Nikko made msx computer?

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6555)

03-03-2023, 12:19

"it seems that the T7937 is an NTSC version and the T7937A an PAL version."

Italy and Spain have never used NTSC, but only PAL. The T9737 in Toshiba HX-51/52 can't be NTSC!

By Pentarou

Hero (554)

03-03-2023, 12:37

gdx wrote:

However, it is very possible that it is a fake. I find it hard to believe that a person pulls this out of nowhere without knowing where it came from. This machine makes no sense to me.

Maybe it's an one off promotional item for some event, similar to what car manufacturers do for car exhibitions.
A a production machine it doesn't make sense: The case is copied from a Panasonic machine, the tech specs are the base minimum and the mechanical keyboard is (IMHO) very expensive for a cheap machine.
A fake seem unlikely to me, considering how much work has been done.

By gdx

Enlighted (6425)

03-03-2023, 13:46

mars2000you wrote:

Italy and Spain have never used NTSC, but only PAL. The T9737 in Toshiba HX-51/52 can't be NTSC!

I know. I assumed they were Japanese. I should have checked but yesterday my head was elsewhere.

Pentarou wrote:

A fake seem unlikely to me, considering how much work has been done.

Make a molded resin case painted with airbrush with a PCB with a PC engine recovered on a PAL machine plus a few components, then damaged to look old. It's not complicated. Same for the keyboard. The photos are blurry and dark in addition. The Japanese texts of the FS-A1 reproduced identically on a PAL machine. It doesn't make any sense.
These texts say this:

Quote:

●夏季の閉めきった自動車内や道射日光のあたる場所、暖房器具付近には放置しないでください。（変形・変色、故障するこたがあります）
●新旧、異種の電気は、混用しないでください。
●⊕⊖を表示に合わせて、数字の順に入れてください。
●ACアダプターは指定のものをご使用ください。

Why mark that on a prototype?

By Pentarou

Hero (554)

03-03-2023, 18:01

gdx wrote:

Make a molded resin case painted with airbrush with a PCB with a PC engine recovered on a PAL machine plus a few components, then damaged to look old. It's not complicated.

I'm not saying it's complicated, what I meant to say is that it is expensive.
It would be much cheaper to buy a CASIO MX 10, put it in a generic metal case, and call it a "lost prototype".
Cold cast resin molding makes sense if there's more than one copy to make, especially for something that big, and why bother making a PCB from scratch?

gdx wrote:

Why mark that on a prototype?

The bottom of that Nikko case is a copy of the FS-A1 bottom with a few modifications.
The top is also very similar.

By hvxcolors

Supporter (4)

03-03-2023, 23:49

This msx computer was part of a private collection. This computer was at least 10 years in that collection, maybe longer. It was found in a black sealed bag (protection against moisture). The collection existed mostly to preserve the PCs that were dumped in the period 2000-2010. Most of the computers in the collection were donated, salvaged from a container, sold at flea markets. Most computers were easy to identify and were sold at a low fixed price. This computer however was one big question mark - I could not identify it. There was also no way to trace it back to how it was acquired. Therefore I reached out to this forum and Nikko. Because there came no reaction from this forum for a while it was decided to go for an auction. The proceeds of the auction are used to relocate the person that hosted the collection. This is again an effect of extremely high rental prices that push people out of the region where they lived most of their life. According to Nikko this would have been a product developed by Toy State but that company seems to have closed its doors (I'm not sure if Nikko understood this is a prototype and not a finished product). I don't think it is a prototype to show to consumers but for example one commissioned by product development to convince higher management or marketing department. That is based on my own experiences in the IT industry. I have no knowledge about msx, so I would like to leave the discussion with you guys. Most important is that this device didnt end up in the bin and ends up in the hands of someone with affinity with the msx community. That was the initial goal of the collection.

By gdx

Enlighted (6425)

04-03-2023, 01:46

Thank you for these explanations. Hopefully the buyer can tell more about this mysterious machine because a old machine without history is not worth much.

By hvxcolors

Supporter (4)

04-03-2023, 18:18

extra eprom image

By hvxcolors

Supporter (4)

04-03-2023, 18:18

https://ibb.co/WDKJk0L

By gdx

Enlighted (6425)

05-03-2023, 00:47

I analyzed the PCB images and modified the wiki with what I've deduced, but the power connector is almost completely out of the picture. So can you confirm that the minus is at the center ?
The pin at the center of the AN7805 is the minus. Just follow the track.

AN7805 datasheet:
https://pdf1.alldatasheet.jp/datasheet-pdf/view/111545/PANAS...

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

05-03-2023, 00:48

What is this part based on?

Quote:

It was apparently designed to be used as part of a radio controller car system,