Contents |
Description
Computer
The Panasonic FS-A1GT MSX turbo R is the last MSX computer produced and it follows the latest standard for the MSX line. The FS-A1GT was preceded by the FS-A1ST. Compared to the FS-A1ST, the FS-A1GT has double the amount of RAM (512kB). It also features a MIDI-IN and MIDI-OUT connector. The FS-A1ST can also be upgraded to the FS-A1GT using the μ.Pack. MIDI can also be accessed through MSX-BASIC (PLAY#1).
Note: there's a bug in the MSX-MUSIC implementation of a Panasonic FS-A1GT. This problem only occurs when a CALL MUSIC is done without any OPLL channel, e.g. CALL MUSIC(0,0) and then a tempo MCL issued (e.g. PLAY"T120") OR when a program is stopped by CTRL-STOP. In these cases, a crash occurs. The problem can be avoided by doing a CALL MUSIC(0,0,1). This problem doesn't occur on the Panasonic FS-A1ST MSX turbo R.
Due to some minor hardware bugs that were discovered, the mainboard is a bit different: e.g. the MSX-MUSIC part is redesigned to decrease influence of the noise from other digital parts, although it's confirmed this was also corrected in the last batch of the A1ST.
| Brand | Panasonic |
| Type | FS-A1GT |
| Year | 1992 |
| RAM | 512kB in slot 3-0, 32kB SRAM |
| VRAM | 128kB |
| Media | 720kB 3,5" floppy disk drive |
| Video | Yamaha V9958 |
| Audio | PSG (AY-3-8910 compatible), MSX-MUSIC, PCM, MSX-MIDI |
| Chipset | Toshiba T9769C and NEC S1990 bus controller |
| Extras | Microphone, MSX-JE, firmware switch, MSX-MUSIC BASIC also used for MIDI, built-in MSX-MIDI interface, Kanji-ROM level 1 & 2, Pause key, Ren-Sha Turbo (autofire), MSX-DOS 2 and MSX View with some software, Kanji BASIC |
Firmware and Software
The Panasonic FS-A1GT machine comes with 2 integrated firmware: VSHELL and A1. You can skip them by changing the position of the Panasonic front switch.
Without any game in a cartridge slot and with the firmware switch in the appropriate position, you come on the VSHELL screen. Main icons of this screen:
- 1 - Exploration of a disk (by default the ROM disk C:)
- 2 - A1 firmware
- 3 - MSX-BASIC
- 4 - FS-A1GT Presentation
To access the MSX View menu, click on the 4th icon on the first line. A mouse is required to use VSHELL and MSX View.
To choose another disk, click on VSHELL and select the D option (A: and B: real disks, C: ROM disk, D: S-RAM disk, H: virtual disk)
The A1 firmware menu has several options:
- 1 - Japanese Word Processor
- 2 - Beginner Word Processor
- 3 - Word Processor Lessons (requires system disk 1)
- 4 - Address Book
- 5 - Name Card
- 6 - AV Labels (Video - Cassette - Diskette - Custom Databases)
- 7 - PCM Recorder
- 8 - Calculator, Calendar and Clock Setting
- 9 - Mouse and Printer Settings
- 0 - MSX-BASIC or back to VSHELL according the position of the front switch
Three systems disks are provided with this computer :
- the first system disk is required for the Japanese Word Processor (that uses MSX-JE)
- the second system disk includes MSX-DOS 2.31 and 3 applications
- the third disk contains MSX View, an OS with Word Processor and Graphic Tools
From MSX-BASIC, you can go (back) to the A1 firmware menu by typing CALL MWP or _MWP.
Pictures
Computer
Firmware
VSHELL
A1
Provided Software
System Disk 2
System Disk 3 - MSX View
Requires that the firmware switch on the front is enabled and can't be launched without using VSHELL.
Specifications
The FS-A1GT is a MSX of intermediary generation with 2 CPU (Z80A & R800) and many options included. A single CPU may be used at a time by switching. The R800 has two operating modes (Mode RAM & Mode ROM). Floppy Disk Controller chip is the TC8566AF.
Floppy Disk Belt specifications:
Type: Rubber Belt
Thickness: 0.3mm
Diameter: 58mm
Width: 3mm
Detailed Specifications
- CPU R800 (DAR800-X0G), with 28.63630 MHz external clock and 16-bit ALU. (Can be accelerated to 40MHz by changing the crystal.) Note: the CPU clock is 7.15909MHz (external clock divided by 4) and the bus frequency is 3.579545MHz, however, an instruction on the R800 that takes 1 bus clock cycle, often takes 4 clock cycles on the Z80, so one can indeed say that the R800 runs roughly like a 28.6 MHz Z80.
- CPU Z80A 3.579545MHz compatible (included in the MSX-Engine)
- 512kB of main RAM
- 32kB SRAM for backup (used internally or by MSX-View as SRAM disk) (holding ESC during boot will erase settings, FS-A1ST will keep settings ^^)
- 32kB BASIC/BIOS ROM and 32kB subROM (MSX-BASIC V4.1, with extra command _PAUSE to make delays in BASIC independent of the current CPU, extra commands especially for the PCM device (_PCMPLAY, _PCMREC)), 16kB DISK ROM, 48KB MSX-DOS2.30 Kernel, 16kB MSX-MUSIC BASIC ROM, 16kB KANJI BASIC.)
- TC8566AF disk controller
- 3.5" double sided double density (720kB) disk drive
- S1990 MSX Bus-controller
- T9769C MSX-ENGINE (also contains Z80A & AY-3-8910)
- MSX-JE (a simple Kanji input interface)
- Kanji-ROM with approx. 32000 characters
- MSX-Music (Yamaha YM-2413 OPLL)
- PCM synthesizer 8-bit (sample rate 16kHz)
- Internal microphone for the PCM unit
- MSX-MIDI interface built-in. Includes 8251 (UART) and 8254 (timer) and MIDI-IN / MIDI-OUT connectors. Uses the MSX-MUSIC BASIC 16kB ROM. Also available as a cartridge for FS-A1ST.
- MSX-VIEW ('MSX-Windows') developed by ASCII & HAL. Software as Page Edit, PageView, Page Link, VShell, VTed, VPaint and VDraw) on 512kB ROM DISK (C: drive). Also available as a cartridge for FS-A1ST. Internal software can be accessed from BASIC with command CALL MWP
- Pause key (software in R800-mode, hardware in Z80-mode)
- Reset button
- 6 LEDs (power, caps-lock, kana-lock, pause, CPU mode, FDD in use)
Slot Map
| Slot | Slot | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | 0‑1 | 0-2 | 0-3 | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | 3-0 | 3-1 | 3-2 | 3-3 | ||||
| Bank C000h~FFFFh | Cartridge Slot 1 | Cartridge Slot 2 | 512kB Memory Mapper | ||||||||||
| Bank 8000h~BFFFh | Kanji driver | MSX View & Firmware | |||||||||||
| Bank 4000h~7FFFh | Main-ROM | MSX-Music | Opening ROM | Disk ROM | |||||||||
| Bank 0000h~3FFFh | Sub-ROM | ||||||||||||
- Slot 3-3 is also divided into 8kB banks. Each can contain internal RAM, ROM or SRAM using the Panasonic mapper.
- The Disk ROM is combined with MSX-DOS 2.31, it's a 64kB ROM with a specific mapper
Connections
- RGB output
- S-video (aka Y/C) output
- MIDI output
- MIDI input
- Centronics compatible Parallel port for a printer
- 2 general connectors (Joysticks, Mouse, Paddle controlers, etc)
- 2 cartridge slots
- External microphone jack connector (input, mono)
- Power Plug male for main power supply (JIS C 8303 class, AC 100V +/-10% 50/60Hz)
- No cassette connector
Note: ASCII paddle controllers are no longer supported by the MSX Turbo R BIOS.
Repair
Replacing the old FDD belt of Panasonic MSX2+ and turbo R. (sold on ebay, model Panasonic DFWV75C0009).
Original 24-pin FDD flatcable: Sumitomo-Y AWM 2896 80C VW-1 (100mm, 1.25mm pitch)
Alternative 24-pin FDD flatcable: AWM 20624 80C 60V VW-1 (100-200mm 1.25mm pitch)
Links
- Panasonic FS-A1GT on Generation-MSX
- Japanese Service Manual in Black and White
- Japanese Service Manual in Color (large 120MB download)
- MSX TurboR Technical Handbook (Japanese)
- Detailed look at the FS-A1GT (Japanese)
- Hardware sound fix and RGB output jailbars fix by sd_snatcher