Editing MSX (section)

==History==
[[File:SV328.jpg|thumb|The [[SV-328|Spectravideo SV-328]] is the predecessor of the MSX standard. Many MSX programs were unofficially ported to the SV-328 by home programmers.]]
In the early 1980s, most [[home computer]]s manufactured in [[Japan]] such as the [[NEC PC-6001]] and [[PC-8000]] series, [[Fujitsu]]'s [[FM-7]] and [[FM-8]], and [[Hitachi]]'s Basic Master featured a variant of the [[Microsoft BASIC]] interpreter integrated into their on-board [[Read-only memory|ROMs]]. The hardware design of these computers and the various dialects of their BASICs were incompatible.<ref name="dvorakmsx">{{Cite web |last=Dvorak |first=John C. |date=2006-11-28 |title=Whatever Happened to MSX Computers? |url=http://www.dvorak.org/blog/whatever-happened-to-msx-computers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218231900/http://www.dvorak.org/blog/whatever-happened-to-msx-computers/ |archive-date=December 18, 2008 |access-date=2011-06-22 |website=Dvorak Uncensored}}</ref> Other Japanese consumer electronics firms such as [[Panasonic]], [[Canon Inc.|Canon]], [[Casio]], [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]], [[Pioneer Corporation|Pioneer]], and [[Sanyo]] were searching for ways to enter the new home computer market.

Major Japanese electronics companies entered the computer market in the 1960s, and Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial) was also developing [[mainframe computer]]s. The Japanese economy was facing a recession after the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] and Panasonic decided to exit the computer business and focus on home appliances. The decision was a huge success, and Panasonic grew to become one of the largest electronics companies. In the late 1970s, the company investigated other business areas outside of home appliances. Panasonic also saw potential in the recent [[microcomputer revolution]]. One of Panasonic's distributors, Yamagata National, told Panasonic's president, Toshihiko Yamashita: {{blockquote|Recently, [[NEC]]'s personal computers sell well in [[Yamagata Prefecture|Yamagata]] too, and our dealers also request merchandise. However, we must purchase not only personal computers, but also home appliances from NEC. I think Matsushita also need develop personal computers.}} Yamashita ordered the vice president, Shunkichi Kisaka, to develop a personal computer, and Kisaka called on Kazuyasu Maeda of Matsushita [[Research and development|R&D]] Center.<ref name="Sekiguchi_2000">{{Cite book |last=Sekiguchi |first=Waichi |title=パソコン革命の旗手たち |publisher=[[Nihon Keizai Shimbun]] |year=2000 |isbn=4-532-16331-5 |pages=186–190 |language=ja}}</ref>

Maeda requested Nishi to assist with the development. They were already close to each other. When they met at a seminar held by NEC, they noticed both were from [[Kobe]] and had graduated from the same university. They often talked to each other about home computers. At the same time, [[Spectravideo]] contacted Microsoft in order to obtain software for their new home computer. Nishi went to [[Hong Kong]] to meet with Spectravideo, and suggested some improvements to its prototype. Spectravideo's president, Harry Fox, was willing to accept Nishi's proposals. Nishi conceived to create a unified standard based on its machine, and Maeda agreed with his idea.<ref name="Nishi_2020" /> Nishi wanted to involve Panasonic and Sony in the development of home computers. While they were competing for [[Videotape format war|videotape formats]], [[Nobuyuki Idei]] of Sony accepted his proposal. Idei thought Sony should cooperate with Panasonic on its development because the [[Sony SMC-70|SMC-70]], Sony's first personal computer, faced difficulty in the market when Sony started their computer business. Maeda also wanted to invite NEC, but NEC chose to go its own way.<ref name="Sekiguchi_2000" />

Nishi proposed MSX as an attempt to create a single industry-standard for home computers. Inspired by the success of [[VHS]] as a standard for [[video cassette recorder]]s, many Japanese electronics manufacturers (Including [[GoldStar]], [[Philips]] and [[Spectravideo]]) built and promoted MSX computers. Any piece of hardware or software with the MSX logo on it was compatible with MSX products from other manufacturers. In particular, the expansion cartridge format was part of the standard; any MSX expansion or game cartridge would work in any MSX computer.

Nishi's standard was built around the Spectravideo [[SV-328]] computer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History of Spectravideo |url=http://www.samdal.com/svhistory.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122165649/http://www.samdal.com/svhistory.htm |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |access-date=December 20, 2012 |website=Samdal.com}}</ref> The standard consisted primarily of several [[Commercial off-the-shelf|off-the-shelf]] parts; the main CPU was a 3.58&nbsp;MHz [[Zilog Z80]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dvorak |first=John C. |date=7–14 January 1985 |title=MSX: The Pong of the 1980s |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group |volume=7 |issue=1–2 |page=88 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> the [[Texas Instruments TMS9918]] [[Video display controller|graphics chip]] with 16 [[Kilobyte|KB]] of dedicated [[Dual-ported video RAM|VRAM]], sound and partial I/O support was provided by the [[General Instrument AY-3-8910|AY-3-8910]] chip manufactured by [[General Instrument]] (GI), and an [[Intel 8255]] Programmable Peripheral Interface (PPI) chip was used for parallel I/O such as the keyboard. The choice of these components was shared by many other home computers and games consoles of the period, such as the [[ColecoVision]] and [[Sega SG-1000]] video game systems. To reduce overall system cost, many MSX models used a custom [[integrated circuit|IC]] known as "[[MSX-Engine]]", which integrated [[glue logic]], 8255 PPI, YM2149 compatible [[sound chip]] and more, sometimes even the Z80 CPU. However, almost all MSX systems used a professional keyboard instead of a [[chiclet keyboard]], driving up the price compared to the original SV-328. Consequently, these components alongside Microsoft's [[MSX BASIC]] made the MSX a competitive, though somewhat expensive, home computer package.

===Debut===
[[File:YAMAYAMA.JPG|thumb|Yamaha YIS503II MSX Personal Computer designed for Soviet schools—the abbreviature "КУВТ" means "Class of Teaching Computing Equipment)"]]
[[File:Canon V-20 MSX computer.jpg|thumb|The [[Canon V-20]] has 64&nbsp;KB of [[Random-access memory|RAM]] and the [[Canon V-10|V-10]] has 16&nbsp;KB.]]

On June 27, 1983,<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 8, 2010 |title=The Toshiba MSX (HX-10) 64K |url=http://retrovideogamesystems.com/the-toshiba-hx-10-64k-msx/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909063157/http://retrovideogamesystems.com/the-toshiba-hx-10-64k-msx/ |archive-date=September 9, 2011 |access-date=August 25, 2011 |website=RetroVideoGameSystems.com}}</ref> the MSX was formally announced during a press conference, and a slew of big Japanese firms declared their plans to introduce the machines. The Japanese companies avoided the intensely competitive U.S. home computer market, which was in the throes of a [[Commodore International|Commodore]]-led [[price war]]. Only Spectravideo and Yamaha briefly marketed MSX machines in the U.S. Spectravideo's MSX enjoyed very little success, and Yamaha's [[Yamaha CX5M|CX5M]] model, built to interface with various types of [[MIDI]] equipment, was billed more as a digital music tool than a standard personal computer.

=== Evolution & the downfall of the MSX system ===
{{redirect|MSX2|the protein|Msh homeobox 2}}
MSX spawned four generations. The first three, MSX (1983), MSX2 (1985),<ref>{{Cite web |title=MSX2 |url=http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=288 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904092056/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=288 |archive-date=September 4, 2014 |access-date=September 2, 2014 |website=Old-Computers.com : The Museum}}</ref> and MSX2+ (1988), were all 8-bit computers based on the [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] microprocessor. The MSX2+ was exclusively released in Japan.

A new MSX3 was originally scheduled to be released in 1990, but delays in the development of its Yamaha-designed VDP caused it to miss its [[time to market]] deadline.<ref>''MSX-FAN'' Magazine (February 1995 issue, p.&nbsp;90)</ref> In its place, the MSX TurboR was released, which used the new custom 16-bit [[R800]] microprocessor developed by [[ASCII Corporation]] intended for the MSX3, but features such as DMA and 24-bit addressing were disabled.

But also the problems with ASCII and the break-up with Microsoft early in 1986 were causing some more troubles. Nishi and Gates fell out, and Microsoft in 1986 disclosed the end of the partnership. Stating that Nishi owed the company more than $500,000, Microsoft set up its own Japanese subsidiary.<ref name="forbes19860210">{{Cite magazine |last=Forbes |first=Jim |date=1986-02-10 |title=Microsoft Files With SEC for Spring Stock Offering |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oi8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320015940/https://books.google.com/books?id=oi8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6 |archive-date=2022-03-20 |access-date=2021-10-29 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |page=6 |volume=8 |issue=6}}</ref> But ASCII Corporation continued to thrive.

Mr. Nishi was also inclined to make important decisions on impulse and to spend without restraint, which led Microsoft to break with Ascii in 1986. One of the drops that broke the camel’s back was when Mr. Nishi spent $1 million to get a huge mechanical dinosaur to build in Tokyo as an advertising device. The break between Mr. Gates and Mr. Nishi was bitter, though the two now speak periodically.<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/24/business/computer-pioneer-s-moment-of-truth.html | title=Computer Pioneer's Moment of Truth | work=The New York Times | date=August 24, 1992 | last1=Pollack | first1=Andrew }}</ref>

In 1991, the other two co-founders of Ascii, Akio Gunji, president, and Keiichiro Tsukamoto, vice president, resigned abruptly, ostensibly in protest against rapid expansion. “They couldn’t keep up with me because I was accelerating too much,” Nishi said at a press conference at the time.<ref name="auto"/>

Like the MSX2+, the MSX TurboR was exclusively released in Japan. By the time the MSX TurboR standard was announced in 1990, only Panasonic was manufacturing MSX computers. Its initial model FS-A1ST met with moderate success, but the upgraded model FS-A1GT introduced in 1991 sold poorly due to its high retail cost of 99800 yen (about 740 USD at the time). Production of the TurboR ended in 1993 when Panasonic decided to focus on the release of [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} The VDP was eventually delivered in 1992, two years after its planned deadline, by which time the market had moved on. In an attempt to reduce its financial loss, Yamaha stripped nearly all V9958 compatibility and marketed the resulting V9990 E-VDP III as a video-chipset for PC VGA graphic cards, with moderate success.

===Impact===
[[File:Sharp HotBit MSX computer.jpg|thumb|The [[Hotbit]], developed by [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]]'s Epcom [[home computer]] division, was a hit in [[Brazil]].]]
[[File:Talent MSX (restore).jpg|thumb|Talent TPC-310 MSX2 computer, made in Argentina by Telematica (1988), based on a Daewoo design.]]
[[File:Dynadata DPC 200 76.jpg|thumb|Dynadata DPC 200 MSX computer with a Dynadata DPF-550 disk drive, manufactured in Korea for Daewoo and sold in Spain by Dynadata Informática]]
[[File:Yamaha msx ax120 1.jpg|thumb|MSX Sakhr AX150 ({{lang|ar|صخر}}), made in Japan by Yamaha for the Kuwaiti company Al Alamiah, sold in Egypt and the [[Gulf Cooperation Council]] states]]

In Japan, South Korea, Argentina, and Brazil, the MSX was the preeminent home computer system of the 1980s. It was also fairly popular in [[continental Europe]], especially in the Netherlands and Spain. Classrooms full of networked Yamaha MSX computers were used for teaching [[informatics]] in schools in some Arab countries, the [[Soviet Union]], and [[Cuba]], where they were widely used in schools.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 July 2012 |title=Distance education in the Cuban context |url=http://www.centrorisorse.org/distance-education-in-the-cuban-context.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.archive.today/20120722112716/http://www.centrorisorse.org/distance-education-in-the-cuban-context.html |archive-date=22 July 2012}}</ref> In total, 9 million MSX computers were sold in Japan, making it relatively popular. However, the MSX did not become the worldwide standard envisioned because of limited adoption in other markets. Before the MSX's lack of success in these markets became apparent, US manufacturer [[Commodore Business Machines]] overhauled its product line in the early 1980s and introduced models such as the [[Commodore Plus/4|Plus/4]] and [[Commodore 16]], that were intended to better compete with the features of MSX computers.

In comparison with rival 8-bit computers, the [[Commodore 64]] is estimated to have sold 12.5–17 million units worldwide,<ref name="PageTable">{{Cite web |last=Steil |first=Michael |date=February 1, 2011 |title=How many Commodore 64 computers were really sold? |url=http://www.pagetable.com/?p=547 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306232450/http://www.pagetable.com/?p=547 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |access-date=March 18, 2017 |website=Pagetable.com}}</ref><ref name="Reimer1">{{Cite web |last=Reimer |first=Jeremy |title=Personal Computer Market Share: 1975–2004 |url=http://www.jeremyreimer.com/total_share.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606052317/http://www.jeremyreimer.com/postman/node/329 |archive-date=June 6, 2012 |access-date=July 17, 2009}}</ref> the [[Apple II]] sold 6 million units,<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 5, 2007 |title=5 to 6 million Apple IIs sold |url=http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/happy_30th_birthday_apple_ii/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607172256/http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/happy_30th_birthday_apple_ii/ |archive-date=June 7, 2007 |access-date=2011-06-22 |website=Mac Daily News}}</ref> the [[ZX Spectrum]] over 5 million units, the [[Atari 8-bit computers]] sold at least 4 million units, the [[Amstrad CPC]] sold 3 million units, and the Tandy [[TRS-80]] Model 1 sold 250,000 units.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

A Sony MSX2 machine was launched into space to the Russian [[Mir]] space station.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MSX IN SPAAAACCCEE |url=http://msx.gnu-linux.net/msx-in-space/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804124642/http://msx.gnu-linux.net/msx-in-space/ |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=August 25, 2011 |website=msx.gnu-linux.net}}</ref>