THE MSX1 COMPUTER

1.1 MSX1 Standard definition and remarks

• CPU Zilog Z80A 3,579 MHz (8-bit)
• RAM at least 8kB. (Most of machines had 64kB built in.)
• 32kB BASIC/BIOS (MSX BASIC version 1.0)

  "MSX BASIC is an extended version of Microsoft Standard BASIC Version 4.5, and includes support for graphic, music, and various peripherials attached to MSX Personal Computers. Generally, MSX-BASIC is designed to follow GW-BASIC, which is one of the standard BASICs running on 16-bit computers. During the creation of MSX-BASIC, a major effort was made to make the system as flexible and expandable as possible." (1985)

• Video Display Processor: Texas Instruments TMS-9918/TMS-9928/TMS-9929
• Video RAM 16kB
• General Instruments AY-3-8910 Programmable Sound Generator. 8 octaves and 3 sound channels.
• Connector for tape/data recorder. Transfer speed: 1200 or 2400 baud in MSX-BASIC (FSK format). The speed can be altered though, with some POKEing or easily in Machine Language programs.
• Centronics interface (8-bit; small one, 14 pin).
• At least one joystick/mouse/paddle/trackball/graphic tablet connector. Most computers have two. The connnector is a normal 9-pin D-connector, male.
• Expansion port (at least one). Usually two are available, but in MSX1 computers with special functions only one is a standard MSX expansion port (cartridge slot) and the other one is a brand-specific port, for brand-specific extensions.
• At least 70 keys (including five function keys with ten programmable functions and four arrow keys).

  Some MSX1 computers were sold together with a disk-drive interface and a 360kB (single sided) floppy drive, mostly 3,5" but also 5,25" (mostly used in Brazil, but in the beginning also in the Netherlands) and so called Quick-disk drive with 2,8" disks. The latter is also used on other homecomputers, like the Sharp MZ-700. It's not capable of Random access, but it's a kind of tape-stream on a disk (in a spiral). A 3" (Amstrad) drive was probably also available but never was widely used by MSX users. Since Sony's intoduction of the 3,5" floppy drive, micro floppy disks became more or less the standard on MSX machines, especially in Europe and Japan.

1.2 Graphic capabilities

• 32 sprites available in screen 1, 2 and 3, but only four can be displayed on a row at the same time
• Note that in mode 2 only one colour per four pixels can be displayed (the so called "color spill" effect)
• These are the screen modes available in basic. However, when the VDP is programmed directly, some of the above modes can be `mixed'

1.3 Some examples of MSX1 machines

Before SVI-728 and SVI-738 X'press, two other computers from Spectravideo were released. They can be described as beta versions of an MSX1 machine.

SPECTRAVIDEO 318 with builtin joystick

SVI-318's features:

• CPU as in MSX1.
• 32kB of ROM (BASIC/BIOS with MicroSoft eXtended BASIC (Actually almost the same as on MSX1 but with minor changes of course)).
• 32kB of RAM
• 16kB of Video RAM and VDP as in MSX1
• QWERTY keyboard with dark yellow rubber keys and with built in joystick (red)
• One expansion port for ROM modules
• Main (large) expansion connector in the back
• CVBS/RF connectors
• Cassette Recorder connector (for special cassette recorder provided by SVI)
• External power supply

An expander box was available for SVI-318. It allowed to plug in expansion cartridges, such as disk controllers, 80 characters video card, RS232 interface and so on. Only 5,25" (single or double ? sided) drives were available for this system. Later came SVI-318/s big brother SVI-328.

Differences between SVI-318 and 328:

• Real keyboard (grey keys, not rubber) with numeric key pad
• 64kB of RAM
• 2 joystick connectors (no built in joystick)

SVI 328 connected to the SVI 605B super expander box

SVI-605B Super Expander Box contains:

• A slotexpander with place for 4 expansion cards
• Two 360kB double sided 5,25" floppy disk drives
• External power supply (heavy black box)
• Built in Centronics (normal size) printer port
• Built in diskcontroller for 2 floppy disk drives

Some available cards were:

• SVI-701: Internal modem 75/1200 bps
• SVI-803: 16kB RAM cartridge
• SVI-805: RS-232 interface
• SVI-806: 80-Column display cartridge (with external output)
• SVI-807: 64kB RAM cartridge
• SVI-???: HD interface
• (For more, check out MSX Hardwarelist)

It was possible to get a harddisk for this system too (10MB/20MB).

An interface which could be plugged in the expansion port of SVI-328, made possible to run Coleco cartridge games on SVI-328 (SVI-603 Coleco game adapter)

Due to MSX's appearance, an MSX1 emulator was available. It emulated MSX BASIC version 1.0 and cassete tapes could be read in SVI's tape recorder. But... only games that required 32kB of RAM could run, due to the emulator code which resided in RAM.

More info about SVI-328 by T. Carlson

Go to the Spectravideo fans club Hmm, are they alive??

Go to the Unofficial Spectravideo Homepage by Tomas Karlsson. Here, also a link to a SVI-328 emulator for PC can be found.

SVI-738 X'press from Spectravideo

One of the completest MSX1 computers

Spectravideo 738 X´press was released in 1985.

• 64 kB RAM
• 16 kB DISK ROM
• Single sided 360 kB floppy disk drive (3,5") built in (quite noisy Chinon drive and old-looking high)
• 2 joystick connectors
• Centronics interface (small one - standard on MSX)
• Cassette/data recorder connector
• RS232C interface and built in 8kB ROM with BASIC call extensions (I don't know if this is the normal set of calls, but they also appear in the Philips RS232C cartridge and the Sony RS232C cartridge):
  • _COMHELP: Command overview
  • _COMINI: Initialise the RS232 to BAUD rate etc.
  • LOAD"COM0:": Load BASIC program from RS232
  • SAVE"COM0:": Save BASIC program to RS232
  • OPEN"COM0:": Open a channel to RS232
  • _COMTERM: Simple terminal program, typed text will be sent and received written on the screen
  • _COMSTOP: ? (Henrik Gilvad says that this command contains a bug)
• 2nd drive connector (instead of 2nd expansion port, I guess). A second single sided drive was available (SVI-787 was ready to plug in without needing external power).
• RGB or CVBS/RF video output (depends on when produced).
• Yamaha V9938 Video Display Processor (MSX-Video), backward compatible with TMS-9918/TMS-9928 and is also part of the MSX2 standard.
• This MSX computer is very handy and transportable. It was delivered with the special SVI computer bag which made possible to easily transport the SVI X'press machine + power supply + disks, anywhere.
• Delivered with 2 disks.
  • MSX-DISK BASIC (contains a nice demo, which unfortunately does not work on MSX2 (?)), MSX-DOS V1.03, 4-in-one (Calac, Memo Writer, Data Base, File Maintainer), WIDTH80, EditFkey, LoadFkey, Color, Terminal, NFormat (...)

  The original disk with MSX-DOS V1.03	The original disk with CP/M V2.20

  • CP/M-80 V2.20 disk. The CP/M V2.20 disk will not start on MSX2/2+. There is a POKE which enables the possibility to boot it on MSX2, but unfortanately I can't remember it :-(. Mail Manuel if you know it!
• Manuals of CP/M V2.20, MSX-BASIC and MSX-DISK BASIC.
• External power supply.

Clock IC in an MSX1 computer?

Once, when I (The Red Devil) looked inside my SVI-738 I could see on the circuit board (under the diskdrive) place for a battery and the CLOCK_IC. I do not know if I remember correctly, but I think it had also space for 128kB VRAM. It was probably meant to become an MSX2 but it never did. As far as I know on newer series of SVI-738 X'press (read: them with RGB output) the mainboard is a bit different (the Clock IC stuff is removed). There are 3 versions of the SVI-738. I don't know exactly what is the difference between version 2 and 3 (?).

MSX2 V9938 VDP in an MSX1 computer?

The SVI-738 is not the only MSX1 machine with the V9938 Video Display Processor. Yamaha CX5M/128 also has the V9938 built in. The extra capabilities of V9938 were only used (on SVI-738) to display text in 80 column mode. It was quite useful for MSX-DOS and CP/M-80 V2.20 software which required the 80 column display. Due to this capability the SVI-738 was also sold as a package containing WordStar/MailMerge/DataStar and other CP/M 2.20 programmes.

There is made little software which can take advantage of the built in V9938 VDP (in the SVI-738):

• SCREEN 4 commands extension by Henrik Gilvad.
• PSYCHADELIA II by Jeff Minter & TON. A proggie to make some psychadelic effects, quite amusing! But remember to read the manual first! [psychad2.lzh].
• Nyyrikki's SVI-738 SCREEN 5 picture displayer V1.0

For other MSX1 computers there was an 80 column card available (also) from Spectravideo.

Due to minor difference between MSX2 and SVI-738 MSX1, Henrik Gilvad decided once to upgrade it to MSX2 and later to MSX2+. He succeded and lots of SVI-738 users from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland could get relatively cheap MSX2/2+ computers.

SVI-738 could be upgraded with/to (note that if you put enough effort to it this counts for all MSX computers...):

• MSX2 (128kB VRAM, MSX2 ROM/SUBROM)
• MSX2+ (V9958, 128kB VRAM, MSX2+ ROM/SUBROM/KANJI BASIC (without KANJI ROM)...)
• FM-PAC with FM-BASIC internally
• 128kB to 1MB (4MB) memory mappers. (I (The Red Devil) had an 1MB SIM with memory mappers builtin in my SVI-738)
• 720kB disk drive + new disk ROM for 720kB (with HG's Quick Format) According to Nyyrikki this new diskROM is not needed
• RGB connector (if it did not have one already)
• CLOCK-IC (Only very few have got it due to it was almost impossible to buy one and expensive)
• 6MHz board (may give some problems) with switch
• Reset button (which is quite common on other MSX computers)
• Danish-Norwegian or Swedish keyboard layout
• Possibility that default F-keys were changed to some more useful under disk basic (thus: a replacement for the normal EPROM)
• It had problems with starting up Synthsaurus (ROM RESET) so Henrik Gilvad modified the ROM and then it worked fine. It was required to hold the left arrow key during the boot
• Minor sound improvement (better FM-PAC sound)
• Special sliders were made by a Norwegian guy (Per Brekke), so the 720kB drive could be correctly mounted. The old 360kB drive was a bit higher than the new one
• 32kB SRAM internally. (?) for executing Yamaha ROM's which were used with the SFG01/05

It could run almost all software for MSX2/2+. Few games/programs did not work properly due to the lack of the aforementioned clock-chip or other unknown reasons. E.g. some Quasar Magazines, Ease, new games from Sunrise (due to bug(?) in the copy protection routine) and the GHQ disks (the BGM replayer) and Soundtracker 2.0 replayer.

Lots of info on the 738 can be found here, on Nyrikki's X'Press corner. Certainly look there if you want to upgrade your 738!

The copy of (SVI-738) diagrams can be obtained from The Red Devil, if you fully cover the copying/mailing costs.

Pioneer Palcom PX-7

The PX-7 with sparate keyboard and a video effects pad!

This picture is taken from the site.

If you have such machine for sale (reasonable price), then please contact me! Also more info about the games for MSX on Laser disks is welcome!

• VDP: TMS-9929A
• Stereo internal speakers
• 2 cartridge slots
• Superimpose capabilities
• Separate keyboard
• Laser Disc Player Interface (Laser Vision, capable of controlling laser disc player)
• Extended basic (P-BASIC) 8kB ROM with call commands (E.g. _LD)
• 32kB of RAM
• standard 16kB of Video RAM

Pioneer's purpose of adding the Laser Vision interface to this MSX computer was obviously to create a multimedia machine which could be used for adding pictures and texts to video movies (superimposing) and mainly to contol the Laser Disc player in several ways. Some special games were available on Laser Discs for MSX, in which laser disk video is used for backgrounds of games, the MSX1 graphics superimposed on them. The "multimedia" MSX1 was already available since 1984!

Here is an exerpt of an article about the expansion cartridge for every MSX:

"Until now the laser linking of Laser Vision with MSX has only been available on Pioneer equipment but this has changed now that Pioneer have put the ER-101 interface unit into general release. The ER-101 allows any MSX computer to be used with laser discs."

"The ER-101 Expansion processor unit looks like a slim-line video recorder and it can be easily placed on top of the Laser Vision player. It expands your ordinary MSX by adding an extra video processor chip called a TMS9928/A and an extra 2kB of RAM and further 16kB of video memory. An 8kB ROM provides extra commands called P-BASIC."
"Some of the space games are really sensational. You can guide a spaceship generated by the MSX graphics through a meteor storm generated by the very high resolution pictures recorded on the laser disc."

MSX User, June 1985
MSX Link, January 1995

Pioneer ER-101 MSX Expansion Processor

The ER-101 is almost an MSX computer on itself! It sort of makes your MSX a Pioneer PX-7. It includes "Laser Vision Player Control", "Superimpose" and "P-Basic (extended MSX-Basic)", just like is built in in the PX-7. For more pics check the MSX Hardwarelist.

(Probably incomplete) list of laserdisc games for the Palcom:

• PG001-12SG: Astron Belt [front/back/screenshots]
• PG002-12TO: Strike Mission [front/back]
• PG004-11KO: Badlands (by Konami) [front/back/screenshots]
• SS098-0002: Star Fighters [front/back/screenshots]
• SS098-0003: Nihonkai Daikaisen - Umi Yukaba [front/back]
• SS098-0008: Inter Stellar [front/back/screenshots]
• SS098-0011: Cosmos Circuit [front/back/screenshots]
• SS098-0019: Esh's Aurunmilla [front/back/screenshots]
• SS098-0044: Rolling Blaster [front/back/screenshots]
• HG041-13VM/LCT001: MysteryDisc: Murder, Anyone? [front/back]
• LCT002: MysteryDisc: Many Roads To Murder
• ???: Lascommate junior high school English 1-2
• ???: Lascommate junior high school English 3-4
• ???: Lascommate junior high school English 5-6
• ???: Lascommate junior high school English 7-8
• ???: Lascommate junior high school English 9-10
• ???: Lascommate junior high school Japanese 1-2
• ???: Lascommate junior high school Japanese 3-4
• KAL-M01: Lascommate junior high school Mathematics 1-2
• KAL-M02: Lascommate junior high school Mathematics 3-4
• KAL-M03: Lascommate junior high school Mathematics 5-6
• KAL-M04: Lascommate junior high school Mathematics 7-8
• KAL-M05: Lascommate junior high school Mathematics 9-10

Yamaha CX5M series

The Yamaha CX5M series consist of 3 machines (CX5M/CX5M II and CX-5M II/128, the latter being almost an MSX2, only lacking the right amount of VRAM and a clock chip). At the picture above you can see an Yamaha CX5M machine with a keyboard connected to the SFG music module.

These computers had built in (or rather plugged in) a quite good music module (4 operator FM-Synthesizer, MIDI interface and connector for optional keyboard). All original software for this music module was available as ROM cartridges. The SFG01 music module could only save/load data to/from tape and SFG-05 could use disk drive. This sound module could not be connected directly to every MSX computer. Due to Yamaha made a special connector in their Yamaha CX5M computers an adaptor was needed to plug it in normal MSX machine. The SFG never (as far I know) became an important piece of hardware in MSX-world, however it was used by musicans and there even existed special user groups in The Netherlands e.g. It was also one of the few MSX computers that were actually sold in the USA, but rather like a musical instrument than as a computer.

More info is here.
Also have a look at Eirik Lie's CX5M FAQ!

Keyboards available for SFG01/05:

Some of the cartridges:

1.4 Software

MSX1 software was available mostly on tapes and later on disks too (360kB - 3,5"). There are hundreds of games produced in 80'ies for MSX1. Now mostly available on disks, converted from tapes by MSX-freaks.

The software was also supplied on so called cartridges. The cartridges were very popular due to no loading time - Plug 'n play ;-). For long time ago software was also available on soft cards. A kind of credit cards with metal connectors which could be plugged in an adapter especially made for MSX machines. It was available in England, France and the Netherlands once as far I know. It was made by Electric software and quite some games from Electric were sold on these soft cards, e.g. Shark Hunter. Pictures can be found in the Hardware list section.

Hudson soft made a similar device: the BeePack. The software cards were called BeeCards. Pictures can be found in the Hardware list section.

Since the cartridges contain a ROM they could be saved to a disk. A lot of cartridge images are available on different MSX FTP sites. The [.ROM] files are mentioned to be used with MSX emulators, but they can alo be executed on real MSX computers. For more info look here.

A very special medium is the following:

CD SEQUENTIAL Made by Eurosoft. A normal CD-player is required to load the games, through the cassette recorder connector of an MSX computer, so it is not especially for MSX2, but there are some MSX2 games on it. The right photograph shows the Games Collecton CD.

Games available on this CD:

If you want software:

Then click on this button

Even more pictures can be found on The FUNet FTP MSX hardware-pictures directory! Most of these pictures are linked to from The MSX Hardwarelist by the way.

 1.5 Companies which produced MSX1 computers.

Sony, Panasonic, Sanyo, JVC (Victor), CE-TEC, Daewoo, Spectravideo, Toshiba, Canon, Casio, Dragon, Dyndata, Fujitsu, Goldstar Gradiente, Hitachi, Hotbit (Sharp), Pioneer, Mitsubishi, NEC, Philips, Radiola, Sakhr (Yamaha), Schneider, Talent, Telematica, Yamaha, Yashica, Aster International, General, Samsung, Hyosung, Limco, Oric, Radofin, ...

Again, for more info, check the MSX hardware list!