website/content/museum/panasonic-fs-a1.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Panasonic FS A1	Computers	Home Computer	Japan	1986	Zilog Z80A	name company company_name specs tabs photos hardware screenshots emulators links comments related oc_id source FS A1 /companies/panasonic Panasonic label value NAME FS A1 label value MANUFACTURER Panasonic label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Japan label value YEAR 1986 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE MSX Basic V2.0 + DESKPAC software label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke keyboard with 5 function keys and 4 arrow keys. label value CPU Zilog Z80A label value SPEED 3.58 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Video Display Processor : V9938 (MSX-VIDEO) label value RAM 64 KB label value VRAM 128 KB label value ROM 64 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 x 24 / 32 x 24 label value GRAPHIC MODES 64 x 48 / 256 x 192 / 256 x 212 / 512 x 212\ Interlace mode: 256 x 424, 512 x 424 label value COLORS 512 label value SOUND AY-8910-3 chipset (or the YM2149 variant/clone) offering 3-voice square wave PSG with whitenoise. label value I/O PORTS Joysticks, Cartridge(2), Tape(1200/2400 baud), RGB, Composite Video, Centronics, External Audio label value OS MSX DOS 2.0 label value POWER SUPPLY External power supply (9V, 1.2A DC for main operation and 18V 0.17A AC) label value PRICE 29 800 yen (Japan, 1986) photos hardware software emulators links title subtitle text image BLACK CASE null title subtitle text image RED CASE null title subtitle text image RED CASE - REAR null title subtitle text image REAR #2 null title subtitle text image SIDE null title subtitle text image BOX null title subtitle text image FS A1 MK2 The MK2 model offers a numeric keypad and some other minor changes (which ones by the way?) null title subtitle text image MK2 AND ITS DOC null title subtitle text image FS A1 MK2 BOX null title subtitle text image FS-FD1A 720kB 3.5'' disk drive interface null title subtitle text image FS-FD1A BOX 720kB 3.5'' disk drive interface null title subtitle text image FS-PC1 Colour 48 dot matrix (kanji) printer null title subtitle text image FS-IFA1 INTERFACE & FW-RSU1W HANDY SCANNER The FS-IFA1 interface (left) is a scanner and printer interface, needed to use the FW-RSU1W (right) & FW-PU1B handy scanners. null title subtitle text image DESKPAC MENU When you boot the computer, a menu appears offering different utilities ! null title subtitle text image WORLD TIME CLOCK International time ! Impressive... null title subtitle text image CHRONOMETER null title subtitle text image ALARM Nice alarm utility with different alarm sounds... null title subtitle text image CALENDAR null title subtitle text image CALCULATOR null title subtitle text image DIARY null title subtitle text image MSX BASIC V2.0 null title url platform text BlueMSX http://www.bluemsx.com/ Windows Excellent free MSX emulator title url platform text fMSX32 HTTP://WWW.RETRODEV.INFO/ Other platform The excellent fMSX, but ported onto the GamePark GP32 handheld console. title url platform text openMSX - The MSX emulator that aims for perfection. http://openmsx.sourceforge.net/ Multiplatform This new MSX emulator can reproduce, among many other MSX, MSX2and MSX2+ machines, both Panasonic Turbo-R models. Be sure to get the catapult frontend and the system roms from FUNET. title url text MSX Faq http://www.faq.msxnet.org Here, you can find near all hardware pieces related to MSX. author date text Roger Jowett (Ulster Londonderry) Saturday 6th April 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v$zsjTpFR0oYQ please help we have zx spectrum 48k and one 128k program running at 6mhz using external ram and snapper discs from velesoft site author date text JJ (WWW) Friday 14th October 2011 Main board of FS-A1 and FS-A1 MKII the same. author date text Bjorn (Sweden) Tuesday 9th November 2004 I forgot to add my mail! ;o) author date text Bjorn (Sweden) Tuesday 9th November 2004 Where can I get the power cord needed? I have the computer and a power converter, 230v -> 110v. /museum/canon-v-25 /museum/jvc-hc-95 /museum/kawai-kmc-5000 /museum/msx-2 /museum/panasonic-fs-a1f /museum/sony-hit-bit-f1xd /museum/sony-hit-bit-f500 /museum/sony-hit-bit-f700 /museum/sony-hit-bit-f9 /museum/sony-hit-bit-g900f 618 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608081926/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=618 2023-06-08

The Panasonic FS-A1 is a MSX2 system. There are two versions: red or black case.

There is DESKPAC software built-in which starts automatically when the system is booted. It offers several interesting utilities : world time clock, chronometer, alarm, calculator, calendar and diary (see software section for screenshots). From here you can also choose to go directly to MSX Basic v2.0.

Concerning audio and music, the FS A1 is equiped with an AY-8910-3 chipset (or the YM2149 variant/clone) which is the very typical 3-voice square wave PSG with whitenoise. The computer is equiped with a pause button which hangs the system at will!

Some times later, the FS A1 MK2 (MaKe 2) will be released, offering some improvements (which ones?) like a numeric keypad above the cursor keys.

We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.