New hardware, what would YOU want ?

Master (211)

25-01-2012, 11:12

I want to brainstorm new MSX hardware.
Imagine the sky is the limit, what would be the coolest thing on earth?

- a multi I/O interface? USB devices?
- 1chipmsx on steriods?
- what do you think is important, should it look cool, be small (like 1chipmsx) should you be able to extend it yourself like gr8bit?
- would it make sense to have a +100mhz Z80? since no software exists that runs usefull programs for such a CPU speed, why stick with z80 ?
- maybe a multi CPU hybrid system, a completely new system platform that runs a modern OS's like linux/windows and is also compatible with MSX?
- more powerfull BASIC that runs 50x faster?

Would it still 'be' an MSX, what gives the 'MSX' feeling?

I want to know what you, the people, think, maybe we can provide what the people want !

Greetings,

Jan

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Par wolf_

Ambassador_ (9409)

25-01-2012, 13:01

You want a PC.

I have a suggestion which is a bit simpler but has potential nonetheless:

We already have a good video chip (G9k)
We already have a good sound chip (Moonsound)
Disk access was never fun on MSX. Luckily we have things like cartridges which seem easy to make these days.. with a size of many megabytes.

And, with that, I've counted to three, while MSX'es usually have two slots. In case of FM-PAC one could argue that an MSX2+ has that built-in, but afaik there's no MSX which has a Moonsound and G9k built in. This means that if you want to make a ROM game that supports G9k and Moonsound, that you're short of one slot. And with ROM I really mean 'ROM', not a disk dump. When I say 'ROM', I intend to stream data from ROM 'on the fly', so a disk dump would quite literary ruin the game. Alternatives? Run the game through IDE (SD, CF, HD)? That again eats up a slot for the IDE interface. Run it through a NoWind? Same story. So, if we want to support G9k and Moonsound for a 'streaming' game, then we need three slots. That's where things could perhaps be improved. Slot expander! Yes, but how many people have that, and where can they be bought today.. at what costs? "VSU" I hear you say? In theory, but I"m not exactly sure how many people, who currently own a G9k and a Moonsound, would be ready to buy the same stuff (and some extras) again, especially when there's no supporting software yet. Hence: don't fix the expensive hardware, fix the cheap hardware!

Would it be possible to create a game ROM which has an auxiliary slot on top?

[G9k] -> [Game] -> [slot 1]
[Moonsound] -> [slot 2]

By Google

Par Wolverine_nl

Master (254)

25-01-2012, 13:14

To be totally honoust, I wouldn't change anything on the original MSX, but adding external stuff would be cool!
Maybe wide screen support?

Par hap

Paragon (1852)

25-01-2012, 13:32

wolf_nstein you mean a slot expander (duh?)
Almost everyone with a Moonsound and GFX9000 owns one.

Other new hardware suggested by topicstarter: no thanks. We haven't even used the existing hw (turboR, moonie, g9k) to the fullest.

Par wolf_

Ambassador_ (9409)

25-01-2012, 13:35

One addition to my aux game concept is the inclusion of a bit o' FPGA space to put in a complete music player and a timer. The Z80 then only needs to give commands like 'start', 'stop', 'fade in', 'fade out' etc. It would mean that we don't loose 40% on the Moonsound. The timer would mean we finally can get rid of the 50/60Hz annoyance.

So, basically a co-processor. Again: support this extra hardware at game level, if people have to buy this separately, then they probably won't, as there's no guarantee that there will be supporting software. Being supplied with the game obviously means support, and it still gives the game makers a bit o' freedom to use it for something else too.

Par wolf_

Ambassador_ (9409)

25-01-2012, 13:37

hap: must see figures, or I won't believe you.

And yes, I have a slot expander, Moonsound, G9k etc.. But I do recall from recent times that people were screaming for a slotexpander, but who makes/sells them?

Par hap

Paragon (1852)

25-01-2012, 13:46

IIRC they can be ordered them from a guy in Brazil. People are screaming for slotexpanders because they're pretending to be poor. They don't want them for the horribly inflated prices they're going for now.

*edit* also, you wouldn't need any timer. If MoonBlaster format changes music tempo on 50hz/60hz change, blame the guy(s) that coded the replayer. Really, Yamaha included that timer IRQ to OPLx for a reason.

Par Huey

Prophet (2365)

25-01-2012, 13:43

[pretended poorness]
Only thing that comes to mind is a cheap slotexpander.

[/pretended poorness]

Par wolf_

Ambassador_ (9409)

25-01-2012, 13:45

Still I wonder how many people would be willing to first invest in something like a slot expander from Brazil prior to buying a game. My aux/game concept would mean no one needs a slot expander.

Par hap

Paragon (1852)

25-01-2012, 13:56

Par Wolverine_nl

Master (254)

25-01-2012, 14:06

Metal Gear Solid in Surroundsound