MSX Gids PDFs (Dutch mag) | MSX Resource Center (Page 6/15)

Champion (327)

16-02-2017, 16:16

It looks good. I've just found a really interesting article in issue 8, page 22 explaining how to check how much RAM is in a Philips VG-8235. I bought mine from an MVM member on eBay. The article says that some examples of this computer have got 128K, but due to a fault, only 64K is accessible. There's a program on that page using OUT 252 OUT 253 and CALL MEMINI to check how much RAM there is. I think my start up screen says 128K System RAM, but it's not plugged in, so I'm not looking at it at the moment. I think I read on eBay that this computer has been upgraded to more than 128K system RAM. Can I use this program as listed to check this, or how could it be modified to check my computer System RAM? How can I check how much VRAM I've got?

By meits

Scribe (6534)

16-02-2017, 19:46

you could try this.
Haven't checked... It might do the job...

By Emsung

Supporter (1)

16-02-2017, 21:14

Hello everyone!

I'm looking for scans of a dutch magazine called "MSX User". It was a user-based magazine and had around 5-6 editions. The first edition was a blue cover.

The magazine is referenced in "http://www.msxflash.nl/downloads/msx_info/1995/msx_computer_club_magazine_73.pdf" at page 14

I can't find any mention of this magazine online, and i hope someone has a copy!

I would like to gift them as a suprise to one of the editors

By Samor

Prophet (2171)

16-02-2017, 21:12

I don't even know there was anything like that... a new magazine at that time?
...the only thing I can find is an English magazine with that name, 10 years earlier.

By CX5Mer

Champion (327)

16-02-2017, 22:17

Meits wrote:

you could try this.
Haven't checked... It might do the job...

Unfortunately I have no way of getting downloads onto my Philips VG-8235. I tried a USB floppy drive which didn't work and a PC with built in floppy drive, which hardly worked, then it blew out. I can only type programs in, or load them from disk or cartridge. I've just bought a cassette data recorder as well. :(

By rderooy

Paladin (686)

17-02-2017, 00:04

Samor wrote:

moved PDF's to onedrive, updated link:
https://1drv.ms/f/s!At2URH9aT-e6htkD-awBeQkchcpS9w

https://www.msx.org/wiki/MSX_Gids

Also includes issue 19

By Samor

Prophet (2171)

17-02-2017, 04:13

Nice, thanks; I didn't have #19 yet.

I see issue no. 9 has a cover now, but still no back! Ah well, it's an improvement.

GenMSX only seems to have the covers(?), and that third option requires an account or something (issuu?)

I like that all the currently (known) scanned ones are on archive.org. ...that's better than some random person's cloud drive.

By rderooy

Paladin (686)

17-02-2017, 09:05

Samor wrote:

Nice, thanks; I didn't have #19 yet.

I see issue no. 9 has a cover now, but still no back! Ah well, it's an improvement.

GenMSX only seems to have the covers(?), and that third option requires an account or something (issuu?)

I like that all the currently (known) scanned ones are on archive.org. ...that's better than some random person's cloud drive.

GenMSX has the "View Online" button which takes you to archive.org for those issues that have been preserved.

Also most magazines on issuu should be viewable without an account. Just dismiss any dialogs that try to get you to sign up.

By rderooy

Paladin (686)

17-02-2017, 09:16

Also if your interested in other Dutch (or other language) MSX magazines, check out:
https://www.msx.org/wiki/Magazines#Dutch

By RetroTechie

Paragon (1563)

18-02-2017, 01:04

CX5Mer wrote:

Can I use this program as listed to check this, or how could it be modified to check my computer System RAM?

For a quick check, use this type-in:

poke &hf676,1: poke &hf677,193: poke &hc100,0: new

10 for n=255 to 0 step -1: out 254,n: poke &h8000,n: next n
20 for n=0 to 255: out 254,n: print n, peek(&h8000): next n
run

(use [STOP] key to pause output)

Check the 2nd column. If you see numbers 0..3 repeating, you have 64 KB main RAM (memory mapper). If you see numbers 0..7 repeating, you have 128 KB. And so on:
0..15 = 256 KB
0..31 = 512 KB
0..63 = 1 MB
0..127 = 2 MB
0..255 = 4 MB

But to properly test that RAM, you'll need to find a way to load a good RAM test program. There's a few around...

Quote:

How can I check how much VRAM I've got?

Any Philips MSX2 that I know has 128 KB VRAM from factory. Including the NMS8220 which has only 64 KB main RAM.
That is also the case for a VG8235, unless (V)RAM chips have died or someone removed some.

EDIT: iirc, SCREEN 8 (and perhaps screen 7 too?) requires 128 KB VRAM to work. So if "SCREEN 8" produces an error message, that may mean you have only 64 KB VRAM. Not entirely sure on this one though... can anyone confirm?