VGMPlay for MSX

Ascended (10821)

22-02-2015, 02:20

I’ve started a little side project to play VGM chip music files on MSX. VGM is a register-dump music format which supports various sound chips, many of which are also available on MSX: PSG (AY-3-8910 / YM2149), Konami SCC, MSX-MUSIC (YM2413), MSX-AUDIO (Y8950, YM3526), MoonSound (YM3812, YMF262, YMF278B), Yamaha SFG-01/05 (YM2151), Franky / PlaySoniq / MMM (SN76489), etc.

Video: VGMPlay for MSX, first results

This is a video of the first working version of the player, it plays back a VGM song recorded from the Sharp X1 version of Sorcerian on the MSX PSG sound chip. Compare with the original. (Note that the pitch on the MSX is a bit lower, this is because the X1 has a slightly higher clock frequency.)

It is not ready for release yet, but the source code is available for those curious.

Project page:
http://www.grauw.nl/projects/vgmplay-msx/

For a collection of VGM music see:
http://vgmrips.net/

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Van giuseve

Paladin (813)

22-02-2015, 07:33

Nice

Van Manuel

Ascended (19678)

22-02-2015, 08:28

Cool, now for the more complex chips

Van Grauw

Ascended (10821)

22-02-2015, 15:43

Video: VGMPlay for MSX, YM2151 support

The result of adding support for the YM2151 “OPM” sound chip to VGMPlay for MSX. It is the same Sorcerian song as in the last video, but this time from YM2151 version which was captured from the Sharp X1 Turbo.

The YM2151 is available for MSX in the Yamaha SFG-01 / 05 sound modules. These were made for the side slots in Yamaha’s CX5M music computers, however using an UCN-01 Unit Connector (or homemade) adapter cable they can also be plugged in to any other MSX computer.

Compare: http://vgmrips.net/packs/pack/sorcerian-sharp-x1-turbo-psg-o...

As before, the pitch is a bit lower because the X1 has a slightly higher clock frequency. Also note that the song ends a bit prematurely, this is because I do not allocate enough memory for the entire song yet.

Van edoz

Prophet (2501)

22-02-2015, 15:50

Very nice project! cool to hear the difference between sound chips.

Van karloch

Prophet (2159)

22-02-2015, 20:26

Is it me or the OPM sounds way better than the OPLL?

Van Grauw

Ascended (10821)

22-02-2015, 21:09

The OPM sounds amazing, I think.

In my opinion, the OPM is on par with the OPL3 / OPL4. Like the OPL4 it’s got 4-op FM voices, but on 8 channels in stead of 6, and with twice as many FM algorithms and detunable operator multipliers. On the other hand the OPL has many more (2-op) channels, as well as 8 different waveforms where the OPM has only 1 (sine).

Even though they are both from Yamaha, they are quite different.

Van sd_snatcher

Prophet (3675)

22-02-2015, 23:31

Cool project!

Humm, both PSG and YM2151 are at 2MHz and 4MHz, respectively. In MSX they are at 1.78MHz and 3.57MHz. Are you converting the note frequencies on the fly?

And yes, OPM and OPL chips are very different beasts indeed.

Van giangiacomo.zaffini

Champion (267)

23-02-2015, 00:41

Frankly it is fantastic! Congrats Grauw!
I hope that You will keep minimalistic interface, no graphics frills, and MSX1 support as far as possible.

Van Grauw

Ascended (10821)

23-02-2015, 01:53

New video: VGMPlay for MSX, YM2151 support (full length)

Now I load the song data into memory mapper pages so I can store and play back the entire song :).

sd_snatcher wrote:

Humm, both PSG and YM2151 are at 2MHz and 4MHz, respectively. In MSX they are at 1.78MHz and 3.57MHz. Are you converting the note frequencies on the fly?

Those numbers indicate the frequency of the original system of the recording. I was considering adjusting them, but the frequency difference is small enough, it is just transposed down by about 2 semitones.

giangiacomo.zaffini wrote:

I hope that You will keep minimalistic interface, no graphics frills, and MSX1 support as far as possible.

I definitely want to support MSX1, after all the YM2151 is most commonly present in the CX5M and CX5MII, and they are MSX1 computers. However a memory mapper will be required. Currently MSX-DOS2 (Nextor) is also mandatory but I intend to add DOS1 support in the future.

Van e1000

Resident (35)

26-02-2015, 14:55

Amazing, congratulations!!!