Some MSX1 and MSX2 on ebay, US seller

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By matthew180

Resident (48)

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18-06-2010, 03:45

Greetings,

I like classic computers and I'd like to get into the MSX scene a little. I've been looking for an MSX1 for a while and when I searched ebay this morning there were about 6 posted last night by the same seller: miller1987. I was considering the Sony HB-75P, but he turned down my offer of $72. Before I spend a ton of money I don't really have anyway, I was hoping to get some feedback from the forum here.

1. Is $99 a fair price for the Sony HB-75P?

2. Is $50 a fair price for the Toshiba HX-10?

Those are the two I was considering. Is one better than the other? Also, I would like to do some programming on the unit I get, so is having a floppy drive critical, or are there better ways these days? Sorry for the ignorant questions.

Thanks,
Matthew

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By Maggoo

Paragon (1217)

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18-06-2010, 03:50

Both computers are about the same specs. They are MSX 1 with 64KB and no disk drive. You can probably find a MSX2 with a built in disk drive for that price.
Buying an external disk drive for a MSX 1 will probably cost you more than a MSX 2.

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5655)

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18-06-2010, 03:51

Hi Matthew, welcome at MRC! Smile

Seriously:
Get an MSX2 or MSX2+; you would regret getting an MSX1, this I can assure you!
When you get an MSX2 or higher (with memory mapper, meaning extra RAM, and you'd like a disk drive, or the Nowind interface), you can play almost any game.

Regarding reasonable prices, I will leave that to the experts.

But if you want to get into MSX, don't cripple your experience by getting an older incarnation that will cut you off from playing classics as Vampire Killer/Castlevania (yes, that one!), Metal Gear 1 & 2 (the *originals* !!!), Ys / Ys II / Ys III, Golvellius 2, Xak / Xak II / Xak Gazzel, Puyo Puyo, Psycho World, Space Manbow, Firehawk, Higemaru, Ninja 2, Zanac-Ex, Aleste / Aleste 2, SD-Snatcher, Fantasm Soldier II, etc. etc. etc. Wink

Just get an MSX2 or higher, and you'll be sure to play all MSX games that made the system BIG in Europe and in Japan back in the days, I swear.
Besides that, an MSX2 is most probably easier and cheaper to get anyway nowadays, and you can play all MSX1 games with it too, so win-win. Big smile
But if you can find an MSX2+ or even a Turbo R for a reasonable price, GO FOR THAT! Really.

Greetings,
John

P.S.
With the Nowind interface, you can load any game you have downloaded on your PC to your actual MSX machine, back and forth!

By matthew180

Resident (48)

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18-06-2010, 04:57

Well, I was getting the MSX1 primarily for a 9918A project I am working on. I'm not really ready to announce yet, but since the MSX1 uses the 9918A, as well as the ColecoVision, ADAM, and 99/4A, they will all be relevant. And since the MSX seems to have a really big user base, I figured getting a unit to work with would not be that hard. Seems to not be the case.

I'll probably get an MSX2 in the future simply because it seems like a really cool computer, but I'm more of a tool builder (hardware and software) than a game player. Maybe it is part of getting older, but these days I'd rather write a game than play one. :-)

Thanks for the info, I guess I'll wait until the ebay sellers will accept a reasonable price (or I can get someone to trade or sell me one from the forum.)

Matthew

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5655)

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18-06-2010, 06:00

Hey Matthew,

So to see I misunderstood; I thought you wanted it for games.
If I could give you a tip, look at the work of these guys:
http://www.dvik-joyrex.com/
they're all about pushing the original MSX(1) to its limits. And they did, more than once. ;)

By matthew180

Resident (48)

matthew180's picture

18-06-2010, 16:02

Hey, no problem, games are great and probably what most people like to do, and I've certainly played my share. I would like to see some of those games too, I've heard so much about how awesome the MSX is. ;-)

Thanks for the link, I have seen their stuff and it is really impressive.

Matthew

By hap

Paragon (2042)

hap's picture

18-06-2010, 16:13

If you know Z80 ASM, MSX1 is a very good choice for TMS9918A development.
A common MSX1 is worth $20 or less. It will get much more expensive if you want an external floppy drive, you'd probably be better off ordering a Nowind interface: http://www.nowind.nl/

By Manuel

Ascended (19270)

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18-06-2010, 19:17

Does it matter if the machine actually has a TMS9929 instead?

By matthew180

Resident (48)

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18-06-2010, 20:38

hap: I don't know Z80 asm yet, but I do know x86 and TMS9900 asm. Thanks for the price point, I'm glad I didn't pay $50 for an MSX1 then. I really don't care about a floppy, I simply want to be able to write assembly for the machine. I'll go check out the Nowind, it sounds like the answer to getting data to/from an MSX. Thanks.

manuel: Nope, 9918A or 9929A should work out the same. PAL or NTSC should not matter either but I don't know the MSX hardware well enough to know if PAL vs. NTSC affected more than just the video and interrupt.

Matthew

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6016)

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18-06-2010, 20:46

I think these are ok prices considering that you live in US.... Although $20 is ok price in Neatherlands the shipping fee usually makes it way more expencive when it travels over the seas... As the Sony is practically same computer inside I would go for Toshiba...

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6016)

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18-06-2010, 20:59

manuel: Nope, 9918A or 9929A should work out the same. PAL or NTSC should not matter either but I don't know the MSX hardware well enough to know if PAL vs. NTSC affected more than just the video and interrupt.

TMS9918A (50Hz MSX1), TMS9929 (60Hz MSX1), V9938 (50 or 60Hz MSX2) , V9958 (50 or 60Hz MSX2+ / MSX tR) ... They all work the same when you don't do really hardcore stuff... -> Normal MSX1 games work no matter what chip you have inside, but there are minor differences when you use undocumented features or really cycle accurate code... MSX is binary compatible standard, so MSX1 games should work on MSX2, MSX2+ and MSX tR as well.

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