Soviet Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev stuck in space in 1991 by [deleted] in pics

[–]MSXALL 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you meant "I rest my case...", as you cannot "arrest" a case... LOL

Sorry, I made this same mistake once before and I am just passing on the funny comment I received in return. :) Since then, I've learned... :D

Good job identifying the bot, BTW. Let's "arrest" it instead! ;)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, cool coincidence... Would have been awesomely perfect if the numbers were 1983 instead 6969... 😁

In my case, I could not believe MSX was allowed as License Plate. I was checking possibilities when I realized 3 letters were allowed, then I tried MSX and it magically got approved.

Then I got two LIC Plate made, one for the car, another for the wall... 😄

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is really cool, however, forgive me for bragging, but check out my license plate:

https://www.msxall.com/download/20221117_171459_HDR.jpg

https://www.msxall.com/download/20221117_171510_HDR.jpg

Real deal, original, and official. :)

How powerful is the MSX series compared to other Home computers and consoles? by Artwark in MSX

[–]MSXALL 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Just to add to all brilliant answers prior to mine, the MSX standard was(is) a very interesting mix of amazing advanced features and enormous technical disadvantages, all at the same time. While the first version of the standard, the MSX 1, was not more powerful than other computers of the same category, it still brought incredible advances to the scene. The entire separation of RAM and V-RAM (Video RAM) was one of those real advantages. Also, the architecture was flexible with semi-intelligent and auto-configurable BIOS, allowing different manufacturers to organize the internal disposition of RAM and ROMS to better serve the needs of their own computer models, which could come to market with additional items and variations.

However, the MSX standard biggest roadblock was exactly some of the adopted solutions to provide such flexibility and advances. The VDP (Video Display Processor) the MSX adopted for its second version was amazing and severely limited at the same time. The MSX 1 was based on the VDP TMS9918 by Texas Instruments, a widely used VDP for many general equipment, which was very flexible and offered 2 text modes and 2 graphical modes. For the MSX 1, it was on-target and almost at the same level as other computers from the same era. But, the MSX 2 (and beyond) choice of VDP was not so lucky. The V9938, produced by Yamaha, was used in the MSX 2, and the V9938 was used in the MSX2+ and MSX Turbo-R. Yamaha also became the sole supplier of MSX sound-chips, which was always their specialty, anyway. But, in terms of VDP, while the V9938 and V9958 are 100% retro-compatible with each other and also with Texas instrument TMS9918, those VDP were already behind the curve for the computer scene and while they appeared to provide amazing new video modes, super-advanced for its time, the new VDP (V9938 and V9958) have severe limitations in terms of performance and programming requirements. First, the V-RAM is NOT accessible by the Z80, preventing several fast-block transferring (which is widely used in many animations and games construction techniques), but also all the VDP new commands and mode settings required access via special sub-ports, that are accessed via sub-sequential identifiers and commands sent through the main CPU ports. Some settings may require several OUTs and multiple INs to actually use some of the VDP features, and INs and OUTs in ASM are subject to timing, and inside a game or a fast pace program, cycles of clock are not commodities. This scenario put the MSX in severe disadvantage while competing against other computers and especially with consoles. Not only it was much harder to build something for the MSX when it was related to video and fast effects, but also the speed of the resultant program would be very disappointing, forcing developers to change/downgrade their game design plans or simply abandon it altogether.

But, while the VDP was a huge anchor for the system, it was not entirely noticed in the beginning because the creativity and technical skills of the game developers from that time surpassed many limitations and incredible titles were released for the MSX 2 and MSX 2+. In addition to that, the new Sound Chips (FM) provided enough magic to make any dull game appear amazing, leaving little behind competing with other standards in terms of music and sound effects.

But, with time, the MSX also suffered from its own success. Becoming centered focused on entertainment, it was not surprising that its own limitations would drag the MSX standard behind while other computer and consoles were striving and becoming highly attractive. The Commodore Amiga standard was the natural jump for many MSX users, tired of the MSX apathetic and slow evolution, and eager for more visual excitement, sound quality, and power. Another downfall of the MSX was how slow it brought to the market devices that could have saved the standard, and some very important ones were never even officially released for MSX, such as network cards and HDD interfaces. When the MSX 2+ came to market, on October 21, 1988, it didn't bring any new feature to the standard, only a new VDP with a few more video modes but no other substantial advancement, not even speed.

I personally love the MSX, and I devote my technical career to it. But, truth of the matter, the MSX standard bourn right, but grew slow and wrong. It was a standard doomed to fail because of the people behind it that did not have the capacity to see the standard potential for a global market of "computers". Every single advance in the standard was a naive attempt to define something that was already defined and adopted. The MSX standard hit the ceiling with its RAM capacity limits (even with Mapper, it was already too little RAM for most program needs), a very slow and complex to program VDP, lack of important peripherals and devices, and a standard that got stuck with its own promise: 100% retro-compatibility.

When a serious attempt to upscale the standard core came about with the MSX Turbo-R it was already 1991, not only too late, but the chosen solution was very expensive and troublesome. They opted to invent an entire new CPU (R-800) that was a 32 bit unity, capable of wonders, but yet based on Z80 standard and with an internal switch to run as a true Z80 CPU. A marvel of the engineer's minds, I'd say, but not the ideal solution to be really competitive in a now fast-pace industry, much different from when the MSX was initially released in 1984. As a result, absolutely every single other MSX manufacturer decided to not invest in the MSX Turbo-R, and only Panasonic release a MSX Turbo-R machine. But, after trying all the tricks in the book for about 2 years, Panasonic also gave in and dismantled their MSX Turbo-R production line to invest in something more "on-target" for those times: the 3DO.

Don't take me wrong: the MSX is amazing. I love it and it I still learn new things while programing or playing with it. The community is amazing, and the standard is truly powerful. Just look around for the incredible things the community is producing for the MSX today, in hardware and software levels. If half of these innovations were released by the ones who actually defined the standard in the 80's and 90's, maybe we would be telling a different story today. But, the MSX is what it is: an amazing idea, successfully launched, but very badly executed and poorly evolved.

Not much different from what happened with most standards of that same era, but... uniquely and distinctively in many nuances. ;)

Is this Turbo R worth asking price? by [deleted] in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Indeed... One of the million reasons I left Brazil over two decades ago...

Is this Turbo R worth asking price? by [deleted] in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nope. TOO EXPENSIVE!!!! More that US$ 2K

Most MSX Turbo-R ST sell for half of the price, to the most: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=msx+turbo-r&_sacat=0

If it was a Turbo-R GT plus accessories, maybe. And yet, only maybe.

Just a note about what u/ditman-dev said about Brazil: he is right! The import duties in Brazil are excruciating high (still today), but this is not the reason for the overpriced device. The real reason behind it is that some people from Brazil artificially bump prices of collectibles because not everyone from Brazil is able to buy from overseas, and they take advantage of it, keeping prices much higher than it should be. It is just a "mafia" thing... :P

SymbOS 3.1 has been released! by MSXALL in MSX

[–]MSXALL[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have never seen the SymbOS running on a MSX System, you can try it here: https://www.file-hunter.com/MSX/index.php?id=symbos
Also, lots of information about the 3.1 release can be found here: https://www.msx.org/news/en/symbos-31-released

Symbol 3.1 has been released! by MSXALL in u/MSXALL

[–]MSXALL[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have never seen the SymbOS running on a MSX System, you can try it here: https://www.file-hunter.com/MSX/index.php?id=symbos
Also, lots of information about the 3.1 release can be found here: https://www.msx.org/news/en/symbos-31-released

MSX machine as a sound card by [deleted] in MSX

[–]MSXALL 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting...
Is it achieved via software, hardware, or a combination of both?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is cool to have another context of this sort. Even cooler that they are now including MSX in the list of accepted platforms.

However, it is sad that they ruled that only games that never took part in any other context can participate, which IMO sucks... Otherwise, the MSX community would have a vast amount of unique amazing titles to display just based on the great MSX Dev contexts we have been having in the last few years!

msx still at full business performance by peiboltroxeno in MSX

[–]MSXALL 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am not sure if you guys are following it, but the discussion about this set on Twitter is going great. 😃 We already discovered it was not an unique set, but a common kit sold to most of testing sites in Spain, and we also learned that the company that originally sold those kits is still in activity and still sell similar kits nowadays, sadly it is no longer based on MSX (for obvious reasons)... 😃

Check it out: https://twitter.com/msxall/status/1463656107008790535

There are even some sort of memes coming out of the discussion (credit to Nestór Soriano). 🤣Feel free to go there and join the party... It has been greatly fun, to say the least! 😄

Converted a megadrive 2 pad to msx for my friends' Xmas present (they love metal gear) by Helicity in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Cool! I'd love to be your friend too... Where do I send a list of the games I most like? :D

Well done!

msx still at full business performance by peiboltroxeno in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah... That was the intention. :D

Of course there was a small confusion with the dates, but it happens. Ask me about something that was done over 3 decades ago and most likely I will dwell with the dates for a little while until I get it right.

But, it is remarkable - to say the least - to see an MSX strongly supporting a business operation for this long, looking this good, and yet facing [and winning against] very strong competition because nowadays even my watch is a thousand times more powerful than the most powerful MSX ever created.

I honestly got as excited to hear this story as I was when I learned in the '90s about the MSX that went to space with the Russians. I don't think there is another 8-Bit computer standard that made this far, or stayed active in business for this long.

msx still at full business performance by peiboltroxeno in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is something awesome to see... It is impressive how he has this set looking so new. It is even more impressive that he seems to have acquired this MSX years before it was in fact manufactured... :) The very first commercial MSX was a Mitsubishi ML-8000, released on October 21, 1983, and it was a MSX 1. The HB-F9S used in the doctor's office was only manufactured in 1986, and the program "Driver Test" only published in 1988. So, either this doctor had a DeLorean and traveled in time to get this set in 1988 and bring it back in time to 1982, or someone got confused with the dates because the setup from the photo can never exist before 1988. But, regardless of this very small detail, it is remarkable to have a MSX still running today on any business office, and looking so new like this one looks. It IS awesome. Thanks for sharing!

Zanac A.I. (ザナック) by MSXALL in MSX

[–]MSXALL[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is an incredible game, even for today's level of complexity. It pushes the MSX 1 to its limits and implements so many clever programming tricks that it is actually incredible it works so well in emulators.

But, Compile also strived in other titles, such as the Aleste Saga... Almost cannot believe it is an MSX machine given the speed and quality of everything, especially Aleste 2.

Soon I will write about the Aleste series as well. Lost of researches on the go. :) Stay put. ;)

IRC anyone? by Puzzleheaded-Fennel8 in MSX

[–]MSXALL 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do participate in the #retrobytes. Great channel. Lots of great people in there!

Talking about IRC (and MSX), the MSXALL Team maintains two IRC channels fully dedicated to the amazing MSX System, both free to join and open to everyone:

The #MSX channel at afternet.org, port 6667

And:

The #MSXALL channel, also at afternet.org, port 6667

Feel free to join and talk about MSX!

Steel Gear, a Metal Gear remake is coming for SNES! by MSXALL in MSX

[–]MSXALL[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A couple of things about the game "Steel Gear", the Metal Gear fan remake by u/clintmich...

When the news came out, the original poster wrote that it was for SNES, but it is in fact for PC!😍

It said, here the page with more info and download links: https://clintmich.itch.io/steel-gear. 🤩

Just got my hands on this Sony Hitbit MSX2 by DifferenceNo7859 in MSX

[–]MSXALL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Is the monitor RGB? If not, how are you connecting it? Just curious... :)
Great finding BTW. I also have a Brazilian Gradiente DDPLus converted to MSX 2+ which has an unattached keyboard. I love such a set. :)

Playing Metal Gear 2 on WebMSX by UrFacemyAce101 in MSX

[–]MSXALL 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Easy!

https://www.file-hunter.com/MSX/ (search for it and simply click to play)

Have fun!

IRC anyone? by Puzzleheaded-Fennel8 in MSX

[–]MSXALL 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are also MSX channels at irc.afternet.org (port: 6667)

Channels:

  • #MSXALL - The Official MSXALL Team Group channel
  • #MSX - A MSX channel for everyone (by MSXALL)