1MSXCart to rule

Champion (351)

06-10-2022, 21:32

Long, long time ago, when the grass was green and the local MSX get-togethers were still held, like Doetinchem or Zutphen, some nice hardware were showed.
In my memories once I have seen a modified Philips music module , with added acc and fm-pac.
With one or 2 cartridge slots, would it be possible, without using extender, to incorporate current cartridge extensions in one cartridge.
Like:
- OPLL
- FM pa(c/k)
- SCC / +
- V9958
- V9990
- ram extension
- vram extension
- OPL4
- Dos 2
- Carnivore 2
- etc etc

All in one cart.
If all developers would work together and split earnings, everyone would benefit, from msx 1 +

Is this feasible and possible? Everyone can code for any upgrade.

بواسطة Samor

Prophet (2225)

07-10-2022, 15:24

The Carnivore 2 already incorporates several, but not all of those.
So your idea sounds like a Hypercarnivore ;-)

perhaps with a large enough FPGA, and a lot of extra VHDL coding (or original chips), it would be possible.
Not easy, though.

بواسطة AxelStone

Prophet (3199)

08-10-2022, 15:34

It seems a very heavy and complex job to be done by the moment. You would require a very large FPGA and a lot of cores implemented on it. Right now you have pieces of hardware like Flashjack or GR8Net that implement most of the features you put here, but for example not known VHDL implementation of V9990 exists at this moment. And for OPL4, only the one done in GR8Net.

بواسطة erpirao

Paragon (1334)

08-10-2022, 18:58

let's go by parts:
fm and opll: they are in the carnivore2
scc/+: they are in the carnivore
v9958: the access ports would be incompatible (like the ma-20), and there would be soft access to those ports that would not work (like the ma-20 again)
v9990: there is no fpga core, it would have to be manufactured
ram expension: in the carnivore
vram: useless if not directly attached to the VDP
opl4: there is only the core of gr8net and I don't know if he is willing to give it up
dos2 / nextor: in the carnivore
etc etc, I don't know what that etc means,
midi interface?
lj45/wifi?
external CPU?
external bios (bypass the bios to remap the ports, for example from v9958)
look for the slt-turbo by sharksym
or the SM-X MA of victor trucco
what are you looking for in particular?

بواسطة jepmsx

Champion (281)

09-10-2022, 07:03

Maybe the one cartridge to rule them all will be the MSX3 that can be inserted in our MSX. If I've understood one of Nishi's ideas and it is finally done

بواسطة Accumulator

Champion (351)

11-10-2022, 01:09

@jepmsx,
You are close, reason is to reach a certain basic level for all MSX in the field, from MSX 1 to TR, with only 1 cartridge.
As Nishi-san mentioned MSX2 was intended to be MSX 1.
Saving the hassle with extenders, switching cartridges, etc.
I am really interested in Nishi-san's ideas and implementation.
Also if you look at the road Sony's Playstation has taken, backwards compatibility is , as I know it, a no-no.

بواسطة JeroenTaverne

Resident (48)

11-10-2022, 12:40

Only the Z80 is missing in your list. :-)

بواسطة david.sanders

Supporter (11)

13-10-2022, 10:49

Yes, there would be no original machine left. May as well just insert a raspberry pi and have done with it.

Hello all by the way, I've just got an MSX2 and am slowly learning my way around the VDP while I wait for a Carnivore 2.

بواسطة Accumulator

Champion (351)

13-10-2022, 22:19

No maybe a compatible R800...