VSU project

Source: The MSX Files

A while ago, we reported about the MSX Rio 2007 photoshoot. The highlight of that meeting was a demonstration of the VDU (Video Display Unit) project: four stacked V9958 chips for four scrolling layers, four times the video memory and four times the sprites. Ricardo Oazem, creator of VDU, just announced the evolution of his project, which now is called VSU (Video and Sound Unit).

This new VSU is now made with two v9958 chips and two v9990 chips (instead of the four v9958 chips from VDU). In addition to that, it comes with an OPL4 chip! As one can expect, the VSU will be 100% compatible with both the GFX9000 and Moonsound!

Relevant link: The VSU

Comments (23)

By Maggoo

Paladin (834)

20-03-2008, 18:40

Awesome ! Question is, how much will it cost and when can we get it.

BTW, linky on the same page... SIMCITY for MSX !!!

By Google

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

20-03-2008, 19:29

Oazem don't know how much it will cost yet, but he told me he wants this "ready" this year

So it won't take long before we can play with the VSU!

And yeah, Sim City MSX rox!

By ARTRAG

Prophet (3870)

20-03-2008, 20:46

nice HW! hope only someone will exploit it

By wolf_

Ambassador (9121)

20-03-2008, 20:54

While technically very interesting and appealing, the problem is of course: support from developers and user base. Who knows, perhaps ppl will find this one interesting, but for even one of those 4 chips (1 single gfx9000) we've yet to see structural support.

By AuroraMSX

Paragon (1851)

20-03-2008, 22:12

And yeah, Sim City MSX rox!Then why didn't you (or anyone else) submit a news post:-?!
Now we only were able to post news because of a haphazard link in another completely unrelated newspost! We're really not too lazy to try and find news ourselves, but this website runs on its community! And, yes, the community includes you! All of you!

:BA:Submit news, you fools!
:hannibal:Well said!
:murdock:And I ain't gonna do no :RNFF:! It's too friggin' cold out there!
( :face:Gotta love that [ edit ] option )

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

20-03-2008, 23:41

Then why didn't you (or anyone else) submit a news post!
Maaaaybe because it was 5 a.m. and I was more sleepy than awake?

By Sonic_aka_T

Enlighted (4129)

27-03-2008, 19:17

That'll be a bitch to emulate!

By PingPong

Paragon (2014)

28-03-2008, 17:30

I agree with wolf: the most today sw does not nearly use the features of a plain msx2. Before going to manage a SVGA 3d accelerated card plugged into msx computer, there must be sw that use

msx2 capabilities
msx2+ capabilities
turboR capabilities

By JohnHassink

wayward son (3181)

28-03-2008, 17:41

Maybe some sort of "MSX-BASIC plus", dedicated to the VSU would make the threshold substantially lower for possible developers?

Yeah I admit, speaking for myself as well.

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

29-03-2008, 04:30

While technically very interesting and appealing, the problem is of course: support from developers and user base
Well, at least me, and Daniel Caetano are very interested in developing stuff for it, so *for sure* there will be software for the VSU. Maybe (this is me thinking on it) some of it could even run on a plain gfx9000 (without the extras), so even people with simple gfx9000 could benefit from it. But I can't promess that

I agree with wolf: the most today sw does not nearly use the features of a plain msx2.
Well, on this I have to agree with Oazem: He tells me, if he's going to develop something new, then he should do it the best thing he can make.
Also, the biggest problem on MSX always was the slow VDP. With the VSU, we'll get a huge improvement on that

Maybe some sort of "MSX-BASIC plus", dedicated to the VSU would make the threshold substantially lower for possible developers?
That BASIC that works with gfx9000 works on VSU (the tR only and another one which works on MSX2 and up) - the two v9958 on the VSU works normal on BASIC, you just have to make one OUT to select which one is active (or to make them all active at once) - so using it from BASIC is no problem at all
(Those demos on youtube were all made in BASIC by Oazem - Even the Prince of Persia demo!)

By sunrise

Paragon (1090)

29-03-2008, 07:10

I wonder what the price will be , if it's one board with all. Or in case or is it DIY

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

30-03-2008, 12:33

Well, for europeans won't be any expensive at all, specially with the exchange rates of real and euro

By sunrise

Paragon (1090)

30-03-2008, 22:04

You donot answer the two questions

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

31-03-2008, 07:30

I dont know if it will be a single board or whatever, Oazem is the one making it, and he still designing the final board (he still need to integrate the OPL4 chip into the layout). And although he already have all the necessary components to produce the VSU, he doesnt know how much it will cost.

For now, let´s just wait until MSXRio (which could be in May) where he will show the latest prototype

By SaebaMSX

Hero (533)

31-03-2008, 13:05

Is OPL4 a chip easily available?

By sunrise

Paragon (1090)

31-03-2008, 19:56

Leaves the second question .DIY or not

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

31-03-2008, 23:05

No second question, in the begining of my last reply I tell you that I don't know, he is still desining the final board, so let's wait until MSX Rio!

By JohnHassink

wayward son (3181)

31-03-2008, 23:28

Those demos on youtube were all made in BASIC by Oazem - Even the Prince of Persia demo! Really...
Well, the run"demo1" sort of gives it away.
So count me in then!!!!!

By msd

Paragon (1034)

01-04-2008, 00:08

1 april?

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

01-04-2008, 09:24

Nope, this is NOT an April´s fool joke - it´s for real.

Also Oazem told me VSU will be an external board inside a case (just like an external disk drive + disk interface).
As for the price, still the same, he is still developing the board with OPL4 (he has plenty of them already, and can buy more if necessary) - so he cant give a price just yet.

By wolf_

Ambassador (9121)

01-04-2008, 10:40

Has Oazem done any 'marketing' research on how to make sure enough people will eventually buy a VSU to form a structural scene with tons of support and relevant releases?

By RobertVroemisse

Ambassador (1134)