Contents |
Description
Standard version
The Sanyo MPC-2, a.k.a Wavy2, was a "low cost" MSX aimed at the Japanese market. It was available in a black (K) or white (W) variation. The power supply is internal. It was first shown to the public at the Japan Electronics Show '85 (Oct 17-22).
This machine has been localised for the Arabic, Italian and Spanish markets - see Sakhr AX-170 and AX-230, Fenner FPC-500, Sanyo MPC-200.
Special versions
This is a rare version, released to celebrate the production of the 100,000 MSX as the sticker on the mainboard suggests. This special version has 3 cartridge slots, but is without printer connector.
You need to insert the cartridges before switching on the computer. These cartridges are detected when you switch it on and the computer uses them simultaneously, what can be very interesting for some games (example: Game Master 2 + Gradius/Nemesis + Twin Bee).
A button allows to restart the MSX with a different slot configuration, by following this automatic loop: only cartridge in slot 1 - only cartridge in slot 2 - only cartridge in slot 3 - back to multi-cartridge using - only cartridge in slot 1 - etc...
In addition, according Japanese MSX-Magazine 1987-04, page 104-105, another special version has been produced for education in 1987. This version has a specific LAN connector instead of TV out and has been upgraded to the MSX2 standard. This LAN interface allows to network up to 63 units on one host at 18,600 bps. That version has two cartridge slots.
These special versions are very rare nowaday!
| Brand | Sanyo |
| Model | MPC-2 |
| Year | 1985 |
| Region | Japan |
| Launch price | ¥39,800 |
| RAM | 64kB (standard version: in slot 3 - special version: in slot 0-1) |
| VRAM | 16kB |
| Media | MSX cartridges |
| Video | Toshiba T6950 |
| Audio | PSG (AY-3-8910 or T7766A) |
| Chipset | Toshiba T7775 |
| Keyboard layout | QWERTY/JP50on |
| Extras | (standard version) Reset button, (special version) cartridge selector button with automatic reset |
| Emulation | ROM dumped and emulated for the standard version. For the special versions ROM dumps are needed. See this thread for details |
Pictures
Standard version
Special version
PCB detail
Specifications
The MPC-2 is a MSX1 with a MSX-Engine T7775. The used VDP is the Toshiba T6950, which does not support some undocumented features of the Texas Instruments TMS9918, TMS9928 and TMS9929 VDP's.
The main RAM of the special version is present on slot 0-1, a configuration that can cause poorly written software to crash. Also, with this layout, the POKE-1,(15-PEEK(-1)\16)*17 trick to workaround buggy software that does not handle subslots properly will cause this machine to freeze. So try BMMS instead if you have a memory expansion with Memory Mapper even if his tool doesn't work for MSX-DOS with several floppy disk drives when the internal Ram is in a slot 0 extended.
Slot Map for standard version
| Slot 0 | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Page C000h~FFFFh | Cartridge Slot 1 | Cartridge Slot 2 | 64kB RAM | ||||
| Page 8000h~BFFFh | |||||||
| Page 4000h~7FFFh | Main-ROM | ||||||
| Page 0000h~3FFFh |
Slot Map for special version
| Slot 0-0 | Slot 0-1 | Slot 0-2 | Slot 0-3 | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Page C000h~FFFFh | 64kB RAM | Cartridge Slot 1 | Cartridge Slot 2 | Cartridge Slot 3 | ||||||
| Page 8000h~BFFFh | ||||||||||
| Page 4000h~7FFFh | Main-ROM | |||||||||
| Page 0000h~3FFFh |
Connections
- RF output
- Analog sound & Composite video (NTSC)
- Data Recorder connector
- Centronics compatible Parallel port for a printer (removed from the version with 3 slots)
- 2 general connectors (Joysticks, Mice, Paddle controllers, etc)
- 2 or 3 cartridge slots