Schrijver
| FM-Pak vs. FM-PAC
|
jltursan
msx professional
Berichten: 816 |  Geplaatst: 29 November 2005, 15:01 |
¿Are there any differences between the Dutch FM-Pak and the original FM-PAC?
|
|
[D-Tail]
msx guru
Berichten: 2978 | Geplaatst: 29 November 2005, 15:40 |
The Dutch FM-PAK (or originally, FM-STEREO-PAK) has a stereo output, hence the name. It comes with 2 jack connectors (3.5mm female, one stereo, the other mono, I believe). The stereo serves as output, while the mono can be connected to the audio output of your MSX, so that the PSG channels will be mixed with the FM channels and you'd have 6 FM channels on one side and on the other, 3 PSG channels + 5 FM drums or 3 PSG channels + 3 FM (depending on the FM-PAK music mode).
Furthermore, the FM-PAC has, contrary to the FM-PAK, SRAM. This allows for saving games, particularly supported in Japanese games.
|
|
BiFi
msx guru
Berichten: 3142 | Geplaatst: 29 November 2005, 15:46 |
yep, one of the jack connectors allows you to input the PSG signal to be mixed with the rhythm channels on one side while the other 6 channels (the music channels) will be set on the other side. There are more MSX-MUSIC cartridges released, for example a Korean one (which has a terrible output signal) and a few like one made by MSX-Club West-Friesland in the Netherlands. It's also called FM-PAC or FM-PAC which was/is the common name for any of the MSX-MUSIC cartridges.
The original FM-PAC (by Panasonic) has a few more nifty features apart from the built-in SRAM. There's a 3-way switch to change the MSX-MUSIC sound volume to balance it a little better with the built-in PSG. Also it has a way to control the MSX-MUSIC registers using addresses in the FM-PAC slot apart from the I/O ports... And last but not least you need to switch on the FM-PAC MSX-MUSIC to be able to use it.
|
|
jltursan
msx professional
Berichten: 816 | Geplaatst: 29 November 2005, 17:21 |
So, I guess they're basically compatible (excluding SRAM). The Dutch version has more features; but always keeping the original ones, isn't it?. The connectors are indeed a nice add-on to the cart.
|
|
manuel
msx guru
Berichten: 3350 | Geplaatst: 29 November 2005, 19:15 |
The Dutch one has a completely different built in program as well. Does the Dutch one have built in FM-BASIC? I think it has.
|
|
BiFi
msx guru
Berichten: 3142 | Geplaatst: 29 November 2005, 19:19 |
Yes it has FM-BASIC built in as well... based on the MSX-MUSIC built in MSX2+ machines though...
|
|
Repair-Bas
msx addict
Berichten: 380 | Geplaatst: 29 November 2005, 20:55 |
The West-Friesland FM-PAC has the same rom as the korean FM-chip.
|
|
|
|
|
