Funny to see when people use the word 'realism' when they actually mean 'scepticism' .

I think a 'handheld' msx (with at least turbo-r speed and a little power boost for the vdp)would increase attention and is maybe the only way to become mainstream again.

I feel the MSX Revival everytime I connect my old MSX to play "Nemesis 2" . Personally I don't spect more than that.

Well. The MSX Revival is something that got started in 1999 or something. In that time, the ideas were very appealing to me. They still are, but the more lowbudget PDA's, smartphones and other mobile gadgets appear on the market (a real trend nowadays), the more sceptical I'm starting to get about the success of a re-introduction of MSX.

I'm still a strong believer, but in my opinion, the success of a new MSX must be searched more and more in the OS-structure, the open source-level and the overall accessibility of the system to the somehow less talented but very interested (and interesting ) computer user. Like me And I like the system to be 'as is'. Like the current gameconsoles. So no possibility to change essential hardware like the vdp. But considering the fact it most probably will be some kind of mobile device, this will be the case anyhow.

Although the first rumours about the MSX Revival (like 'Panasonic is going to make a new MSX!') etc. started in 1999, the one-chip idea was introduced at the Tilburg fair in 2001 by Kazuhiko Nishi. Now, almost exactly 3 years have passed. Admitted, Nishi's timeframe is stretched out quite a lot, but that doesn't mean his one-chip-ideas have remained unchanged since we first heard about it. There are commercially interesting things involving MSX happening in Japan again, and that had not been the case since 1992. I think it's no secret I'm less sceptical about the future of these revival ideas

Futhermore, I'm kind of surprised how many people keep seeing the one-chip-MSX as an 'MSX2 on a chip and nothing more'. During the introduction of its ideas in 2001, Nishi already announced using an ARM chip, USB, higher resolutions, bluetooth, UNL, wireless internet, etc. etc. etc. The 'official' one chip MSX will be a modern computer/portable device with modern specifications, capable of running MSX software through hardware emulation in FPGA). Not just a 1986 computer system squeezed on a chip.

That's what I said, 1999 OR SOMETHING

About the 'MSX2 on a chip'. I doubt it very much that there will be some kind of FPGA hardware emulation of the MSX-system. That will only enhance the costs of the system. It must be as lowbudget as possible. Just make it software emulation, then.

Although...I'm wrong, huh. There won't be extra costs implementing a hardware MSX emulation in FPGA? Or will there?

Yeah, but software emulation takes more system load than hardware emulation. So if emulating an MSX on FPGA is possible (and it is: look at Tsujikawa's ESE-MSX2 project) that might be a more appropriiate choice. The FPGA is already there for other functionality enhancement purposes, so the costs of the system will remain the same anyway

Pfew, corrected myself just in time

So erhm.......Snout? What about it? When will this new device see its daylight, you think?

My gut feeling tells me 'somewhere in 2005', but I think Nishi's gut feeling is more important in this one

It's all about money. The MSX Association needs money for such a project and tries to get it by selling MSX Magazines and MSX retro software. Ah well, we'll see what happens

So basicly we're talking about some new developments (wich never stopped) and maybe some MSX-device in the feature. My point is: is that a revival?

And yes, I'm also sceptical about the MSX-on-a-chip. I don't see the commercial potential fo such a device. Who needs hardware MSX emulation while working with his computer? Why not use software emulation?

Who is gonna buy this device? And why should he? I don't understand were it will be positioned? Is it a PDA? Then it must be better and cheaper than a HP Ipaq.

Is it a gameconsole? Then it only has to compete with Sony's playstation 2 en Microsoft Xbox. Or in other words: better than a Gamecube.

Is it a personal computer, something like a Comodor Web-it? Then it has to be better and cheaper than what I can buy in every shop.

Please explain why this is gonna work and I will be a believer too!

As far as I see it, Nishi's one chip ideas could become some kind of standardized all-round computer, which can be used as a PDA, game console and/or personal computer. (You can build/place the chip in any kind of device you like, so...)

Some pro's to the new ideas:

- Price. $100. Nuff said
- Expandability. FPGA allows you to alter the functionality and capabilities of the hardware without actually buying new hardware.
- Wireless Internet all around the world. Yay!
- UNL - Offer any kind of document in any kind of language.
- Communication with any other one-chip-MSX device
- Return of the standardization. No more fuzzing with drivers, ATI/NVIDIA only products etc. etc. etc. As with MSX, the standardization is flexible, however thanks to USB and FPGA.

Although the hardware MSX emulation in FPGA might not be a reason to buy the device, and is of little interest to most people, it shows the capabilities of the FPGA (Plop! you have a different computer!), adds hundreds, if not thousands of software titles that can be played on the machine at launch without any extra efforts needed and allows people to learn the basic steps of developing software, graphics and/or music themselves on a computer. (Although I am convinced the one-chip-MSX will also have a BASIC of some kind to do the same).

Once again,please have a look at our transcript of Nishi's Tilburg 2001 lecture and the powerpoint presentation Nishi gave on this subject at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

I don't know if the one-chip-MSX is going to 'rule the world' (as which were the intentions behind the MSX1 and 2), but there sure is commercial potential behind these ideas.

Yes, but to be honest. The thing I don't really like IS the easy expandability by just putting new 'hardware' inside the programmable FPGA. How are we going to get a standard that way? It will be an equal mess as the current PC's. And we'll get DirectX-like software etc. etc. I'm a bit worried about that.