Which machine do you use and what for? | MSX Resource Center (Page 2/2)

By Bodhi1969

Expert (93)

17-09-2020, 18:00

Very interesting and exciting what I read here. The Panasonic A1-ST seems to be very popular. By chance I have also set it as standard.

By Grauw

Ascended (10720)

17-09-2020, 19:13

In openMSX I use the Panasonic FS-A1GT by default. It has more memory and capabilities than the ST.

In general I use the following machines in openMSX:

Turbo R: Panasonic FS-A1GT (NTSC)
MSX2+: Sanyo Wavy PHC-70FD (NTSC)
MSX2: Philips NMS 8245 (PAL)
MSX2: Sony HB-F1XD (NTSC)
MSX1: Sony HB-75P (PAL)
MSX1: Yamaha CX5F (NTSC)
MSX1: National CF-3300 (NTSC) (disk drive)

These are typical machines of their generation. As said I use the GT normally but sometimes you need a specific MSX type, especially as a software developer for testing.

By Bodhi1969

Expert (93)

17-09-2020, 19:25

Grauw wrote:

In openMSX I use the Panasonic FS-A1GT by default. It has more memory and capabilities than the ST.

In general I use the following machines in openMSX:

Turbo R: Panasonic FS-A1GT (NTSC)
MSX2+: Sanyo Wavy PHC-70FD (NTSC)
MSX2: Philips NMS 8245 (PAL)
MSX2: Sony HB-F1XD (NTSC)
MSX1: Sony HB-75P (PAL)
MSX1: Yamaha CX5F (NTSC)
MSX1: National CF-3300 (NTSC) (disk drive)

These are typical machines of their generation. As said I use the GT normally but sometimes you need a specific MSX type, especially as a software developer for testing.

Hello Grauw, your list is very enlightening for me, since I´m just at the beginning of this MSX-adventure. I regret that MSX has played such a small role here in Germany.

By Parn

Paladin (833)

17-09-2020, 19:57

ducasp wrote:

I would like to have a A1-ST or A1-GT but the prices in Brazil are very unwelcoming (think about that they cost in our currency what I can do with 3000 US dollars in the US), perhaps in the future, if I get a good price on one, I will get a Panasonic FS-A1F and just hack the hell of it adding a turbo circuit and new z80 for higher speeds whenever I want to and a Carnivore.

I got myself an A1ST just before our currency started to tank, but even though I got it from a trusted reseller, its keyboard is a bit flaky, despite having a new membrane. A bit disappointed by that. Now the A1F I can't recommend enough, it's a true warrior's machine. I have one, upgraded to MSX2+ by @l_oliveira. It has 1MB mapper and Leonard switched the internal firmware with Basic-kun. Its keyboard still works perfectly and if I had a complaint, it would be that its audio output is a bit on the noisy side. Leonard also switched the floppy drive with a newer PC one. The only downside would be the absence of internal FM sound, but with the advent of kitchen sink cartridges like Carnivore2 and the amazing GR8NET this isn't really a problem.

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3852)

17-09-2020, 20:22

I've created an FS-A1GT2 that is my default machine. It has 2MB memory and 2 disk drives (those are the 2 only differences with the original config). I mostly use openMSX when I am downstairs (with the kids or watching TV). I have all my real MSX's on the attic. My go to machines there are an FS-A1ST (my FS-AT1GT is still being modded) for most tasks, a PHC-35J for chiptune listening (it has the best audiomixer I've heard on an MSX ever, and I've tried many). Also it has no internal disk drive so that is never in the way when using disk emulation (although that is less a problem than I remember it was before.