Based on extensive research and monitoring of the marketplace, the only MSX computer I could find ever released in the US was from Yamaha, and that was promoted and sold as a "music" (MIDI) computer, primarily in music stores. I have several Yamaha CX5M Music Computers, which are based on the MSX1 standard. I have a Japanese Sony HB-F1XD as my MSX2 system.
It's funny, but Electronic Games, during its first run, ran a lengthy article on the MSX "invasion", which never came. Probably the US crash, rise of the Commodore 64 and release of the GUI-based systems nixed any such invasion. Obviously, with Japan not having much of a computer market and having a preference for Japanese-sourced product, MSX not only stood a chance but thrived.
Obviously Microsoft played a huge role in establishing the MSX standard, but I've always read that the Spectravideo SV-328 (again, which I have several of) was sort of the prototype for the standard, which seems to make perfect sense. Obviously since it was released before the MSX standard was established it's incompatible, but it's very, very close (the SV-318 featured less memory and a chiclet keyboard, so it's good that the big brother was used as the base model standard).
Based on extensive research and monitoring of the marketplace, the only MSX computer I could find ever released in the US was from Yamaha, and that was promoted and sold as a "music" (MIDI) computer, primarily in music stores. I have several Yamaha CX5M Music Computers, which are based on the MSX1 standard. I have a Japanese Sony HB-F1XD as my MSX2 system.
It's funny, but Electronic Games, during its first run, ran a lengthy article on the MSX "invasion", which never came. Probably the US crash, rise of the Commodore 64 and release of the GUI-based systems nixed any such invasion. Obviously, with Japan not having much of a computer market and having a preference for Japanese-sourced product, MSX not only stood a chance but thrived.
Obviously Microsoft played a huge role in establishing the MSX standard, but I've always read that the Spectravideo SV-328 (again, which I have several of) was sort of the prototype for the standard, which seems to make perfect sense. Obviously since it was released before the MSX standard was established it's incompatible, but it's very, very close (the SV-318 featured less memory and a chiclet keyboard, so it's good that the big brother was used as the base model standard).
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.