I have a CX5M II music computer which I have not used for about 17 years.
This was partly because I got sidetracked by the PC monster.
However I am wondering if I can hook it up to my normal PC.
I can probably dig out an old hard disk to connect to it, but I'm not sure how to do this.
Same questions apply for hooking up floppy disks.

Is there a resource on the web where I can find answers to these questions?
Seems a shame for the little music computer to languish for so long.

I would also be interested in finding a source for cartridges for the CX5.

Thanks,
ptera

Ptera, maybe this is a good place to start.

www.sonicstate.com/synth/cfman.cfm?manid=2

They have some links to fan sites.
Sorry that i can't help you further.

Good luck

I'm wondering in what way (to what end) do you want to hook it up to the PC?

Connecting a harddisk to an MSX1 like the CX5M II is not trivial, and practically impossible in most cases.

For floppy disks you must find an external Diskdrive Interface. Yamaha made the FD-01 (single sided) and the FD-03 and FD-05 which are both double-sided (2DD). There are also several external diskdrives from Sony and other manufacturers. Using single sided disks can be problematical with PC's, so get a double sided if you can. External drives are nowadays rare, because almost all MSX2 have drives built-in.

Other ways you can hook up a PC to a MSX1 is using JoyNet (http://grauw.blehq.org/joynet/joynet.html) or MSX Connect, RS232 (you need to find an RS232 interface for your MSX tho), or some kind of communication via the Cassette line. I'm not sure if software exists for the latter...

Connecting a hard disk to the CX5M/II is not an impossible task!

The CX5M/II can be upgraded to a MSX2 - although I cannot find how to do it at the moment? Can anyone help?

The 128k is memory mapped, as far as I know the only upgrade needed in the additon of extra VRAM, and a change of the MSX1 ROM's to MSX2.

Once the CX5m is working as a MSX2 you could then purchase a Sunrise IDE, or alternatively a Sunrise CF interface (the latter is so cool )

Then you'll have a hard disk on your CX5M/II, a lot of trouble I think! That is how you could do it though

Ah, CX5M II is the same as CX5M II/128?

Quote:

Connecting a hard disk to the CX5M/II is not an impossible task! The CX5M/II can be upgraded to a MSX2 - although I cannot find how to do it at the moment? Can anyone help?

Go to this site : http://www.msxhans.msx2.com

Then go to the hardware section and search in the Yamaha part : you'll find a .PDF (Acrobat Reader required) document for the conversion into a MSX 2 of the CX5M2

Quote:

For floppy disks you must find an external Diskdrive Interface. Yamaha made the FD-01 (single sided) and the FD-03 and FD-05 which are both double-sided (2DD). There are also several external diskdrives from Sony and other manufacturers. Using single sided disks can be problematical with PC's, so get a double sided if you can. External drives are nowadays rare, because almost all MSX2 have drives built-in. Other ways you can hook up a PC to a MSX1 is using JoyNet (http://grauw.blehq.org/joynet/joynet.html) or MSX Connect, RS232 (you need to find an RS232 interface for your MSX tho), or some kind of communication via the Cassette line. I'm not sure if software exists for the latter...

Let start with the floppydrives.
Iindeed rare and almost impossible.
Sooner or later Microsoft forces to let diskdrives disappear.
The formats theY already force to leave is 360/720 and ls120 support I noticed on windows xp. MSX adapted diskdrives will than also be harder to get.
For the future remains ;
- cd-rom
-COMPACT flash
-RS232C
-by internet

In all cases Sunrise can support that /or we on working to that kind of possiblities
First one can be done by our Sunrise Ide and /or combined with RS232C
Second and suggest by David is the Compact Flash interface
The third and not realized yet is the ethernetcard we plan
For the short term I think it would wise to read all the stories first about the ide you find on another forum.
Since many msx-1 people return to MSX I have discussed meanwhile the possibilty to see if adapting the bios built in our interfaces can be made suitable for msx-1 but also for MSX-2 people without a diskdrive( Patriek , that are more people than you might think!)
I am now thinking also about putting the bios twice in the eprom and set one e.g. write-protected so you can always start and can overwrite e.g. your backup and switch between them.

So the be concrete the best solution is to overlook the situation and perhaps buy the rs232c first if someone can tell me if he/she will test the rs232c from us on a MSX-1
It is always possible to upgrade from the RS23C to a normal ide-interface since they are putted in on cartridge.And thus also the possibility to upgrade the bios also

Our website: http://www.msx.ch

Why does everybody always address me with my real name? I don't have a nick for nothing you know...

Second, I know there are many people with a drive-less MSX2, I own a NMS8220 myself.

Third, had I known CX5M II and CX5M II/128 are one and the same, I would've given a different advice.

So there...

I was looking at the Sunrise site - they say in one of there forums that a CF interface maight work with a MSX1 with a mapper - if you can load an interface it might be work trying since your CX5M/II has a 128k mapper built in