Msx-audio/msx-music confusion

Champion (325)

01-10-2011, 14:17

...and again I need your help...

I got myself a modded Toshiba music module (msx-audio, 256 sample ram, msx audio bios). I'm really confused about whether this module of mine should give me some nice "extra" music/effects with certain games. At least that's what I thought I tried with Frantic (it's listed to use psg and/or msx-audio). After putting the module to the 2nd slot of my NMS8250 and booting Frantic the audio is still coming from the internal psg

Am I completely lost here, or should I hear something more compared to standard psg? Do I need to enable the msx-audio somehow?

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5645)

01-10-2011, 15:00

Indeed, I'm afraid there's an MSX-Music and MSX-Audio confusion going on here.
Frantic works with FM-PAC (which is MSX-Music). You got yourself an MSX-Audio.

By olliraa

Champion (325)

01-10-2011, 17:41

D*mn! I somehow got the impression that with this mod I somehow get both msx-music and msx-audio. Or that the mod actually is an improvement regarding compatibility with games etc and not the other way around. Bas just sent me this info:

"With esc you start the program (Toshiba)
With _audio you can use the sound in basic
with tab you disconnect the audio basic. (some programs need that), but you can listen the music by audio (some compile games)"

Could someone elaborate that a bit, please?

If I only have the msx-audio now, I sure want to trade this to the msx-music I just play games, no need for anything fancy.

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5645)

01-10-2011, 17:49

No, MSX-Music and MSX-Audio are not the same thing, unfortunately.

The main fun thing about MSX-Audio is that it can easily record and play (small) samples.

There's not that many games which support the MSX-Audio though.
Here is a pretty complete list of the ones that do.

The [ESC] trick which Bas mentions gets you to an internal music program which no-one uses. ;)

There is some way to get a small range of Japanese (Compile) games to recognize the MSX-Audio, but I never tried that and wouldn't know about any details. Some (mostly Dutch) games use 'MB 1.4 stereo', which means using MSX-Music and MSX-Audio simultaneously in order to create a richer sound.

So yes, if your intention is to have enhanced sound for games, you're way better off with MSX-Music.
But if you want 'MB 1.4 stereo', then you need both.

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5645)

01-10-2011, 18:02

This appears to be the way to get Compile games and Diskstations to use the MSX-Audio instead of MSX-Music -
boot in BASIC, then insert the disk and type

POKE-54,35:POKE&HF346,1:_SYSTEM

By Manuel

Ascended (19227)

01-10-2011, 18:08

John, you don't need that poke if the MSX-AUDIO BIOS is installed on the thing. So, Compile products should give FM sound right away with this modded Toshiba.

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3609)

01-10-2011, 18:09

@JohnHassink

The POKE-54,35 is a trick to simulate the presence of the BIOS. Since the MSX-Audio BIOS is already present on his cartridge, the Compile games wil already find the cartridge automatically. Hence there's o need for that POKE anymore.

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5645)

01-10-2011, 18:13

Okay, I see!

By olliraa

Champion (325)

01-10-2011, 18:16

Ok, so I bought the "wrong one" Anyway to easily disable the mod? I feel reeeaally stupid now

By Randam

Paragon (1431)

01-10-2011, 18:20

Columns and Family Stadium Professional Baseball also support MSX Audio IIRC.

By edoz

Prophet (2458)

01-10-2011, 19:42

Hi Olliraa, you could say thay you bought the wrone one but you could also say that you have a nice new one to your collection. There is a lot of music /demos matrial created for MSX-AUDIO. And i think the sound of this device is very nice and maybe better than the MSX-MUSIC...
So .. your are not stupid .. you could say that to your wife that you need the other one .. .. but at the end you have both !!! That sounds not stupit to me (and if you have.. there are also a lot music files where you can use both music chips .. and listen to your stereo msx !!)

Whow !! .. you are a smart guy !!