MOD player for MSX1

Nyyrikki has just sent us an amazing tool that makes it possible to play Amiga MOD files on an MSX1 (or higher) with 64kB RAM and a diskdrive. The tool has been added to our ever growing downloads database and comes with several MOD files so that you can instantly listen to the results.

We are constantly looking for new MSX software, music and graphics for publication in our MSX downloads section. Anything goes, as long as it's MSX and as long as it's freeware. If you have created some nice MSX software, or if you know some great freeware MSX goodies that are not listed in our freeware downloads section yet, don't hesitate and send them to downloads@msx.org!

Relevant link: MODplay for MSX1

Comments (25)

By Sonic_aka_T

Prophet (2365)

29-07-2004, 00:07

Okay, that cannot be possible... Checking it out right now... If I'm not back in 10 minutes it's because it's actually true and I've fainted...

By Sonic_aka_T

Prophet (2365)

29-07-2004, 00:10

Ah... Okay... That explains... Still an achievement though... Kudos!

By NYYRIKKI

Prophet (2220)

29-07-2004, 11:40

Damn me... I was just too tired last night... I attached the loader to wrong play routine, that doesn't play correctly even those MOD's, that I sent with the player.

Snout, can you update the archive? I'll send the updated version right away...

By snout

Ambassador (5382)

29-07-2004, 14:13

The updated version is online - now!

By NYYRIKKI

Prophet (2220)

29-07-2004, 14:46

Ah, good... it should not sound THAT bad!

If you downloaded it earlier, please fight your way trough proxy server and download it again

I know, that MOD-player for MSX1 sounds like a joke, but it is not JUST a joke. Actually if you select MOD-files carefully, you can almost enjoy listening the music.

By DarQ

Paladin (844)

31-07-2004, 02:24

allright, judging from the newspost i guess you really need no other devices (soundcarD?!) to play the files. but that sounds quite a bit stupid to me. since many mods will never sound right by just using psg.
judging from then newspost, i guess its really psg.. without any doubt, i will sound like crap, like many mods to anyway... but as already said, its still a nice achievement

By NYYRIKKI

Prophet (2220)

31-07-2004, 03:19

> many mods will never sound right by just using psg

True, more than true... I really saw effort to select MOD songs, that work well on this MODplayer

This is just X-BASIC program and any BASIC programmer can continue from the point I left it. (Loops etc.)

Gosh, how long it takes, that even first person can represent his true opinion! :-9

By Ivan

Scribe (1354)

31-07-2004, 09:58

> many mods will never sound right by just using psg

True, more than true... I really saw effort to select MOD songs, that work well on this MODplayer

You could have used SCC, SCC+, FM-PAC or Moonsound.

By GuyveR800

Prophet (3057)

31-07-2004, 13:28

Gosh, how long it takes, that even first person can represent his true opinion! :-9
I'll give you my true opinion: it's cool!
Ok, so it's BASIC, so it's not as useful as say, an interrupt based routine in assembly.

But still, there are not many PSG trackers out there, and with this program (maybe extended a bit) you can use any MOD tracker and play it on MSX!

As for DarQ's 'true opinion', I have rarely seen him post anything positive, so don't mind him...

By Manuel

Enlighted (5675)

31-07-2004, 14:49

How about using the SIMPL/Covox? It has been done on PC too, and it gives acceptible 8-bit sample quality output

By Sonic_aka_T

Prophet (2365)

31-07-2004, 15:33

By Latok

msx guru (2045)

31-07-2004, 17:09

Uh, what's all this Moonsound talking about? There are already great working Z80 based 4 and 8 channel MODplayers for Moonsound. Ok, not MSX1.

By wolf_

Ambassador (5677)

31-07-2004, 18:51

a quick one.. I'd like to create PSG tunes using the mod format ..

chn 123 for squares, ch4 for the noise .. splendid, don't you think..? There's definitly good usage for a mod player for PSG ..!

By GuyveR800

Prophet (3057)

31-07-2004, 19:04

Moonsound would be possible. Anything esle wouldn't. Well, it would be _very difficult_ at least. You'd have to mix all the samples in real time at a minimum om 11kHz to get anything resembling a MOD. To do that on a lowly Z80 and with just 32kB or even 64kB of RAM is... well... not easy...
Indeed, Alex Wulm's MOD player worked on R800 only. I don't remember the samplerate, but it was in the 11 or 15 kHz range I think...

By karloch

Scribe (490)

31-07-2004, 21:16

By the way, there was a MOD player for turboR's PCM. I remember that I had a demo and the sound was very good, but I haven't found anything about the complete version. Was it really a mod player for PCM or it was just a fake?

By GuyveR800

Prophet (3057)

31-07-2004, 21:49

That's Alex Wulms' player I was talking about

By Latok

msx guru (2045)

31-07-2004, 21:49

There is not only a turboR PCM 4channel MODplayer, there is even a complete Mod Editor, Karloch

I use it every now and then. It's written by Xelasoft (Alex Wulms).

Interesting fact, the day when Xelasoft released this turboR MOD-player, on a Dutch MSX fair, there also was another dude who had programmed a MODplayer for turboR himself. He just didn't have a nice shell finished. Just the raw player. But I thought his results were actually better than Xelasoft's player! The guy I'm talking about is Michel Shuqair

By snout

Ambassador (5382)

31-07-2004, 22:12

If I'm not mistaken the Xelasoft player not only supported stereo by using 2 channels turboR PCM and 2 channels MSX-Audio ADPCM, but also supported 2 MSX-Audio devices for better audio quality.

By Sonic_aka_T

Prophet (2365)

31-07-2004, 22:57

Actually, IIRC that was not because of better quality but for true Stereo separation. Since the module passes it's sound trough the Turbo-R you'd have R+L channels on one speaker and the R channel on the other. Using two MM's you could completely separate them...

By karloch

Scribe (490)

01-08-2004, 02:54

Yeah! The mod player was from Xelasoft! But... is there any way to get the full version of that player?

By mth

Champion (276)

01-08-2004, 04:27

Isn't the Music Module a pure I/O device? If so, how can you make two modules play different sounds? If you OUT something, both would react on it. I know the FMPAC can be addressed using either I/O or memory, but as far as I know the Music Module does not have such a feature.

By HansO

Champion (464)

01-08-2004, 08:55

Indeed, a Music Module is accessed via I/O ports. There s a hardware mod described in the editor doc to change the i/o addresses.

By NYYRIKKI

Prophet (2220)

01-08-2004, 14:28

Xelasoft MOD player and MOD editor both play at 11KHz samplerate, if I'm not mistaken. I bought them directly from Alex Wulms.

I don't think, that MOD format is very good for PSG tunes, but good thing is, that at least you don't have to convert frequencys as they are used same way in MOD format, PSG and SCC. There is also huge amount of MOD-editors for creation.

If you think of playing MOD samples, then I don't see much difference, is it made on PSG, SCC, FM-PAC or Music Module. You still need to play & mix them on CPU.

For good stereo separation with Xelasoft products I recommend cutting Sound in line from MSX-Audio. It is easy and well working method.

By karloch

Scribe (490)

01-08-2004, 18:01

Xelasoft MOD player and MOD editor both play at 11KHz samplerate, if I'm not mistaken. I bought them directly from Alex Wulms.So it is commercial software. How much it cost?

By NYYRIKKI

Prophet (2220)

01-08-2004, 22:26

I don't remember as it was many years ago... Might be even different price now. Try asking from Alex.

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Comments (25)