New 1-chip MSX can be pre-ordered outside of Japan
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...very interesting !! 
...now, if only there was a 1-chip CPC... *sigh*
...it's a bit scary seeing the whole thing "naked" - does it really come without -any- kind of casing at all ?
...I know it's supposed to be that way, since it's a chip/board/card thing, but since it needs various peripherals to work (monitor, floppy drive, keyboard, etc.) shouldn't it have at least a "sleeve" casing, no matter how small ?
I also read about the whole "programmable FPGA chip" business, and it seems very promising. I particularly liked the part about "implementing your favorite classic computer or console in the FPGA chip".
...I don't know to what extend something like that is feasible, but it's more than enough to wet any retro computer freak's appetite.
Hopefully, if it sells well, they'll make an 1-chip version of the MSX-2, as well.
---EDIT---
...oops, forget what I said before - I just read that the picture shows a "prototype", and that the final product will come with a "simple casing" (good call ).
...now, if only there was a 1-chip CPC... *sigh*...it's a bit scary seeing the whole thing "naked" - does it really come without -any- kind of casing at all ?
...I know it's supposed to be that way, since it's a chip/board/card thing, but since it needs various peripherals to work (monitor, floppy drive, keyboard, etc.) shouldn't it have at least a "sleeve" casing, no matter how small ?
I also read about the whole "programmable FPGA chip" business, and it seems very promising. I particularly liked the part about "implementing your favorite classic computer or console in the FPGA chip".
...I don't know to what extend something like that is feasible, but it's more than enough to wet any retro computer freak's appetite.
Hopefully, if it sells well, they'll make an 1-chip version of the MSX-2, as well.
---EDIT---
...oops, forget what I said before - I just read that the picture shows a "prototype", and that the final product will come with a "simple casing" (good call
).yes, they'll provide a casing, and a full MSX 2 compatibility update later as well
I'll probably pre-order.
In order for this thing to make it, though, they need to reach a few thousand pre-orders at least. Let's hope they do.
I'll probably pre-order.
In order for this thing to make it, though, they need to reach a few thousand pre-orders at least. Let's hope they do.
Much as I love my old PC-ish machines (they actually still work, unlike my original NES and Atari 2600), these days I prefer emulation for those systems. Forget savestates and texture filtering and whatnot... the big deal is speeding up those damn cassette and floppy load times. It's great playing Ultima IV and having the disc swaps load instantly (without having to go through a stack of discs to find the right one to begin with!).
Didn't that happen?F-3582 said:
Of course the C64DTV isn't a fully fledged C64, allthough it can be hacked into one (http://www.orrville.net/dtvhacking/)
And there's the Commodore One: http://c64upgra.de/c-one/
I happen to prefer the MSX though, as that was my first computer system.
Well, in germany there were the old Sinclair ZX, the Schneider CPC464 and the Commodore64, no MSX, though. I still prefer the C64, because the sound is top notch (it even had filters for each channel indepentently - a feature neither of the old 8Bit consoles had).
On the other hand, I have to say that the MSX2 ruled, too. Games like MG2 would have never been possible like this on the C64.
On the other hand, I have to say that the MSX2 ruled, too. Games like MG2 would have never been possible like this on the C64.
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....H-O-L-Y C-R-A-P.... oOSamor said:
...thanks for these links. That C-one is pretty amazing !!
...and C64-Direct-to TV ...I've heard in the past about an "atari joystick" that included games, but I didn't know a C64 equivalent was also out. Very handy for those who for whatever reason don't want to mess with emulators.
Man, I'm starting to like that lady a lot !!
....C-one truly comes without a casing though - it's handled like your average motherboard, with various connectors (even for old C64 drives - makes sense I guess.). This is a better example of the whole FPGA implementation, since there are already some "cores" emulating the CPC line of home computers as well as the C64 :thumb: (my selection of this particular pic from that site's screenshot gallery was completely random - I SWEAR !!
:evil: )....the only downside would be the price (which is even steeper than the 1-chip MSX's), but nostalgia along with the sheer potential in expandability of this project, is a considerable factor too
I can see Rhombus' point about using good ol' software emulation (which is EXTREMELY accurate nowadays) to relive your childhood memories without getting "down & dirty" messing with hardware , but all things considered, projects like these do have a use as well...
...there is another thing that bugs me though, one that I can't get around on either road of emulation, and it's that of using old media, besides tapes. Clearly, computers like the CPC with a more "exotic" selection of hardware (although it wasn't considered too exotic back then) come off at the losing side.
...I wish there was an EASY way to access some of my old disks, since I really want to check out some of my old works with The Art Studio and other stuff, and I also have several english version games of some french companies, that can't be found on the 'net...
...programs like Disk2FDI are very useful, but not in the CPC's case, since one still needs to resort to "special" floppy cables (providing you also have a working 3'' drive of course)... *sigh*
...well, I'd better stop now, because I'm turning this post into a rant
Samor, if you do get an 1-chip MSX, please post some pics and further comments on your experience. It'll be an interesting read.
I have C64 DTV. it's quit coolsights said:....H-O-L-Y C-R-A-P.... oO
...thanks for these links. That C-one is pretty amazing !!
...and C64-Direct-to TV ...I've heard in the past about an "atari joystick" that included games, but I didn't know a C64 equivalent was also out. Very handy for those who for whatever reason don't want to mess with emulators.
Man, I'm starting to like that lady a lot !!
(technically much more advanced than the usual retro joysticks) - there should be a second (improved) version coming out later this year though.the one chip MSX will come with MSX cartridge connectors as such - so one can play original carts right on it; a big pro....C-one truly comes without a casing though - it's handled like your average motherboard, with various connectors (even for old C64 drives - makes sense I guess.). This is a better example of the whole FPGA implementatio, since there are already some "cores" emulating the CPC line of home computers as well as the C64 :thumb: (my selection of this particular pic from that site's screenshot gallery was completely random - I SWEAR !!
...the only downside would be the price (which is even steeper than the 1-chip MSX's), but nostalgia along with the sheer potential in expandability of this project, is a considerable factor too
I can see Rhombus' point about using good ol' software emulation (which EXTREMELY accurate nowadays) to relive your childhood memories without getting "down & dirty" messing with hardware , but all things considered, projects like these do have a use as well...
What's funny though, is that there will (probably) also be an USB cartridge reader for MSX cartridges out outside of Japan that works on PC, and which is planned to work with some of the best emulators. - on one hand maybe silly, as one can play a rom, on the other hand, you can use real carts on an emu, and that's just cool.
MSX has advantages here; the disks are PC compatible (FAT 12 file system; having said that, it doesnt seem to do the MSX disks much good by running them on PC drives), tapes can be preserved through soundcards (similar to how its done with c64) and in the future carts should be readable on an emu....there is another thing that bugs me though, one that I can't get around on either road of emulation, and it's that of using old media, besides tapes. Clearly, computers like the CPC with a more "exotic" selection of hardware (although it wasn't considered too exotic back then) come off at the losing side.
...I wish there was an EASY way to access some of my old disks, since I really want to check out some of my old works with The Art Studio and other stuff, and I also have several english version games of some french companies, that can't be found on the 'net...
well, they have to make 5000 preorders in total to be able to produce it for that price. - in Japan there are just over 2000 orders now; so let's say internationally there have to be 3000 pre-orders. Doesn't sound like much, but the company providing them (bazix) isn't too much known yet. I wonder if they'll manage to get the attention they need....programs like Disk2FDI are very useful, but not in the CPC's case, since one still needs to resort to "special" floppy cables (providing you also have a working 3'' drive of course)... *sigh*
...well, I'd better stop now, because I'm turning this post into a rant
Samor, if you do get an 1-chip MSX, please post some pics and further comments on your experience. It'll be an interesting read.
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Samor said:the one chip MSX will come with MSX cartridge connectors as such - so one can play original carts right on it; a big pro
What's funny though, is that there will (probably) also be an USB cartridge reader for MSX cartridges out outside of Japan that works on PC, and which is planned to work with some of the best emulators. - on one hand maybe silly, as one can play a rom, on the other hand, you can use real carts on an emu, and that's just cool.
...this goes to show how big the support for the MSX really is - especially in Japan.Samor said:
Between the dumping of tapes not posing a problem, and all that support for MSX cartridges, I'd say you're golden ((you lucky batard, you)
I've been wondering about the disks, though. It's a very good thing they're in PC compatible format (plus being an inch size still used today - which overcomes another major hardware obstacle), but how exactly is the 1-chip MSX handling the whole disk business ? ...I've read thet the C-one is able to even load disk images (in case people don't want mess with real disks) - maybe the 1-chip MSX has a similar function ?
I sincerely hope they make it.Samor said:
I'm not entirely sure. It doesn't have a disk drive, so I guess it would be able to run programs from SD/MMC card (it has an sd/mmc card slot). If it works similar to the CF-ATA IDE (this is an add on for MSX that allows compact flash cards to be used as harddisk (gotta love it)) it's a matter of copying files from floppy disks to the sd card with a pc; alternatively, there are several tools on MSX that allow disk images to be run from such a HD. It all works kinda strange though, as the MSX originally never had harddisks. I'm not entirely sure on how they solved it in the case of the 1chip*, but I guess the fact it can be reprogrammed allows for some nice additions - for example, at this moment it comes with an emulated SCC sound chip which I think is a stupid idea, because -sights said:...this goes to show how big the support for the MSX really is - especially in Japan.
Between the dumping of tapes not posing a problem, and all that support for MSX cartridges, I'd say you're golden ((you lucky batard, you)
I've been wondering about the disks, though. It's a very good thing they're in PC compatible format (plus being an inch size still used today - which overcomes another major hardware obstacle), but how exactly is the 1-chip MSX handling the whole disk business ? ...I've read thet the C-one is able to even load disk images (in case people don't want mess with real disks) - maybe the 1-chip MSX has a similar function ?
A) the SCC was never an MSX standard, but a Konami add-on sound chip featured with the games.
B) This automatically mean the main purpose for the SCC would be to run non-original Konami's (as all the original ones have SCC built in)
C) I prefer to use the original SCC anyways
D) Better use that space in the FPGA chip for something else.
To my knowledge, there will follow an update for the 1chip that will make it fully MSX2 compatible (that'd be mostly enough; there's very few software that requires the 2+ or Turbo-R systems). I also think that this update will be free, but I can't confirm it 100%.
*the CF-ATA IDE is a cartridge one can use in your MSX. It contains tools to format the CF card in FAT12 or FAT16 partitions - FAT16 is readable on MSX but not bootable. Very oddly, the first hard drive will be drive A: instead of your typical C: - Harddisks are also only supported under MSX-DOS2 so far, which was released pretty late in the MSX' lifespan. As such, it creates a few memory issues with older software. They can partially be solved using a dirty hack TSR program. - I haven't used it much lately; the MSX I have that can use the CF-IDE effectively (the other MSX doesn't have enough memory - I do have a 4MB memory expension but, the memory issues become even worse then and you're using both cartridge slots for just HD and memory and you can't use other carts at the same time which could be solved with a slot expander but they're friggin' expensive - GASP!) sadly has a sound bug that needs fixing first. In order to improve repairing skills I intend to do it fix it myself, but I've not been having much time for it lately.
Then there's the other MSX causing white to go red on the MSX monitor (basically a tv screen only much sharper) - it's also an old monitor but the picture is VERY clear and very suitable for PS2 and DC and on those it doesn't seem to turn red that quick - so perhaps the MSX' video output is at fault (as well) here, and I don't know (yet) how the other MSX handles that - hopefully better... in short, right atm I'm just using BlueMSX and both that MSX cart reader and the 1CM sound like excellent opportunities to be able to use the original carts on modern media. - It's not that I don't want to use my original MSXes but I prefer to not have red screens or incorrect sound. And I don't want to spend a lot of money on another second hand MSX; on the other hand a new one like the Onechip MSX is very appealing.
I also hope that monitor won't give up, as they're really one of a kind in quality. Should it happen, I could probably get another, but that would be another 50 euros.
Wow, I'm in ranting mode
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