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LGR - MSX 2 Computer System Review
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Күн бұрынAn overview of the history, hardware, and software of the Philips VG-8235 from the perspective of a vintage computer collector. How do the pros and cons stack up, what games can you play on it, and is it worth the cost?
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Music used in order of appearance:
"Lonely Nights" by Silent Partner
"One More" by Silent Partner
"Take You Home" by Silent Partner
"Night Music" by Kevin MacLeod
"Crystals" by Silent Partner
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@FernieCanto 8 жыл бұрын
I owned an MSX when I was a kid. They were indeed very popular in Brazil, as they were produced inside the country, and importing electronic goods back then was nearly impossible because of government blockades. I learnt programming on the MSX-BASIC, and owned loads of (pirated) games in 5 1/4" floppies. There were so many great games for that computer. Once, when I was about 8, my father asked me to write a few little BASIC programs to generate TV test patterns, as he used to fix old TV sets. I realise much of my adult life owes to little moments like those. In fact, programming was one thing I missed a lot when I moved to PCs.
@Ampera_ 8 жыл бұрын
Learn Bash/Batch scripting. It allows you to do tons of neat things on a modern PC. The design is also similar to basic and kinda HTML.
@1980Felipemonteiro 8 жыл бұрын
+Fernie Canto Bons tempos! Lembro de todo o processo para tentar jogar alien8 em fita k7 e das programacoes basicas com o HotLogo.
@Inaflap 7 жыл бұрын
On the 8 bit machines,, BASIC usually was on ROM and in your face from power up. The 16 bit systems, like Macintosh, Atari ST, Amiga, and IBM PC, had an operating system as something distinct from BASIC, but a BASIC interpreter was still included. I guess it depended on when you moved from MSX to PC. MSDOS had GW-BASIC in the 1980s, and MSX BASIC was based on GW-BASIC. Then from MSDOS 5 (c.1991), Microsoft bundled the much improved QBASIC interpreter, and that was included right up until Windows ME (c.2000).
@exmaarmaca 6 жыл бұрын
Do Linux helps you to solve your programming urges with PC's right now?
@robsku1 5 жыл бұрын
@@Inaflap That QBASIC was what I began my programming "career" with :)
@Carambal81 9 жыл бұрын
It's me Jaap! Great review Clint, I really appreciate the time and effort you've put into this review. Let me clarify on the switch on that cartridge. This game (King's Valley II) has a custom Konami SCC soundchip inside. With the switch you can disable the game, while the SCC soundchip remains functional. This way you can use and write software to take advantage of the chip. A relative of mine modified the cartridge for me back in the day.
@TheOpponent 9 жыл бұрын
I was hoping this video would have mentioned the addon cartridges like the SCC. Maybe for another video?
@oj4559 9 жыл бұрын
***** No.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Carambal81 Good to hear from you, man! And thanks again for the machine, and the info :)
@MrFixer1983 9 жыл бұрын
Carambal81 Nice gift!I'm more a C64 guy, but the MSX2 VG-8235 have a special place in my heart.Back then I got some broken VG-8235 and NMS8250 from my school, plus a bag full of floppys and other stuff. I played allot of great games back then.One of my favo games are Breaker Breaker ;)
@MrFixer1983 9 жыл бұрын
Lindvardh Stødhingsson Yes me :P
@dexterio 8 жыл бұрын
I'm from Brazil, and I still remember the joy of driving with my dad on his Ford Corcel II to Mesbla department store (kind of Sears clone, check it out on Wikipedia) to buy a computer! The choice was Gradiente Expert DD Plus (also on Wikipedia) MSX1 system with a frontal disk drive on a special sale combo with a 180 columns dot matrix printer. Although the manufacturer did not sold a MSX2 version I managed to upgrade mine with a home brew kit sold by mail catalog! Good times indeed!
@jesperwehage1288 9 жыл бұрын
This Jaap fellow keeps his machines clean and pristine! It looks brand new! In honour of his contribution, I must expect you to keep it that way, Clint. No pressure. None at all.
@MooseheadStudios 9 жыл бұрын
Clint im happy to see how far your channel has grown. I recall watching you with just a few thousand subs. Anyways your the man and keep up the great content.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Thanks man, it's been quite the journey indeed!
@patrickwalsh2086 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews Yes, I've been watching your videos for quite some time now, and they have been a fantastic source of entertainment for a long time now. I really enjoy your Oddware reviews and all your LGR plays. Long live LGR! Long live LGR!
@JoelRiter 9 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately I've only been watching your channel for a few weeks now, I don't have cable or satellite and just netflix and youtube. Wouldn't have it any other way. Anyway, in the short time I've been subscribed I've probably added a good 100+ views to each of your videos. So please keep doing what you do. I love it. Also if you happen to read this any chance of doing the mid 90's Totally Mad PC Compilation? Thank you so much for your awesome snark and work!
@Digger318 9 жыл бұрын
***** i remember that too, i subbed to ashens for pop stations then there was a tweeterman or something and then LGR all of them doing old and retro like games.
@SmeddyTooBestChannel 9 жыл бұрын
Digger318 Tweeterman actually made a video recently. Not even joking.
@virustwin 8 жыл бұрын
you see, this video reminds me that you ganuinely have one of the best channels on youtube hands down. pure quality mate, thanks for these
@LGR 8 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@spongbros 9 жыл бұрын
Space Manbow is the greatest name for anything.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Isn't it though? That's half the reason I was drawn to it originally, haha.
@thedungeondelver 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews It's no Cho Aniki, but it's still a fine lookin' title!
@InariFoxy 9 жыл бұрын
The music is pretty good too. I believe Space Manbow used a special sound chip.
@MrFixer1983 9 жыл бұрын
***** Yes that is true, it is the SCC.There is also a SCC+ chip and a FM-PAC cardridge for games on disk.
@Tachinaori 9 жыл бұрын
Blast Hardcheese!
@Ronny1031 9 жыл бұрын
Clint, I have to say, having been a frequent viewer over the last several years, I enjoy your content a lot. I enjoy your serious, yet not too serious demeanor and the fact that you always keep your content interesting. Keep it up! I'll certainly keep watching.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot!
@yesfan951 8 жыл бұрын
+Ronny Webster (Ronny1031) Haha! Wats up Ronny! Small world, I mean uh interweb
@SoujiMonaru 9 жыл бұрын
What I like best about older systems is when they're clean they can look way better than almost anything these days. Something about the colours and general shape is almost sexy in a way! ^_^
@ProtosMerkabah 9 жыл бұрын
Metal Gear started on this.
@AllGamingStarred 4 жыл бұрын
and 16+ games later, we're still confused about the timeline lol
@Menaceblue3 3 жыл бұрын
Metal gear???? ‼ 📦 🐍
@eboymirage2567 Жыл бұрын
@@Menaceblue3 yeah there’s two games and the second one is called Metal gear 2 solid snake
@DJB0X3R Жыл бұрын
“I feel asleep!”
@TheRockToraGaii Жыл бұрын
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken I've even forgotten my name I don't know the season or what is the reason I'm standing here holding my blade A desolate place (place) Without any trace (trace) It's only the cold wind I feel It's me that I spite as I stand up and fight The only thing I know for real There will be blood (blood) shed (shed) The man in the mirror nods his head The only one (one) left (left) Will ride upon the dragon's back Because the mountains don't give back what they take Oh no, there will be blood (blood) shed (shed) It's the only thing I've ever known
@vinisasso 6 жыл бұрын
Here in Brazil the MSX was the go-to machine for gamers, hobbysts and both casual and professional software programmers alike, and was also seen as a cheaper alternative to the expensive and half business/half-home user-oriented IBM PC. And it remains with a special place in the hearts of the gamers and programmers of that time. What a lovely machine! Here the two main MSX varieties were the Hotbit by Sharp Corporation (a japanese company) and the Expert by Gradiente (a brazilian-owned company) Very nice memories! Thanks for the video. Please continue making videos about MSX.
@banjoguyollie 9 жыл бұрын
great video. I have a few 8235. My dad worked at philips at the time the MSX came out so we had MSXs everywhere. I started doing MSX videos too for retrowareTV, so it's cool to see you're doing a video on it now too. great stuff.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
That's super cool to have that history with it! I've only been into the MSX2 series for about 4 years myself.
@banjoguyollie 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews Kings Valley is a great game. I love it. What's that switch on yours though ?
@rerez 9 жыл бұрын
I would love to get my hands off an MSX. So many good games!
@HEMIpoweredherochao 6 жыл бұрын
Rerez Why?! Did someone glue them onto an MSX?! Thats terrible!!
@medinachete73 5 жыл бұрын
My uncle used to have one. As you said, so many good games, but not only this: Cassette tapes, homemade BASIC's programs, prehistoric management software... so much fun in a lot of ways. Nice to see u here.
@Metaldetectiontubeworldwide 2 жыл бұрын
I still have my msx 2 ,bought in 1987. Played like a freak thousands of houres on it ! Also peogramming i basic helpen me alot in the pc era we live in. And still running so happy i didn´t throw it away !!
@Mirality 9 жыл бұрын
The MSX was my childhood -- the first computer I learned to write software on. Although in my case it was the Spectravideo SVI-728. I still have it in a box.
@AmayirotAkago 9 жыл бұрын
I came here expecting the tiniest reference to Metal Gear and I was not disappointed. Interesting computer too ;) I hear they had quite a following here in the Netherlands back in the day, so it's cool that you'd get one from that country of all things. Shame I was born too late to fully appreciate them.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
You can still fully appreciate them now, if that's your thing :)
@eumoria 9 жыл бұрын
I like you pulling up the hood on it and a quick internals description... LGR + EEVBlog makes a happy nerd
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
EEVblog is awesome.
@Michirin9801 9 жыл бұрын
Oooh yes... So much yes... These computer reviews are why I subscribed to this channel and seeing a new one is sooo good! Just a little correction, Hudson started on the NEC PC-8801 not on the MSX, that is also true for many other companies like Square, Enix, Falcom, among others... I'm not sure about Konami though but its presence on the MSX is very notorious! The thing that I don't like about the MSX is the crappy PSG soundchip... The PC-88 that came out before the MSX and way before the MSX2 had an amazing Yamaha YM2608 soundchip with 3 FM synth channels and 3 SSG square channels, later revisions of the PC-88 had an upgraded version of the YM2608 that had 6 FM channels making a total of 9 sound channels and that chip can sound absolutely spectacular! (Yuzo Koshiro composed the soundtrack for Streets of Rage and the Etrian Odyssey games 1 through 3 on a PC-88) Another computer that came out before the MSX2 that outperforms it in every single way but doesn't get nearly as much following is the Fujitsu FM-7, it had a similar graphical performance to the MSX but the sound is where it shines in comparison! (Still doesn't sound as good as the PC-88 though) Emulation for the FM-7 still has no english support and finding the floppy images is very hard... I'm very fascinated by vintage Japanese computers as you can see =w=
@DragoonEnRegalia 9 жыл бұрын
FM-7 and PC-8801mkIIsr both had YM2203 (OPN) sound cards, and the YM2608 was first standardized in later models of the PC-88, so they were even on sound for a while. There were expansion ports in both machines for adding different cards, too.
@frankschneider6156 9 жыл бұрын
Ruko Michiharu In contrast to the other companies you mentioned, Konami started out in the Arcades (i guess Scramble and Frogger must be among their first ones), just like Taito. But i can understand your love for old japanese Computers. I too find the PC-88 (and the PC-98) quite interesting, while MSX is more of a commodity due to westernization because of the strong European influence.
@Michirin9801 9 жыл бұрын
DragoonEnRegalia Well, the original PC-8801 had an OPN chip, but I believe by the time the MKIISR was around it already had the OPNA (YM2608) chip... If it didn't have it built in it at least could have it separately due to the expansion ports...
@DragoonEnRegalia 9 жыл бұрын
Ruko Michiharu 1981's PC-8801 had beeper sound; the mkIIsr upgrade in 1985 added the OPN chip as factory standard. People in Japan made a big whoop about Thexder, released around that same time, partly because it had FM-synth music.
@Michirin9801 9 жыл бұрын
DragoonEnRegalia As far as I know, the PC-8001 was released in 1980, the PC-6001 in 1981 and both the PC-88 and PC-98 in 1982...
@GardevoirEx1 9 жыл бұрын
The MSX2 has got a special place in my heart, no doubt, home to some of the games that would become my favorites, Snatcher, Castlevania, Metal Gear, etc.
@AndreyUgolnik 6 жыл бұрын
Castlevania on MSX? May be you mean Vampire Killer?
@OldManTheseDays 4 жыл бұрын
When I was a kid in the 80s, a friend of mine was lucky that his dad was from Japan and worked at the NEC office in Northern California. They used to go to Japan all the time. Beyond having all the cool Japanese toys, his dad used to have all the cool computers and video games. They had an MSX- I want to say it was before anyone had an NES because I remember it being mind blowing compared to my Atari 2600. They also had a PC Engine LONG before the Turbografix-16 was released here.
@amazonbass 8 жыл бұрын
Brazil here. Proud owner of 2 MSX. One of them since 1985.Both of them works!
@JCA1009 9 жыл бұрын
Well, I need to write in this one. First, congratulations Clint for your work. One of my first contacts with computers was with the Talent MSX 2 Turbo (TCP-310 model) in Argentina, late 80's (Talent was the name of the company that made them in my Country). The first time I started to write in Basic was with that machine. If you wanted to use that computer diskettes you had to buy an extra floppy disk drive and connect it to it (5 1/4 diskettes). But my family didn't have enough money because that was too expensive in Argentina. So, I used it with an external device called "dataset" that Talent was selling it too: a cassette player to read the code through sound (who is old enough will remember the strange sound of the transmission of computer data) and MSX processor interpreted the code, translating it into programs. I started my first virtual football/soccer cups and matches just after that experience... and now, I'm running jmc TV, a KZfaq channel. I wrote that story at my jmc Universe Wiki, if you want to know more about it. Or you can ask me too. I'm an old school gamer. Well... I'm glad that new generations keeps the value of this. I'm few years older than you, Clint (few years to be generous with me :P) and now I am nostalgic... congratulations! You made my day! :)
@Turbiales 9 жыл бұрын
The MSX2 is probably the best 8bit microcomputer of its generation. These are really coveted by retro hardware collectors. Some of the games by Konami (As the first true Metal Gear, No, the NES version does not count) are true masterpieces.
@nawafaleid196 5 жыл бұрын
Castlevania is one for sure
@WardenOfTerra Жыл бұрын
You're wearing rose-tinted glasses. The first 'Metal Gear' games aren't even that good. There were and are far better games on the NES, Master System, and Game Boy. The MSX computers are overrated. There were barely any good games.
@x198219821982 8 жыл бұрын
You remind me the computer AX 200 YAMAHA that I had it in 1986 It was named Sakhr (means Rock), the games that i grow up with such as : Zanac, Kings Vally 1, 2 , Nightmare 1, 2 , Salamander, Nemesis 1,2,3 . I spent tons of hours playing these and they really awesome. Great post man that was the beginning of computer revolution
@texasrattlesnake31637 4 жыл бұрын
Doing some back viewing of classic LGR videos Clint! Great review on this retro hardware from Philips bro'! Really gained additional info on this one! Looking forward to the next one! More power and God bless from the Philippines!
@hkoizumi3134 9 жыл бұрын
I lived in Japan and my uncle had this. I remember he was playing Metal Gear on it and also Ys. I've thought this was the greatest thing ever lol
@filipinowhiteboy Жыл бұрын
Ys! Hahaha I’ve been getting into that series
@ManuelBilderbeek 9 жыл бұрын
Great video! Some remarks: - while showing the MSX2 logo at 1:26, you can see a Philips VG 8020 MSX(1!) machine... - you talk about MSX-DOS at 6:23, but what you show there in the background is MSX-DOS 2, which came a bit later, and is a much much more enhanced DOS than MSX-DOS 1, which you're showing at 6:30. - 9:50 what's weird about the sound chip? Apart from the single sidedness of its floppy drive, the VG 8235 is a pretty standard MSX2 as you found them in the Netherlands. Many people had one and enjoyed it :) It's really pretty good indeed!
@Zizzily 7 жыл бұрын
I love how your reviews always include so much background on everything. It seems like I'm always learning something, whether it's hardware/software I've never seen before or something from my childhood.
@timtaylor6392 7 жыл бұрын
Clint. you have rekindled my love for retro systems and 80's computing! I'm looking to buy an MSX 2 here soon because of this video alone.
@LGR 7 жыл бұрын
Awesome!
@Tricob1974 9 жыл бұрын
I remember watching the MSX2 port of Thexder 2 some months back, and despite having the PC version for years beforehand, I'm actually pretty eager to get my hands on the MSX2 version now. The MSX2 port seems to do just about everything better than the PC port.
@xXTheoLinuxXx 6 жыл бұрын
The MSX was very populair in the Netherlands (mainly due Philips). I'm a bit spoiled and own 3 MSX 1 machines, and 1 Philips NMS 8250 MSX2. The best thing about the MSX2 was that the MSX2 software wasn't just lazy Spectrum conversions.
@alexojideagu 4 жыл бұрын
We didn't have them in the UK Amstrad Spectrum Commodore and Atari dominated
@xXTheoLinuxXx 4 жыл бұрын
@@alexojideagu we had Commodore, Atari and Spectrum too. But the MSX and Commodore were the most populair.
@paulgascoigne5343 7 жыл бұрын
the z80 was such a versatile chip. it's amazing to see all the different computers which utilitised it in a variety of different ways. especially when it's either coupled with other z80's for offloading either video or audio functions, or as in this case with custom chips and sound/video controllers just how fast everything runs.
@SeanDuffyProductions 9 жыл бұрын
Great video, I hadn't heard of MSX before! This one is actually a pretty slick looking machine for 1986. And like some others I also appreciated you opening it up and giving some details about the internals! Looking forward to more.
@rickonami 9 жыл бұрын
MSX!!! My childhood right there.
@LMacNeill 6 жыл бұрын
0:59 - “Hard disks will soon pack hundreds of megabytes”. NO WAY!!!! That’s HUGE!!!! ;-) Seriously, though, the first hard drive I ever purchased with my own money was in the late summer of 1989, and held only 80 MB. And that was the largest drive any of the local stores carried. It was a Seagate SCSI drive - very expensive. I want to say it cost somewhere around $750 just for that drive. And the SCSI interface card was easily $250 or so. $1,000 just for the hard-drive subsystem. Not cheap.
@owlstead 5 жыл бұрын
A long time after I had the pleasure of gaming and programming the MSX - it started up in BASIC I got my 386. That only came with a 40 MiB drive, and I got it cheap: the whole system was only 3100 guilders. Broke my back for that one as a kid. So no, hundreds of MB were not just around the corner at that time indeed.
@Switcher1972 8 жыл бұрын
Nice review - myself a happy MSX (1) computer owner since 1986, i must say your video nailed it.
@SikSlayer 9 жыл бұрын
Great video as always and thanks for releasing videos in 60fps.
@LieshaCichol 8 жыл бұрын
Little trivia. MSX 2 CPU Sony HB-G900 was used aboard good old Soviet MIR space station (Apparently this somehow circumvented COCOM)
@s4ndwichMakeR 8 жыл бұрын
Maybe it was post-COCOM?
@ricardo.mazeto 8 жыл бұрын
Wow! Someone have any link? A bit of evidence?
@Dawwwg 7 жыл бұрын
There are some screenshots/photos you can Google; I recall the picture being featured in MSX magazines as well. The reason being that their '5 volt' internals weren't as vulnerable to signal-interference as more 'modern' PC hardware.
@vwestlife 9 жыл бұрын
These were the computers that Commodore's Jack Tramiel feared would take over the U.S. home computer market, the same way that the Japanese had taken over almost everything else in home electronics. As a result, he rushed a new line of computers into development (the 264 series), including the Plus/4 with MSX-like arrow keys. But after the MSX computers failed to materialize in the U.S. and the new Commodore models failed to generate any excitement at CES, that led to a boardroom shake-up and soon Tramiel was out the door.
@GeirEivindMork 6 жыл бұрын
That is not correct. The 264 is an answer to the zx spectrum: www.commodore.ca/products/264/Commodore_264_family.htm you can find bill herd talking about just that on youtube too.
@fuzzydunlop1753 4 жыл бұрын
@Stefano Pavone I'm dutch and I've never seen an msx except in japan, most people I know had either a c64 , atari or ibm compatible.
@RazorFastClaws 3 жыл бұрын
@@fuzzydunlop1753 the Sony hit bit was everywhere on display, but it didn't do anything except for displaying the logo so people moved to the atari or c64 on which you could at least play a bit with the in built basic.
@Vikotnick 2 жыл бұрын
My first computer was that exact MSX2. My mother felt generous and bought a wireless joystick with it! I remember it was terrible since it was IR so you had to have a sensor set up and not block the line of sight at any time. Plus it was stiff as a board. Good memories though and a good step for my next computer. A C 128.
@SkyeWelse 9 жыл бұрын
Great review! It's always nice to see more MSX reviews on KZfaq. Like yourself, I also imported MSX hardware to the U.S. and they really are a lot of fun to mess around with and with a such a huge library of games available for it and a pretty active homebrew scene of International MSX users developing new software (and hardware) for MSX, it's something I'd highly recommend to anyone who enjoys retro computers.
@Racecarlock 8 жыл бұрын
0:59 "Hard disks will soon pack hundreds of megabytes" Hah! Old times are old.
@jesuszamora6949 8 жыл бұрын
+Racecarlock Seriously. Looking at it now, it seems quaint.
@freezetile8588 7 жыл бұрын
Hard disks will soon pack hundreds of terabytes. If you're reading this in 2025, this comment will look so dated.
@kunstsein 7 жыл бұрын
Hmm, i can not fill up my 2TB harddrive that i have in use for around 5 years now. But it's my personal computer, and i am not a data hoarder. That is probably why.
@seveNGus 7 жыл бұрын
Well! They were right...
@soylentgreenb 6 жыл бұрын
+Jesus Zamora Hundred megabyte drives existed already in the 60's.They were *absurd*. 900-1200 RPM, 50-200 ms seek time, 1 meter in diameter platters, stacks of ~a dozen platters, 2 stacks per "disk file" cabinett. Search Bryant model 2 on Google images. Each platter you see is about 4 MB per side.
@yaboimaxwell9031 9 жыл бұрын
Man, I may start collecting these.
@RosePhoto1 9 жыл бұрын
Your shows are absolute gems! I usually try to wait until there are a couple new ones before I watch because one is never enough. Great work, can't wait for the next one.
@EnigmaHood 9 жыл бұрын
Been waiting for you to review the MSX series. Good review.
@robertgijsen 8 жыл бұрын
Considering you are mostly playing floppy-based games (if you still play the machine at all), you should switch to 60Hz. This is a european system, which therefore runs at 50Hz but all japanese games should run at 60Hz. Before running your game, just type VDP(10)=0 in basic and experience the games like they were intended! It really makes a difference.
@BarHonigfeld 9 жыл бұрын
Maaan, no mention of "Maze of Galious"? That game seriously holds up today.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Bär Honigfeld There were dozens of worthwhile games I could have mentioned, to be honest! Gotta pick some favorites just in the interest of time :)
@Dawwwg 7 жыл бұрын
Some lesser known great MSX games in case you're not familiar: Super Laydock series (epic Aleste/Space Manbow clone series), Akin (awesome story & graphics), XAK, Fray, Frantic, Psycho World, Ys series, Final Fantasy series, Herzog ... so many cool games :)
@Danbotology 9 жыл бұрын
It's a really beautiful looking computer. No yellowed unpainted plastics there!
@JuliaxNervoza 9 жыл бұрын
Thanks LGR! I've been hoping you would do a video on the MSX2 for a year now. Seems like my wish came true after all.
@GeoNeilUK 9 жыл бұрын
Wow, that computer has a SCART socket on the back as well as a modulator, every computer I remember from back then had proprietary connectors! And that Philips MSX2 does seem like a really nice machine (certainly a bit better than the G7000 Videopac Computer or Magnavox Odyssey^2 if you're American) Also, wasn't the MSX standard based on the Colecovision hardware? And of course the Dutch, like the British use PAL. I'm still massively impressed about that machine having a SCART socket, that means even on modern TVs, just use a standard SCART cable (for viewers in Europe) which are still easy to find over here. It's funny how pretty much every PC we have nowadays (including the Apple Mac) are pretty much the spiritual successors to MSX and MSX2, all PCs with the essentially the same hardware and running (or at least capable of running) Microsoft Windows, the same OS and the same software. Same goes for any Android smartphones, nowadays nobody thinks about running the same apps on an HP, an Acer, and a Toshiba when it comes to PCs or a Samsung, a Sony, an HTC and a Motorola when it comes to phones, but back in the days of MSX that was actually very different to how the rest of the industry worked.
@DanielChief 9 жыл бұрын
GeoNeilUK Yeah, after Apple's switch to Intel, Mac OS X also works on most of the PC's. Anyways, I think SCART connector has the lowest quality, don't know why it is a standard in Europe. RCA (especially, component RCA) is much better.
@GeoNeilUK 9 жыл бұрын
Daniel I don't see how composite video through phono connectors could be better htne SCART. SCART also provides connections for RGB which provides superior quality to composite video over any connector as well as S-Video (though I think S-Video was retrofitted into SCART which was designed to carry RGB and composite only as well as audio and CEC-style control signals) As for RGB compared to component, can't really say. I suppose there must be some logic in not using SCART for HD signals. It's like SCART is a ginormous, analogue version of HDMI.
@DanielChief 9 жыл бұрын
GeoNeilUK I see. Well, I didn't know that it can use RGB signal. Maybe it's because when I tried to use SCART with my game consoles or computers (NES, PS2, Megadrive, etc...) they all produced lower image quality than RCA. Also, most SCART cables I had got contact problems and by that - odd colours. That's why I didn't like them. About HDMI, strange but I get much better image quality with a VGA cable on the XBOX 360, than a HDMI cable, both on 1080p.
@robsku1 5 жыл бұрын
@@DanielChief Don't know about that - SCART is (or was) magnificent system, and while the connector is a bit bulky and strange, I've never experienced any kind of troubles with them. And, like GeoNeilUK said, SCART is sort of like analog version of HDMI - it supported various standards and could easily be used to transmit far superior picture to composite. Here's something from SCART wikipedia page: "The signals carried by SCART include both composite and RGB (with composite synchronisation) video, stereo audio input/output and digital signalling. The standard was extended at the end of the 1980s to support the new S-Video signals. A TV can be awakened from standby mode, and it can automatically switch to appropriate AV channel, when the device attached to it through a SCART connector is turned on. SCART connection was also used for high definition signals like 720i, 720p, 1080i, 1080p with YPbPr connection by some manufacturers, but to the present day this connection is very scarce due to the advent of HDMI. " ...also, there's daisy chaining devices and...: "SCART is bi-directional regarding standard composite video and analogue audio. A TV will typically send the antenna audio and video signals to the SCART sockets all the time and watch for returned signals, to display and reproduce them. This allows "transparent" set-top boxes, without any tuner, which just "hook" and pre-process the TV signals. This feature is used for analogue pay TV like Canal Plus and was used for decoding teletext." ...there are some very interesting features SCART support... "RGB overlays (fast switching) SCART enables a device to command the TV to very quickly switch between signals, in order to create overlays in the image. In order to implement captioning or subtitles, a SCART set-top box does not have to process and send back a complete new video signal, which would require full decoding and re-encoding of the color information, a signal-degrading and costly process, especially given the presence of different standards in Europe. The box can instead ask the TV to stop displaying the normal signal and display a signal it generates internally for selected image areas, with pixel-level granularity. This can also be driven by the use of a "transparent" color in a teletext page." ...data bus, multi channel surround, etc. - There were various VERY good reasons for SCART standard... I suggest you read the wikipedia page, if you're interested :) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART
@robsku1 5 жыл бұрын
@@DanielChief I've only seen them via SCART, so I can't comment much on that, but these do seem to me like device specific problems - I don't see how SCART couldn't produce same quality through composite signal (or sharper through RGB, but I don't think these consoles used it). In fact, I believe the consoles didn't have a SCART connector but were hooked with RCA->SCART wire - maybe there's something to that? I dunno, just quessing.
@KarriKoivusalo 9 жыл бұрын
Get SymbOS for the MSX, it's amazing how much (unrealized) potential these computers had.
@iyatemu 8 жыл бұрын
+Karri Koivusalo SymbOS is really cool but rather useless. It has a game loader, but the maximum ROM size it can handle is 48k. Multimente+Nextor are the best you're gonna get for an MSX-DOS2 "GUI". You can still play PSG music and edit text files on it though, so that's cool.
@neojeets 9 жыл бұрын
Damn, that Philips machine is sexy as hell. Shame we didn't in on the fun over here in the US.
@jeepsalt Жыл бұрын
MSX case designs are so cool. Imagine having a SONY HB-F1XD on your desk. Its literally as if Akira was a computer.
@AllieRX 9 жыл бұрын
I would get an MSX to play Metal Gear 2, since the sequel was never released on the NES.
@RadJordy 9 жыл бұрын
If you get MGS3 Subsistence, MG1 and 2 are included. It's also in the HD collection.
@evilfreak7 9 жыл бұрын
Allie-RX And if you aren't satisfied with the nice smoothness of the MGS3 S version of MG2, you can always get BlueMSX the MSX emulator and play an awkward fan-translation of the game and experience the classic in all it's eye-gougingly slow framerate glory.
@fr_schmidlin 7 жыл бұрын
In fact, the framerate of the MGS3 version of MG2 is much worse than the original MSX2 version. The movements are way smoother in the original.
@aruan7sp 9 жыл бұрын
I like Road Fighter for the MSX, it has more levels than the NES version and it's a good way to spend a few minutes playing.
@chrispychickin 9 жыл бұрын
Very cool! I love your vintage hardware reviews. Plus, the brief look under the cover was cool for an electronic engineer nerd like myself. Keep up the great videos, Clint. Peace!
@Isseinoyuu 9 жыл бұрын
Glad to see you finally got around to reviewing the MSX
@lactobacillusprime 9 жыл бұрын
Ah that's a good thing Jaap, providing you with a nice MSX2 machine. Welcome to the fold. :)
@obsoletegeek 9 жыл бұрын
Greetings, fellow MSX connoisseur
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Hi there! * lightly sniffs Metal Gear 2 before taking a sip *
@The_Grace_God 6 жыл бұрын
...
@The_Grace_God 6 жыл бұрын
..
@The_Grace_God 6 жыл бұрын
.
@randomdude8453 7 жыл бұрын
this was the first video I saw of yours and been a fan ever since. always good to come back. I personally adore MSX computers 👌
@Zankuho 9 жыл бұрын
Finally! A long-awaited MSX review! This is my favorite oldskool computer architecture! Used to use a lot of Yamaha's MSXes back in my childhood... p.s. these "win 3.1"-styled frames with game titles are awesome :)
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed the frames :)
@biddyboo8 9 жыл бұрын
I'm eating ice cream while watching this. I want this moment to last forever.
@AllGamingStarred 4 жыл бұрын
Death by chocolate, seems legit
@sameash3153 3 жыл бұрын
Smoke weed everyday
@Flackon 8 жыл бұрын
Wait, those aren't Smarties...
@Samcubegamer 8 жыл бұрын
+Iago Mosquera I actually had to google US Smarties... I may as well of stepped on a Lego brick with the results 0_o
@Zucadragon 8 жыл бұрын
+Samcubegamer WHAAAAT, MIND BLOWN, those are smarties? They're those stupid little candy things here :O I don't even remember the name, but not smarties!
@Samcubegamer 8 жыл бұрын
+Zucadragon they kind if look like those refresher sweets :/
@soundlessleaf8032 8 жыл бұрын
+Samcubegamer I think they are Sweet Tarts XD
@Samcubegamer 8 жыл бұрын
+soundlessleaf80 I forgot about Sweet Tarts! >_
@god6384 4 күн бұрын
I used to have one exactly like that from philips. I even had the crt that went a long with it. It's so nostalgic I don't know anyone who had it and it has a special place in my heart
@WillP473 9 жыл бұрын
I love these videos no one else does these kind of videos as well as you do!
@Armadurapersonal 8 жыл бұрын
Elevator action! I loved that damn game.
@soundlessleaf8032 8 жыл бұрын
+Aleksandr Kamarov Same Here (I Use an Emulator)
@maltheopia 9 жыл бұрын
Wikpedia shows that the MSX2 came out in 1985. This machine was a frickin' monster for the time period. And given its price point, it's almost baffling as to how this thing didn't completely clean-sweep the home VG market. Even the TurboR completely dominated the SNES/Genesis. What gives?
@Yusuke_Denton 9 жыл бұрын
It's almost like they didn't even try very hard to get the American market.
@MetalSonicodraco7342 8 жыл бұрын
+Stefano Pavone The MSX2 was also realesed in Europe, since 2+ only japan get better models
@fr_schmidlin 7 жыл бұрын
The MSX2 was released everywhere, including Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Middle East countries etc etc. Only the MSX2+ and higher were limited to Japan.
@zedeighty 6 жыл бұрын
A few MSX machines did make it to the UK (like the Toshiba HX-10) but they barely made much of an impact (the standard couldn't get a foothold with all of the UK and US competition in the market). As a result, we never got the MSX2. Needless to say, I'm pretty jealous of the Dutch and their MSX2s.
@internetcomputer1009 9 жыл бұрын
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thanks for doing what you do, Clint.
@MrFixer1983 9 жыл бұрын
Great video! As a kid we had a MSX2 VG-8235 on school, becase there are a ton Dutch learn software made for the MSX. I played many great games on this machine. Last time I upgraded my VG-8235 to a DD floppy drive, now I can play al those DD game like Dragon Slayer, SD Snatcher, YS2 on my machine ;) But is true, you need some special hardware to play and enjoy all of the MSX2 games. Like a FM-PAC,SCC cardridge's.
@HalfBlindGamer 9 жыл бұрын
Yeah, awesome stuff! The MSX had some amazing games, though collecting for it can be a rather pricy endeavour. It was interesting to see some of the (mainly Konami) games play differently on this system. Vampire Killer with some RPG elements, not unlike Simon's Quest. I believe there was also a FDS-version like this?) Or Contra with a life bar and switchable guns. It's a shame not a whole lot of the better games were brought over to us Europeans though. Stuff like Final Fantasy was just out of reach to us, no matter what system we had! The MSX2 version has pretty solid music...
@Erebus494 9 жыл бұрын
Hey LGR, I love your videos, and I was wondering if you were planning on releasing any more Oddware and Retrospective episodes. Those are my favourite types of your videos.
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Guy From Mt. Erebus Of course, those are staples of my channel :)
@Erebus494 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews If you'd ever like some help with anything related to production, tell me. Granted I can't do much, but I'd be honoured to assist in any way I can. Big fan.
@AdriftForWeeks 9 жыл бұрын
A video on one of my favorite oldschool computer systems is released on my birthday! Niiiice.
@YEUWYU 9 жыл бұрын
OH man Thank you for reviewing this computer! I remeber I used an emulator of that thing to play metal gear years ago and I was very curious about the computer but couldnt find much info about it, I think it was back on 1999 and you just made me remember great times from my childhood, good job!
@admiralbishop3022 7 жыл бұрын
we need this to discover the hidden MGSV message!! xD
@charleswolfman 7 жыл бұрын
"Hard disks will soon pack hundreds of megabytes" I can't wait, I am so ready to upgrade mine!
@rallyeluke 9 жыл бұрын
I haver never known another channel that has kept my interest as long as your one has :) I am so grateful for all your amazing content that appears to be tailored totally to my own interests :) much love from the uk and please do a review of Xenon 2 megablast!
@mergenbeen 5 жыл бұрын
We had this exact model back in the day, I used a design program and a matrix printer to design my first demo covers and flyers for my bands.
@Onyxthegreat91 9 жыл бұрын
Isn't Vampire Killer a predecessor to Castlevania?
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
It *is* Castlevania, just went by another name in Japan at that time! Though it differs a small amount from the American NES game.
@amshermansen 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews That's hilarious :D
@oj4559 9 жыл бұрын
superdudeman666 More like Vamproids, which sounds like a crazy dangerous drug to take.
@RetroSwim 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews The Castlevania series is about as weird with names as the Wonder Boy series. In Japan, they've used 悪魔城ドラキュラ (Akumajou Do-ra-kyu-ra, literally Devil's Castle Dracula) on and off over the history of the series. But none the less, you're spot on, it's all Castlevania, and it's all delicious.
@CorneliusSneedley 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews I noticed the music was even the same.
@MetalSonicodraco7342 8 жыл бұрын
Greetings lazy dude! And could you recommend me buying a nice MSX2 model (I see in ebay a National "dont remember the model") or go directly against a 2+? I want a good MSX to start and I think a MSX2 is good but a 2+ is better but again, what is better to starters of collecting like me? PD: This model is one of the best looking except for the second cartridge slot position and the floopy being a SD instead of 2D which make me totally not to want it (I see better models but they are quite expensive for being japanese)
@PadreAbraham28 8 жыл бұрын
+MetalSonicodraco7342 Any MSX2 model will do fine, just order the MSX FlashRom Cartridge with 512K memory along the machine and you are able to play basicly every game around. You will love it. If you are hooked to diskettes then i recommend a Sony HB-F700D or P. These machines have 128KB extra memory which will also make you play any MSX1 and MSX2 game without problems. But again, any MSX2 is fine whenever you get the flashrom cartridge with 512KB memory. A guy in Spain makes these little jewels.
@kiningroseburg9288 9 жыл бұрын
I love the 8-bit awesomeness, and also the Tech Tales episodes, keep it up man!
@OfflineOffie 9 жыл бұрын
awesome video! you have learned a lot about video editing and camera usage! Really nice Depth of field and camera movements, i love your retro reviews! I've been with you... heh... i've been watching your videos for a very long time and they just keep getting better!
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
***** Thanks, I'm trying my best!
@kirkadurka7152 9 жыл бұрын
"A power switch, which switches things powerfully."
@RetroGamerVX 9 жыл бұрын
I love how the delete button is called 'bs' which could mean.....bulls*t, I want to delete that lol
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
RetroGamerVX Haha, every computer needs a BS button.
@SmeddyTooBestChannel 9 жыл бұрын
It could be useful for KZfaq comments.
@alexlelel 9 жыл бұрын
It means BackSpace
@shayneoneill1506 6 жыл бұрын
The BS button, and its closely related mobile equivilient "WTF Autocorrect NO"
@mspenrice 6 жыл бұрын
*Backspace key* , dirty Mac using heathen. Delete is different. ;-)
@saigokun 9 жыл бұрын
Great review. I had the VG8235. It was my very first computer and it was a great machine.
@StephanS 9 жыл бұрын
I had the exact same one in my studio a few years ago. There is also e cartridge that adds Yamaha-FM-Sound and a MIDI Interface to it. No wonder many musicians used a MSX to produce their music (Vince Clark or Depeche Mode on "Music for the Masses")
@Screwy 9 жыл бұрын
MSX 2: The Metal Gear Machine
@SilasMortimer 9 жыл бұрын
I had to pause after the "place to put your Smarties" comment for laughter. I'm still giggling from it.
@demonicsweaters 8 жыл бұрын
really enjoy your channel my friend! Nice vid as usual!
@Moonbeam143 9 жыл бұрын
If all computer models had a place for my Smarties, life would be good. Great video!
@CrownGamingAU 9 жыл бұрын
Waitasec... The first Castlevania started on the MSX?!
@LGR 9 жыл бұрын
Totally Harmless Correct! As did a bunch of Konami classics.
@CrownGamingAU 9 жыл бұрын
Lazy Game Reviews God damn, I gotta spread the word! Nintendo is taking all the credit ;)
@NiGHTSnoob 9 жыл бұрын
It's not actually the same game. It has completely different levels that have you searching for keys and it even has a shop system.
@ThePageofCups 9 жыл бұрын
Man Konami owned the MSX.
@rodcastler1177 7 жыл бұрын
4:25 "A power switch, that switches things powerfully".... sweet! Also got me with the tray at 3:35. Excellent.
@vonkruel 9 жыл бұрын
Your channel is one of my favorites. Thanks for another great video!
@chinnyvision 9 жыл бұрын
Would love an MSX2 but they are like the preverbal hens teeth in the UK. So I'll have to live with my Sony Hit Bit MSX 1.
@Wulfcry 7 жыл бұрын
Aah the years when I saw Philips as an awesome European company it hurts as the what it is now.
@kletsgoo 11 ай бұрын
Nice to see this explained in LGR - I still have a few of these. MSX actually stands for ‘MicroSoft Extended’ and there is a OS built in, MSX BASIC - which was a BASIC version with a lot of nice extra commands to program graphics and make music. The MML commands (Music Macro Language) used in the MSX is still used (mainly in Japan) to make amazing computer music. The basic spec for MSX was 64K and all original games should run on it but when a game came out on cartridge (original Konami games are all on cartridge and the sound you hear on the King’s Valley Game is enhanced with their fabulous SCC soundchip) it had it’s own ROM memory expansion added to the system. When these games were cracked (illegally copied to disk or tape) this game had to be run from RAM so obviously you needed extra RAM to play those cracked games. By the way: modding this specific model to a 720K diskdrive is not always just a question of swapping out the drive mechanism. On the older NMS8235 models you need to exchange the diskrom IC as well.
@pj0t 9 жыл бұрын
Oh man, the music from Kings Valley 2 is amazing! and a great game too!
@alptigin5438 9 жыл бұрын
Perhaps the world's weirdest and most pointless bit of trivia, but "ZiLog" is properly pronounced "Zed eye loj"; it's Z - i - Log, short for "The last word in integrated logic circuits." It was originally "created" (i.e. stolen) by Intel employees who had worked on the 8080 specifically to be cheaper (ripped off) version to be sold directly to Exxon, Intel's biggest customer at the time. As for what Exxon was doing with it, they had a program that could find oil deposits from sonar sweeps. A piece of software now known for being at the heart of Auto-Tune. Yes, Auto-Tune. Not a joke.
@MJ-uk6lu 5 жыл бұрын
Except it wasn't stolen
@deneb_tm 9 жыл бұрын
256 colors simultaniously at a close-to-NES resolution in 1986? Daaaaaaaaaamn. Well, the games seem a bit laggy, unless this is just KZfaq being KZfaq.
@deneb_tm 9 жыл бұрын
Richard Smith Okay. Don't most displays now follow NTSC standards? Or is this PAL / NTSC thing even relevant anymore?
@ramdrivesys1869 7 жыл бұрын
Close to NES? AFAIK the same.
@Dawwwg 7 жыл бұрын
Most MSX2 games ran at full 50 or 60Hz interrupt speed for screen-updates... One can swap the display frequency in real-time using software; EU models booted at 50Hz (BIOS setting), JP ones at 60Hz (again BIOS setting), but I even recall the BASIC command to swap: VDP(10)=0 was for 60Hz, VDP(10)=2 for 50Hz (yes, that's setting VDP register 10 to 0x02).
@deneb_tm 7 жыл бұрын
El D What could other values do?
@Dawwwg 7 жыл бұрын
There are 10 8-bit status registers in total; each bit of every register has a special purpose; for this #R#9; one could enable/disable interlacing with it; set the number of vertical scanlines (212 vs 192), etc. Most settings weren't really relevant unless you're a developer; but switching to 50 or 60Hz or vice versa was pretty common for end-users. For the whole specs google the 'V9938 programmers guide', first link will be a PDF with all the stuff in it :)
@pedroserapio8075 9 жыл бұрын
Great Video, very complete and full of details. Nice work!
@AymanKhalil1979 9 жыл бұрын
I have an MSX machine, and man it blew my mind away when I bought it back in 1985. It is awesome. My all-time favorite game was Penguin Adventure.