PAL / NTSC both kinds were produced though - I have both
Bill Loguidice wrote:
The MSX machines weren't based around PAL, though Adamantyr, but NTSC. While there were PAL-based MSX systems, there were far more NTSC ones. Can you clarify what you mean?
Despite different processors, I often consider the TI-99/4a and Tomy Tutor in the same class as Spectravideo, MSX, ColecoVision/Adam and the Sega SG/SC-series because they all had such similar video and audio capabilities.
There are some speed issues when running NTSC cartridges on PAL MSX machines as the timing is different. The PAL systems use a 50Hz refresh rate on screen and the NTSC machines have a 60Hz refresh rate. The CPU for both variants had about the same speed though - contrary to the differently clocked 6510 chip inside PAL and NTSC commodore 64s. Most games run on both machines but some games have issues.
The PAL PacMan (Namco) game cartridge and also the DigDug cartridge won't function properly on NTSC machines as the screen refresh isn't programmed properly. I have an NTSC MSX2+ machine - pretty rare - with a flash memory cart reader as ' hard drive' as well as a harddrive solution. I also have a basic MSX1 PAL Sony Hitbit machine and a Philips NMS8250 MSX2 PAL machine. The Phukuos NMS8250 has a speed switch allowing the CPU to run overclocked at twice the original speed which is excellent for graphics programs (viewing jpg's) and basic or MSX-dos programs.
I also have a 1Mb ram expansion cart that I use on the NMS8250.
The NTSC MSX2 machine is a wonderful device with SCC sound playback and it is actually quite hard to see it as a 8bit Z80 machine as it really sometimes feels like a 16 bit system. I could not connect it properly to my s-Video-in on my video card in my computer as DScaler refused to display a nice picture. I am working on that as I would love to show some rare 'enhanced' MSX2 Plus stuff including amazing demos and MSX2+ specific games (rare!).
The MSX machines weren't based around PAL, though Adamantyr, but NTSC. While there were PAL-based MSX systems, there were far more NTSC ones. Can you clarify what you mean?
Despite different processors, I often consider the TI-99/4a and Tomy Tutor in the same class as Spectravideo, MSX, ColecoVision/Adam and the Sega SG/SC-series because they all had such similar video and audio capabilities.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
There are some speed issues when running NTSC cartridges on PAL MSX machines as the timing is different. The PAL systems use a 50Hz refresh rate on screen and the NTSC machines have a 60Hz refresh rate. The CPU for both variants had about the same speed though - contrary to the differently clocked 6510 chip inside PAL and NTSC commodore 64s. Most games run on both machines but some games have issues.
The PAL PacMan (Namco) game cartridge and also the DigDug cartridge won't function properly on NTSC machines as the screen refresh isn't programmed properly. I have an NTSC MSX2+ machine - pretty rare - with a flash memory cart reader as ' hard drive' as well as a harddrive solution. I also have a basic MSX1 PAL Sony Hitbit machine and a Philips NMS8250 MSX2 PAL machine. The Phukuos NMS8250 has a speed switch allowing the CPU to run overclocked at twice the original speed which is excellent for graphics programs (viewing jpg's) and basic or MSX-dos programs.
I also have a 1Mb ram expansion cart that I use on the NMS8250.
The NTSC MSX2 machine is a wonderful device with SCC sound playback and it is actually quite hard to see it as a 8bit Z80 machine as it really sometimes feels like a 16 bit system. I could not connect it properly to my s-Video-in on my video card in my computer as DScaler refused to display a nice picture. I am working on that as I would love to show some rare 'enhanced' MSX2 Plus stuff including amazing demos and MSX2+ specific games (rare!).
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Armchair arcade Editor | Pixellator | www.markvergeer.nl
Armchair Arcade Editor