So refreshing to see a MSX machine being featured here. Way before PCs got decent graphics and audio, everyone I did show my MSX (1.0) got impressed by it. Even more so with the "plug and play" capabilities - cartridges could contain software, hardware or a combination of both.<p>You could have a cartridge that allowed you to play a game - just like a console - while another allowed you to have a (say) disk drive. While 40 columns per line was the standard (this was upgraded with the 2.0 spec), there were cartridges that allowed you to have 80 columns - and would contain all necessary hardware.<p>Today this is not impressive and "firmware" is commonplace. But at the time the state of the art on the PC involved jumper flipping and installing software from disks...<p>Then the Amiga came in a similar (although more expensive) niche and there was no contest.<p>I never really understood why MSX didn't succeed in the US, considering that MSX means "Microsoft Extended". My first contact with DOS was MSX-DOS.
Ah MSX! My first computer was a Spectravideo MSX machine.<p>Loved it!<p>I learned programming on a Sinclair ZX81 so getting the MSX was a huge boost in graphics and color.<p>But it was the 80s so anything with color was great!<p>1. <a href="https://www.msx.org/wiki/Spectravideo_SVI-728" rel="nofollow">https://www.msx.org/wiki/Spectravideo_SVI-728</a>
Interesting, never heard of this one. Reminds me a bit of my old Commodore.<p>Loved Pioneers amber illuminated stereo equipment in the 80s/90s... sadly they've moved away from those pleasing colors. My newer receiver actually has a blue led! yuck.
MSX was quite popular in Brazil. A Gradiente Expert was my first computer. We had a disk drive and a monitor, both relatively rare.<p>I still remember MSX-DOS, which was interesting because it had some CP/M compatibility, and it could run Turbo Pascal and WordStar.<p>And of course amazing, unforgettable games like Knightmare and Alien 8.