Difference between revisions of "MSX"

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MSX was a standardized range of 8 bit computers developped by Microsoft and various (mostly) japanese producers to exploit... microsoft softwares.
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'''MSX''' was a standardized range of Z80 based 8 bit computers developed by Microsoft and various (mostly) Japanese producers to exploit... Microsoft Software.
  
 
MSX stands for "Machines with Software eXchangeability".
 
MSX stands for "Machines with Software eXchangeability".
  
4 generations of MSX were produced, each with it's own system specs.
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'''4 generations of MSX were produced''', each with it's own system specs upgrades and retro compatible with past specifications.
  
It was a serious concurrent to the Amstrad CPC range.
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== History ==
Yet a lot of similarities and differences between the 2 systems.
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Despite having the colour attributes logic, it wasn't as bad as on the [[ZX Spectrum|Speccy]]. Yet as a Z80 based computer, many European Sofware developpers did those awfull scrappy speccy ports, which Japanese couldn't understand ("why do they have so scrappy graphics ?")
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It was a serious technical concurrent to the '''Amstrad CPC''' range, later specifications being closer to 16bit computers than other 8bit systems. Yet a lot of similarities and differences between the 2 systems.
  
 +
Despite having the colour attributes logic (MSX1 mostly, the other through retro compatibility), it wasn't as bad as on the [[ZX Spectrum|Speccy]].
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*the MSX1 attributes are 8×1 pixels instead of 8×8 pixels (Speccy).
 +
*the machine includes proper 1bpp Hardware Sprites, which enable to have no attribute clashes compared to software sprites.
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*The machine has a proper VRAM, sort of proper graphical card as comparable to IBM PC.
  
[http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSX Wikipedia page]
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As a Z80 based computer, many European Software developers did those awful scrappy [[Speccy Port|Speccy Ports]], which Japanese couldn't understand  ("why do they have such sloppy graphics ?")
 +
 
 +
Later MSX standards (MSX2, MSX2+ and turboR) included a large panel of extra video modes without the colours clashes.
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The MSX 2 introduced hardware vertical scrolling but it wasn't until the MSX2+ that the MSX could do proper hardware horizontal scrolling; the video card makes software scrolling very difficult, so only as of the MSX2+ and later is smooth scrolling available.
 +
 
 +
The MSX was perhaps to Japan what the CPC was to France (keeping to the proportions of course).
 +
Or what the ZX Speccy was to England or eastern Europe (Speccy clones mostly...)
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 +
A "serious" computer mostly used as home computer  for gaming purpose by kids.
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 +
== CPC connections ==
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* Some games did probably benefit from some sort of cross-dev or ports, having some common assets (music, graphics ?).
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{{#ev:youtube|azZgvlyojek|384}} {{#ev:youtube|WLkzobK52R0|384}}
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* [[Overflow]] from [[Logon System]] released a Demo on those MSX1.
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{{#ev:youtube|jSS08co8zvA|768}}
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== Links ==
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* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSX Wikipedia page]
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[[Category:Non CPC Computers]]

Latest revision as of 19:50, 6 June 2023

MSX was a standardized range of Z80 based 8 bit computers developed by Microsoft and various (mostly) Japanese producers to exploit... Microsoft Software.

MSX stands for "Machines with Software eXchangeability".

4 generations of MSX were produced, each with it's own system specs upgrades and retro compatible with past specifications.

History

It was a serious technical concurrent to the Amstrad CPC range, later specifications being closer to 16bit computers than other 8bit systems. Yet a lot of similarities and differences between the 2 systems.

Despite having the colour attributes logic (MSX1 mostly, the other through retro compatibility), it wasn't as bad as on the Speccy.

  • the MSX1 attributes are 8×1 pixels instead of 8×8 pixels (Speccy).
  • the machine includes proper 1bpp Hardware Sprites, which enable to have no attribute clashes compared to software sprites.
  • The machine has a proper VRAM, sort of proper graphical card as comparable to IBM PC.

As a Z80 based computer, many European Software developers did those awful scrappy Speccy Ports, which Japanese couldn't understand ("why do they have such sloppy graphics ?")

Later MSX standards (MSX2, MSX2+ and turboR) included a large panel of extra video modes without the colours clashes.

The MSX 2 introduced hardware vertical scrolling but it wasn't until the MSX2+ that the MSX could do proper hardware horizontal scrolling; the video card makes software scrolling very difficult, so only as of the MSX2+ and later is smooth scrolling available.

The MSX was perhaps to Japan what the CPC was to France (keeping to the proportions of course). Or what the ZX Speccy was to England or eastern Europe (Speccy clones mostly...)

A "serious" computer mostly used as home computer for gaming purpose by kids.

CPC connections

  • Some games did probably benefit from some sort of cross-dev or ports, having some common assets (music, graphics ?).

{{#ev:youtube|azZgvlyojek|384}} {{#ev:youtube|WLkzobK52R0|384}}


{{#ev:youtube|jSS08co8zvA|768}}

Links