcom that draws heavily from the various sub-genres of Mecha anime. It has been ported to the Sega Dreamcast console. The player controls a giant robot which is used to fight another robot in one-on-one combat...
- Time Stalkers
Time Stalkers is a Sega Dreamcast console role-playing game, a spin-off of the popular Sega Genesis game Landstalker . The player initially takes the role of Sword, a character caught in a world made of many worlds. As he goes along, similar heroes show up for the player to control...
- TrickStyle
TrickStyle is a video game released on September 9, 1999 for the Sega Dreamcast and PC, developed by Criterion Games and published by Acclaim. The game is set in the future and based around the sport of Hoverboarding...
- Virtua Tennis
Virtua Tennis is a 1999 tennis arcade game created by Sega-AM3. The player competes through tennis tournaments and various arcade modes. For the home console market the game was expanded with the introduction of the campaign mode. It was later ported to Sega Dreamcast in 2000, and for Microsoft...
- Zombie Revenge
Zombie Revenge is an arcade and Dreamcast video game released in 1999, one that falls squarely in the beat 'em up genre. Armed with their fists, feet, and whatever weapons they should find along the way, players are tasked with ridding an unnamed city of zombies that look more or less like the ones...
- Tokyo Bus Guide
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Tomoyo no Video Taisakusen
Hardware
The VMU is plugged directly into one of two slots on a Dreamcast controller. Two VMUs may be plugged in each controller. When operated independently of the Dreamcast console, the VMU acts as a file manager with limited game console functionality. VMUs may also connect to each other directly to facilitate file transfer or multiplayer gaming.
Upon initial use the player is prompted to select from a group of simple bitmap images to serve as the default background for the VMU. This image is displayed while the Dreamcast console is in the operating system menu; it is usually replaced by a simplified logo during regular gameplay. Some titles display custom animations on the VMU's screen during gameplay, while some titles also offer new background images for the unit.
The VMU runs on two
CR-2032 lithium batteriesLithium batteries are disposable batteries that have lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode. Depending on the design and chemical compounds used, lithium cells can produce voltages from 1.5 V to about 3.7 V, up to twice the voltage of an ordinary zinc-carbon battery or alkaline cell...
which are inserted into the rear of the VMU under a screw-secured lid. Without battery power, the VMU still works as a memory card and auxiliary display, but cannot play downloaded mini-games.
Technical specifications
- CPU: 8-bit (Sanyo LC8670 "Potato")
- Memory: 128KB
The kilobyte is a unit of digital information storage equal to either 1,000 bytes or 1,024 bytes , depending on context....
flash memory. 28KB is reserved for system use leaving 100KB for data storage, which is divided into 200 'blocks' - 1 block equaling 512 bytes.
- Display: 48 dot width × 32 dot height, LCD
- Display size (width×height): 37 mm × 26 mm (1.46 in × 1.02 in)
- Case dimensions (width×height×depth): 47 mm × 80 mm × 16 mm (1.85 in × 3.15 in × 0.63 in)
- Power source: 2 × CR2032 batteries with auto-off function
- Sound: 1-channel PWM sound source
- Weight: 45 g (1.6 oz)
Extra blocks
The VMU has 128
KBThe kilobyte is a unit of digital information storage equal to either 1,000 bytes or 1,024 bytes , depending on context....
of flash memory, however by default 28KB is reserved for system use. In recent years homebrew programs like Dream Explorer (aka VMU Tool) have allowed users to unlock an extra 44 blocks (22KB) of this reserved space increasing the overall VMU capacity to 244 blocks. However, a handful of games might be unable to detect the memory card if this is done, although none have been reported apart from DreamKey/DreamPassport and
Metropolis Street RacerMetropolis Street Racer or MSR is a racing game for the Sega Dreamcast. It was developed by Bizarre Creations, and published by Sega. The game was originally intended to be a Dreamcast launch title in Europe and North America, however, due to numerous delays it was not released in Europe until...
.
Official 4x Memory Card
Late in the Dreamcasts lifespan Sega released an official 4x Memory Card which offered four times the data storage of a standard VMU, with 800 blocks. It was released in Japan on December 14th 2000 as "Memory Card 4X", and in the USA as "4x Memory Card" However this memory card is designed only for data storage and lacked a screen, speaker, buttons, clock, or a menu system, making it incompatible with VMU mini games, and other VMU features.
The Dreamcast can only access a memory card with up to 128KB of flash memory (The size of a standard VMU) The 4x memory card overcame this limitation by splitting 512KB (4 megabit) of flash memory into four 'pages' each page having 200 blocks of storage. Each of the four pages can be selected using a button on the top left of the card, and one of four orange LED's will light to indicate which page is currently selected. Some games released before the introduction of the 4x Memory Card were incompatible with it, and Sega released a list of incompatible games.
A limited edition
Phantasy Star OnlinePhantasy Star Online is an online RPG title, originally released for Dreamcast in 2000, bundled with a demo of Sonic Adventure 2. Another edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for the Dreamcast the following year...
4x Memory Card was also released in Japan to coincide with the games release. It was coloured blue and featured the Phantasy Star Online logo printed onto the casing.
Since the 4x Memory Card was released very late in the Dreamcast's lifespan, it did not make it to retail in Europe despite a planned release (along with the
Dreamcast Broadband AdapterThe Dreamcast Broadband Adapter is an accessory that was released for the Sega Dreamcast. The console originally came equipped with a 56 or 33.6K modem for use with dial-up Internet access but the release of the broadband adapter on January 10, 2001 allowed the Dreamcast to utilize broadband...
which was also unreleased in Europe).
Third-party equivalents
The majority of third party cards did not feature a screen, buttons, speaker, clock, or menu system, making them incompatible with VMU mini games. However, many third party memory cards offered larger storage capacities than the standard VMU, often using a button or switch to select between different banks/pages of 200 blocks (Due to the Dreamcast's 128KB memory card limit)
Nexus Memory Card
The Nexus Memory Card is a third party version of the Visual Memory Unit that features four times the memory of a stock VMU with 800 blocks (4
megabitA megabit is an SI-multiple of the unit of bit for digital information storage or transmission. The International Electrotechnical Commission's standard IEC 60027 specifies the symbol to be Mbit, but Mb is also in common use....
/ 512 kilobytes) but lacks an LCD screen. The card is divided into 4 pages each with 200 blocks, each page can be selected using a button on the top left of the card. The Nexus Memory Card is slightly larger than the normal VMU and can be connected to a
personal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator...
by USB,
ParallelThe D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector used particularly in computers. Calling them "subminiature" was appropriate when they were first introduced, but today they are among the largest common connectors used in computers....
or
SerialThe D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector used particularly in computers. Calling them "subminiature" was appropriate when they were first introduced, but today they are among the largest common connectors used in computers....
cable. A 3200 block (16
megabitA megabit is an SI-multiple of the unit of bit for digital information storage or transmission. The International Electrotechnical Commission's standard IEC 60027 specifies the symbol to be Mbit, but Mb is also in common use....
/ 2 megabytes) version of the Nexus is also available, but this model has been known to be unstable.
Nyko Hyperpak
The Nyko Hyperpak was a basic memory card without the screen and VMU buttons. However, it was four times the size of a normal memory unit and also had a switch that would switch the device from memory mode to rumble mode. It was larger than a standard VMU but had no way to connect to a personal computer.