simplest coolest hardware add on to enhance msx games
Problems:
- add hardware such as a new videochip, and people will say that it's not 'MSX' anymore
- heavier hardware (e.g. hardware that offers more sprites, multilayers, hi-res graphics.. or simply a g9k) increases the CPU-load for the MSX. More sprites are fun, but you got to manage them all. More musical options, such as an OPL4, are nice, but you got more channels to control, more RAM usage and more medium storage.
I'd say that a cartridge could come with its own Z80 and some RAM in which you could store a tune and a replayer, thus unloading your main CPU. Preferably also a clockchip so that the 50/60hz timing issues are gone. I'm sure tho that others will label that as 'lame'.
Fact remains that you can't just add modern mediahardware to an old system forever. At a certain point the Z80 (and later on the R800) is too slow, the addressing space is too small, and the standard/typical RAM is too few to make good use of all the new options.
- add hardware such as a new videochip, and people will say that it's not 'MSX' anymore
- heavier hardware (e.g. hardware that offers more sprites, multilayers, hi-res graphics.. or simply a g9k) increases the CPU-load for the MSX. More sprites are fun, but you got to manage them all. More musical options, such as an OPL4, are nice, but you got more channels to control, more RAM usage and more medium storage.
I'd say that a cartridge could come with its own Z80 and some RAM in which you could store a tune and a replayer, thus unloading your main CPU. Preferably also a clockchip so that the 50/60hz timing issues are gone. I'm sure tho that others will label that as 'lame'.
Fact remains that you can't just add modern mediahardware to an old system forever. At a certain point the Z80 (and later on the R800) is too slow, the addressing space is too small, and the standard/typical RAM is too few to make good use of all the new options. 
A fast action game with Elite like graphics for MSX would be cool. The cartridge would need a chip that would calculate polygons, render them to a buffer and them send it all to the VDP. Sort of the SNES FX for the MSX.
At least theoretically, could it be possible?
BTW, games with a chip for video playback, synthetized audio or MOD music mixing would be great too.
At least theoretically, could it be possible?
BTW, games with a chip for video playback, synthetized audio or MOD music mixing would be great too.
Nikodr, where can I buy the Megaflash SCC? 
http://personales.mundivia.es/mpazos/flashrom/index2.html
it is from manuel pazos's site.I have bought it from there.Excellent piece of cartridge.You can load any rom in it with the opf utility.Konami titles are the best one for it though.
it is from manuel pazos's site.I have bought it from there.Excellent piece of cartridge.You can load any rom in it with the opf utility.Konami titles are the best one for it though.
A fast action game with Elite like graphics for MSX would be cool. The cartridge would need a chip that would calculate polygons, render them to a buffer and them send it all to the VDP. Sort of the SNES FX for the MSX.
At least theoretically, could it be possible?
IMHO it is.
I'm just trying to add a simple "arithmetic accelerator" component in 1chipMSX to perform 16bit * 16bit = 32bit multiplication by hw.
I use it in a 3d transformation routine, just only replacing the software multiplication routine with the corresponding sequence of out/in to/from the math coprocessor.
I get a x4 speed improvement
If I switch 1chipMSX to 10,5MHz I get a x10 improvement... "faster" than a TurboR.
So I believe your dream is possible, but you should use a 1chipMSX or an FPGA based cartridge... ESE4
At least theoretically, could it be possible?
IMHO it is.
I'm just trying to add a simple "arithmetic accelerator" component in 1chipMSX to perform 16bit * 16bit = 32bit multiplication by hw.
I use it in a 3d transformation routine, just only replacing the software multiplication routine with the corresponding sequence of out/in to/from the math coprocessor.
I get a x4 speed improvement
If I switch 1chipMSX to 10,5MHz I get a x10 improvement... "faster" than a TurboR.
So I believe your dream is possible, but you should use a 1chipMSX or an FPGA based cartridge... ESE4
No, but actually it seems good idea...
Each sw that uses it could define its own HW !
(dunno why but this reasoning seems familiar...)
Each sw that uses it could define its own HW !
(dunno why but this reasoning seems familiar...)
By st1mpy
Scribe (167)
07-04-2009, 11:46