The other day I decided I'd finally get around to purchasing a memory expansion cartridge for my 64kB FS-A1WX. However, the only mapper I could find being sold on the web was Leonardo Padial's 4MB expansion for 66 euros. I wouldn't mind purchasing from Padial, but I have heard about that particular mapper not working well with a Z80 running at 7MHz. I also found some references to Ademir Carchano, to whom I even sent some emails, but it looks like his MSX business has closed ship.

Bottom line: are there any other vendors with MSX memory expansions for sale? I haven't even seen any on Ebay...

I do recall someone from Sunrise mentioning that they were working on a new mapper project at a reasonable price. Is that project still alive? If so, is there an estimated date for when they might be ready to accept my money?

ESE artist also made a 4MB mapper, but don't know if it's still available. Also on this site sells 4MB mappers www.msxprojetos.com.br/

I think that you can easily increase the internal memory of that computer model. Again, try to talk with Leonardo Padial or with Calamar Group. Perhaps Hans Orange or Bas Korn..., in the Netherlands, would be able to help you. You won't get an internal 4 MB expansion, but with 512 KB or 1024 KB you will have enough.

At least, that model was sold in Spain by LASP, and they sold it with 512 KB of RAM.

Again, good luck and kind regards,

You might want to email Leonardo Padial about this question. Padial has just released his EMSX @ 7 and 14mhz. That system also works with his own memory expansion. Thus I think it should be compatible? Anyway, he'll now the one and only real answer, instead of rumours

There is mapper inside that msx2+ so internal expansion is quite
simple , it can be found on the net. ( i saw it once )

Furthermore, when you have CPU running at 7Mhz , there is always
a mechanism that makes the cpu run at 3.5Mhz when accesing to
the slots . This mandatory to be sure to be compatible with any expansion
or ROM cartridge.

It is very well explained on msx turbo 7Mhz page.

So I think you can use any external memory mapper, but you will
have a severe slowdown as compared to internal expansion.
Still you will run faster than conventional speed because all
operations does not require a memory access.

Leo

Slowing down 7.16Mhz usally works only on the out and in instructions, but not the memory read and writes itself. If it would never run on 7.16Mhz if it has to slow down for that.

I have the Padial 4 MB mapper... Unfortunately, due to timing issues it doesn't work in an MSX turbo R without the use of a slot expander. It has sufficient buffering to cope with the timing problems.

Padial's EV4 expander doesn't work in turboR either. There's a problem with the CS-pins, one of which needs to be taped off to work.

I wonder, did the turboR change specifications so much, or does Padial just not follow the MSX specs 100%?

Let's give first an answer to the question.
It is absolute correct that we are planning a memorymapper as a first step to the ethernetcard. The price will be between 36 and 40 euro. Leonardo's mapper cost 72 euro IIRC.
All questions about hardware of Padial , i agree with Bart, you had to ask him.
Vaque is indeed the slotexpander that can be blown-up very easy due to the fact that padial has his own definition of +5v, 12v etc. Right David Haslett (one of the people you can give his opinion about that.
But the opinion of Bifi stands not alone. Hans Oranje himself confirms this.
Also it is a fact that Padial uses for the mapper obsolete chips and also other chips then putted on the z380 board,where he uses simms and the mapper is dram I believe.

Hmmmm dont know what David Haslett can give the answer about - I sold my Padial slot expander on ebay - after I got one from Ginseng (Via Bas Korn - thank you Bas)

I had some problems with the Sunrise IDE with it - and also SCC/MegaRAM in the same expanded slot - apparantly this is a problem with the MegaRAM that cannot use the same slot as the SCC - The problem is solved with the the CIEL expander - the jumpers on it allow you to use the SCC and MegaRAM together.

The other problem was fixed by Leonardo when I returned the expander to him. I had a problem connecting his lead to my MSX, after which it worked fine. It was repaired promply by Leonardo.

I think we should thank Leonardo for his efforts in supporting MSX, since there is not many people (and no companies) supplying MSX hardware today. Sunrise, LPO and ESE seem to be the only people.

Thank you Leonardo

The main advantage of the expander is that it will go into a PC case - it would be more stable in there, and less prone to cable movements.

Maybe Sunrise might produce there excellent slot expander in the near future ?

I am sure that our slotexpanders will not produced at short notice.
We have other priorities and sorry expanders are low on the list !

Thanks for your replies. This is a lively forum.

On the topic of internal upgrades, I already posted on this topic here: http://www.msx.org/forumtopic1159.html

The problem I have is that I'm a little scared to subject my MSX to this step. I actually sent email to Panasonic after talking to Hans, just to confirm the procedure, and was told the following:

"Thank you very much for enjoying a Panasonic Computer, FS-A1WX. However we have to regrettably reply that it is not possible to support about the modification which is not according to regular production as for the inside of Panasonic PC. Therefore, We cannot support about how to expand the internal memory of a Panasonic Computer, FS-A1WX.
Please kindly understand."

Of course, this is just a disavowal of responsibility, not a denial that the procedure will work. Perhaps someone here has actually performed this operation?

As an aside, I contacted a local electronics store and asked them what their prices were for performing this sort of soldering work. They quoted me a price of $80 / hour. Is this a reasonable price for such work (by qualified professionals, one would assume)?

Quote:

Thanks for your replies. This is a lively forum. On the topic of internal upgrades, I already posted on this topic here: http://www.msx.org/forumtopic1159.html The problem I have is that I'm a little scared to subject my MSX to this step. I actually sent email to Panasonic after talking to Hans, just to confirm the procedure, and was told the following: "Thank you very much for enjoying a Panasonic Computer, FS-A1WX. However we have to regrettably reply that it is not possible to support about the modification which is not according to regular production as for the inside of Panasonic PC. Therefore, We cannot support about how to expand the internal memory of a Panasonic Computer, FS-A1WX. Please kindly understand." Of course, this is just a disavowal of responsibility, not a denial that the procedure will work. Perhaps someone here has actually performed this operation? As an aside, I contacted a local electronics store and asked them what their prices were for performing this sort of soldering work. They quoted me a price of $80 / hour. Is this a reasonable price for such work (by qualified professionals, one would assume)?

I am actually quite surprised by the fact that Panasonic sent you a serious reply like this to your query, since the FS-A1WX is way over 10 years old... I guess they're just politely telling you that they do not have access to technical support for this machine anymore, probably because they don't have documentation about it anymore, considering the obsolence of the machine...

I was looking at my MSX's motherboard after this discussion, and I realized that even if I went to an electronics shop, I wouldn't be sure what to ask for. I summarized Hans Oranje's instructions here:

http://www.msx.org/forumtopic1159.html

I have a picture of the PCB here:

http://falcon.almonaster.net:8080/pcb.jpg

Now, I believe the DRAM chips on the bottom left are the VRAM. The five ROM chips in the middle are, well, the various system ROMs. I believe the two isolated chips on the bottom right (above the word Matsushita) are the 64kB of DRAM in question. Both of them are 41464. However, what I can't figure out from looking at the PCB is:

1) The idea is to replace the two 41464 chips with four 414256 chips. However, the 64 chips only have 18 pins, while the 256 chips have 20. I can see how the 256 chips would fit in IC21 and IC24, but not in IC22 and 23.

2) I still can't locate the A and B points that need to be connected to +5V. Perhaps they're on the bottom of the PCB, so I just haven't seen them?

I emailed Hans about this, but he hasn't replied. Does anyone here know the answers, or know the email of Bas Korn? I looked on google and on this website, but I didn't see it.

No one?