A digital media cartridge contains both a controller and memory where the memory stores a digital representation of video and sound in compressed, encrypted form. The controller reads the digital representation, decompresses and decrypts it, converts it into analog video and audio and outputs the analog video and audio to a host device into which the cartridge is inserted. The analog video and audio output are displayed on the screen of the host device and reproduced by speakers or headphones of the host device, respectively, without further processing of the video and audio signals being necessary by the host device. Besides video and audio, the digital media cartridge can also store and execute games that use the user input and display screen of the host device.