Nicron #19 06 февраля 1997

История

History - computers MSX, Yegor Ascension.

                                                           z80


(C) WLODEK BLACK

Hello, friends! Today the topic is a little assembler
unusual - it will not ... assembler. The fact that the article 
published below Yegor Ascension long, long time waiting its 
time to get out into the light. This article was going to print 
the newspaper "X-RAY" in the fall, and the materials were 
transferred to Vyacheslav - MARKUS-y. Go all according to plan, 
the article would be published before the Open in "NICRON"-e 
cycle of publications on the processor Z380 and would be a 
logical preface to it. But ... everything flows, everything 
changes, ce la vie, Cherche la femme ... Ugh, "Cherche la 
Amigo" ... Care MARKUS-but from the wording "X-RAY" and even 
the "Spectrum" cast questioned the possibility of publishing 
articles in "X-RAY". On 6 February conversation with Dmitry 
(D-Soft; editor in chief of "X-RAY") to dot the "i" - in 
"X-RAY" stuff will not work. Thus, Article Yegor Ascension 
comes in "NICRON"-e. 

   It must be noted that the author is in force, perhaps a 
natural modesty kept silent about their own role in the 
development of MSX-platform in Russia. The fact that Yegor 
Ascension - Leading and Only specialist and enthusiast who has 
achieved real success in this industry. MSX-computer processor 
Z380 is almost ready. (By the way, is not it time for a new 
"Spectrum" to do on the same basis, as well!). And also I can 
not agree with assertion in the headline of the article. No 
failure or MSX frustrated not call! When I first saw in 1988 
the first national home-made "Spectrum", and in 1989 he bungled 
his Moscow-48K, I was enough only to provide reference data on 
the architecture of the new (!) machines, to begin the program 
with confidence in her. Assembler I known thanks to the 
"wells". I guess I'm not the only one who came to the ZX in the 
same way ... 

(C) YEGOR ASCENSION (SOLiD SOFT)



                        M S X:
            history of failed standard



     Among the abundance of computer systems early 80-ies a
line stands out. This MSX computers. Standard MSX,
proposed in 1981 by Japanese K. Nishi, gradually evolving
and improving, was completed in 1991, the magnificent
MSX Turbo R car and, despite the withdrawal of support from
by large firms, continues to live today.


     Unfortunately, despite the fact that the MSX computer firm
Yamaha had a basic school car, in our country, this system
Little is known, much inferior to such systems home
personal computers as Spectrum or PC. For
restoration of good memories of these wonderful machines 
designed a series of articles, the first of which you are 
viewing. So, what are the machine?



     Like the vast majority of home computers 80 years, MSX is 
based on an 8-bit processor, namely Z80A firm Zilog, which 
remains, by the way, the most popular microprocessor in the 
world. Clock frequency of 3.58 MHz is selected considerations, 
interfacing with a TV that is used as monitor. The sound was 
synthesized using the well-known scheme AY-3-8910 three-part 
synthesizer. The most revolutionary the idea, laid the basis 
for design MSX, has a special video processor. In the machines 
of the first series it was TMS9918, also used in video games, 
SEGA Master System; then he was replaced with a specially 
designed video processor for MSX V9938, and later - on the 
V9958. About the peculiarities of the graphics MSX subsystems 
will be discussed later, now a few words about the history of 
the standard. 


     So, the idea to introduce a standard for 8-bit home 
computers came up with the owner of a small shop on Trade

computers, the Japanese Kay Nishi, about 1981. The main
the idea was to combine the standard operating system CP / M, 
de facto are standard 8-bit machines, with graphics and sound, 
allowing to play games, not worse, than the then video game 
consoles. It was also assumed full describe all external 
connections for the machine to different firms could produce 
compatible extensions. Kompyuterprototip had already existed. 
It was the SVI-731 firms Spectra Video. Somewhat improve its 
parameters as well as equipping its system ROM BASIC from the 
company Microsoft, Kay Nishi received what is now called the 
MSX computer. 


     For manufacturing machinery of the new standard took 
literally all firms are known to us consumer electronics 
manufacturers: Sony, Toshiba, Philips, Yamaha, Panasonic ... 
For cars was also developed and a new operating system - MSX 
DOS, compatible system calls with CP / M, but work with

Disk format is popular at the time of MS-DOS (but without
subdirectories).


     Computers of the new system, due to ease of handling and
relative power, quickly gained popularity in Japan,
followed by Europe (Holland, France and Germany) as well as in 
South America, especially Brazil. Power, "durakoupornost and

very high build quality (Made in Japan ") made this
computer is ideally suited for use in schools.
Ministry of Education of the USSR in 1986, concluded with the 
firm Yamaha contract to supply several thousand computer classes

MSX, many of which are still used today.


     However, by 1986, the old standard MSX began noticeably
keep up with rapidly evolving standards PC / Amiga / Mac,
especially on the part of the graphics and sound. To overcome 
this divide by the Japanese firm ASCII, which is the holder of 
the copyright all associated with the system of MSX, has been 
proposed standard MSX2. This standard is intended to extend 
memory with 64 kilobytes to 4 megabytes or more, a significant 
improvement in graphics and music. By Yamaha under the project 
of ASCII was developed video processor V9938, which provides 
opportunities absent not only from all the computers in this 
class, but the cars a class above. This 16-color graphics High

permission from the palette, the 256-color graphics, hardware
colorful sprites, the hardware construction of many graphics
primitives at a rate of more than 300,000 points per second, and
the possibility of an external video capture or overlay
his image from your computer. To enhance the sound
capacity was proposed standard MSX-AUDIO, synthesizer 9
FM channels and one channel for sample playback,
a kind of forerunner of the SoundBlaster card for the PC.


     In 1988, many firms began to curtail production of MSX
computers, but "the last of the Mohicans" - of SONY and 
Panasonic, released in cooperation with the firm ASCII standard 
machine MSX2 +, different from the MSX2 new video processor - 
V9958. He supports hardware vertical and horizontal scrolling

and has two supermnogotsvetnyh regime - with 12,499 and 19,268 
colors. And, finally, completed the development of MSX line in 
1991 MSX machine Turbo R, with a RISC processor, R800, 
operating at a frequency of 28 MHz. This machine performance is 
not inferior to any PC286. MSX Turbo R cars were produced only 
by Panasonic, which curtailed their production in 1992-1993. On 
this standard MSX almost died.



     And he died right? In connection with the nostalgia for 
the good old 8-beatnik, observed both in this country and 
abroad, it is likely the resurrection of the line. Of course, 
SONY or Panasonic, engaged in the production of video games, is 
unlikely to pick up their production equipment standard MSX. 
And here is a small private company could take, the more the 
demand is already there. There are proposal. MSX enthusiasts 
from the Netherlands designed in 1995 , and serially produced 
such expansion board for MSX, as MoonSound and Gfx9000. Based 
on new chip-maker Yamaha, they offer fantastic opportunities 
for writing Graphics and music applications. 1924 sampler 
channel! 20 FM-vote! The graphics in 32,768 colors, hardware 
scrolling two overlapping full color plans, synthesis

Images from the "cubes", 128 full-color sprites
simultaneously on the screen resolution to 1024 * 424!


     But that's not all. Now in Russia and in Holland
simultaneously developed two versions of the new generation of 
MSX. They are based on the latest processor Z380 firm Zilog,

32-bit processor, which provides full compatibility with
Z80. With a clock speed of up to 40 MHz and 4 GB of address
space, support for IDE hard drives, CD-ROM and the hardware
support for decoding MPEG-movies, this computer can
not only become a real alternative to home systems
as Atari, and Amiga, but a little kick ass flooded all
and the whole "pisyukam.

                (C) E. Ascension, 1996
                E-mail: msxegor@glas.apc.org