MSX Info pages

Philips NMS800

See the MSX Info Pages Manuals for userguides and manuals

 

 

The Philips NMS 800 is not the standard Philips MSX computer. It seems to be only sold in Italy, with on top the words: MSX compatible. Looking at the specifications tells it is indeed a special MSX computer with the specifications:

- MSX -1
- 64K RAM
- 32K ROM
- 16K videoram
- 2 joystick connectors
- reset switch
- RGB and composite video output via SCART cable
- MSX Basic V3
- Full keyboard - audio cassette recorder connector

 

 

The manual, here in scanned format is written in Italian, in an informal and entertaining way. The date mentioned in the manual is, like the date on the PCB, 1989.

 

 

The PCB is compact, behind the keyboard. The keyboard looks good but is not of high quality.

 

 

Hardware wise the NMS 800 is a standard MSX 1 build with discrete components (Z80 cpu, 8255 PPI, TMS9129NL vdp, AY-3-8910A soundchip, 4116 vram, 4464 RAM, 27256 ROM). Considering the build/design date (1989 is printed on the PCB, see the photo) the use of a MSX Engine (like the S3527 used in all but the earliest Philips MSX 1 and 2 machines) would be expected. The designer is a the UK based firm CELINT (UK) LTD, also not the normal Japanese partner used by Philips for MSX design.

 

 

The machine comes with a NMS cassette recorder, with the offical New Media System logo on it, and some lettering "Recorder" in the NMS 800 style.

 

 

Noteworthy is the lack of a cartridge slot, quite an essential part of the MSX standard.Perhaps that is the reason the computer is marked MSX compatible. Special is also the high version of the MSX Basic, 3.0 compared to 2 seen in most MSX 1 computers, perhaps the result from the late design date 1989.

The video out is a full RGB signal of high quality. Again not a standard thing to see on MSX 1 computers. It can be done (see the DIY pages) with a resistor matrix and some transitors, and thats is found on the right side of the PCB.

 

 

With the machine a double sided cassette with some wellknown MSX games is delivered.

 

The startup screen does not show the standard MSX 1 logo, but the text "Philips MSX Version 3.0).

 

 

After the boot the standard welcome message is shown "MSX Basic Version 3.0, 28815 bytes free"

NMS 801

It seems there is also a NMS 801. On several places on the web this machine is referred to as the NMS 801. One of the pictures shows a rf output (a small pcb attached udnerneath the top cover).Look at a picture here. So perhaps two models were produced, this NMS 800 and a NSM 801 with rf output.

Enribar send me the next photo of the front of his NMS 801 manual: the number 801 is put over the original 800 number. Another indication the number was incremented to indicate something different in the model.

 

 

Also described on the internet are Italian machines like a Viewdata terminal build into an identical casing (NMS 3000/4000), with different colors.

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