Lookin' for MSX and some other things..!

Champion (259)

10-11-2008, 00:43

I recently hocked my Amiga stuff, and most of my non-essential (read 99.9%) Commodore 64 hardware..... in favor of making $$ and room for a nice MSX ...

so now, I need one. I am not super - loaded and can't afford a Turbo R unfortunately. This is the stuff I am looking for

NTSC MSX of some sort hopefully with disk drive....can be any MSX, (1, 2, 2+)... just something solid.

one of those NoWind interfaces (in which case ANY decent MSX computer will work, even a driveless one)

possibly a modified SCC cart for using BlafferNT and stuff

any decent games (Metal Gear, MG2: Solid Snake, the Goonies). Just a few decent games to get me started.

This one looks fun minus the lack of disk drive and to my knowledge no external disk drives exist sooo ..... Nowind or bust on that one!

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5601)

10-11-2008, 00:59

Well, if you want to play any of the Metal Gear games, don't get an MSX1 but MSX2 at least.

By rolins

Champion (418)

10-11-2008, 01:11

The Nowind is tough to get right now, so you can scratch that out.

The ebay link to that Sanyo Wavy 23 has no disk drive. External disk drives do exist, just expensive and kind hard to find.
I recommend buying a japanese MSX2/2+ model with a built-in disk drive. Then purchase a MegaFlashRom SCC, FM-Pac, and 4mb external Ram cart. All that should get you running nearly every dsk and rom you can think of in the Goodroms and Tosec.

By Arkhan

Champion (259)

10-11-2008, 03:00

Ah I was afraid that the nowind was going to be super tough. So no go on the nice lookin' blue wavy

I can't seem to find any good price ranged MSX 2+s on ebay....

By Huey

Prophet (2687)

10-11-2008, 08:26

Diskdrives are pretty obsolete if you aks me. Just buy an IDE CF-reader at sunrise. I dont use disks anymore. Especially since modern PC's/laptops don't have drives.

So buying a good MSX with a broken drive + CF reader is an option to consider.

By Arkhan

Champion (259)

10-11-2008, 17:44

How much are these card readers exactly?

I mean, I would like to collect some games for MSX just because I collect....... but then if I can't play the actual disks, BUT have disk images .... then im solid.

or weren't alotta MSX games on carts?

*is an MSX software n00b*. I know the games (kind of), just dunno where to find em/what they were on.

edit: found sunrise site. Not too expensive for a card reader and IDE .

I could get the IDE interface and then connect a card reader adapter..... hrmm...

By Huey

Prophet (2687)

10-11-2008, 19:25

I could get the IDE interface and then connect a card reader adapter..... hrmm...

Nonononooooo. Just buy the IDE CF reader not the IDE + CF adapter. You need an external power supply IIRC.

By Arkhan

Champion (259)

10-11-2008, 21:56

oh i read that wrong. I thought, if you got the IDE interface it had an attachment that let you put a card reader also, for cheaper.

I see now. This is awesome. Then I can get one of those 8 cart expanders.... and have 8 cf readers... and like, alot of storage for an MSX >_O!

im diggin it. I think I will buy this blue sanyo wavy 23 and get that card reader. Seems like the best solution for <100$, and a very nice replacement for my C64 stuff.

edit: sorta confused here still maybe.

It says there is an ATA IDE interface, and a CF reader extension for it. Is this the hardware I want to maximize my experience here?

By rolins

Champion (418)

11-11-2008, 04:42

oh i read that wrong. I thought, if you got the IDE interface it had an attachment that let you put a card reader also, for cheaper.

I see now. This is awesome. Then I can get one of those 8 cart expanders.... and have 8 cf readers... and like, alot of storage for an MSX >_O!

im diggin it. I think I will buy this blue sanyo wavy 23 and get that card reader. Seems like the best solution for <100$, and a very nice replacement for my C64 stuff.

edit: sorta confused here still maybe.

It says there is an ATA IDE interface, and a CF reader extension for it. Is this the hardware I want to maximize my experience here?

Sure, but that ATA-IDE will require a MSX2 with at least 128k ram to take full advantage of it, so an external Ram cart will be necessary. But you'll have another problem, no more empty slots. Remember you have 2 empty cartridge slots, one with ATA-IDE cart and second with the external Ram. If you're going to run a dsk game off the ATA-IDE you won't hear MSX-Music b/c there no room for the FM-Pac and the Wavy 23 isn't a MSX2+ with built-in MSX-Music. Same applies when playing Snatcher and SD-Snatcher from the ATA-IDE, no place to insert a SCC+ cart. You can get around that though if you get a slot expander, but all these hardware accessories aren't cheap and most them have to be imported from europe so shipping to united states is going to be astronomical.

Total up the cost for all the hardware:

Sanyo Wavy 23 = >$59
Sunrise ATA-IDE/CF = $80
Padial External 4MB Ram = >$90
Slot Expander = >$100

I'm not including the shipping on these items either. Calculate the total and you'll see that it ain't worth it.

By gaogetter

Supporter (7)

11-11-2008, 09:04

Find MSX2+ that has FM sound module inside. Especially find PANASONIC MSX2+ like FS-a1wx or FS-a1wsx because it is very convenient to expand ram on board. On these machines, you just remove 32kb RAM X2 and solder two 128kb RAM. (you need 128kb RAM x 2 , 44c256AP) The way to do this MOD is introduced in HansO MSX page. If you have a bit higher level of soldering technic, it can be expanded to even 512kb. Empty socket place is available on board.
Another one. If you have any friend in Japan, auction.yahoo.co.jp would be the best place to find PANASONIC MSX2+. MSX2+ is cheap in there and you can fix non-working drive just by replace the O-ring inside the drive that you can also purchas on that auction site.
http://list3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/2084039771-category-leaf.html <-This is MSX category.

By Arkhan

Champion (259)

11-11-2008, 14:46

well... i cant retract the bid on it. Crap.

but, it IS free shipping, and there is a money back return policy.

So I will be alright on that.

one of these days the right MSX is going to show up on ebay -_-