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General Category => Other retro => Topic started by: retro space on 06:55, 07 September 24

Title: MSX question
Post by: retro space on 06:55, 07 September 24
No intent to make a MSX Wiki account yet, but maybe there are people here with a MSX as well, you know, they are quite similar with Z80 and good graphics.
Can you tweak the vertical resolution of the MSX? I know Arkanoid pushes the limits on the CPC, and goes beyond the meager 200 vertical lines, as especially on PAL there is plenty of room to go higher.
The MSX is even worse with its default 192 line vertical resolutions. What were they thinking? I need 32 lines of text at least, now 40% of my CRT is wasted with blue. The predecessor from Philips had 240 lines, much better. They used 10 pixels per character vertically, and 6 horizontally, not the ideal "sprite size" but it made text look much better. 240 lines would be welcome to simulate Viewdata for example.

Does anybody know MSX hacks to increase the vertical resolution?
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: keith56 on 08:12, 07 September 24
No, I don't believe that's possible. The MSX2 had a 212 line option, but that won't help you much! I think your only option would be to define your own smaller 6 pixel tall font and use a bitmap screen.
The CPC is a bit 'Special' with it's ability to reconfigure the screen so drastically!

You can find all about the MSX1 VDP in this official manual:
https://ia903105.us.archive.org/29/items/tms9918_guide/tms9918_guide.pdf

And the MSX2 here:
https://ia903105.us.archive.org/29/items/tms9918_guide/V9938-programmers-guide%20insecure.pdf
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: retro space on 14:41, 08 September 24
Ok, thanks.
One other very stupid question: how do you stop a BASIC program on the MSX. Stop=pause: 2x Stop = pause and continue again.
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: McArti0 on 19:07, 08 September 24
10 sec for google.

CTRL+Stop
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: retro space on 21:32, 08 September 24
Google is wrong. Does not work.
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: Prodatron on 21:46, 08 September 24
Hm, that's strange. Did you try it on a real machine?
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: retro space on 04:43, 09 September 24
I have a real machine. A VG 8235. Maybe CTRL is broken. Any way to test that key by itself?
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: McArti0 on 06:33, 09 September 24
Google 5sec  :laugh:

Msx diagnostic

https://nightfoxandco.com/?page_id=787
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: retro space on 07:29, 09 September 24
Quote from: McArti0 on 06:33, 09 September 24Google 5sec  :laugh:

Msx diagnostic

https://nightfoxandco.com/?page_id=787
Google is so 2010. The answer is not helpful as I have no such cartridge:

I tried Copilot:
Quote10 IF PEEK(&HFB21) AND 1 THEN PRINT "CTRL is ingedrukt"

Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: McArti0 on 07:36, 09 September 24
"El programa se distribuye en formato ROM, DISK, CAS y archivo de audio WAVE a 1200 y 2400 baudios, así como los binarios de 32k y 64k listos para grabar en una memoria PROM, EPROM, etc."

There must be a dsk somewhere.
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: McArti0 on 07:45, 09 September 24
Quote from: retro space on 06:55, 07 September 24The MSX is even worse with its default 192 line vertical resolutions. 

Does anybody know MSX hacks to increase the vertical resolution?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_TMS9918#Undocumented

Spotlight at the end of the tunnel...
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: McArti0 on 08:29, 09 September 24
Quote from: retro space on 04:43, 09 September 24Maybe CTRL is broken. Any way to test that key by itself?
After 2 hours of abuse www.webmsx.org

When you press CTRL the bottom menu changes.. auto to cload.

CTRL+R toglle Insert mode ( hi/low cursor)
Title: Re: MSX question
Post by: McArti0 on 11:38, 09 September 24
Quote from: McArti0 on 08:29, 09 September 24When you press CTRL the bottom menu changes.. auto to cload.
SHIFT  :doh:
Phone keyboard too small.
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