Some games (like Super M) uses special audio chipset

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By foody

Champion (469)

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17-06-2021, 06:24

Hey guys,

Some games (like Super M) uses a special audio chipset which means I need to insert a cartridge into my soon to arrive MSX 2 computer. My MSX 2 computer have two slots. One of them will have the MegaFlash SCC I will be getting. I will be ordering the one with two SD slot and + 512 KB RAM upgrade. Is there a ROM I can use with MegaFlash that resides in memory that then I can hook a game in MegaFlash to produce the audio? Or I still need another cartridge to hook into my second MSX 2 slot? If I still need a second cartridge...what cartridge do you guys advise?

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By Manuel

Ascended (19468)

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17-06-2021, 07:50

Which audio are you talking about? MSX-MUSIC? As you said, audio is produced by an audio chip. ROMs are just software and data.

By foody

Champion (469)

foody's picture

17-06-2021, 09:24

Then recommend me a cartridge I can use in the second slot for my MSX that most software can use it including games and applications.

By hamlet

Scribe (4106)

hamlet's picture

17-06-2021, 10:29

The MegaFlashRomSDSCC+ is a good choice, it already has Konami's SCC sound chip built in, which will give you great pleasure when playing many Konami games.
You decide which music add-on to put in the second cartridge port based on the game you want to play. In addition to the FMPac and OPL4 expansions, you can also enjoy the Yamaha SFG05 or the Neotron.

There is no all-in-one solution yet, only FlashRAM cartridges that offer more built-in sound chips, like the FlashJacks, the GR8Net or the Carnivore2.
I myself also like to use the MFR and then simply plug in the desired add-ons as needed.
If you want to experience G'n'G on an MSX2+ with SFG05 sound, you will of course quickly reach your limits without a slot expandor.
The game module and the GFX9000 expansion already occupy both cartridge ports. However, this is rather the exception.

By meits

Scribe (6544)

meits's picture

17-06-2021, 10:38

foody wrote:

what cartridge do you guys advise?

Any MSX-Music compatible cartridge or a computer with it built in (normally most MSX2+ models and all MSX turbo R models).

By gdx

Enlighted (6215)

gdx's picture

17-06-2021, 11:07

I you speak about SMW. The sound is mainly MSX-Music and PSG. There is SCC sound, but only a little.

By Grauw

Ascended (10768)

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17-06-2021, 11:26

Normally MSX-MUSIC clone cartridges are sold by various people but I didn’t see any listed in stock now. You can bid on this guy. Or get an original FM-PAC but that’s gonna cost you quite a bit more.

By foody

Champion (469)

foody's picture

17-06-2021, 14:48

K. It seems when it comes to music expansion to guarantee you don’t miss one, you need to chain them in a row and hook each one to separate speakers and then have all the speakers cluttered on the table to guarantee a certain software output to that one so you don’t miss out.

That is for sure will not happen. I want advise then to one MSX music expansion cartridge that is compatible with super M ported for MSX here and most games posted here use that same chipset.

By foody

Champion (469)

foody's picture

17-06-2021, 13:59

I will buy those four cartridges Hamlet suggested. But will the game say in readme file which audio chipset it used so I don’t keep guessing which one to use or use at all?

By Grauw

Ascended (10768)

Grauw's picture

17-06-2021, 14:22

foody wrote:

K. It seems when it comes to music expansion to guarantee you don’t miss one, you need to chain them in a row and hook each one to separate speakers and then have all the speakers cluttered on the table to guarantee a certain software output to that one so you don’t miss out.

Well, normally you would use a mixer panel rather than the set-up that you describe Smile.

For games just get the MSX-MUSIC and the SCC, those are the most relevant and you will have your bases covered. If you only play original games you don’t even need the SCC because they’re included in the cartridge. But otherwise you want a FlashROM cartridge with SCC support to play Konami games. The MSX-MUSIC cartridge is used by many other games from the late 80s and onward, you can find which ones do on generation-msx.

Specifically the Carnivore2 includes both SCC and MSX-MUSIC, so if you’re buying a new flash cart and want these sound chips as well, you might want to consider this as an all-in-one solution. Only thing to be aware of if you’re concerned about 100% authenticity is that these sound chips are FPGA emulations rather than originals, but probably that won’t matter to you.

All the other sound expansions on the market for MSX like MoonSound OPL4, SFG-05, Neotron, MMM, etc. are mostly aimed at people specifically interested in those chips and their music, either for playback or composition purposes, but they aren’t used in many games. Looking at your intended use I would advise you skip those for now, you can always get them later if you know what they are useful for and why you would want to own them. They’re a bit too expensive to get and then find you don’t use them. Also when you get them later separately you can spend more time to enjoy them individually, e.g. with music disks, VGM players and Sega SG-1000 games.

By meits

Scribe (6544)

meits's picture

17-06-2021, 14:25

I kind of suspect confusion here: MSX-Music is a standard used in cartridges like FM-PAC. There are many cartridges with many different music chips on it. MSX-Music is one of them. The link in my previous post lists a couple of cartridges that can play music made for MSX-Music.
Sure buy all cartridges hamlet mentioned, but they're not all relevant to get some music out of the game you mentioned Wink

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