What should the one chip MSX look like?

Ascended (15187)

02-02-2003, 23:51

Interesting point never discussed before. How should the thing look?
According to the latest info, it will be a portable device, but should it look like an ordinary notebook or should it be highly recognizable from a distance?

By DarQ

Paragon (1038)

02-02-2003, 23:59

highly recognizable from a distance with high 'japan-factor' (as said before).

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

03-02-2003, 14:05

It should be a half-depth notebook. That means relatively small LCD, with room for some buttons (cursors!) on the sides. I might try to sketch up a design I'd like
It must be compact and handy to take with you.

Ofcourse I do expect powerful MSX desktops to be released eventually but a very good mobile device is the way to penetrate the market.

Oh, and PLEASE let them NOT call it a PDA. It's not a PDA, it's a computer! The naming of the device is another thing that should set the MSX apart from all the other mobile devices.

By Grauw

Ascended (10707)

03-02-2003, 14:33

I fully agree with both responses above ^_^.

~Grauw

By snout

Ascended (15187)

03-02-2003, 21:35

Hmmm , we're talking about browsing the web here. 800x600 is kind of the minimum resolution for most sites nowadays, 1024x768 is no exception.. You need quite a large of screen to display these resolutions in a readable format.

What about the tablet PC designs? are they relevant to the new MSX?

By Grauw

Ascended (10707)

04-02-2003, 01:19

Well, if web sites are created with (X)HTML Strict using CSS 2.0 to its full potential, there should be no problem. Just a matter of selecting another stylesheet, or not selecting one at all. And don't forget, sites can be adapted. And as a final option, one could just have scrollbars.

Personally, would much much rather have a more 'portable', smaller device.

~Grauw

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

04-02-2003, 12:45

Definitely a small portable device, as long as I can hook up a full-sized keyboard and monitor, I'm game!

By snout

Ascended (15187)

04-02-2003, 12:48

Indeed! That's a feature PDA's lack, right??? (ok most of them can hook up a tiny keyboard )

By snout

Ascended (15187)

10-02-2003, 11:21

So it should be small enough to be portable and low-energy consuming, yet versatile enough to be used as a 'normal' computer with an external display and keyboard. However, could you be a bit more specific on the design you'd like?

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

10-02-2003, 12:51

Hey, and what about a tiny-cased desktop computer? For example, like Capuccino TX and VX series (have a look at http://www.thinkgeek.com ).
A LCD display is a really *BIG* problem because of different resolutions and frequencies used by MSX computers: the results are a complete mess with irregular pixel sizes.
We do need external CRT monitors.
What about a eBook solution? I mean a thing more like the original Macintosh: integrated all, but with lots of external connectors. And with a fancy style, of course. I would like that my next MSX looked like a iMac! It is cool and really different of that big-box PC style.
But I think that the problem is not only the style: hardware configuration and final price are the real problems, I guess. Apart of a good and unified marketing campaign (that was the problem of MSX computers in Europe). By the way, who is going to produce the new computer? Please keep in mind that ASCII is NOT a hardware developer, it will define the standard, but will not build anything (apart of some demo prototypes).

Looking forward for the new thing, anyway.

By Grauw

Ascended (10707)

10-02-2003, 13:51

A LCD display is a really *BIG* problem because of different resolutions and frequencies used by MSX computers: the results are a complete mess with irregular pixel sizes.

Not at all, the MSX's current resolutions use either a width of 512 or 256 pixels. Just double every pixel in a 256-width-mode. Frequencies are no obstacle for LCD screens (they don't use frequencies, it's a stable image). Height can be 192 pixels minimum, and 424 pixels maximum (interlaced). So I'd say make it 424 pixels high, use double for a height of 212 pixels and when using 192 pixels, add proper borders on the top and the bottom (as happens on a current MSX computers aswell!).

What about a eBook solution? I mean a thing more like the original Macintosh: integrated all, but with lots of external connectors. And with a fancy style, of course. I would like that my next MSX looked like a iMac! It is cool and really different of that big-box PC style.

I think no-one doubts the use for external connectors here ^_^, so yes I think those should definately be present aswell. It should be as easy to hook up your 'new msx' to a TV as your old one.

But I think that the problem is not only the style: hardware configuration and final price are the real problems, I guess. Apart of a good and unified marketing campaign (that was the problem of MSX computers in Europe).

The one-chip-msx by itself is intended to be cheap. Ofcourse when you add stuff like LCD devices, it gets more expensive, but that's a price you either want to pay or not. Take a look at the PSone and its LCD display, which is optional. Something like that.

By the way, who is going to produce the new computer? Please keep in mind that ASCII is NOT a hardware developer, it will define the standard, but will not build anything (apart of some demo prototypes).

I would guess they'd come up with a decent concept and try to convince some hardware developers to produce the thing. They've done it in the past, so I would think they can do that again.

~Grauw