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MSX2
MSX is a standardized home computer architecture, announced by ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was initially conceived by Microsoft as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by Kazuhiko Nishi, the director at ASCII Corporation. Microsoft and Nishi conceived the project as an attempt to create unified standards among various home computing system manufacturers of the period, in the same fashion as the VHS standard for home video tape machines. The first MSX computer sold to the public was a Mitsubishi ML-8000, released on October 21, 1983, thus marking its official release date. MSX systems were popular in Japan and several other countries. There are differing accounts of MSX sales. One source claims 9 million MSX units were sold worldwide, including in Japan alone, whereas ASCII Corporation founder Kazuhiko Nishi claims that 3 million were sold in Japan, and 1 million overseas. Despite Microsoft's involvement, few MSX-based machines were released in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Home Computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single, non-technical user. These computers were a distinct market segment that typically cost much less than business, scientific, or engineering-oriented computers of the time, such as those running CP/M or the IBM PC, and were generally less powerful in terms of computer memory, memory and expandability. However, a home computer often had better video display controller, graphics and sound than contemporary business computers. Their most common uses were word processing, playing video games, and computer programming, programming. Home computers were usually sold already manufactured in stylish metal or plastic enclosures. However, some home computers also came as commercial electronic kits, like the ZX80, Sinclair ZX80, which were both h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yamaha V9958
The Yamaha V9958 is a Video Display Processor used in the MSX2+ and MSX turbo R series of home computers, as the successor to the Yamaha V9938 used in the MSX2. The main new features are three graphical YJK modes with up to 19268 colors and horizontal scrolling registers. The V9958 was not as widely adopted as the V9938. Specifications * Video RAM: 128 KB + 64 KB of expanded VRAM * Text modes: 80 × 24 and 32 × 24 * Display resolution, Resolution: 512 × 212 (4 or 16 colors out of 512) and 256 × 212 (16, 256, 12499 or 19268 colors) * Sprite (computer graphics), Sprites: 32, 16 colors, max 8 per horizontal line * Hardware acceleration for copy, line, fill, etc. * Interlaced video, Interlacing to double vertical resolution * Horizontal and vertical scroll registers Feature changes from the V9938 The following features were added to or removed from the Yamaha V9938 specifications: * Added horizontal scrolling registers * Added YJK graphics modes (similar to YUV): ** G7 + YJK + Y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yamaha V9938
The Yamaha V9938 is a video display processor (VDP) used on the MSX2 home computer, as well as on the Geneve 9640 enhanced TI-99/4A clone and the Tatung Einstein 256. It was also used in a few MSX1 computers, in a configuration with 16kB VRAM. The Yamaha V9938, also known as MSX-Video or VDP (Video Display Processor), is the successor of the Texas Instruments TMS9918 used in the MSX1 and other systems. The V9938 was in turn succeeded by the Yamaha V9958. Specifications * Video RAM: 16–192 KB * Text modes: 80 × 24, 40 × 24 and 32 × 24 * Resolution: 512 × 212 (16 colors from 512), 256 × 212 (16 colors from 512) and 256 × 212 (256 colors) * Sprites: 32, 16 colors, max 8 per horizontal line * Hardware acceleration for copy, line, fill and logical operations available * Interlacing to double vertical resolution * Vertical scroll register Detailed specifications * Video RAM: 4 possible configurations ** 16 KB (modes G4 up to G7 will not be available) ** ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TMS9918
IMAGE:TMS9918A 01.jpg, VDP TMS9918A IMAGE:TMS9918A 02.jpg, VDP TMS9918A The TMS9918 is a video display controller (VDC) manufactured by Texas Instruments, in manuals referenced as "Video Display Processor" (VDP) and introduced in 1979. The TMS9918 and its variants were used in the PV-2000, Casio PV-2000, Coleco Adam, ColecoVision, VTech CreatiVision, CreatiVision, Hanimex, Hanimex Pencil II, MSX, Memotech MTX, NABU Network#Hardware, NABU Personal Computer, Programa Educativo de Colegios Secundarios, PECOS, SG-1000, SC-3000, SV-318, SV-328, Sord M5, TI-99/4A, TI-99/4, Tatung Einstein, and Tomy Tutor. The TMS9918 generates both grid-based character graphics (used to display text or background images) and sprite (computer graphics), sprites used for moving foreground objects. The key features of this chip are, as highlighted in a 1980 presentation by Karl Guttag (one of the designers): *256 by 192 full color pixels per screen *15 different colors and/or shades *Progressive scan, Non ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spectravideo
Spectravideo International Limited (SVI) (printed as Spectra Video, with the space, in game manuals) was an American computer manufacturer and software house. It was originally called SpectraVision, a company founded by Harry Fox in 1981. The company produced video games and other software for the VIC-20 home computer, the Atari 2600 home video game console, and its CompuMate peripheral. Some of their own computers were compatible with the Microsoft MSX or the IBM PC. Despite their initial success, the company faced financial troubles, and by 1988, operations ceased. Later, a UK-based company bought the Spectravideo brand name from Bondwell in 1988, but this company, known as Logic3, had no connection to the original Spectravideo products and was dissolved in 2016. History SpectraVision was founded in 1981 by Harry Fox and Alex Weiss as a distributor of computer games, contracting external developers to write the software. Their main products were gaming cartridges fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pioneer Corporation
, is a Japanese multinational corporation based in Tokyo, that specializes in digital entertainment products. The company was founded by Nozomu Matsumoto on January 1, 1938 in Tokyo as a radio and Loudspeaker, speaker repair shop. Its current president is Shiro Yahara. Pioneer played a role in the development of interactive cable TV, the Laserdisc, LaserDisc player, the first automotive compact disc, Compact Disc player, the first detachable face car stereo, Supertuner technology, DVD and DVD recording, the first AV receiver with Dolby Digital, plasma display (with the last 2 years of plasma models being branded as Pioneer Kuro, Kuro, lauded for their outstanding black levels) and organic light-emitting diode, Organic LED display (OLED). The company works with optical disc and display technology and software products and is also a manufacturer. BMW, Volkswagen Group and Daimler AG of Germany jointly acquired a 3% ownership stake in Pioneer through a joint venture company called H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyocera
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational ceramics and electronics manufacturer headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded as in 1959 by Kazuo Inamori and renamed in 1982. It manufactures industrial ceramics, solar power generating systems, telecommunications equipment, office document imaging equipment, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools, and components for medical and dental implant systems. History Origins to 2000 Kyocera's original product was a ceramic insulator known as a "kelcima" for use in Cathode-ray tube, cathode-ray tubes. The company quickly adapted its technologies to produce an expanding range of ceramic components for electronic and structural applications. In the 1960s, as the NASA space program, the birth of Silicon Valley and the advancement of computer technology created demand for semiconductor Integrated circuit, integrated circuits (ICs), Kyocera developed ceramic Semiconductor package, semiconductor packages tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ASCII Corporation
was a Japanese publishing company based in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It became a subsidiary of Kadokawa Group Holdings in 2004, and merged with another Kadokawa subsidiary MediaWorks on April 1, 2008, becoming ASCII Media Works. The company published '' Monthly ASCII'' as the main publication. ASCII is best known for creating the '' Derby Stallion'' video game series, the MSX computer, and the '' RPG Maker'' line of programming software. History 1977–1990: Founding and first projects ASCII was founded in 1977 by Kazuhiko Nishi, Akio Gunji and Keiichiro Tsukamoto. The name was taken from the ASCII code that was referred to a computer character set. Originally the publisher of a magazine with the same name, ''ASCII'', talks between Bill Gates and Nishi led to the creation of Microsoft's first overseas sales office, ASCII Microsoft, in 1978.Quote from Bill Gates' ''The Road Ahead'', found in In 1980, ASCII made 1.2 billion yen of sales from licensing Microsoft BASIC. It was 40 percen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National (brand)
was a brand used by Panasonic Corporation (formerly Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.) to sell home appliances, personal appliances, and industrial appliances. Neither National Semiconductor nor National Car Rental are related to Panasonic or the "National" brand. History Before present-day Panasonic produced appliances under the name, the National brand was first used by Konosuke Matsushita's electric firm to sell his battery-powered bicycle lamps, hoping that they would be a product used by all of Japan, hence the name "National". It was arguably the first well-known brand of Japanese electronics. National was formerly the premier brand on most Matsushita products, including audio and video and was combined in 1988 as National Panasonic after the worldwide success of the Panasonic name. After 1980 in Europe, and 1988 in Australia and New Zealand, Matsushita ceased the usage of the "National" brand, and sold audiovisual products exclusively under the Panas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Memory Management Unit
A memory management unit (MMU), sometimes called paged memory management unit (PMMU), is a computer hardware unit that examines all references to computer memory, memory, and translates the memory addresses being referenced, known as virtual memory addresses, into physical addresses in main memory. In modern systems, programs generally have addresses that access the theoretical maximum memory of the computer architecture, 32 or 64 bits. The MMU maps the addresses from each program into separate areas in physical memory, which is generally much smaller than the theoretical maximum. This is possible because programs rarely use large amounts of memory at any one time. Most modern operating systems (OS) work in concert with an MMU to provide virtual memory (VM) support. The MMU tracks memory use in fixed-size blocks known as ''pages''. If a program refers to a location in a page that is not in physical memory, the MMU sends an interrupt to the operating system. The OS selects a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for Computer data storage, digital information. The International System of Units (SI) defines the prefix ''kilo-, kilo'' as a multiplication factor of 1000 (103); therefore, one kilobyte is 1000 bytes.International Standard IEC 80000-13 Quantities and Units – Part 13: Information science and technology, International Electrotechnical Commission (2008). The internationally recommended unit symbol for the kilobyte is kB. In some areas of information technology, particularly in reference to random-access memory capacity, ''kilobyte'' instead often refers to 1024 (210) bytes. This arises from the prevalence of sizes that are powers of two in modern digital memory architectures, coupled with the coincidence that 210 differs from 103 by less than 2.5%. The kibibyte is defined as 1024 bytes, avoiding the ambiguity issues of the ''kilobyte''.International Standard IEC 80000-13 Quantities and Units – Part 13: Information scien ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
R800
The R800 is the central processing unit used in the MSX Turbo-R home computer. The R800 was designed by ASCII Corporation of Japan and built by Mitsui & Co The goal was a modern and pipelined CPU binary compatible with the Z80, and therefore with MSX software, while also maintaining compatibility with older MSX Z80-based hardware. Compatibility During the development of the MSX Turbo R, ASCII Corporation considered various processors, both compatible and incompatible with the Z80, as candidates. At that time, Kazuya Kishioka , a company employee, was researching and developing an ASIC that was a high-speed version of the Z80 and largely customized for the MSX architecture. For software compatibility with older MSX software, the R800 uses the same instruction set as the Z80, with only minor but useful additions, such as 8x8-bit and 16x16-bit multiplication instructions called MULUB ( 8-bit), and MULUW (16-bit). Also, many of the undocumented Z80 instructions were made offic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
