How does a MSX2+ differ from MSX/MSX2?

The VDP is different, it uses a V9958 instead of the V9938.

Basically that means that it allows new 3 screen mode (Screen 10,11 and 12) with more colors (12000+) including some mode that allow you to mix RGB colors with YJK colors.

Other difference is that the V9958 has horizontal scrolling register (V9938 only has vertical scrolling register).

The Basic is updated to use those new functions.

That's about it.

Sounds cool. IS ANYONE SELLING A MSX2+ ?

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Sounds cool. IS ANYONE SELLING A MSX2+ ?

Saw this one on Ebay. It's a MSX2 that has been upgraded to MSX2+

cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3041156104&category=3525

Hey, kjelds, you REALLY should have a look here

Thanks both of you.
Maggoo, how can you tell it is an upgraded MSX2?

You can't really tell, actually ....Because there are also MSX2 machines in which only the VDP has been replaced by the V9958. So in BASIC, typical MSX2+ instructions don't work. Of course, you can program the VDP through its I/O-ports and discover if it's an altered MSX2 or not...But I don't think that's your answer...You can also open the MSX2 and look what VDP is inside

Sor erhm....A GOOD MSX2-->>MSX2+ upgrade is not only the VDP but also some systemroms, like the BASIC ROM....

Well I did a bid for that MSX2+ at eBay before I knew it, so we'll see what happens... 8)

If it says MSX2 on the case it's either a real MSX2 or a modified one
Besides the new VDP MSX2+ doesn't have that many new features, but it is important for the MSX standard, because a lot of things are standardized which weren't before. (MSX2+ means Memory Mapper is standard, VDP I/O addresses are standard, and somet other things)

Really, i always saw the MSX2+ as a stepping stone for the turbo R..it's not that great Especially when ur interested in drawing ((( The new screens are more suitable for digitizing video input than art! Tha.t's really what i think an msx2+ is: A video grabber.

In the past i have tried to draw on those screens and it's reaslly terrible. The only option u have is to programm a screenformat for urselve (we did a so called screen 9 once). I think it was screen 7 rez but with 4096 colors or something it WAS better, but really... the V9990 is much cooler!

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it's not that great Especially when ur interested in drawing ((( The new screens are more suitable for digitizing video input than art!

That's not true. YAE (YJK + Palette, AKA SCREEN10/11) mode is ideal for creating GREAT looking games. The backgrounds and still objects can be 14K colors while you still have the freedom of 16 palette colors. It's SCREEN5^2 man! Ideal...

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In the past i have tried to draw on those screens and it's reaslly terrible.

That's a software problem. YJK modes are not meant to be directly drawn in, they're meant to be converted to.

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the V9990 is much cooler!

Yes it is, because the V9990 has 512K VRAM so the YJK+Palette mode is even more useful, because you can store much more graphics

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>>it's not that great Especially when ur interested in drawing ((( The new screens are more suitable for digitizing video input than art!<< That's not true. YAE (YJK + Palette, AKA SCREEN10/11) mode is ideal for creating GREAT looking games. The backgrounds and still objects can be 14K colors while you still have the freedom of 16 palette colors. It's SCREEN5^2 man! Ideal...

But the icing on the cake for MSX(2+) in 1988 would have been the possibility to seperately scroll the YJK background and the palettized RGB foreground... I really think that the creators of the V9958 missed a great opportunity there. Think dual-layer scrolling but then in a time that Nintendo's best system was the almost MSX1-like NES...

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Think dual-layer scrolling but then in a time that Nintendo's best system was the almost MSX1-like NES...

Sega Mega Drive

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But the icing on the cake for MSX(2+) in 1988 would have been the possibility to seperately scroll the YJK background and the palettized RGB foreground... I really think that the creators of the V9958 missed a great opportunity there.

The RGB data is stored within it YJK data, so seperately scrolling it is impossible, ie there is no such thing as a RGB foreground. Real dual layer scrolling came with the V9990 in 1990.

The v9990 should have been a v9998, or should have had at least a v99x8 compatibility mode. I think it would have been more likely to be used in the turbo R that way...