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Kimo-hachi, a hand-made MSX

Kimo-hachi, a hand-made MSX

by ro on 28-06-2018, 08:41
Topic: Hardware
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The Japanese engineer Kimoan built a hand-made MSX computer, not with FPGA but with hard wired general chips. It was named 肝八, Kimo-hachi. It can already boot with both MSX-BIOS or C-BIOS. You can also watch a demonstration launching Konami's Knightmare on Kimo-hachi in his website.

Kimo-Hachi consists of several print circuit boards. He broke down all functions of MSX into small units. Each of units corresponds a circuit board, and then they were built extension just like a building. The first board was given a special task; connecting to a host PC mainly for test or ROM image transfer. He says a cartridge slot will soon be implemented.

He built not only an MSX compatible machine but also classic arcade game clones such as Mr. Do. If you are interested in his unconventional and novel method to build 8-bit machines, just visit his web site.

Technical specifications:

  • MSX2+ compatible (incomplete)
  • Z80A
  • ROM 96 KB (MAIN, SUB, FM, KANJI-DRIVER)
  • RAM 1024 KB (Mapper-RAM)
  • 8255
  • V9958
  • YM 2149 (AY-3-8910)
  • YM 2413
  • RP5C01
  • PS / 2 Keyboard Interface
  • Joystick port
  • KANJI ROM
  • SCC

Future improvements:

  • MEGA ROM controller (ASCII 8K)
  • Cartridge slot
  • Storage interface (under consideration)

Relevant link: Kimoan's web-site
Original submitted by ghost_jp

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Comments (9)

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3961)

sdsnatcher73's picture

28-06-2018, 22:16

Off-topic, but his twitter seems to be @kimoanman and I could not help but think: another konamiman Wink woohoo

On-topic: really great to see what people are capable off!

By Manuel

Ascended (19469)

Manuel's picture

28-06-2018, 23:08

Reminds me of msxholder, who also built such a thing, if I remember correctly. There are probably photos of this.

By Pac

Scribe (7011)

Pac's picture

29-06-2018, 18:51

ghost_jp: please let me modify your original text just adding the specs that Kimoan provided to us. I think it's worth to add this important information in the main text better than in the comments part. Wink

BTW a great hardware project, pure MSX!

By lintweaker

Champion (464)

lintweaker's picture

30-06-2018, 09:04

Cool, nice.
I am also (slowly) building a (hopefully) MSX compatible machine with mostly TTL ICs. I am using a few EEPLDs to save on logic for IO mapping etc.

By OeiOeiVogeltje

Paragon (1433)

OeiOeiVogeltje's picture

01-07-2018, 01:57

i want one!
how can i buy ?

By kimoan

Supporter (6)

kimoan's picture

01-07-2018, 08:45

Hi guys.

This is my first post.

Now, I am making MSX2+ board. Once this is completed, it will be MSX2+ compatible, except for FDD and cartridge slots.

I would like to sell it if there are people who want this.

By lintweaker

Champion (464)

lintweaker's picture

01-07-2018, 10:32

kimoan wrote:

Hi guys.

This is my first post.

Now, I am making MSX2+ board. Once this is completed, it will be MSX2+ compatible, except for FDD and cartridge slots.

I would like to sell it if there are people who want this.

Hi, welcome Smile
Do you plan to release (part) of the schematics? I am interested to see how you did it.

(Yesterday I managed to get MSX1 booting and a MSX1 ROM game on my homemade MSX SBC, yeeh!)

By kimoan

Supporter (6)

kimoan's picture

02-07-2018, 19:31

I haven't thought about releasing schematics publicly, but if you have any request, please contact me. Smile

By OeiOeiVogeltje

Paragon (1433)

OeiOeiVogeltje's picture

03-07-2018, 22:01

a cartridge slot and a way to connect a floppy drive would be nice though....