NMS-8250 - alternatives to MFRSCC+SD?

Champion (294)

04-04-2016, 03:57

I just refurbished a Philips NMS-8250 (with assistance from the awesome Bas).

I was expecting to use an MFRSCC+SD with it, but I've discovered the volume loss bug others have mentioned with this combination.

I've also discovered that DOS2/Nextor with Sofarun doesn't work too well with only 128kB of RAM. Launching small roms and dsk images seem to need a bit more RAM.

Does anyone have any suggested alternatives to the MFRSCC+SD to use with an 8250? The ideal replacement would be something like a Sunrise IDE/CF adapter with a memory expansion, I guess.

Thanks.

Por Manuel

Ascended (19691)

04-04-2016, 07:12

Use the mfrscc+sd with the built in 512kB RAM?

Por meits

Scribe (6577)

04-04-2016, 07:27

You've to mention if you use a Philips when you buy a MFRSCC+SD, cuz it needs a tiny adaption.

Por Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

04-04-2016, 07:29

Hello
I-ATA IDE card + 1CF or 1CF + CDROM
with all the formatted 4GB card, partitioned and ready to use
for the ram I also have a H.O.M.E.R cartridge 512K
if you contact me or interresser is happening on the site:
http://www.msxvillage.fr/forum/topic.php?id=2867

Por zPasi

Champion (499)

04-04-2016, 11:06

mfeingol wrote:

I was expecting to use an MFRSCC+SD with it, but I've discovered the volume loss bug others have mentioned with this combination.

It's a hardware bug by Philips. It does not concern only that combination, but using any SCC or other sound device with this Philips model. I suggest just fix that bug ( do the "sound mod").

Por meits

Scribe (6577)

04-04-2016, 11:32

If Bas was involved I bet the two resistors on the analogue board have already been replaced by capasitors.
And even with that mod the MFRSCC+SD will show weird behavior if the cartridge itself hasn't had a slight mod by Manuel Pazos.

Por spl

Paragon (1470)

04-04-2016, 11:42

Meits wrote:

If Bas was involved I bet the two resistors on the analogue board have already been replaced by capasitors.

Humm, I bought him recently a 8280, and none of my SCC games have PSG sound , except the games using MegaFlashROM SCC+ SD :-)

Por AxelStone

Prophet (3199)

04-04-2016, 11:58

spl wrote:

Meits wrote:

If Bas was involved I bet the two resistors on the analogue board have already been replaced by capasitors.

Humm, I bought him recently a 8280, and none of my SCC games have PSG sound , except the games using MegaFlashROM SCC+ SD :-)

Anyway it seems better solution to fix problem in origin (this is, replace the capacitors in NMS8250) that avoiding usage of well proben hardware as MFR. The problem that you mention can occur even with original SCC games, so it should be a pitty to lose them.

I remember when I had a NMS8250 in 90's that the original FM-PAC didn't work, so I had to replace it with the clone FM-PAK. If I should know that existed that fix, certainly I would have done.

Por meits

Scribe (6577)

04-04-2016, 17:20

AxelStone wrote:

Anyway it seems better solution to fix problem in origin (this is, replace the capacitors in NMS8250) that avoiding usage of well proben hardware as MFR.

Not completely correct. If the buyer hasn't mentioned he/she has a Philips 8250-55-80, he/she'll have sound problems. Wether or not the regular sound fix has been done.
I know, I have an adapted Philips 8250 and a normal MFRSCC+SD
If you have a Sanyo computer (at least an MSX2+, dunno about the others), you're completely stuck. MFR will be dead silent. Sanyo manufactured the latest three Philips computers. Sanyo did stuff wrong, just a little less when they did the Philipses, but still wrong.

Por mfeingol

Champion (294)

04-04-2016, 18:33

The 8250 is entirely vanilla. No mods at all.

I only have one original SCC cartridge (Pennant Race), but the PSG/SCC mix sounds pretty reasonable. Is it possible my 8250 isn't affected by the original sound problem?

I'm not super-handy with electronics and soldering, so designing that amp circuit and installing it on the cartridge line is a bit beyond my abilities.

Quote:

You've to mention if you use a Philips when you buy a MFRSCC+SD, cuz it needs a tiny adaption.

Ah, interesting. Obviously the best of all worlds would be an MFRSCC+SD with built-in RAM that worked well with this model. So does the MFRSCC+SD, when modded by the cartridge shop to support Philips computers, work in non-Philips models as well?

Por Guillian

Prophet (3529)

04-04-2016, 19:50

mfeingol wrote:

Yes, it will work fine in other models.
If you are using the recovery v1.7, you can enable "Clone PSG" option so you will get PSG sound from the cartridge.
Also you can use /P1 option when flashing your ROMs.