When, how and why did you start using MSX computers?

Hmm... let me start my story here too Some 15 years ago, computers were still 'new' and 'modern'... My parents wanted to be modern too, back then, and bought a second-hand PC at the local computer store. After 2 days however, I started messing around with some DOS commands. 'hmm... format... what does that do'?! And before I knew it, I formatted the only bootdisk for that computer, and at the store there were no good bootdisks to be found! This convinced my folks to sell this crappy PC (that was much too easy to destroy ) and bought a second hand NMS8245 some weeks after that. I still have this good ol' 8245, even used it all the time untill I got a Turbo R about a year or so ago, and I think I will keep the trusty old 8245 for old times sake! So... the 'why' was quite accidentally, but since I'm quite involved in the 'MSX scene' I can't leave anymore

Ok, I will tell but you won´t believe me anyway

I got my first MSX Computer in 2002 (!!!) .... yup, that´s right ! I never had a MSX back in the 80´s ! Sad but those MSX weren´t very popular here in germany that days. I grew up with an Amstrad CPC 464 (which I still own and use). I wanted one because my best friend got one and also because I wanted to be "different" from all those C64 Users around me at school

After some years I bought myself an Amiga 500 (yeah, I allready know that "some" of you may flame me for this but hey, the Amiga 500 IS a good computer) and was quite happy with it. After some more years the Amiga was outdated and I bought a PeCe. After many Upgrades many new PeCe´s I discovered an Amiga Emulator on the Net (1999) and began to play around with it. I soon found out, that emulators are nice, but the real things are even better ! It´s just this retro-feeling ....

So I went to the next second-hand shop and swapped 2 PSX games for an A500Plus with HD. It was a really great feeling, like back in those days

After some time, I nearly used my Amiga more than my PC and I began to buy old computers. Until now I got nearly 40 Old Computers and 20 Old Consoles here (still growing). In 2002 I visited a garage sale in the area and saw an old computer. There was written MSX on it. It was a Philips VG-8010. I never heard about it, so I bought it for a bargain and took it home.

After pluging it into my TV I was amazed. This little piece of Hardware was really great, but how to get some games for it ??? What are the specs of that machine ?

I began to search the Internet for MSX related stuff. First of all, I built a cable to use games in WAV format but most of the games won´t work due to the 32KB Ram size. So I began to search for other MSX Computers. Next one I bought was a Sony HitBit-75P and an external Disk Drive. This one came in mint condition. After some more weeks (and mainly playing THE CASTLE ) I´ve got a mail from a good friend of mine. He said he got an old computer and asked me, if I want to have it ! He was moving house and he nearly throw it away !!! I went to his house and he gave me a Philips VG-8235, my first MSX2.

I cannot describe the feeling after I discovered games like KINGS VALLEY 2 and other great games. It was absolutely fantastic. I wanted more of those, mainly because the drive belt isn´t very good anymore and the still original 360KB Disk Drive is not suitable for playing great games like SD SNATCHER for example

So I bought a Sony HB-F700D on EBay with 256KB Ram ! Finally I can enjoy SD SNATCHER on the real thing. I also own a SANYO MCP-100 but it´s in no good condition anymore

Today I´m still very active on my MSXes ! I think it is one of the greatest systems ever built. I only use a PeCe at work, my private life is dedicated to the old machines.

cheers ..... RetroMan
http://www.websamba.com/retroman

I'm happy to hear that the MSX system can grasp the attention of computer users even in 2002. Great story, Retroman. And from what I read in the development forum, this is just the beginning of your MSX story!

I'm curious about germany... what made MSX so unsuccesful in that area?

Hmmm I think that's one of the things the producers of MSX did not understand. In Japan a computer is good, so it will sell, so why spend a lot of cash to marketing. In many countries (especially Germany, UK and USA) it just doesn't work that way.

Sure, but I agree with snout that it at least appears so that word-of-mouth is stronger in Japan than in european countries. (Let alone USA where you can't sell anything without strong marketing, no matter how cool your friends say it is.)