Description

The HB-F500 is the first MSX2 Sony computer of a serie with a professionnal design. The following models exist:

All models are available only in white color, they have a 720kB 3,5" floppy disk drive and a separate keyboard. The Japanese keyboard has half of the keys with kanas in gray.

The Japanese model has a Kanji ROM and an internal speaker. Both have been removed on the international models that have a third cartridge slot.

Several softwares are provided on floppy disk with the Japanese computer: MSX-DOS, "Business Kit" (Database) and "Wordship" (Japanese Wordprocessor), but it's limited to MSX-DOS on the other models.

There have been 2 versions of the Japanese machine, the second version fixes the problem occured by the split of the RAM into 2 different subslots in the first version.

The international models are based on the first version of the HB-F500. The mentioned problem will be fixed on the HB-F700, a machine that will not be released in Japan.

Pictures

Check also the pages about the different models!

Sony HB-F500

Sony HB-F500 mainboard

Sony HB-F500P

Sony HB-F500 keyboard

Sony HB-F500 back

Sony HB-F500P back

Sony HB-F500F back

Specifications

The HB-F500 is a MSX2 with a Z80A from Sharp (LH0080A) and an MSX-Engine S3527 from Yamaha. Floppy Disk Controller chip is the CXD-1032Q (Sony).

In the first version of the Japanese model and on the international models, the 64kB RAM is split in half between the slots 0-0 and 0-2, a configuration that can cause poorly written software to crash. Also, with this layout, the POKE-1,(15-PEEK(-1)\16)*17 trick to workaround buggy software that does not handle subslots properly will not work on this machine. So try BMMS instead if you have a memory expansion with Memory Mapper.

In the second version of the Japanese model, slot 3 is expanded instead of slot 0 and the 64kB RAM is in slot 3-2.

Slot Map for 1st Gen HB-F500

Slot Map for 2nd Gen HB-F500

Slot Map for HB-F500F & HB-F500P

Connections

• RGB output (RGB21, not SCART) + Analog sound & Composite video on HB-F500
• 6-pin DIN Audio/Video connector only on HB-F500P
• RGB output (DIN connector) on HB-F500F and HB-F500P
• Second Floppy disk drive connector for use with the HBD-30W
• Keyboard connector
• Data Recorder connector
• Centronics compatible Parallel port for a printer
• 2 general connectors (Joysticks, Mouse, Paddle controlers, etc)
• 2 cartridge slots (HB-F500) or 3 cartridge slots (HB-F500F and HB-F500P)
• AC power plug (only HB-F500)

External links

• Sony - A Guide to MSX-BASIC Version 2.0
• Sony - MSX-BASIC Version 2.0 Reference Chart
• Service Manual HB-F500F / HB-F500P - part 1
• Service Manual HB-F500F / HB-F500P - part 2
• Sony HB-F500 on Generation-MSX
• Detailed look at the HB-F500 (Japanese)
• Blog post about repairing a HB-F500, part 1 , part 2 (Korean)