Why is my machine clicking? I got this machine off ebay and played vampire killers on it a few times and soon as I start it up ever now and then it makes a clicking noise. Does this mean that my machine is about to go to the bone yard.

could you describe the clicking noise a bit better? Is it comming out of the machine itself (if so, where?) or out of its audio outputs? Does it happen every time you press a key? If so, don't worry, MSX has a keyclick that can be disabled (eeuh.. SCREEN 0,0,0 (,0 ?) and then SET SCREEN from BASIC IIRC) However, you say the clicking happens 'every now and then', so it's probably not the keyclick... which means we need more info

It's probably the cassette relay, which produces a perfectly normal yet quite loud click.
In BASIC, try typing 'MOTOR' and you'll hear the click.

Probably a previous session left the relay switched ON and the MSX is defaulting back to normal when you turn it on.

It is coming out of the machine itself. I think I figured it out though. I might be wrong I never really messed with an msx before. I think it has somthing to do with the modification that I talked about in general discussion. I think its over heating and prehaps having some type of surge causing the clicking .



I turned the toggle switch on the back to just mono not stereo ( by looking at the machine closer I notice that the switch had a label that said mon then ste at first I dismissed this as some crazy japness word but now I know it means stereo and mono now stupid me) and just used one audio jack now and do not plug up the other one. Ever since doing this it has not been clicking I played for about 45 minutes or so and it did not do it. The machine while making the clicking noise was real hot when you felt around the power supply now with just using one audio jack it's not as hot as before.I am not a big fan of having a machine that is modified it did not say that in the auction that I perchased it from but as long as it's running.



The clicking noise was coming from some where between the power supply and the video and oringinal audio jack. Also the oringinal audio jack does not work anymore I think it worked when I first hooked it up but now I plug it up and no sound. Does this sound like maybe this might have been my problem and I sloved it ? I hope so. I will try playing using the one audio jack and see if the clicking noise starts to come back agian I hope it don't I really don't want to ruin my machine it is so much better playing vampire killers on it then on any emulator.

Throw that theory out the window its still making the noise. It sounds like as if you were pushing down the r3 button on playstation 2 or pushing down xbox joystick but amplified to a bit and its coming from the machine. I sure this means my machine about to go kuput. Such a sort time we had and I will remeber it for a lifetime. Oh well if it does I try to get my money back from the person who sold it to me then try to get another one but any help would be great but I don't think this is normal behavior from an msx even if I never used one before so I don't think theres much you guys could do to help but thanks anyhow.

Did you try GuyveR's suggestion? It might be the cassette relais, so please do try the command MOTOR ON/MOTOR OFF in BASIC. It could be the same click. Otherwise contact one of the hardware specialists in the Netherlands (Bas Kornalijnslijper from MCWF or Hans Oranje (HPN))

I tryed typeing in motor in basic and it makes no click. I not sure if I typeing it in right keep in mind I am an msx idiot so all you do is type in motor and then you hear a sound or do you add stuff to that? Let me explain the clicking noise again. It sounds like a xbox analog stick being pushed down and it comes in rapid sessions and sometimes a click here then a click there.

Yes.. what you describe still sounds like the cassette relay.

in BASIC type "MOTOR" (without the "" and then press the RETURN (ENTER) key.
You should hear a click.

However, it shouldn't automatically start clicking, especially not more than once. My guess is the relay has become less tolerant to voltage fluctuations due to aging. I'm no hardware expert, but simply replacing it might do the trick. In any case, if indeed it is the cassette relay, it probably won't damage your MSX.

When I type motor in msx basic it makes no noise so you say it should make a noise and it does nothing so must mean that is messed up. The crazy thing could have just gone hay wire and just start making sound at anytime it feels like. I guess I just leave it be and hope for the best.

If

MOTOR ON (enter)
and MOTOR OFF (enter)

give an OK command yet you can't hear a click, your cassette relais seems to be the problem indeed. Contact baskornalijnslijper@zonnet.nl. He might be able to help you in removing the click

snout: Ofcourse I was saying 'MOTOR' all the time because that just changes the state ON or OFF. If the relay is on and you type 'MOTOR ON' nothing happens.

No, but suppose the relais is broken and stays on the ON position all the time, while BASIC thinks it's OFF.....

ahw. you're right GuyveR ...