What hardware extension for MSX would you produce if money were not an issue?

Paragon (1628)

07-06-2011, 22:39

i will buy a coffee-machine interface for msx.....
just imagine, plug the cartridge and:

10 Call MAKE_A_COFFEE
20 END

run

Actually, Jipe made that already.
On a French convention 4 years ago, he controlled a coffee machine thru an MSX

But to get back to the original question, my answer is : none.
I enjoy the MSX because it's an old school computer, with its limitations.
I already feel that some hardware extensions made in the '90s and later are somehow an overkill.

We do not need to pull the MSX thru the next century kicking and screaming.
Let's keep it like it was in the '80s ...

Por WORP3

Paladin (864)

07-06-2011, 22:42

@boss_msx, thanks mate, hope you will have a lot of fun with it, i know i do !
Hint, try some mgsel music's

Por boss_msx

Champion (415)

07-06-2011, 23:37

@Worp3, well, I just got a second-hand MT-32 so it's waiting for the Midipac to arrive..

I got the big music pack from your site (great!), but I don't have the players.. is there some place I can find all of them?
There are quite a few formats and it would be nice if I can put everything on my CF.

Por WORP3

Paladin (864)

08-06-2011, 00:06

Don't forget to update your mpc, as the midi-pac will come default with the gm setting installed !

I still need to update the music pack, maybe i can add a player for the mgs files.

Por nikodr

Paladin (750)

08-06-2011, 01:18

with an unlimited amount of money I would skip the extension story and start gathering a team of HW profs and industrial designers. I would inform them well about the MSX standard and ask them to develop the MSX3 which is fully backwards compatible with MSX1,2,2+,turboR.

Offcourse this wonderfull machine will have DVD support. Built in HD. USB ports. Built in ethernet. Ohw and a live bootable version of linux in its ROM packed with alll the tools to build and develop for the MSX.

Offcourse. No HW emulation. That means buying all the crystallographs from the V9958, R800 etc and if not available redesign them. Bring them back into production and when the whole machine is finished make a million of them and sell them for lets say 100 bucks.

All the money thats left can offcourse be used to put a whole software company into developing new games for all the standards including the MSX 3

O wait I think I just spent alot more then a million bucks...

Or just write a linux os on any device that would have some sort of emulation layer that would handle all of msx rom files dsk and stuff.Msx3 should be the next move of msx on 2011 ?That would have to be something like ps4 or xbox next generation,why would it have to be compatible with the old msx standar?Who would need 8 sprites per scanline limitation in 2011?Or are you suggesting an msx machine named msx3 that would be the next thing had the msx standar survived the turbo r area ?
I think the usb and network stuff would be cool,or maybe a machine that can run a more modern dos version along with internet suite that would offer web access and why not even some tweeter stuff ?Zx spectrum users can tweet,

Por Tanni

Hero (556)

08-06-2011, 01:23

I enjoy the MSX because it's an old school computer, with its limitations.

In fact, every computer is limited, but the newer ones are built a way that you normally don't get aware of that. And I agree that limitations can be a great fun for some purposes.

I already feel that some hardware extensions made in the '90s and later are somehow an overkill.

Yes, maybe. Depends on your taste. Other systems had things like that, too.

We do not need to pull the MSX thru the next century kicking and screaming.
Don't think that this was the intention of the opening poster.

Let's keep it like it was in the '80s ...
Ever thought about how keeping a system limited but go on to a more advanced level? So, what would be a descendant of an 80s-like computer which is more advanced but still limited enough for say easy coding, of for that 80s feeling? Or for a new, but related feeling? See VDPX: The Quest for High-Performance Retro Graphics and especially LOW performance graphics cartridge for MSX-1.

Por pitpan

Prophet (3156)

08-06-2011, 08:57

I'd make a batch of 200x SOLID SNAKE perfect replicas, sell them on eBay to merciless freaks and then use the fundings for producing a brand new MSX1 computer in netbook format. A light weight all-in-one MSX computer. Probably the money won't be enough even for producing the plastic case, but it's cool to dream about it. And also some low tech extensions, such as iluminated keyboard, suspend/resume functions, adjustable CPU speed, true stereo sound, DVI/HDMI output...

Por konamiman

Paragon (1211)

08-06-2011, 09:06

Wow... this thread has had more success than I expected!

Since you guys are providing answers that somewhat divert from the original question (nothing bad with that), I will say that if the money were to be used for something MSX related but not necessarily hardware related, maybe I would hire Hideo Kojima to finish the MSX version of Snatcher.

And of course I would also consider gathering a full engineering team to develop a MSX3 as Daemos suggests, but this topic would easily fit on a new (and I guess that it would become veeeery long) thread.

Por MsxKun

Paragon (1134)

08-06-2011, 09:37

Zx spectrum users can tweet,

MSX too, ask Konamiman.

Por boss_msx

Champion (415)

08-06-2011, 09:43

Yeah, I got the MPC for MT32, I guess I use this instead of the gm 0.50 version when using the MT-32..
Adding the player(s) to the musicpak would be really great!!
Any change that you could also make this work for PSG sound? Or is that impossible?

I'm kind of a noob when it comes to midi...what are the differences when using a more expensive midi device? I red that the MT-32 is not the best out there..