MSX
Encyclopedia
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer
architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi
, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan
and Director at ASCII Corporation. It is said that Microsoft
led the project as an attempt to create unified standards among hardware makers.
Despite Microsoft's involvement, the MSX-based machines were seldom seen in the United States and Britain (although heavily advertised by Toshiba in the UK), but they were popular in other markets. It is difficult to estimate how many MSX computers were sold worldwide, but eventually 5 million MSX-based units were sold in Japan alone, many of which were the later models. This home computer
was released in Japan
, Middle East
, Europe
and Brazil
.
Before the appearance and great success of Nintendo
's Family Computer
, MSX was the platform for which major Japanese game studios, such as Konami
and Hudson Soft
, produced their titles. The Metal Gear series
was originally written for MSX hardware.
In the 1980s, Japan
was in the midst of an economic awakening. Large Japanese electronics firms might have been successful in the early computer market had they made a concerted effort in the late 1970s. Their combined design and manufacturing power could have allowed them to produce competitive machines, but they initially ignored the home computer market and appear to have been hesitant to do business in a market where no industry standard existed.
Nishi proposed MSX as an attempt to create a single industry standard for home computers. Inspired by the success of VHS
as a standard for video cassette recorders, many Japanese electronic manufacturers along with GoldStar
, Philips
and Spectravideo
built and promoted MSX computers. Any piece of hardware or software with the MSX logo on it was compatible with MSX products of other manufacturers. In particular, the expansion cartridge form and function were part of the standard; any MSX expansion or game cartridge would work in any MSX computer.
Nishi's standard consisted primarily of several off-the-shelf
parts; the main CPU was a 3.58 MHz Zilog Z80
, the graphics chip
a Texas Instruments TMS9918
with 16 KB
of dedicated VRAM, the sound and partial I/O support was provided by the AY-3-8910 chip manufactured by General Instrument
(GI), and an Intel 8255
Programmable Peripheral Interface chip was used for the parallel I/O such as the keyboard. This was a choice of components that was shared by many other home computers and games consoles of the period, such as the ColecoVision
home computer (an emulator was later available with which MSX systems could run some of its software), and the Sega SG-1000 video game system. To reduce overall system cost, many MSX models used a custom IC known as "MSX-Engine
", which integrated glue logic
, 8255 PPI, YM2149 compatible soundchip and more, sometimes even the Z80 CPU. However, almost all MSX systems used a professional keyboard instead of a chiclet keyboard
, driving the price up again. Consequently, these components alongside Microsoft's MSX BASIC
made the MSX a competitive, though somewhat expensive, home computer package.
-led price war
. Only Spectravideo and Yamaha briefly marketed MSX machines in the U.S. Spectravideo's MSX enjoyed very little success, and Yamaha's CX5M
model, built to interface with various types of MIDI equipment, was billed more as a digital music tool than a standard personal computer.
, Atari 8-bit, and Sinclair ZX Spectrum
computers dominated. By the time the MSX launched in Europe several more popular 8-bit home computers had also arrived, and it was far too late to capture the extremely crowded European 8-bit computer market.
A problem for some game software developers was that the method by which MSX-1 computers addressed their video RAM could be quite slow compared to systems that gave direct access to the video memory. This, and the fact that the completely different features the MSX-1's video chip (using the MSX Video access method
) had to compensate for the slower video access were not efficiently used while porting (mostly Spectrum) software, made the MSX-1 to appear slower when running ported games.
Some minor compatibility issues also plagued ported Spectrum games. For example, the Toshiba HX-10 machine was unable to read certain key combinations at the same time, preventing the Spectrum "standard" of "Q, A, O, P steering", whereas machines by other manufacturers worked fine. Later (ported) games tended to use the MSX-1 joystick port or used MSX's official arrow keys and space bar, or offered the option to choose other keys with which to control the program, solving the problem.
A larger problem was that the designers of the MSX standard bank switching protocol did not prescribe to hardware manufacturers in which banks the cartridges, but more important the RAM, should be found. Moreover, the MSX's BIOS
did not provide this information either, thus requiring programmers to implement complex routines to "find" these resources. Often programmers assumed that the RAM and cartridges would be available at a "default" bank switch location; in reality some systems had their RAM or cartridge slot(s) not at the "default" location, but on another bank switch location. In those cases programs failed to run because they only "saw" 32 KB of the available memory, instead of the full 64 KB that almost all MSX-1 machines offered. With very few exceptions, except for a very early Phillips MSX-1 model, (the VG8000) and the SVI-318 almost all other mainstream MSX-1 machines offered at least the full 64 KB of RAM.
, while the MSX TurboR was based on an enhanced Zilog Z800
known as the R800. The MSX TurboR was introduced in 1990 but was unsuccessful due to a lack of support and the rise in popularity of the by then well-established IBM PC Compatible
market. Production of the TurboR ended in 1993 when Panasonic decided to focus on release of 3DO.
The MSX3 was scheduled for market in 1990. Delays in the development of its VDP
—then named V9978 on the pre-release spec sheets—caused Yamaha to miss its time to market
deadline. In its place, an improved MSX2+ was released as the MSX Turbo-R; features of the new R800 processor such as DMA and 24-bit addressing were disabled. The VDP was eventually delivered two years after its planned deadline, by which time the market had moved on. In an attempt to reduce its financial loss, Yamaha stripped nearly all V9958 compatibility and marketed the resulting V9990 E-VDP III as a video-chipset for PC VGA graphic cards, with moderate success. Sony also employed the V7040 RGB encoder chip on many other products. MSX-FAN Magazine also mentions the then impressive power of the V9990, being able to compete with much more expensive hardware such as the Sharp X68000
.
, Argentina, and Brazil, MSX was the paramount home computer system in the 1980s. It was also quite popular in continental Europe, especially in the Netherlands
and Spain
. Classrooms full of networked Yamaha MSX were used for teaching informatics
in school in some Arab
countries and the Soviet Union
.
In the 1980s, Sakhr (صخر) Computers (Developed by Al Alamyyeh, a Kuwait
i company), started the production of the first Arabic version of MSX computers. They started producing a Yamaha AX100, but also a few other models including MSX2 and MSX2+ models. The most popular and affordable model within CCASG
was the Sakhr MSX AX170. They were also the first to Arabize BASIC and the MSX LOGO.
Many MSX computers were used during the 1980s in Eastern European (former Eastern Bloc
) countries as a tool for subtitling pirated films on VHS, or Betamax cassettes. The MSX computers were used for their simplicity and its ability to display prepared titles in real time as superimpose text on mastering tapes.
In total, 5 million MSX computers were sold, which made it relatively popular but not the global standard it was intended to be. For a comparison with rival 8-bit computers, the Commodore 64
sold 17 million units worldwide in its lifetime, the Apple II
sold 6 million units, the Atari 8-bit sold at least 4 million units, the Amstrad CPC
sold 3 million units, and the Tandy TRS-80
sold 250,000 units.
One (Sony) MSX2 machine was even launched into space on board of a Russian MIR spacecraft
disk operating system
had file system
compatibility with CP/M
and was similar to MS-DOS
. In this way, Microsoft could promote MSX for home use while promoting MS-DOS
based personal computer
s in office environments.
home computer (Spectravideo even claimed to be "MSX compatible" in advertisements before the actual launch of MSX systems, but it was in fact not completely compatible with it). This led to a new and short-lived kind of software cracking
: converting. Since the MSX games were unplayable on the SV-328 computer, SV-328 crackers developed a method of modifying the (MSX) games to make them work on the SV-328. In most cases this included downloading the MSX BIOS
to the SV-328 from tape or floppy disk. Spectravideo later launched the SV-728 which completely adhered to the MSX standard.
In 2001, Kazuhiko Nishi initiated a 'MSX Revival' around an official MSX emulator
called MSXPLAYer. This is the only official MSX emulator as all MSX copyright
s are maintained by the MSX Association. In 2004, a Dutch company Bazix announced they had become the representatives of MSX Association in Europe
, being the English contact for any questions regarding the MSX trademarks and copyrights (licensing). On October 17, 2006, Bazix launched WOOMB.Net, a website selling MSX games (translated to English if necessary), with a selection of 14 games. In Japan, game sales began earlier, through Project EGG. WOOMB.Net was the English counterpart of this (and other) Japanese services offered by D4 Enterprise
, which also announced (in August 2006) the launch of a new MSX2 compatible system called the "one chip-MSX
", a system based on an Altera
Cyclone EP1C12Q240C8 FPGA. The one chip-MSX" is similar in concept to the C-One
, a Commodore 64
clone also built on the basis of a single FPGA chip. The new MSX system is housed in a box made out of transparent blue plastic, and can be used with a standard monitor (or TV) and a PC keyboard. It has two MSX cartridge slots and supports the audio extensions MSX-MUSIC
and SCC+
. A SD/MMC-flashcard
can be used as an external storage medium, emulating a disk drive
and can be used to boot MSX-DOS
. Due to its VHDL programmable hardware it is possible to give the device new hardware extensions simply by running a reconfiguration program under MSX-DOS. The "one chip-MSX" also has two USB connectors that can be used after adding some supporting VHDL code.
On June 7, 2008, the MSX Resource Center Foundation reported that the MSX trademark had moved from MSX Association to the MSX Licensing Corporation, referring to a Benelux trademark register page of MSX, which names the MSX Licensing Corporation as entitled entity till 28-10-2013. At that time, the website of the MSX Licensing Corporation that they linked to as source, had a text saying 'We are planning to revitalize MSX, the innovative computer platform.' on it. However, the website was later changed to contain only the logo of ITNY & Partners, and a link to ITNY & Partners English and Japanese websites and has no mention of the MSX Licensing Corporation at all. O June 26, 2008, Bazix reported on their website's frontpage that they are no longer the representative of MSX Association, due to being unable to achieve their goals of "bringing about the commercial MSX Revival beyond the Japanese borders" and "the transfer of the MSX trademark from MSX Association to MSX Licensing Corporation" and "no outlook on any progress in the Western One Chip MSX project any time soon". As a result of this, WOOMB.Net is taken offline as well, with its website redirecting to the Bazix website, till "a solution free of MSX Association's contributions has been completed". According to their post, they will cooperate with D4 Enterprise and the MSX Licensing Corporation "in one or more retro gaming related projects".
On July 4, 2008, MSX Association's European contact website, which states to be the "only official contact place for MSX Association in Europe", reports that the MSX trademark and copyright has been under the MSX Licensing Corporation holding ever since 1983. It explains that MSX Association, chaired by Dr. Kazuhiko Nishi
is the operational division of MSX Licensing Corporation which manages the trademarks, logo and copyrights for MSX. According to the same article, D4 Enterprise "refuse to pay royalties to MSX Association for the use of ESE Artists' Factory's work in 1chipMSX and the software licenses in Project Egg", thus they deal with Kazuhiko Nishi 'directly' through the MSX Licensing Corporation. The article mentions as well the ESE MSX System 3, on which the 1chipMSX (also known as One Chip MSX or OCM) is based.
On July 5, 2008, the MSX Association's Europe website posted an announcement reporting that D4 Enterprise was selling the 1chipMSX illegally. In the same post it is stated that Bazix no longer is their representative in Europe, due to Bazix cutting off their relationship.
posted on its Virtual Console
webpage that MSX games will be available for Wii
's Virtual Console emulator. In February 2007, it was confirmed again and announced that the games would cost 700 Wii Points
and will become available in the middle of 2007 (for Japan only, at least initially).
and Hudson Soft
. Several popular video game franchises were initially established on the MSX:
Others got various installments on the MSX, including some titles unique to the system or largely reworked versions of games on other formats:
, Philips
, Al Alamia, Sony
, Sanyo
, Mitsubishi
, Toshiba
, Hitachi
, National
, Panasonic
, Canon
, Casio
, Pioneer
, Fujitsu General
, Yamaha, JVC
, Yashica-Kyocera
, GoldStar
, Samsung
/Fenner, Daewoo/Yeno
, Gradiente
, Sharp
/Epcom, Talent.
MSX2: Philips
, Sony
, Sanyo
, Samsung
, Mitsubishi
, Victor
(a.k.a. JVC
), National
, Panasonic
, Canon, Yamaha, ACVS, DDX, Daewoo/Yeno
, NTT
, Talent.
MSX2+: Sony
, Sanyo
, Panasonic
, ACVS, DDX.
MSX TurboR: Panasonic
.
Floppy disk
drives were available for MSX however, in the form of a cartridge containing the disk interface electronics and a BIOS extension ROM (the floppy disk drive interface), connected to an external case with the drive. In South-America, many of these systems used a 5.25 in (133.4 mm) floppy disk drive, but in Europe, mostly the 3.5 in (88.9 mm) drives were popular. In Japan, some MSX1 systems included a built-in 3.5" disk drive, like Panasonic (earlier named Matsushita) CF-3000.
In Europe, a whole range of Philips MSX2 systems NMS 8230, 8235, 8245, 8250 and up features either 360 or 720 Kb 3.5" floppy drives.
In 1985, the MSX2 was released, which systems often (but not always) included a built-in 3.5" disk drive too, and consequently the popular media for games and other software shifted to floppy disks.
The MSX 3.5" floppy disks are directly compatible with MS-DOS (although some details like file undeletion
and boot sector
code were different). Like MS-DOS 1, MSX disks (formatted) under MSX-DOS 1 have no support for subdirectories.
, a portable MSX emulator by Marat Fayzullin. fMSX source code license is not free
and many emulators removed Fayzullin's Z80 emulation code entirely in later versions to avoid legal problems.
The official MSX emulator MSXPLAYer is produced by the MSX Association, of which MSX standard inventor Kazuhiko Nishi
is the president.
Some MSX titles are emulated in the Nintendo Wii's Japanese Virtual Console
.
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi
Kazuhiko Nishi
worked for Microsoft during the 1980s as Vice President of the Far East operations.In 1986, Kazuhiko Nishi left Microsoft to devote himself mostly to ASCII Corporation to develop the MSX standard together with NEC executive Kazuya Watanabe...
, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan
Microsoft Japan
Microsoft Japan, officially , is a division of the United States-based computer technology corporation Microsoft based in Japan. The headquarters is in a skyscraper in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo.-External links:...
and Director at ASCII Corporation. It is said that Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
led the project as an attempt to create unified standards among hardware makers.
Despite Microsoft's involvement, the MSX-based machines were seldom seen in the United States and Britain (although heavily advertised by Toshiba in the UK), but they were popular in other markets. It is difficult to estimate how many MSX computers were sold worldwide, but eventually 5 million MSX-based units were sold in Japan alone, many of which were the later models. This home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Before the appearance and great success of Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Family Computer
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, MSX was the platform for which major Japanese game studios, such as Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
and Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
, produced their titles. The Metal Gear series
Metal Gear (series)
is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
was originally written for MSX hardware.
History
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
was in the midst of an economic awakening. Large Japanese electronics firms might have been successful in the early computer market had they made a concerted effort in the late 1970s. Their combined design and manufacturing power could have allowed them to produce competitive machines, but they initially ignored the home computer market and appear to have been hesitant to do business in a market where no industry standard existed.
Nishi proposed MSX as an attempt to create a single industry standard for home computers. Inspired by the success of VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
as a standard for video cassette recorders, many Japanese electronic manufacturers along with GoldStar
GoldStar
GoldStar was an electronics company established in 1958. The corporate name was changed to LG Electronics and LG Cable in 1995 after merging with Korean competitor Lucky...
, Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
and Spectravideo
Spectravideo
Spectravideo, or SVI, was a U.S. computer company founded in 1981 as "SpectraVision" by Harry Fox. They originally made video games for Atari 2600 and VIC-20. Some of their computers were MSX-compliant or IBM PC compatible...
built and promoted MSX computers. Any piece of hardware or software with the MSX logo on it was compatible with MSX products of other manufacturers. In particular, the expansion cartridge form and function were part of the standard; any MSX expansion or game cartridge would work in any MSX computer.
Nishi's standard consisted primarily of several off-the-shelf
Commercial off-the-shelf
In the United States, Commercially available Off-The-Shelf is a Federal Acquisition Regulation term defining a nondevelopmental item of supply that is both commercial and sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace, and that can be procured or utilized under government contract...
parts; the main CPU was a 3.58 MHz Zilog Z80
Zilog Z80
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
, the graphics chip
Video Display Controller
A Video Display Controller or VDC is an integrated circuit which is the main component in a video signal generator, a device responsible for the production of a TV video signal in a computing or game system...
a Texas Instruments TMS9918
Texas Instruments TMS9918
thumb|VDP TMS9918Athumb|VDP TMS9918Athumb|VDP TMS9928AThe TMS9918 is a Video Display Controller manufactured by Texas Instruments.-General information:...
with 16 KB
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
of dedicated VRAM, the sound and partial I/O support was provided by the AY-3-8910 chip manufactured by General Instrument
General Instrument
General Instrument was an electronics manufacturer based in Horsham, PA specializing in semiconductors and cable television equipment. The company was active until 1997, when it split into which was later acquired by Vishay Intertechnology in 2001, CommScope and NextLevel Systems General...
(GI), and an Intel 8255
Intel 8255
The Intel 8255 Programmable Peripheral Interface chip is a peripheral chip originally developed for the Intel 8085 microprocessor, and as such is a member of a large array of such chips, known as the MCS-85 Family. This chip was later also used with the Intel 8086 and its descendants.It was later...
Programmable Peripheral Interface chip was used for the parallel I/O such as the keyboard. This was a choice of components that was shared by many other home computers and games consoles of the period, such as the ColecoVision
ColecoVision
The ColecoVision is Coleco Industries' second generation home video game console which was released in August 1982. The ColecoVision offered arcade-quality graphics and gaming style, and the means to expand the system's basic hardware...
home computer (an emulator was later available with which MSX systems could run some of its software), and the Sega SG-1000 video game system. To reduce overall system cost, many MSX models used a custom IC known as "MSX-Engine
MSX-Engine
An MSX-ENGINE chip is a specially developed integrated circuit for home computers that are built according to the MSX specifications.Generally, such a chip combines the functions of many separate, older/simpler chips into one...
", which integrated glue logic
Glue logic
In electronics, glue logic is the custom logic circuitry used to interface a number of off-the-shelf integrated circuits.This is often achieved using ordinary 7400- or 4000-series components. In more complex cases, programmable logic devices like a CPLD or FPGA might be used...
, 8255 PPI, YM2149 compatible soundchip and more, sometimes even the Z80 CPU. However, almost all MSX systems used a professional keyboard instead of a chiclet keyboard
Chiclet keyboard
A chiclet keyboard or island-style keyboard is a computer keyboard built with an array of small, flat rectangular or lozenge-shaped rubber or plastic keys that look like erasers or "Chiclets", a brand of chewing gum manufactured in the shape of small squares with rounded corners...
, driving the price up again. Consequently, these components alongside Microsoft's MSX BASIC
MSX BASIC
MSX BASIC is a dialect of the BASIC programming language. It is an extended version of Microsoft Standard BASIC Version 4.5, and includes support for graphic, music, and various peripherals attached to MSX Personal Computers. Generally, MSX-BASIC is designed to follow GW-BASIC, which is one of the...
made the MSX a competitive, though somewhat expensive, home computer package.
Debut
On 27 June 1983, the date considered the birthday of the MSX standard, the MSX was formally announced during a press-conference, and a slew of big Japanese firms declared their plans to introduce machines. The Japanese companies avoided the intensely competitive U.S. home computer market, which was in the throes of a CommodoreCommodore International
Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited...
-led price war
Price war
Price war is a term used in economic sector to indicate a state of intense competitive rivalry accompanied by a multi-lateral series of price reduction. One competitor will lower its price, then others will lower their prices to match. If one of them reduces their price again, a new round of...
. Only Spectravideo and Yamaha briefly marketed MSX machines in the U.S. Spectravideo's MSX enjoyed very little success, and Yamaha's CX5M
Yamaha CX5-M
The CX5-M is a MSX-system compatible computer with a built-in eight-voice FM synthesizer module having built-in MIDI capabilities, stereo phono outputs and an input for a purpose-built four-octave keyboard. It was produced in the mid-1980s.-Specification:...
model, built to interface with various types of MIDI equipment, was billed more as a digital music tool than a standard personal computer.
Adoption
During the 1980s, Europe became the largest computer games (as opposed to console games) market in the world, and the extremely popular Commodore 64Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Atari 8-bit, and Sinclair ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
computers dominated. By the time the MSX launched in Europe several more popular 8-bit home computers had also arrived, and it was far too late to capture the extremely crowded European 8-bit computer market.
A problem for some game software developers was that the method by which MSX-1 computers addressed their video RAM could be quite slow compared to systems that gave direct access to the video memory. This, and the fact that the completely different features the MSX-1's video chip (using the MSX Video access method
MSX Video access method
The first MSX computers used the TMS9918A Video Display processor , which had its own 16K of video memory that was not shared with main memory. This has the advantage that the limited memory range of a 8-bit processor, which had a 16-bit address bus, and was thus limited to just 64K, could be used...
) had to compensate for the slower video access were not efficiently used while porting (mostly Spectrum) software, made the MSX-1 to appear slower when running ported games.
Some minor compatibility issues also plagued ported Spectrum games. For example, the Toshiba HX-10 machine was unable to read certain key combinations at the same time, preventing the Spectrum "standard" of "Q, A, O, P steering", whereas machines by other manufacturers worked fine. Later (ported) games tended to use the MSX-1 joystick port or used MSX's official arrow keys and space bar, or offered the option to choose other keys with which to control the program, solving the problem.
A larger problem was that the designers of the MSX standard bank switching protocol did not prescribe to hardware manufacturers in which banks the cartridges, but more important the RAM, should be found. Moreover, the MSX's BIOS
BIOS
In IBM PC compatible computers, the basic input/output system , also known as the System BIOS or ROM BIOS , is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface....
did not provide this information either, thus requiring programmers to implement complex routines to "find" these resources. Often programmers assumed that the RAM and cartridges would be available at a "default" bank switch location; in reality some systems had their RAM or cartridge slot(s) not at the "default" location, but on another bank switch location. In those cases programs failed to run because they only "saw" 32 KB of the available memory, instead of the full 64 KB that almost all MSX-1 machines offered. With very few exceptions, except for a very early Phillips MSX-1 model, (the VG8000) and the SVI-318 almost all other mainstream MSX-1 machines offered at least the full 64 KB of RAM.
Evolution
MSX spawned four generations: MSX (1983); MSX2 (1986); MSX2+ (1988); and MSX TurboR (1990). The first three were 8-bit computers based on the Z80 microprocessorMicroprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
, while the MSX TurboR was based on an enhanced Zilog Z800
Zilog Z800
The Zilog Z800 was a 16-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog to be released in 1985. It was instruction compatible with their existing Z80, and differed primarily in having on chip cache and MMU for a 16 MB address range, and also a huge number of new more orthogonal instructions and addressing modes...
known as the R800. The MSX TurboR was introduced in 1990 but was unsuccessful due to a lack of support and the rise in popularity of the by then well-established IBM PC Compatible
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
market. Production of the TurboR ended in 1993 when Panasonic decided to focus on release of 3DO.
The MSX3 was scheduled for market in 1990. Delays in the development of its VDP
Development hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
—then named V9978 on the pre-release spec sheets—caused Yamaha to miss its time to market
Time to market
In commerce, time to market is the length of time it takes from a product being conceived until its being available for sale. TTM is important in industries where products are outmoded quickly...
deadline. In its place, an improved MSX2+ was released as the MSX Turbo-R; features of the new R800 processor such as DMA and 24-bit addressing were disabled. The VDP was eventually delivered two years after its planned deadline, by which time the market had moved on. In an attempt to reduce its financial loss, Yamaha stripped nearly all V9958 compatibility and marketed the resulting V9990 E-VDP III as a video-chipset for PC VGA graphic cards, with moderate success. Sony also employed the V7040 RGB encoder chip on many other products. MSX-FAN Magazine also mentions the then impressive power of the V9990, being able to compete with much more expensive hardware such as the Sharp X68000
Sharp X68000
The Sharp X68000, often referred to as the X68k, is a home computer released only in Japan by the Sharp Corporation. The first model was released in 1987, with a 10 MHz Motorola 68000 CPU, 1 MB of RAM and no hard drive; the last model was released in 1993 with a 25 MHz Motorola 68030...
.
Impact
MSX never became the worldwide standard that its makers had envisioned, mainly because it never took off in the U.S. and the UK. However, in Japan, South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Argentina, and Brazil, MSX was the paramount home computer system in the 1980s. It was also quite popular in continental Europe, especially in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Classrooms full of networked Yamaha MSX were used for teaching informatics
Informatics (academic field)
Informatics is the science of information, the practice of information processing, and the engineering of information systems. Informatics studies the structure, algorithms, behavior, and interactions of natural and artificial systems that store, process, access and communicate information...
in school in some Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
countries and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In the 1980s, Sakhr (صخر) Computers (Developed by Al Alamyyeh, a Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i company), started the production of the first Arabic version of MSX computers. They started producing a Yamaha AX100, but also a few other models including MSX2 and MSX2+ models. The most popular and affordable model within CCASG
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf , also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council , is a political and economic union of the Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf and constituting the Arabian Peninsula, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates...
was the Sakhr MSX AX170. They were also the first to Arabize BASIC and the MSX LOGO.
Many MSX computers were used during the 1980s in Eastern European (former Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
) countries as a tool for subtitling pirated films on VHS, or Betamax cassettes. The MSX computers were used for their simplicity and its ability to display prepared titles in real time as superimpose text on mastering tapes.
In total, 5 million MSX computers were sold, which made it relatively popular but not the global standard it was intended to be. For a comparison with rival 8-bit computers, the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
sold 17 million units worldwide in its lifetime, the Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
sold 6 million units, the Atari 8-bit sold at least 4 million units, the Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
sold 3 million units, and the Tandy TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
sold 250,000 units.
One (Sony) MSX2 machine was even launched into space on board of a Russian MIR spacecraft
Name
The exact meaning of the "MSX" abbreviation remains a matter of debate. At the time, most people seemed to agree it meant 'MicroSoft eXtended', referring to the built-in "Microsoft eXtended BASIC" (MSX-BASIC), specifically adapted by Microsoft for the MSX system. Another suggested source for the abbreviation was Matsushita-Sony. However, according to Kazuhiko Nishi, MSX could also stand for "Machines with Software eXchangeability". Perhaps because of a general aversion to the global player Microsoft, this version was welcomed by the MSX community. In 1985, Kazuhiko Nishi told that he named MSX after the MX missile. The MSX-DOSMSX-DOS
MSX-DOS is a Disk operating system developed by Microsoft for the 8-bit home computer standard MSX, and is a cross between MS-DOS rev 1.0 and CP/M.-MSX-DOS:...
disk operating system
Disk operating system
Disk Operating System and disk operating system , most often abbreviated as DOS, refers to an operating system software used in most computers that provides the abstraction and management of secondary storage devices and the information on them...
had file system
File system
A file system is a means to organize data expected to be retained after a program terminates by providing procedures to store, retrieve and update data, as well as manage the available space on the device which contain it. A file system organizes data in an efficient manner and is tuned to the...
compatibility with CP/M
CP/M
CP/M was a mass-market operating system created for Intel 8080/85 based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc...
and was similar to MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
. In this way, Microsoft could promote MSX for home use while promoting MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
based personal computer
Personal computer
A 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...
s in office environments.
Similar systems
The system MSX most closely resembled was the Spectravideo SV-328SV-328
The SV-328 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Spectravideo in June 1983. It was the business-targeted model of the Spectravideo range, sporting a rather crowded full-travel keyboard with numeric keypad. It had 80 kB RAM , a respectable amount for its time...
home computer (Spectravideo even claimed to be "MSX compatible" in advertisements before the actual launch of MSX systems, but it was in fact not completely compatible with it). This led to a new and short-lived kind of software cracking
Software cracking
Software cracking is the modification of software to remove or disable features which are considered undesirable by the person cracking the software, usually related to protection methods: copy protection, trial/demo version, serial number, hardware key, date checks, CD check or software annoyances...
: converting. Since the MSX games were unplayable on the SV-328 computer, SV-328 crackers developed a method of modifying the (MSX) games to make them work on the SV-328. In most cases this included downloading the MSX BIOS
BIOS
In IBM PC compatible computers, the basic input/output system , also known as the System BIOS or ROM BIOS , is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface....
to the SV-328 from tape or floppy disk. Spectravideo later launched the SV-728 which completely adhered to the MSX standard.
2001 Revival
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
called MSXPLAYer. This is the only official MSX emulator as all MSX copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
s are maintained by the MSX Association. In 2004, a Dutch company Bazix announced they had become the representatives of MSX Association in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, being the English contact for any questions regarding the MSX trademarks and copyrights (licensing). On October 17, 2006, Bazix launched WOOMB.Net, a website selling MSX games (translated to English if necessary), with a selection of 14 games. In Japan, game sales began earlier, through Project EGG. WOOMB.Net was the English counterpart of this (and other) Japanese services offered by D4 Enterprise
D4 Enterprise
D4 Enterprise is a Japanese video game publisher currently specializing in content delivery services like Project EGG over the Internet. The company has also provided Neo Geo and MSX titles to the Virtual Console for the Nintendo Wii.-See also:...
, which also announced (in August 2006) the launch of a new MSX2 compatible system called the "one chip-MSX
1chipMSX
The One chip MSX, or 1chipMSX as the D4 Enterprise distributional name for the ESE MSX System 3, is a re-implementation of an MSX-2 home computer that uses a single FPGA to implement all the electronics of an MSX-2, including the MSX-MUSIC and SCC+ audio extensions.The system is housed in a...
", a system based on an Altera
Altera
Altera Corporation is a Silicon Valley manufacturer of PLDs . The company offered its first programmable logic device in 1984. PLDs can be reprogrammed during the design cycle as well as in the field to perform multiple functions, and they support a fairly fast design process...
Cyclone EP1C12Q240C8 FPGA. The one chip-MSX" is similar in concept to the C-One
C-One
The C-One is a single-board computer designed by Jeri Ellsworth, a self-taught designer, and Jens Schönfeld from Individual Computers, who manufactured the boards themselves...
, a Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
clone also built on the basis of a single FPGA chip. The new MSX system is housed in a box made out of transparent blue plastic, and can be used with a standard monitor (or TV) and a PC keyboard. It has two MSX cartridge slots and supports the audio extensions MSX-MUSIC
Yamaha YM2413
The YM2413, aka OPLL, is a cost-reduced FM synthesis sound chip manufactured by Yamaha Corporation and based on their YM3812 . To make the chip cheaper to manufacture, many of the internal registers were removed...
and SCC+
Konami Sound Cartridge
The Konami Sound Cartridge is supplied with the MSXvideo games Snatcher and SD Snatcher. Sometimes it is known as the SCC+. It includes a slightly improved Konami SCC sound chip and 64kB of volatile RAM...
. A SD/MMC-flashcard
Memory card
A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles...
can be used as an external storage medium, emulating a disk drive
Disk storage
Disk storage or disc storage is a general category of storage mechanisms, in which data are digitally recorded by various electronic, magnetic, optical, or mechanical methods on a surface layer deposited of one or more planar, round and rotating disks...
and can be used to boot MSX-DOS
MSX-DOS
MSX-DOS is a Disk operating system developed by Microsoft for the 8-bit home computer standard MSX, and is a cross between MS-DOS rev 1.0 and CP/M.-MSX-DOS:...
. Due to its VHDL programmable hardware it is possible to give the device new hardware extensions simply by running a reconfiguration program under MSX-DOS. The "one chip-MSX" also has two USB connectors that can be used after adding some supporting VHDL code.
On June 7, 2008, the MSX Resource Center Foundation reported that the MSX trademark had moved from MSX Association to the MSX Licensing Corporation, referring to a Benelux trademark register page of MSX, which names the MSX Licensing Corporation as entitled entity till 28-10-2013. At that time, the website of the MSX Licensing Corporation that they linked to as source, had a text saying 'We are planning to revitalize MSX, the innovative computer platform.' on it. However, the website was later changed to contain only the logo of ITNY & Partners, and a link to ITNY & Partners English and Japanese websites and has no mention of the MSX Licensing Corporation at all. O June 26, 2008, Bazix reported on their website's frontpage that they are no longer the representative of MSX Association, due to being unable to achieve their goals of "bringing about the commercial MSX Revival beyond the Japanese borders" and "the transfer of the MSX trademark from MSX Association to MSX Licensing Corporation" and "no outlook on any progress in the Western One Chip MSX project any time soon". As a result of this, WOOMB.Net is taken offline as well, with its website redirecting to the Bazix website, till "a solution free of MSX Association's contributions has been completed". According to their post, they will cooperate with D4 Enterprise and the MSX Licensing Corporation "in one or more retro gaming related projects".
On July 4, 2008, MSX Association's European contact website, which states to be the "only official contact place for MSX Association in Europe", reports that the MSX trademark and copyright has been under the MSX Licensing Corporation holding ever since 1983. It explains that MSX Association, chaired by Dr. Kazuhiko Nishi
Kazuhiko Nishi
worked for Microsoft during the 1980s as Vice President of the Far East operations.In 1986, Kazuhiko Nishi left Microsoft to devote himself mostly to ASCII Corporation to develop the MSX standard together with NEC executive Kazuya Watanabe...
is the operational division of MSX Licensing Corporation which manages the trademarks, logo and copyrights for MSX. According to the same article, D4 Enterprise "refuse to pay royalties to MSX Association for the use of ESE Artists' Factory's work in 1chipMSX and the software licenses in Project Egg", thus they deal with Kazuhiko Nishi 'directly' through the MSX Licensing Corporation. The article mentions as well the ESE MSX System 3, on which the 1chipMSX (also known as One Chip MSX or OCM) is based.
On July 5, 2008, the MSX Association's Europe website posted an announcement reporting that D4 Enterprise was selling the 1chipMSX illegally. In the same post it is stated that Bazix no longer is their representative in Europe, due to Bazix cutting off their relationship.
Nintendo virtual console
Nintendo of JapanNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
posted on its Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
webpage that MSX games will be available for Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console emulator. In February 2007, it was confirmed again and announced that the games would cost 700 Wii Points
Wii Points
Nintendo Points are a currency that Nintendo uses for its Wii and Nintendo DSi systems through the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop respectively...
and will become available in the middle of 2007 (for Japan only, at least initially).
Franchises established on the MSX
The most popular and famous MSX games were written by Japanese software-houses such as KonamiKonami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
and Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
. Several popular video game franchises were initially established on the MSX:
- AlesteAlesteis the first game in the Aleste series of shoot 'em up video games. Developed by the Japanese developer Compile and released in 1988, it has been seen on the MSX and Sega Master System....
and ZanacZanacis an arcade-style shoot 'em up video game designed by Compile and published in Japan by Pony Canyon and in North America by FCI.It was released for the MSX computer, the Family Computer Disk System, the Nintendo Entertainment System, and for the Virtual Console. It was reworked for the MSX2...
(the latter developed and released alongside the original FDS version) - BombermanBombermanBomberman is a strategic, maze-based computer and video game franchise originally developed by Hudson Soft. The original game was published in 1983 and new games in the series are still being published to this day. Today, the commercially successful Bomberman is featured in over 70 different games...
- Penguin AdventurePenguin Adventureis an action-adventure platform video game released by Konami in 1986. It is a sequel to Antarctic Adventure and has the distinction of being the first game that game designer Hideo Kojima worked on; he was an assistant designer. It has been acclaimed as one of the best MSX action games for its...
- EggerlandEggerland seriesThe Eggerland series consists of several puzzle games developed by HAL Laboratory. Its first release was in 1985 for MSX computer systems. Many titles were made in the series and the gameplay is almost exactly the same in every game as well...
- Metal GearMetal Gear (series)is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
- ParodiusParodius, or just Parodius, is a scrolling shooter video game developed by Konami for the MSX computer and was released in Japan. The game is notable for being the first title in the Parodius series, although it is often confused with its sequel Parodius Da! －Shinwa kara Owarai e－ in that respect, which...
- Puyo PuyoPuyo Puyois the inaugural game in the Puyo Puyo series originally released in 1991 by Compile for the MSX2. Since its creation, it uses characters from . It was created by Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, the founder of Compile, who was inspired by certain elements from the Tetris and Dr...
Others got various installments on the MSX, including some titles unique to the system or largely reworked versions of games on other formats:
- CastlevaniaCastlevaniaCastlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30...
(as Vampire KillerVampire KillerVampire Killer, known as in Japan, is a platform-adventure game produced by Konami and released in for the MSX2 computer platform in Japan, Europe, and Brazil. It was never released in North America. It was in development around the same time as the Nintendo Entertainment System game...
) - ContraContra seriesis a video game series produced by Konami composed primarily of run and gun-style shoot-'em-ups. The series debuted in as a coin-operated arcade game simply titled Contra, which was followed by the release of Super Contra in and several sequels produced for various home platforms.The in-universe...
- Dragon QuestDragon Quest, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
- Dragon Slayer
- Final FantasyFinal Fantasy (video game)is a fantasy role-playing video game created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, developed and first published in Japan by Square in 1987. It is the first game in Square's Final Fantasy series...
- GradiusGradiusThe Gradius games, first introduced in 1985, make up a series of scrolling shooter video games published by Konami for a variety of portable, console and arcade platforms. In many games in the series, the player controls a ship known as the Vic Viper...
(Nemesis) - R-TypeR-Typeis a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game produced by Irem in 1987. The player controls a space fighter named R-9a "Arrowhead" to defend humanity against a mysterious but powerful alien life-form known as "Bydo", which was later discovered to be not entirely alien in origin...
- WizardryWizardryWizardry is a series of computer role-playing games, developed by Sir-Tech, which were highly influential in the development of modern console and computer role playing games. The original Wizardry was a significant influence to early console RPGs, such as Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy. ...
- Xak
- YsYs (video game)is a Japanese computer and console role-playing video game series, and Nihon Falcom corporation's flagship franchise. It started on the NEC PC-8801 in 1987, created by Masaya Hashimoto and Tomoyoshi Miyazaki...
Manufacturers
MSX: SpectravideoSpectravideo
Spectravideo, or SVI, was a U.S. computer company founded in 1981 as "SpectraVision" by Harry Fox. They originally made video games for Atari 2600 and VIC-20. Some of their computers were MSX-compliant or IBM PC compatible...
, Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, Al Alamia, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Sanyo
Sanyo
is a major electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo targets the middle of the market and has over 230 Subsidiaries and Affiliates....
, Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
, Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
, Hitachi
Hitachi, Ltd.
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
, National
National (brand)
National was a brand used by Panasonic Corporation to sell home appliances, personal appliances, and industrial appliances and was the first name used by Konosuke Matsushita's electric firm to sell his battery-powered bicycle lamps, hoping that they would be a product used by all of Japan, hence...
, Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
, Canon
Canon Inc.
is a Japanese multinational corporation that specialises in the manufacture of imaging and optical products, including cameras, camcorders, photocopiers, steppers and computer printers. Its headquarters are located in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan.-Origins:...
, Casio
Casio
is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio is best known for its electronic products, such as calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches...
, Pioneer
Pioneer Corporation
is a multinational corporation that specializes in digital entertainment products, based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The company was founded in 1938 in Tokyo as a radio and speaker repair shop...
, Fujitsu General
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
, Yamaha, JVC
JVC
, usually referred to as JVC, is a Japanese international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927...
, Yashica-Kyocera
Kyocera
is a multinational manufacturer based in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded as in 1959 by Kazuo Inamori and renamed in 1982. The company has diversified its founding technology in ceramic materials through internal development as well as strategic mergers and acquisitions...
, GoldStar
GoldStar
GoldStar was an electronics company established in 1958. The corporate name was changed to LG Electronics and LG Cable in 1995 after merging with Korean competitor Lucky...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
/Fenner, Daewoo/Yeno
Daewoo
Daewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
, Gradiente
Gradiente
Gradiente is a Brazilian consumer electronics company based in São Paulo. The company designs and markets many product lines, including video , audio, home theater, high end acoustics, office and mobile stereo, and wireless. The company was founded in 1964...
, Sharp
Sharp Corporation
is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first...
/Epcom, Talent.
MSX2: Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Sanyo
Sanyo
is a major electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo targets the middle of the market and has over 230 Subsidiaries and Affiliates....
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
, Victor
Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...
(a.k.a. JVC
JVC
, usually referred to as JVC, is a Japanese international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927...
), National
National (brand)
National was a brand used by Panasonic Corporation to sell home appliances, personal appliances, and industrial appliances and was the first name used by Konosuke Matsushita's electric firm to sell his battery-powered bicycle lamps, hoping that they would be a product used by all of Japan, hence...
, Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
, Canon, Yamaha, ACVS, DDX, Daewoo/Yeno
Daewoo
Daewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
, NTT
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
, commonly known as NTT, is a Japanese telecommunications company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Ranked the 31st in Fortune Global 500, NTT is the largest telecommunications company in Asia, and the second-largest in the world in terms of revenue....
, Talent.
MSX2+: Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Sanyo
Sanyo
is a major electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo targets the middle of the market and has over 230 Subsidiaries and Affiliates....
, Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
, ACVS, DDX.
MSX TurboR: Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
.
MSX
- Processor: Zilog Z80Zilog Z80The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
A running at 3.58 MHz - ROMRead-only memoryRead-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
: 32 KB- BIOSBIOSIn IBM PC compatible computers, the basic input/output system , also known as the System BIOS or ROM BIOS , is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface....
(16 KB) - MSX BASICMSX BASICMSX BASIC is a dialect of the BASIC programming language. It is an extended version of Microsoft Standard BASIC Version 4.5, and includes support for graphic, music, and various peripherals attached to MSX Personal Computers. Generally, MSX-BASIC is designed to follow GW-BASIC, which is one of the...
V1.0 (16 KB)
- BIOS
- RAM: 8 KB minimum, most machines provided either 32 or 64 KB; machines with 128 KB exist
- Video Display ProcessorVideo Display ControllerA Video Display Controller or VDC is an integrated circuit which is the main component in a video signal generator, a device responsible for the production of a TV video signal in a computing or game system...
: Texas Instruments TMS9918Texas Instruments TMS9918thumb|VDP TMS9918Athumb|VDP TMS9918Athumb|VDP TMS9928AThe TMS9918 is a Video Display Controller manufactured by Texas Instruments.-General information:...
family- Video RAM: 16 KB
- Text modes: 40×24 and 32×24
- Resolution: 256×192 (16 colours). In reality there are just 15 colour tints available, because, just like Sinclair Spectrum there are two versions of black. Unlike the Spectrum however, one of the blacks is actually "transparentCompositingCompositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene. Live-action shooting for compositing is variously called "chroma key", "blue screen", "green screen" and other names. Today,...
", so the MSX video picture could be overlayedHardware overlayIn computing, hardware overlay, a type of video overlay, provides a method of rendering an image to a display screen with a dedicated memory buffer inside computer video hardware. The technique aims to improve the display of a fast-moving video image — such as a computer game, a DVD, or the signal...
on another video signal, for example one from a video disk. - Sprites: 32, 1 colour, max 4 per horizontal line
- Sound chip: General Instrument AY-3-8910General Instrument AY-3-8910The AY-3-8910 is a 3-voice Programmable Sound Generator designed by General Instrument, initially for use with their 16-bit CP1610 or one of the PIC1650 series of 8-bit microcomputers...
(PSG)
MSX2
- Processor: Zilog Z80A running at 3.58 MHz
- ROM: 48 KB
- BIOS + Extended BIOS (32 KB)
- MSX BASIC V2.0 or V2.1 (16 KB)
- DiskROM (16 KB) (optional, common)
- MSX-Audio BIOS (32 KB) (optional, no machines are known with this BIOS built in)
- RAM: 64 KB minimum, commonly 128 KB in Europe, 64 KB on Japanese computers, machines with up to 512 KB were made
- Memory mapMemory mapIn computer science, a memory map is a structure of data that indicates how memory is laid out. Memory maps can have a different meaning in different parts of the operating system....
ped (4 MBMegabyteThe megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
/slot max) (optional)
- Memory map
- Video Display Processor: Yamaha V9938Yamaha V9938The Yamaha V9938 is a Video Display Controller used in the Geneve 9640 enhanced TI-99/4A clone, as well as MSX 80s home computers ....
(a.k.a. MSX-Video) Supports all MSX video modes plus:- Increased video RAM: 128 KB (sometimes 64 or 192 KB)
- New text mode: 80×24
- New bitmaped video modes without the attribute clashAttribute clashAttribute clash was a display artifact caused by limits in the graphics circuitry of a number of early color 8-bit home computers, most notably the Sinclair Research ZX Spectrum, where it meant that only two colors could be used in any area of 8×8 pixels...
of MSX 1 - New resolutions: 512×212 (16 colours out of 512) and 256×212 (256 colours)
- Increased number of, and more advanced sprites: 32, 16 colours, max 8 per horizontal line
- Hardware accelerationHardware accelerationIn computing, Hardware acceleration is the use of computer hardware to perform some function faster than is possible in software running on the general-purpose CPU...
for copy, line, fill, etc. - Interlacing to double vertical resolution
- A vertical scroll register
- Vertical and horizontal display offset register
- Sound chip: Yamaha YM2149General Instrument AY-3-8910The AY-3-8910 is a 3-voice Programmable Sound Generator designed by General Instrument, initially for use with their 16-bit CP1610 or one of the PIC1650 series of 8-bit microcomputers...
(PSG) - Clock chip: Ricoh RP5C01 (or compatible) Floppy diskFloppy diskA floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drive is common
MSX2+
- Only officially released in Japan (available in Europe and Brazil via upgrades)
- Processor: Zilog Z80 compatible running at 3.58 MHz or more (5.37 MHz and 7.16MHz versions were available)
- ROM: 64 KB
- BIOS + Extended BIOS (32 KB)
- MSX BASIC V3.0 (16 KB)
- DiskROM (16 KB) (optional, very common)
- Kun-BASIC (16 KB) (optional)
- Kanji ROM (optional)
- RAM: commonly 64 KB (on Japanese computers)
- Memory mapped (4 MB/slot max)
- Video Display Processor: Yamaha V9958Yamaha V9958The Yamaha V9958 is a Video Display Controller used in MSX 80s home computers. More specifically, the "TIM" upgrade to the TI-99/4A, MSX 2+ and MSX turbo R....
(aka MSX-Video) All of MSX2's specifications plus:- The minimal video RAM is now 128 KB. Up to 192KB is supported.
- a new 256×212 YJK video mode with 19268 simultaneous colors
- a new 256×212 mixed-YJK/RGB video mode with 12499 simultaneous colors
- a horizontal scroll register
- Sound chip: Yamaha YM2149 (PSG)
- Optional sound chip: Yamaha YM2413 (OPLL)Yamaha YM2413The YM2413, aka OPLL, is a cost-reduced FM synthesis sound chip manufactured by Yamaha Corporation and based on their YM3812 . To make the chip cheaper to manufacture, many of the internal registers were removed...
(MSX-Music) - Clock chip RP5C01 Floppy disk drive is very common
MSX TurboR
- Only released in Japan
- Processor: R800 and Zilog Z80A compatible
- R800 running at 7.16 MHz (instructions use about 4x less clock ticks than the Z80, so often quoted as 28.6 MHz when comparing with the Z80)
- Zilog Z80A compatible (embedded in the T9769C MSX-EngineMSX-EngineAn MSX-ENGINE chip is a specially developed integrated circuit for home computers that are built according to the MSX specifications.Generally, such a chip combines the functions of many separate, older/simpler chips into one...
) running at 3.58 MHz for backward compatibility
- ROM: 96 KB
- BIOS + Extended BIOS (48 KB)
- MSX BASICMSX BASICMSX BASIC is a dialect of the BASIC programming language. It is an extended version of Microsoft Standard BASIC Version 4.5, and includes support for graphic, music, and various peripherals attached to MSX Personal Computers. Generally, MSX-BASIC is designed to follow GW-BASIC, which is one of the...
V4.0 (16 KB) - DiskROM (16 KB)
- Kun-BASIC (16 KB)
- Kanji ROM (256 KB)
- Firmware (4 MB)
- RAM: 256 KB (FS-A1ST) or 512 KB (FS-A1GT)
- Memory mapped (4 MB/slot max)
- Additionally 16 KB (FS-A1ST) or 32 KB (FS-A1GT) of SRAMStatic random access memoryStatic random-access memory is a type of semiconductor memory where the word static indicates that, unlike dynamic RAM , it does not need to be periodically refreshed, as SRAM uses bistable latching circuitry to store each bit...
(battery-powered)
- Video Display Processor: Yamaha V9958Yamaha V9958The Yamaha V9958 is a Video Display Controller used in MSX 80s home computers. More specifically, the "TIM" upgrade to the TI-99/4A, MSX 2+ and MSX turbo R....
(aka MSX-Video) so the same capabilities as MSX2+ - Sound chip: Yamaha YM2149 (PSG)
- Sound chip: Yamaha YM2413 (OPLL)Yamaha YM2413The YM2413, aka OPLL, is a cost-reduced FM synthesis sound chip manufactured by Yamaha Corporation and based on their YM3812 . To make the chip cheaper to manufacture, many of the internal registers were removed...
(MSX-Music) - Sound chip: PCMPulse-code modulationPulse-code modulation is a method used to digitally represent sampled analog signals. It is the standard form for digital audio in computers and various Blu-ray, Compact Disc and DVD formats, as well as other uses such as digital telephone systems...
- 8-bit single channel (no DMA), 16 kHz max using BIOS routines.
- Microphone built-in
- Sound chip: MIDI in/out (FS-A1GT only)
- Clock chip Floppy disk drive
Floppy disk drives
MSX systems generally did not have a built-in disk drive, so games were published mainly on cartridge and cassette tape. Sony created a battery backed RAM cartridge the HBI-55 "data cartridge" for a few computers of their "Hit-Bit" line of MSX systems, that could be used to store programs or data as an alternative to cassette tapes.Floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drives were available for MSX however, in the form of a cartridge containing the disk interface electronics and a BIOS extension ROM (the floppy disk drive interface), connected to an external case with the drive. In South-America, many of these systems used a 5.25 in (133.4 mm) floppy disk drive, but in Europe, mostly the 3.5 in (88.9 mm) drives were popular. In Japan, some MSX1 systems included a built-in 3.5" disk drive, like Panasonic (earlier named Matsushita) CF-3000.
In Europe, a whole range of Philips MSX2 systems NMS 8230, 8235, 8245, 8250 and up features either 360 or 720 Kb 3.5" floppy drives.
In 1985, the MSX2 was released, which systems often (but not always) included a built-in 3.5" disk drive too, and consequently the popular media for games and other software shifted to floppy disks.
The MSX 3.5" floppy disks are directly compatible with MS-DOS (although some details like file undeletion
Undeletion
Undeletion is a feature for restoring computer files which have been removed from a file system by file deletion. Deleted data can be recovered on many file systems, but not all file systems provide an undeletion feature. Recovering data without an undeletion facility is usually called data...
and boot sector
Boot sector
A boot sector or boot block is a region of a hard disk, floppy disk, optical disc, or other data storage device that contains machine code to be loaded into random-access memory by a computer system's built-in firmware...
code were different). Like MS-DOS 1, MSX disks (formatted) under MSX-DOS 1 have no support for subdirectories.
MSX-Audio
- Yamaha Y8950Yamaha Y8950thumb|Y8950Yamaha Y8950 is a sound chip, produced in 1984. This model was used in MSX-Audio cartridge for MSX personal computer.This chip was introduced in three cardridge models:*Philips NMS-1205*Toshiba HX-MU900*Panasonic FS-CA1-Features:...
, also known as:- Panasonic: MSX-Audio (standard name)
- Philips: Music Module (no MSX-Audio BIOS)
- Toshiba: MSX FM-synthesizer Unit (no sample RAM, no MSX-Audio BIOS)
- 9 channels FMFrequency modulation synthesisA 220 Hz carrier tone modulated by a 440 Hz modulating tone with various choices of modulation index, β. The time domain signals are illustrated above, and the corresponding spectra are shown below ....
or 6 channels FM + 5 drums - ADPCM record and play, with Hardware accelerationHardware accelerationIn computing, Hardware acceleration is the use of computer hardware to perform some function faster than is possible in software running on the general-purpose CPU...
- 32 KB of sample RAM, which can be upgraded to 256 KB
MSX-Music
- Yamaha YM2413 (OPLL)Yamaha YM2413The YM2413, aka OPLL, is a cost-reduced FM synthesis sound chip manufactured by Yamaha Corporation and based on their YM3812 . To make the chip cheaper to manufacture, many of the internal registers were removed...
, also known as:- MSX-Music (standard name)
- PanasonicPanasonicPanasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
: FM-PAC - ZeminaZeminaZemina was a South Korean software maker brand of Saehan Trading founded in 1981. They primarily made games for the Daewoo Zemmix, but because it was an MSX computer made to look and be played like a game console, they work on other MSX computers as well...
: Music Box - Checkmark: FM-Stereo-Pak
- 9 channels FMFrequency modulation synthesisA 220 Hz carrier tone modulated by a 440 Hz modulating tone with various choices of modulation index, β. The time domain signals are illustrated above, and the corresponding spectra are shown below ....
or 6 channels FM + 5 drums - 15 pre-set instruments, 1 custom
- Built-in as new standard on MSX2+ and MSX TurboR computers
Emulation
MSX computers are emulated on many platforms today. Most MSX emulators are (or were) based on the code of the pioneer fMSXFMSX
fMSX is a portable MSX emulator written by Marat Fayzullin, one of the pioneers of modern computer emulation. It is one of the earliest MSX emulators, and is also the most ported. fMSX is written in C with emphasis on portability. fMSX was a very influential and a number of emulators started as...
, a portable MSX emulator by Marat Fayzullin. fMSX source code license is not free
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
and many emulators removed Fayzullin's Z80 emulation code entirely in later versions to avoid legal problems.
The official MSX emulator MSXPLAYer is produced by the MSX Association, of which MSX standard inventor Kazuhiko Nishi
Kazuhiko Nishi
worked for Microsoft during the 1980s as Vice President of the Far East operations.In 1986, Kazuhiko Nishi left Microsoft to devote himself mostly to ASCII Corporation to develop the MSX standard together with NEC executive Kazuya Watanabe...
is the president.
Some MSX titles are emulated in the Nintendo Wii's Japanese Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
.
See also
- History of computing hardwareHistory of computing hardwareThe history of computing hardware is the record of the ongoing effort to make computer hardware faster, cheaper, and capable of storing more data....
- List of MSX compatible computers
- List of MSX games
- MoonsoundMoonsoundMoonsound was the name of a sound card released for the MSX home-computer system at the Tilburg computer fair in 1995. The name Moonsound originated from the software Moonblaster that was written for people to use this hardware plug-in synthesizer.- History :...
- SymbOSSymbOSSymbOS is a free multitasking operating system for Z80-based 8-bit computer systems. At present it is available for the Amstrad CPC series of computers, as well as for all MSX models starting from the MSX2 standard and for most Amstrad PCW models...
- ZemmixZemmixZemmix, trade mark and brand name of South Korean electronics company Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd., is an MSX-based video game console brand. The brand name Zemmix is no longer in use....
- Canon T90Canon T90The Canon T90, introduced in 1986, was the top of the line in Canon's T series of 35 mm Single-lens reflex cameras. It was the last professional-level manual-focus camera from Canon, and the last professional camera to use the Canon FD lens mount...