Wanting to buy an MSX soon. Which one would be best for me?

[rbudrick]

Hi Folks,

I know that there are a lot of variations in MSX hardware, and I was hoping for your help in helping me choose the right path to follow. From what I understand, the MSX2 is backwards compatible with everything, right? Is there anything higher than that I should look for? What other system specs should I look out for?

Since I am an American with limited Japanese skills, should I try to find a European or Brazilian MSX? Would that matter? Or is it better to go with a Japanese version?

Besides Ebay, is there a good source out there for MSX parts (ram, drives, cables, ?, etc.) or games? Since it would be primarily for gaming, what accessories should I aim for?

Do the floppy and QD drives work with any of the MSX series?

Yeah, I'm pretty clueless about all this. Being a computer more than a console, there is just so many variables.

Sorry for having 1,000,000,000 questions. Hope you can help! Thanks!

-Rob

[Daria]

Not to hijack your thread or anything... but I've been really meaning to ask this for a while now.

I have a rom for an english version of Princess Maker for the MSX but I've never been able to play it.

Does the english MSX version of Princess Maker actually exist and like rbudrick's question.... what kind of MSX setup would I need to play it?

Thanks.

[SoulBlazer]

For that matter, I have a translated version of Metal Gear: Solid Snake for the MSX I'd really like to play, but I can't get it to work or even figure out the MSX emulator I tried to use it on. :(

[Ed Oscuro]

There are many kinds. I have a Panasonic FS-A1 that I really can't use because the pins on the power plug are bent (and it's some kind of ungodly metal that I fear is strong enough that it'll crack the insides if I right it out). Anyhow, that one is cheap and will play most software. The box is alright, too. This machine does not have an integrated floppy drive, however.

There's more expensive kinds that will play the MSX2+ software out there - Undead Line has MSX2+ sound, not sure about any other enhancements. NeoGeoMan has had a couple of them over the years - I would suggest you check out this machine:

http://nfg.2y.net/sales/html/EpZpklFZyynhxESbOI.html (MSX 2+ F1-XV)

I honestly don't know what the differences between that machine and the MSX 2+ F1-XDJ are; I had a hunch the XDJ was the better of the two units but I honestly wouldn't know yet since I'm a two-timing bum and haven't completed my package with NFG Games yet - therefore it's sitting in the guy's house while I save up some money (hopefully) to finish up my purchase in the near future.

[Azazel]

The only thing that is suppose to be higher than MSX2 is maybe MSX Turbo. Sorry I don't know the official name as I only play MSX through emulators. There's so few games for it that it isn't worth the bother.

I don't think a European or JP machine will make much a difference.

I have all the MSX roms more or less minus the english Xak 1 that I know. I have Princess Maker but I've never bother to play it. It's like 7 disks long if I remember right. First look at the Princess Maker and see what kind of ext it has be it disk, rom etc. I've seen some roms converted to disk and disks converted to roms. I'm pretty sure Princess Maker is a MSX 2 disk game. So just make sure your emulator setting is set to MSX2 and you select load disk image or whatever it called. Depending on which emulator you use the process is slighty different so it's hard to give specific direction on how to get it to work. You might also have to specify the mapper depending on which emulator your using. I know the one DC MSX emulator is like that.

I know at least 2 emulators that play Metal gear 2 as I was messing around with it a week ago. It's an MSX2 disk game. I got fed up with the game and gave up after a while.

[Daria]

Azazel: Thanks! Actualy I'd rather buy the game if I could. I guess MSX games aren't easy to come by but what kind of money would I be looking at if I wanted to get a copy of Princess Maker?

And a system to play it on for that matter.

I'll try the emulator settings in the mean time though.

[Azazel]

For a system I would assume something that can play disks and is MSX2. I have no idea on costs for a system or the game. I also have no idea for good places for getting MSX stuff either. You might want to check to see if the game was official released in english or if the english vesion is fan translated game by Oasis or of the like. A bunch of the english translated games are just sold/downloaded as complete english games versus being distributed as an IPS patch like a lot of the console translations are. If it's the later of beening a fan translation it will probably be even harder to get. You could also see if you can copy the translated disks image and transfer those to real disks and play it on a system as a last resort.

[Ed Oscuro]

The only thing that is suppose to be higher than MSX2 is maybe MSX Turbo.
No, it goes MSX2 > MSX2+ > MSX Turbo-R. There is little MSX2+ software (and much of the software after the 2+ appeared in '88 simply is designed to utilize MSX2+ features IF you have a 2+; otherwise it will run normally on a 2), but even less Turbo-R software (Seed of Dragon and..?).

I would suggest looking at The Ultimate MSX FAQ (http://www.faq.msxnet.org/), myself.

[opcode]

The only thing that is suppose to be higher than MSX2 is maybe MSX Turbo.
No, it goes MSX2 > MSX2+ > MSX Turbo-R. There is little MSX2+ software (and much of the software after the 2+ appeared in '88 simply is designed to utilize MSX2+ features IF you have a 2+; otherwise it will run normally on a 2), but even less Turbo-R software (Seed of Dragon and..?).

I would suggest looking at The Ultimate MSX FAQ (http://www.faq.msxnet.org/), myself.

There is little software designed exclusively for the MSX2+ and MSX TurboR. For the MSX2+ we have F1 Spirit 3D Special, Laydock 2 and Midgarts. Several games will use the special features in the MSX2+, like Golvelious and Space Mambow, though they will also run in a plain MSX2.
For the MSX TurboR we have: Fray, Seed of Dragon and Illusion City, but, again, several software will use the special TurboR features (mostly turbo mode), like Xak2 and Sorcerian.
The MSX2+ is the best option because it will come with the FM module built in, and almost every game released after 88 will use it. Beside, all MSX2+ will come with a built in floppy drive.
The main problem with European and Brazilian MSXes is the color standard (PAL and PAL-M), while the Japanese MSX will use NTSC.

Eduardo

[rbudrick]

The MSX2+ is the best option because it will come with the FM module built in, and almost every game released after 88 will use it. Beside, all MSX2+ will come with a built in floppy drive.

Ahh, ok. So the Turbo R is a higher version but doesn't have the FM chip?

Thanks!

-Rob

[opcode]

The MSX2+ is the best option because it will come with the FM module built in, and almost every game released after 88 will use it. Beside, all MSX2+ will come with a built in floppy drive.

Ahh, ok. So the Turbo R is a higher version but doesn't have the FM chip?

Thanks!

-Rob

It has, but it is far higher priced than a MSX2+, so IMHO a MSX2+ would be a better buy.

Eduardo

[rbudrick]

OK, so other than cost, there's no drwaback to going with a Turbo R...all benefits, right?

Thansk again!

-Rob

[Ed Oscuro]

Now aside from the fact that I haven't seen a Turbo-R for sale (maybe on YahoO! AUCTIONS Japan. - I'd imagine the things to be pretty expensive. NFG's MSX2+ you see is expensive enough, and I'm assuming there's going to be even more demand for the Turbo-R seeing how there are only two models listed on the FAQ page O:

[rbudrick]

Yeah, There's a couple on Yahoo Japan right now. Hey, with Rinkya.com, Yahoo Japan is no longer a problem. Except you pay out the ass for using RInkya. Which brings me back to my question:


OK, so other than cost, there's no drwaback to going with a Turbo R...all benefits, right?

I noticed one of the Turbo Rs don't have a tape drive port....bt I can't see any immediate other drawbacks....

-Rob

[opcode]

Yeah, There's a couple on Yahoo Japan right now. Hey, with Rinkya.com, Yahoo Japan is no longer a problem. Except you pay out the ass for using RInkya. Which brings me back to my question:


OK, so other than cost, there's no drwaback to going with a Turbo R...all benefits, right?

I noticed one of the Turbo Rs don't have a tape drive port....bt I can't see any immediate other drawbacks....

-Rob

Yeah, they don't have. And they won't accept paddles either... :)

Eduardo

[Aswald]

Isn't a "regular" MSX computer pretty much a ColecoVision with more memory?

[opcode]

Isn't a "regular" MSX computer pretty much a ColecoVision with more memory?

Not exactly. Aside the Z80 and TI VDP, the remaining chipset and architeture is fairly different.

Eduardo

[Ed Oscuro]

How's the heat on a Turbo-R? It mentions the chip is screaming along at over 28MHz...

[opcode]

How's the heat on a Turbo-R? It mentions the chip is screaming along at over 28MHz...

Not a problem. There isn't even need for a heatsink...

The last model, A1-GT, comes with midi interface, 512KB of RAM memory and MSXView built in (a Windows like interface). Also, MSX-DOS2, will is a lot like MS-DOS3, including directory tree, etc.

It was rumored that Panasonic was planning to include the V9990 graphic chip with this machine, which would give it SNES like graphics and sprites capabilities (in some cases even better). Even though the chip was in fact released, it wasn't used with the A1-GT (which was suppose to mean Graphic Turbo). Later some people from Europe released an expansion board to add the V9990 to the TurboR. The real deal, the V9978 (supposed to be the graphic chip in MSX3 computers) was even featured in some datasheets manuals but never got released. I friend of mine with some relations inside Yamaha was given a sneak preview of it, as well as the MSX Audio2 sound chip.

Eduardo

[Ed Oscuro]

Wow. I don't suppose it would've changed the face of the industry, but it would've been nice :P

[rbudrick]

I found out that the Turbo Rs also have Japanese-only keyboards and often-faulty floppy drives.

Does anyone have a good link for how to do basic commands in MSXDOS on a 2++? You know, copying disks, starting games, looking at directories...stuff like that.

-Rob

[opcode]

I found out that the Turbo Rs also have Japanese-only keyboards and often-faulty floppy drives.

Does anyone have a good link for how to do basic commands in MSXDOS on a 2++? You know, copying disks, starting games, looking at directories...stuff like that.

-Rob

Japanese only keyboard? Keyboard is standard qwerty. It can be used to enter Japanese characters, but you will need to turn on the kana key.
MSXDOS commands are the same as MSDOS1: dir, copy, del, type, etc.

Eduardo

[rbudrick]

Well I see qwerty on the pre-turbo R systems, but check out this auction:

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g22366689

If you enlarge the pic, you will only see kana keys on the keyboard...not roman letters....

The whole Japanese-only notion on the Turbo Rs I got from Manuel who made that MSX faq linked above...

-Rob

[opcode]

Well I see qwerty on the pre-turbo R systems, but check out this auction:

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g22366689

If you enlarge the pic, you will only see kana keys on the keyboard...not roman letters....

The whole Japanese-only notion on the Turbo Rs I got from Manuel who made that MSX faq linked above...

-Rob

Check those pics:

http://www.aamsx.org/course/1/a1st-main.jpg

http://www.aamsx.org/course/1/a1st-frontleft.jpg

I have a Turbo R myself, so I can assure you it has a qwerty keyboard.... :)

Eduardo

[rbudrick]

Ahh, you're right. When I enlarged the pic before, the qwerty looked not right at all, but I can plainly see the uiop after it. Interesting. The other turbo r model is qwerty too:

http://www10.ocn.ne.jp/~d-binder/A1GT.htm

Thanks, opcode. Glad I took a second look. I guess my eyes were playing tricks on me based on blurry enlergements, bad info and uhh, stuff.

-Rob