Here's a handy tip: you can bypass the firmware app (translated to English as "Deskpac") by holding down the DEL (Delete) key when turning on the machine until a beeping sound is heard.
There are in fact two big surface-mount chips on the bottom of the board! They have to be there because it's a single-sided board that only has traces on the bottom. (The RAM's the other way around, by the way: 128k of video RAM on the left next to the VDP, 64k of system RAM in the middle next to the Z80.)
Cheers. I really didn't want to take the board out to look but IIRC there are some markings on the uncoated side that say there are some ASIC's underneath. Weird setup. Not even Amstrad, Commodore or Atari cost cut to the extent their boards were single sided!
Nice looking machine! That port you wondered if it was Tape was actually a printer connector. The symbol on that port, プリンタ is pronounced pu-rin-ta and I guess you can imagine what that transliteration comes from.
You're becoming a MSX collector hahaha! Here in Brazil MSX (8bit) and Amiga (16bit) computers were the pinacle home computers until PC486 zapping everybody...
Saw one of these on eBay a few days ago. The price was reasonable and I was tempted, but in the end, I didn't bid on it because of the 64KB of main memory. Quite some stuff won't run on it because of this. I don't get, why they didn't put in at least 128K.
@@tarstarkusz Sure, it wasn't cheap. But in 1986, you already had other 8-bit machines like the Spectrum 128K, the C128 and the CPC 128 available. So releasing an actually quite powerful machine like a MSX2 but hinder it by using just 64K of system memory is a bit short sighted IMHO.
Most disk based games will work, all roms. Only a few special programs and games that were rom and were hacked to run from ram (ie. Megaroms) need 128, 256 or even 512KB of ram. It's possible to buy a cartridge with a flash rom and sd connector to load any rom that's out there. It's ram is also expandible using cartridges too.
@@tarstarkusz I've checked a few games like fray/xak, sd snatcher, feedback, hydefos, golvellius 2, fantasm soldier all run on 64KB. Maybe some recent games may expect 128KB but back in the 80ies most disk based games expect 64KB.
14:40 most of all the logic chips, psg etc was replaced by the integrated circuit 'msx engine'. Hence the single sided pcb, if you look at the bottom you'll find the msx engine smd chip. You can see the square silk screened on the pcb indicating the location of the msx engine.
17:26 it's a different pcb material, there are for example fr2 and fr4 pcbs. Fr2 is likely the one you see here, often single sided, cheaper and has a lower temperature rating (for soodering and during usage). Fr2 is smelly, probably what you are smelling here. Fr4 is glassfiber epoxy, the one more in common use now.
Looks like an elegant design, but the 64K of RAM is slightly baffling to me. Been enjoying the MSX recently, playing some of the MSXDEV 2022 games. It's not a machine I encountered a lot back in the Eighties, I do remember seeing one in Boots.
@@chinnyvision yeah, I had considered that - or perhaps it was simply before there were many 128K-only games available? Cost-wise the RAM would have been a large part of the unit price, especially since they had already forked out for the VRAM.
It's a shame the MSX didn't thrive in the UK as maybe then their user base would have gotten far more PROPER games rather than "it was good on the speccy but it's gonna suck the big hairy one on here" ports
Here's a handy tip: you can bypass the firmware app (translated to English as "Deskpac") by holding down the DEL (Delete) key when turning on the machine until a beeping sound is heard.
There are in fact two big surface-mount chips on the bottom of the board! They have to be there because it's a single-sided board that only has traces on the bottom.
(The RAM's the other way around, by the way: 128k of video RAM on the left next to the VDP, 64k of system RAM in the middle next to the Z80.)
Cheers. I really didn't want to take the board out to look but IIRC there are some markings on the uncoated side that say there are some ASIC's underneath. Weird setup. Not even Amstrad, Commodore or Atari cost cut to the extent their boards were single sided!
Nice looking machine!
That port you wondered if it was Tape was actually a printer connector. The symbol on that port, プリンタ is pronounced pu-rin-ta and I guess you can imagine what that transliteration comes from.
I don’t know enough about MSX2’s, but this looks in great nick, great vid as always.
Wow, that's one good looking computer!
Isn't it just.
You're becoming a MSX collector hahaha! Here in Brazil MSX (8bit) and Amiga (16bit) computers were the pinacle home computers until PC486 zapping everybody...
"Let's get down to it, I've got another MSX" 😄
FS-A1 is probably my favourite 80’s computer. Carnivore2 brings it to life.
Think the guy on the box might be the Ashguine series guy?
F1 Spirit is frigging amazing
The hammer and bell icon is probably an alarm
Prospective buyers need not be put off by 64K of ram. Modern flash carts often provide extra addressable ram and make the 64K a non-issue.
Good to see some msx love.
16:30 no it's the vdp, video display processor, just doing the video (v9938). The msx engine has the 8911 psg sound chip integrated.
18:25 nope it's video ram, the two smaller chips near the z80 is system ram.
I was confused as the two chips have text next to then that says "V RAM". So I assumed it meant video ram!
Such a smart looking machine
Saw one of these on eBay a few days ago. The price was reasonable and I was tempted, but in the end, I didn't bid on it because of the 64KB of main memory. Quite some stuff won't run on it because of this. I don't get, why they didn't put in at least 128K.
@@tarstarkusz Sure, it wasn't cheap. But in 1986, you already had other 8-bit machines like the Spectrum 128K, the C128 and the CPC 128 available. So releasing an actually quite powerful machine like a MSX2 but hinder it by using just 64K of system memory is a bit short sighted IMHO.
Most disk based games will work, all roms. Only a few special programs and games that were rom and were hacked to run from ram (ie. Megaroms) need 128, 256 or even 512KB of ram. It's possible to buy a cartridge with a flash rom and sd connector to load any rom that's out there. It's ram is also expandible using cartridges too.
@@tarstarkusz I've checked a few games like fray/xak, sd snatcher, feedback, hydefos, golvellius 2, fantasm soldier all run on 64KB. Maybe some recent games may expect 128KB but back in the 80ies most disk based games expect 64KB.
14:40 most of all the logic chips, psg etc was replaced by the integrated circuit 'msx engine'. Hence the single sided pcb, if you look at the bottom you'll find the msx engine smd chip. You can see the square silk screened on the pcb indicating the location of the msx engine.
That psu setup reminds me of having a Mega drive 32x/cd setup lol
17:26 it's a different pcb material, there are for example fr2 and fr4 pcbs. Fr2 is likely the one you see here, often single sided, cheaper and has a lower temperature rating (for soodering and during usage). Fr2 is smelly, probably what you are smelling here. Fr4 is glassfiber epoxy, the one more in common use now.
TOSHIBA FS-TM1 is coming to me from Italy and MSX SD Mapper & Megaram 512Kb from Slovakia :)
Ahh Outrun! So you don't want me to send you my copy of the US gold MSX 1 game original? I was just wrapping it up for you and everything ... :)
21:22 most likely ringtones for the timer function.
It's 14 Degrees where I am in the North East!. Great Video by the way!.
Did I mention the heat? I think I recorded this mid August!
Hmmm, I really like the keyboard layout (though the backspace key's a bit diddy).
It's a good keyboard.
Looks like an elegant design, but the 64K of RAM is slightly baffling to me. Been enjoying the MSX recently, playing some of the MSXDEV 2022 games. It's not a machine I encountered a lot back in the Eighties, I do remember seeing one in Boots.
I think this machine is intended as a primarily cartridge system so RAM isn't as important as if it was running from disk.
@@chinnyvision yeah, I had considered that - or perhaps it was simply before there were many 128K-only games available? Cost-wise the RAM would have been a large part of the unit price, especially since they had already forked out for the VRAM.
Nice colllector item......
It's a shame the MSX didn't thrive in the UK as maybe then their user base would have gotten far more PROPER games rather than "it was good on the speccy but it's gonna suck the big hairy one on here" ports
That adapter will melt.
Nah it's fine. Well within spec.
@@chinnyvision it may be safe electrically but once it realizes how grossly erotic the whole assembly looks, it will definitely melt. 🤭