blueMSX 1.0.1

Today, a new MSX emulator was released: blueMSX 1.0.1. This emulator. based on fMSX 2.7, was developed by Daniel Vik. The emulator is very easy to use and, although this is the first official release, runs a lot of MSX software as it should. The goals of the blueMSX project are:

Better video emulation. Two types of PAL emulation give the emulator the look and feel of an old TV.
Better audio emulation. New emulation of audio devices.
Better joystick and mouse support. Better response time and better configuration.
User friendly interface/
Relatively low CPU load

You can download the emulator and it's source code at the blueMSX website. Over there you also find more information on the things that were already improved.

Relevant link: blueMSX website

Comments (10)

By AuroraMSX

Paragon (1902)

21-11-2003, 14:17

There's one thing I ab-so-lu-te-ly do *NOT* get with this (and other) emulator(s).
Why this almost compulsatory urge to mimic those old crappy televisions we used to have to plug our beloved MSXes on?
When I had my MSX plugged into a tele, I was *screaming* for a real monitor, so I'd get e normal, bright and crisp image instead of that vague blurry colored blob!! I was so happy when I finally could use the CVBS output instead of the original aerial, and even happier when I was able to switch to RGB!!

And, if you -- yes, I mean *you* , you emu-developers -- want to create that real old shit feeling I had back then, then at least put some effort too into putting a lot of noise in the PSG and FM-PAC emulation. Make that MSX emulator sponaneously reset the MSX after a few hours of use, due to overheating! Make the emu refuse diskimages, now and then, because of dirty FDD-heads! Blow up a virtual ROM cartidge now and then!

Dammit! ;-)

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

21-11-2003, 14:44

Now that's a quite complete description of how an MSX acts, Aurora

Some things in this new emulator are quite funny, it's MSX2 only since the system roms are incorporated in the executable resulting in a no-can-do when you want to set up different machines, the UI has its pro's and con's and I beg to differ about the author's point of view when it comes to NLMSX being better than openMSX, especially with Catapult.

And since when can't you put a rom image into slot 2 when you inserted it in slot 1 one time? Didn't test it yet with disk images though.

All in all a nice addition to the so many already released MSX emulators. Personally I'd stick with openMSX though.

By Latok

msx guru (3929)

21-11-2003, 15:43

I was just about to post a reaction on how I love the way this emulator emulates old crappy tvscreens! It REALLY gives me a true MSX feeling, actually! And then I see AuroraWrk his reaction. How opinions can differ...

By cax

Prophet (3740)

21-11-2003, 17:19

Never used MSX with TV in the past - all Yamaha MSX classes in USSR came with NTSC monitors, green-on-black for student machines, and color monitor for a teacher station.

My current TV connection uses RGB.

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

21-11-2003, 17:53

AuroraWrk wrote: "I was so happy when I finally could use the CVBS output instead of the original aerial, and even happier when I was able to switch to RGB!!"

I never used RF output on MSX, only CVBS (crap) and RGB. I think the emulators trying to mimic 'old TV's' are really trying to mimic RGB display on a good (CM8833 or VS0080) monitor.

MSX monitors simply weren't made with square pixels like modern PC monitors have. They are round, like in a TV.

By ani

Supporter (14)

21-11-2003, 19:07

Aurora has one good point. The audio emulation should be more authentic as well. (I don't think this is what you wanted though) All emulators have a quite sterile sound. This is because there are no variations in the sound. Just adding white noise will not do it though.

The emulator emulates MSX1, 2, and 2+. Three different roms are in there but BiFi is right. It would be nice to be able to configure other system roms as well.

I think the TV emulation is quite nice though. It makes it more fun to use....

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6450)

21-11-2003, 19:22

I really don't like this emulator : the quality sound is far from perfection, it uses a WMM driver, not sound drivers of DirectX ! The PAL feature is for me a gadget. So we have a fMSX clone that is less interesting than fMSXSO, paraMSX and fMSX-SDL, with an interface inspired by MESS and RuMSX ... and without any alternative configurations ...
It this really useful ????

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

21-11-2003, 21:40

I used to want to program an MSX emulator too, because so few good ones were available then. Now, I wouldn't dream of starting one from scratch. I'd rather put my energy in further improving openMSX!

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6450)

21-11-2003, 22:18

That's also my point of view : helping the best emulators (NLMSX and openMSX) to become perfect is really a better idea than launching another clone of fMSX ... By the way, I'm not really convicted by the reasons of the creation of BlueMSX : for the author - and that's also my opinion - NLMSX is the best emulator, then why not suggest new ideas to Frits Hilderink ???

By Kaminari

Ambassador (0)

25-11-2003, 20:30

Most people completely overlook the fact that the TV/RGB monitor scanline WAS part of the way the graphists used to create their pictures. And it's not specific to the MSX but is true for each and every console/computer that could be plugged onto a 15 KHz display device -- yes, EVEN the Dreamcast. Now if you want to play at your MSX the 'crisp' way (also called the 'square' way, or the 'fugly' way), you'd better had been inspired to buy a DOS box in the first place!

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