Contents |
Description
Computer
The National FS-4600F is a "Word-pro Persocom" (Word processor Personal Computer) with a built-in 24 dots thermal transfer printer and a double-sided disk drive.
The FS-4600F was available only in dark silver. It was aimed at the Japanese market.
A special edition was released by the Com Intex (= Computer Communication Inter Exchange) company in a monstruous educational box containing the computer and 20 floppy disks with 85 lessons (was also sold in a set with the MSX2 Sanyo MPC-25FS, Sanyo PHC-77 and the MSX2+ Panasonic FS-A1WX).
Firmware data can be saved on the FS-CR1008S cartridge. It contains 8kB SRAM and a battery to preserve them when the computer is off.
A dial on the left side allows a change of print density. With the dial set to the maximum, it is possible to print directly onto thermal paper. This way no ink cartridge is needed.
A switch at the back allows a selection between external printer or built-in printer. Dip switches allow selection between JP50on or JIS keyboard layout, modification of paper feed pitch and to bypass the firmware menu and go directly to BASIC on startup. On emulators, these switches are not yet emulated, so you can't bypass the firmware when booting the computer.
The original replacement ink cartridge is the CF-PR120, but you can also use the CF-PR110.
| Brand | National |
| Model | FS-4600F |
| Year | 1986 |
| Region | Japan |
| Launch price | ¥138,000 |
| RAM | 128kB in slot 3-2, 8kB SRAM for software data back up |
| VRAM | 128kB |
| Media | MSX cartridges, 2DD floppy disks |
| Video | Yamaha V9938 |
| Audio | PSG (YM2149 integrated in MSX-Engine S1985) |
| Chipset | Yamaha S1985 |
| Keyboard layout | QWERTY/JIS by default (JP50on available with dip switch) + numeric keypad |
| Extras | 720kB 3,5" floppy disk drive, reset button, built-in printer, dial for selecting print density, switch for selecting an external printer, dip switches for keyboard mode setting, paper feed pitch and firmware enable/disable, Kanji-ROM level 1, 12x12 Dot Kanji-ROM, MSX-DOS 1 + Image Converter (on disk), firmware: Japanese + English Word Processor, MSX-JE (compound Kanji dictionary), kanji driver, Address Book & Business Card |
| Emulation | ROMs dumped and emulated with exception of the internal printer. The printer select switch is set to External printer and cannot be changed. The firmware application menu switch is enabled by default and cannot be changed. Keyboard switch is set to JIS and cannot be changed. |
Firmware
This computer comes with a built-in Japanese/English Word Processor with MSX-JE kana-kanji conversion.
The firmware menu presents 4 options:
- Japanese Word Processor (15 or 30 characters per line)
- English Word Processor (30 or 60 characters per line)
- Address Book & Business Card
- MSX-BASIC
Each Word Processor has a sub-menu with 7 options: 1 - New text - 2 - Edit text - 3 - Print - 4 - Save - 5 - Load 6 - Delete (only on disk) - 7 - Close. In options 1 and 2, you can access settings with F8.
Compared to the FS-4500 or FS-4700 firmware, the Address Book & Business Card utility has remained unchanged and there are a few changes in the Word Processors:
- The most important change is that MSX-JE procedure is used for the kana-kanji conversion
- The program has support for 12x12 kanjis
- A 6th paper size is available
- Two new parameters have been added in the print option
- The loading is faster
- Closing a Word Processor does not automatically lead to reset, you need to manually reset the computer
From MSX-BASIC, it's no more possible to go back to the firmware applications with CALL instructions.
Note: National also released a add-on cartridge, the FS-SR023 which allows the built-in word processor to print a 48 dot "Brush" style typeface.
Software
Besides MSX-DOS 1, the provided floppy disk contains a simple drawing program in screen 7, named "Image Converter", with keyboard and mouse support. Several pictures are included and the last icon is for using the FS-RS500 scanner, with choice between two scanning modes.
To run MSX-DOS, you need to insert the disk in drive A and choose option 4 of the firmware menu. On a real machine, you can also skip the firmware menu by using the dip switches before booting with the MSX-DOS disk in drive A. In both cases, you need to press CTRL+STOP to avoid the launching of the drawing program.
Pictures
Computer
Firmware
Software
Specifications
The National FS-4600F is a MSX2 with 2 cartridge slots (in parallel one at the top). The CPU is a Z80 from Zilog (Z084C0004PSC). The MSX-Engine comes from Yamaha (S1985). The SRAM is a NEC D4464C-15L chip on the annex board. The floppy disk controller is the MB8877A from Fujitsu Microelectronics.
Slot Map
| Slot | Slot | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0-3 | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | 3-0 | 3-1 | 3-2 | 3-3 | ||||
| Page C000h~FFFFh | Cartridge Slot 1 | Cartridge Slot 2 | MSX Word-Pro | 128kB Memory Mapper | |||||||||
| Page 8000h~BFFFh | Kanji driver | ||||||||||||
| Page 4000h~7FFFh | Main-ROM | Disk ROM | |||||||||||
| Page 0000h~3FFFh | Sub-ROM | Word-Pro Font 1 | Word-Pro Font 2 | ||||||||||
Connections
- RF output
- RGB output
- Analog sound & Composite video
- Data Recorder connector
- Centronics compatible Parallel port for a printer
- 2 general connectors (Joysticks, Mouse, Paddle controlers, etc)
- 2 cartridge slots
- Power plug male for main power supply (JIS C 8303 class, AC 100V +/-10% 50/60Hz)
External links
- National FS-4600F on Generation-MSX
- Detailed comparison of the FS-4600F and FS-4700 (Japanese)
- Info on the FS-4600F (Japanese) - archived version
- Blog post about the FS-4600F (Korean)