MSX invasion plans go ahead
PLANS for the invasion of the Japanese MSX compluter are now sufficiently far advanced that the system has been formally unveiled to the press.
All of the major Japanese electronics companies have joined forces to produce micros with broadly the same hardware which will all run the same software — the so-called MSX design standard.
Each of the machines uses a Z80 processor with a 32K ROM including Microsoft Basic and at least 8K RAM. All use the same TI video chip giving a 40 x 24 text display (256 x 192 graphics resolution) with 16 colours available. All use the same GI three-channel sound chip. Where a disc unit is available as an option it is Microsoft MS-DOS compatible.
MSX machines have been on sale in Japan since last October and the first MSX micros to appear in this country will go on sale at a “competitive price” in the early Autumn.
Micros from eight Japanese manufacturers — Sony, Sanyo, Toshiba, Teleton, JVC, Mitsubishi, Hitachi and Canon — are expected to be in the shops by Christmas, backed by retail chains like Boots and Laskeys. Two other manufacturers, Yamaha and National Panasonic — both which have been successful with MSX in Japan — have still to decide whether to tackle the UK market.
By the time the first machines go on sale in September, several hundred British software packages will have been written for MSX. Over ninety per cent of the material will be games software. Among the companies writing for MSX are: Psion, Ouicksilva, Virgin, Melbourne House, Thorn EMI, Silversoft and Hewson. Other companies which have shown interest in MSX include Bug-byte, Bubble Bus, Kuma, Aligata, Micromega, Ocean and Ultimate.
The first MSX machines will be previewed at the CETEX trade show at Earl’s Court later this month.
The MSX standard is a controversial one. Several prominent software houses have expressed disappointment that the giant Japanese manufacturers have chosen to base their home computer standard on the now somewhat elderly Z80 processor. Commented Psion’s David Potter at the MSX launch: “Any standard has advantages and disadvantages. MSX will provide a common environment for software development and the consumer will benefit from the wide range of peripherals available for it.
“The disadvantage is that it could inhibit change. Innovation in the decade to come will be considerable and the question remains whether the MSX is sufficiently and open- mindedly designed to allow it to become a standard for many years to come.”
Microsoft Japan’s Kay Nishi — the man who originally conceived the idea of the 8-bit MSX standard — admitted that no standard. can last for ever. He said: “I don’t deny that 16-bit is coming — but not this year, or in the next two years. Whatever happens, MSX will be upwardly compatible.”