Description

Hardware

Konami EC-700 is a Japanese word processing package released in 1985 consisting of the following two cartridges:

EC-701 Japanese Word Processor cartridge compatible with MSX1 and MSX2 computers - it contains 4 ROMs, the Word Processor is on a 32kB ROM while the dictionary (about 42000 words) is on three 128kB ROMs
EC-702 Kanji-ROM cartridge (JIS1) containing one 128kB ROM - however, a part of JIS2 characters is also available

You can notice that the EC-701 cartridge has an unusual big size.

This product was fully developed and manufactured by Canon, which released a near identical package under the reference VWU-100 consisting of the VW-100 V-Word Japanese Word Processor and the VK-100 Kanji-ROM.

Launch price: ¥34,800

Software

The provided Japanese Word Processor has low res mode for MSX1/2 and high res mode for MSX2.

On MSX1, you directly access the editor screen. On MSX2, an intro screen leaves you the choice between both resolutions modes:

F4 = high resolution mode (screen 6)
F5 = low resolution mode (screen 2)

Some useful keys in the editor screen:

F1 = load
F2 = save
F3 = external characters (you can create 10 extra characters)
F4 = text changes and conversions
F5 = help
ESC = layout overview (back to editor with ESC)

There are four sets of function key menus swappable by STOP key. F5 is always help so there are 4*4+1=17 menus.

Useful keys in the help screen:

F4 = toggle help screen 1 / help screen 2
F5 = back to editor

Documents/original characters/dictionary entries created by user are not saved to the cartridges themselves but to a tape or floppy disk.

This software does not run properly on MSX2+/Turbo R due to a failure upon reading MSX version number at main rom 002Dh. An IPS patch is available here to fix this issue.