MSX CONNECTORS AND CABLES

Most MSX connectors can be found on the HardwareBook, but I'm trying to find out if I can put these schemes in this page. So, please be patient. The same goes for Mayer's I/O Map.

Fortunately, Giovanni R. Nunes sent me some important connectors in ASCII art... Thanks!

Note that none of the editors (including me, Manuel Bilderbeek) is responsible for any damage caused by errors in this page! Cables are made at your own risk. And, it's not guaranteed that there are no errors in the schemes!

Cassette connector

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

DIN 8 pins (female)

   7   6          1 GND         5 CMTIN  I
  3  8  1         2 GND         6 REM +  O
   5   4          3 GND         7 REM -  O
     2            4 CMTOUT  O   8 GND

Note: the MSX built by Gradiente in Brasil (the Expert) has another pin-layout:

DIN 5 pins (female)

    .     .
   3   .   1
    5     4
       2
  
  Pin   Name    I/O
  =================
  1     REM      O
  2     GND
  3     REM      O
  4     CMTIN    I
  5     CMTOUT   O

Joystick connector

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

DB 9 pins (male)

  1 2 3 4 5      1 FWD    I       5 +5V  
   6 7 8 9       2 BACK   I       6 TRG 1  I/O
                 3 LEFT   I       7 TRG 2  I/O
                 4 RIGHT  I       8 OUT    O
                                  9 GND

If a mouse is connected to a joystick-port, the pins are used as follows:
(Laurens Holst and Giovanni R. Nunes)

 1 data b0    (in)
 2 data b1    (in)
 3 data b2    (in)
 4 data b3    (in)
 5 +5V        (out)
 6 trigger 1  (in)
 7 trigger 2  (in)
 8 strobe     (out)
 9 ground

The system works as follows:

The MSX Mouse sends 2 signed bytes to the computer, X and Y. This byte must be added to the current X and Y location, so it is a relative movement. So X=0 means X is the same, X=1 means X=+1 and X=255 means X=-1. This is very easy to implement, however it poorly supports mouse speed control, because it's a digital signal. Well, anyways, those 2 bytes are transferred in 4 parts. The computer reads pins 1-4 four times, afterwards signalling the mouse to ready the next 4 bits by complementing pin 8.

Printer connector

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

Centronics 14 pins (female)

  07-06-05-04-03-02-01       1 PSTB  O   8 PDB6  O
 |                    |      2 PDB0  O   9 PDB7  O
  14-13-12-11-10-09-08       3 PDB1  O  10 NC
                             4 PDB2  O  11 BUSY  I
                             5 PDB3  O  12 NC
                             6 PDB4  O  13 NC
                             7 PDB5  O  14 GND

Note: the MSX built by Gradiente in Brasil (the Expert) has another connector:

I don't know the name but it is the same connector of flat cables, male with 26 pins (is equal to the parallel connector of a Pentium's motherboard with built-in IDE controler).

  25                        1
   . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  26                        2

  from 2 to 24 = GND
  19,23,25 and 26 not conected

  Pin   Name
  ================
   1    STROBE
   3    D0
   5    D1
   7    D2
   9    D3
  11    D4
  13    D5
  15    D6
  17    D7
  21    BUSY

RGB - SCART cable

(sent through the MSX Mailinglist by Maarten ter Huurne [mth@stack.nl])

It's for the Sony HB-F700, but it supposed to work for the Turbo-R and the Sanyo Wavy MSX2+ too.

SONY HB700 RGB plug: (seen from cable side)


      7       6

     3    8    1

      5       4
          2

SCART connector: (seen from cable side)

+---------------------------------------------+
 \  20  18  16  14  12  10   8   6   4   2    |
  \                                           |
  |   19  17  15  13  11   9   7   5   3   1  |
  +-------------------------------------------+

How to connect:

RGB:  Description:     SCART:
 1    audio ground        4 (and 5, 9, 13, 14, 18 to be sure)
 2    audio right         2 (and 6 (mono))
 3    status CVBS         8
 4    CVBS               20
 5    status RGB         16
 6    red                15
 7    green              11
 8    blue                7

I hope this is correct. If something is wrong, please mail me about it.

Bye, Maarten

SCART connector (Philips: Audio/Video out)

+---------------------------------------------+
 \  20  18  16  14  12  10   8   6   4   2    |
  \                                           |
21|   19  17  15  13  11   9   7   5   3   1  |
  +-------------------------------------------+

Pin  Name		I/O
----------------------------
1    Audio out (right)   O
2    Audio in (right)    I
3    Audio out (left)    O
4    Audio GND  
5    Blue GND
6    Audio in (left)     I
7    Blue out            O
8    Status CVBS	 O
9    Green GND
10   NC
11   Green out           O
12   NC
13   Red GND
14   GND
15   Red out		 O
16   Status RGB		 O
17   CVBS GND
18   RGB Status GND
19   CVBS out		 O
20   CVBS in		 I
21   Socket GND

Monitor connector Philips

(Erik de Boer)

8 pin DIN

   7      6       7 NC                     6 +12V

3     8     1     3 AUDIO      8 NC        1 +5V

  5        4      5 CVBS (color video PAL) 4 Ys (monochrome)
       2                       2 gnd           ('luminance')

RGB Monitor connector Gradiente Expert

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

DIN 8 pins (female)

    7     6
   3   8   1
    5     4
       2

  Pin   Name
  ================
  1     Compose Sync
  2     GND
  3     Red
  4     Blue
  5     Green
  6     +Vcc
  7     Y (Intensity)
  8     Audio

RGB connector (Japanese models)

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

DIN 8 pins female

  1       GND
  2       AUDIO
  3       NC
  4       C SYNC
  5       +5V
  6       R
  7       G
  8       B

          7   6
         3  8  1    
          5   4
            2

(View from plug - male)

SCART connector (Japanese, RGB21)

(Giovanni R. Nunes)


          GND    GND
      B   |  Ys   |
      |   |   |   |
   +--|---|---|---|---------------------------+
   |  |   |   |   |                           |
   | [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]--+-- 2
   |                                          |
  [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]-+-- 1
   |   |   |   |   |   |   |                  |
   +---|---|---|---|---|---|------------------+
       |  GND  |  GND  |  GND
       G       R    C SYNC

(View from plug - male)

MSX Cartridge connector/bus expansion

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

Female 50 pin connector

                                        +---+
   1:/CS1          2:/CS2             1 |= =| 2
   3:/CS12         4:/SLTSL             |= =|
   5: RSV(N.C)     6:/RFSH              |= =|
   7:/WAIT         8:/INT               |= =|
   9:/M1          10:/BUSDIR            |= =|
  11:/IORQ        12:/MERQ              |= =|
  13:/WR          14:/RD                |= =|
  15:/RESET       16: RSV(N.C)          |= =|
  17: A 9         18: A15               |= =|
  19: A11         20: A10               |= =|
  21: A 7         22: A 6               |= =|
  23: A12         24: A 8               |= =|
  25: A14         26: A13               |= =|
  27: A 1         28: A 0               |= =|
  29: A 3         30: A 2               |= =|
  31: A 5         32: A 4               |= =|
  33: D 1         34: D 0               |= =|
  35: D 3         36: D 2               |= =|
  37: D 5         38: D 4               |= =|
  39: D 7         40: D 6               |= =|
  41: GND         42: CLOCK             |= =|
  43: GND         44: SW1               |= =|
  45: +5V         46: SW2               |= =|
  47: +5V         48: +12V              |= =|
  49: SOUNDIN     50: -12V           49 |= =| 50
                                        +---+

Short description of the pins:
(from Philips VG8235 manual)

 1    ROM addresses 4000-7FFF select signal
 2    ROM addresses 8000-BFFF select signal
 3    ROM addresses 4000-BFFF select signal (for 256k ROM)
 4    Slot select signal
 5    Reserved signal line - use inhibited
 6    Refresh cycle signal
 7    CPU's WAIT request signal
 8    Interrupt request signal to CPU
 9    Signal expressing CPU fetch cycle
10    This signal controls direction of external databus buffer
      Cartridges are selected and L level is output from each
      cartridge at data transmission time
11    I/O request signal
12    Memory request signal
13    Write timing signal
14    Read timing signal
15    System reset signal
16    Reserved signal line - use inhibited
17-32 Address bus signals
33-40 Data bus signals
41    Signal ground
42    CPU clock 3.579545MHz
43    Signal ground
44,46 For insertion/removal protect
45,47 +5V power source
48    +12V power source
49    Sound input signal (-5bdm)
50    -12V power source

Gradiente's Expert has not this standard MSX connector but a so-called BUS Expansion. These expansions are used in the first japanese MSX1 models but, perhaps because it isn't a ASCII standard was "dead". In Expert's case it is a copy of the second SLOT and was reserved for expansions but not used for "MSX industry" in Brazil. It is the same pinout of MSX cartridge but... it looks like a SCSI Harddisk connector (50 pins....)

Compare:
MSX cartridge:

  2       50
    (...)
  1       49

The BUS Expansion:

  49     1
    (...) 
  50     2

The major use of it was for transforming Expert MSX1 machines in MSX2 models, expanding the SLOT B and putting in it the V9938, ROMS and Mapper...

The information is on courtesy of Alex Mitsio Sato directly from his Expert User's Manual... :)

S-Video connector (Turbo R)

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

4 pin mini-din female

   4   3
  2     1
    ---
  
  Pin   Description
  1     GND (Y)
  2     GND (C)
  3     Y (intensity = luminance)
  4     C (color = Chrominance)

Diskdrive connector (34pin)

(Erik de Boer)

The scheme is the connector on the diskdrive, not the connector on the flatcable!

                          ___
  |---------------------|     |-------------------- |
   2  4  6  8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
   1  3  5  7  9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
  |-------------------------------------------------|

2  Dchange* 1  in use*
4  NC       3  gnd
6  DS3*     5  gnd
8  index    7  gnd
10 DS0      9  gnd
12 DS1      11 gnd
14 DS2*     13 gnd
16 M on     15 gnd
18 dirc     17 gnd
20 step     19 gnd
22 Wdata    21 gnd
24 Wgate    23 gnd
26 TR00     25 gnd
28 WP       27 gnd
30 Rdata    29 gnd
32 sidesel# 31 gnd
34 ready    33 gnd

Note: all signals have negative logic *) Normally not used
#) Only for double sided drive

Diskdrive connector VG8230/35, NMS8245

(Erik de Boer)

Internal connector VG8230/35, NMS8245:

PIN NAME/DESCRIPTION
 1   index
 2   dirc
 3   step
 4   W data
 5   W gate
 6   ds0
 7   ds1
 8   side select (only 8245)
 9   nc
 10  M on
 11  gnd
 12  Tr00
 13  WP
 14  R data

Note: all signals have negative logic

External drive connector VG8235:

33                              1
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
34                              2

  Pin  Signal		Pin  Signal
  ---------------------------------
  1    NC		2    NC
  3    RETURN		4    /IN USE
  5    RETURN		6    /DRIVE SELECT 3
  7    RETURN		8    INDEX
  9    RETURN		10   /DRIVE SELECT 0
  11   RETURN		12   /DRIVE SELECT 1
  13   RETURN		14   /DRIVE SELECT 2
  15   RETURN		16   /MOTOR ON
  17   RETURN		18   /DIRECTION
  19   RETURN		20   /STEP
  21   RETURN		22   /WRITE DATA
  23   RETURN		24   /WRITE GATE
  25   RETURN		26   /TRACK 00
  27   RETURN		28   /WRITE PROTECT
  29   RETURN		30   /READ DATA
  31   RETURN		32   (/HEAD SELECT) (only 8245?)
  33   RETURN		34   /READY

Second diskdrive connector SpectraVIdeo

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

  13                           1
     o o o o o o o o o o o o o 
      o o o o o o o o o o o o
   25                          14

  Pin   Name           Description
  1     +12V           +12 VDC
  2     +5V            +5 VDC
  3     +5V            +5 VDC
  4     /INDEX         Sector hole passed sensor.
  5     /DSEL1         Drive Select 1
  6     DIR            Direction (0=In, 1=Dir)
  7     /STEP          Moves head 1 step in DIR direction.
  8     WRITEDATA      Write Data
  9     /WRITEGATE     Write Gate
  10    /TRACK00       Head is over Track 00 (outermost track)
  11    /WRITEPROTECT  Write protected disk (0=Write protected)
  12    READDATA       Data read from diskette.
  13    /SIDESELECT    Side Select (0=Side 1, 1=Side 0)
  14    +12V           +12 VDC
  15    +12V           +12 VDC
  16    +5V            +5 VDC
  17    /DSEL1         Select Drive 0
  18    /MOTOR         Motor On
  19    READY          Ready
  20    GND            Ground
  21    GND            Ground
  22    GND            Ground
  23    GND            Ground
  24    GND            Ground
  25    GND            Ground

(view from computer)

Diskdrive connector MSX Turbo R

(Erik de Boer)

24 lead flat cable

1  -- +5V
2  -- +5V
3  -- NC
4  -- +5V
5  -- +5V
6  -- READY
7  -- GND
8  -- GND
9  -- SIDE SELECTION
10 -- GND
11 -- READ DATA
12 -- WR PROTECT
13 -- TRC 00
14 -- WRITE GATE
15 -- GND
16 -- WRITE DATA
17 -- GND
18 -- STEP
19 -- DIRC.
20 -- M-ON
21 -- NC
22 -- DRIVE SELECTION
23 -- INDEX
24 -- DISK CHANGE

(I don't know the use of disk change sinds the ready signal is also present, normally they won't go together.)

Laptop diskdrive (26pin) to 34 pin MSX drive connector

(Werner Augusto Roder Kai)

FDD-pin  MSX drive connector      signal name
(26)     (34)
----------------------------------------------------------------
1        - (from powersource)     +5V
2        8			  Index
3        - (from powersource)     +5V
4        10			  Drive select 0 for drive A: or
         12			  Drive select 1 for drive B:
5        - (from powersource)     +5V
6        Not connected		  Disk change
7        Not connected		  Reserved
8        34			  Ready
9	 Not connected		  Media
10	 16			  Motor on
11	 Not connected		  Density select
12	 18			  Direction
13	 Not connected		  In use
14	 20			  Step
15	 odd pins and powersource Ground, 0V
16	 22			  Write data
17	 odd pins and powersource Ground, 0V
18	 24			  Write gate
19	 odd pins and powersource Ground, 0V
20	 26			  Track 00
21	 odd pins and powersource Ground, 0V
22	 28			  Write Protect
23	 odd pins and powersource Ground, 0V
24	 30			  Read data
25	 odd pins and powersource Ground, 0V
26	 32			  Side 1 select

ESE's Harukaze Serial Port (9)

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

DB 9 pin (I don't remember but may be male like PCs)

  PIN   NAME    DIR     DESCRIPTION 
  ------------------------------------------
   1    CD      I       Carrier Detect 
   2    RXD     I       Recieve Data 
   3    TXD     O       Transmit Data 
   4    DTR     O       Data Terminal Ready 
   5    GND     -       System Ground 
   6    DSR     I       Data Set Ready 
   7    RTS     O       Request to Send 
   8    CTS     I       Clear to Send 
   9    RI      I       Ring Indicator 

  1 +-------------+ 5
     \ o o o o o /
      \ o o o o /
     6 +-------+ 9

(view from cartridge)

Standard RS-232

(Giovanni R. Nunes)

DB 25 (standard connector in serial periphericals)

  PIN   NAME              PIN   NAME
   1    GND               14    S.TXD
   2    TXD               15    TXC
   3    RXD               16    S.RXD
   4    RTS               17    RXC
   5    CTS               18    -
   6    DSR               19    S.RTS
   7    GND               20    DTR
   8    CD                21    SQD
   9    -                 22    RI
  10    -                 23    SS
  11    -                 24    TXC
  12    S.CD              25    -
  13    S.CTS

(Erik Maas)

DB 9 (also standard connector)

  PIN     NAME    DESCRIPTION
   1      CD	  Carrier detect
   2	  Rx	  Receive Data
   3	  Tx	  Transmit Data
   4 	  DTR	  Data Terminal Ready
   5	  GND	  System Ground
   6	  DSR	  Data Set Ready
   7	  RTS	  Request To Send
   8	  CTS	  Clear to Send
   9	  RI	  Ring Indicator (n.c.)

Power-supply connector SVI-728


   ,----------.
  1| o      o |2
  3|   o  o   |4
   `----------'

Contacts 1 - 2: AC 16V 0.8A
Contacts 3 - 4: AC 9V 1.5A

Back to the FAQ's index!