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

---
title: Panasonic FS A1
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1986'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80A
params:
  name: FS A1
  image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fs-a1_3.jpg
  company: /companies/panasonic
  company_name: Panasonic
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: FS A1
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Panasonic
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1986'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: MSX Basic V2.0 + DESKPAC software
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke keyboard with 5 function keys and 4 arrow keys.
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 3.58 MHz
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: 'Video Display Processor : V9938 (MSX-VIDEO)'
  - label: RAM
    value: 64 KB
  - label: VRAM
    value: 128 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 64 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 x 24 / 32 x 24
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: |-
      64 x 48 / 256 x 192 / 256 x 212 / 512 x 212\
      Interlace mode: 256 x 424, 512 x 424
  - label: COLORS
    value: '512'
  - label: SOUND
    value: AY-8910-3 chipset (or the YM2149 variant/clone) offering 3-voice square wave PSG with whitenoise.
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Joysticks, Cartridge(2), Tape(1200/2400 baud), RGB, Composite Video, Centronics, External Audio
  - label: OS
    value: MSX DOS 2.0
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: External power supply (9V, 1.2A DC for main operation and 18V 0.17A AC)
  - label: PRICE
    value: 29 800 yen (Japan, 1986)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - hardware
  - software
  - emulators
  - links
  forum_thread: 605
  photos:
  - title: BLACK CASE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fs-a1_1.jpg
  - title: RED CASE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fsa1_red_2.jpg
  - title: RED CASE - REAR
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fs-a1_red_rear.jpg
  - title: 'REAR #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fsa1_red_rear_2.jpg
  - title: SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fsa1_red_side_2.jpg
  - title: BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fs-a1_box.jpg
  - title: FS A1 MK2
    subtitle: ''
    text: The MK2 model offers a numeric keypad and some other minor changes (which ones by the way?)
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fs-a1-mk2.jpg
  - title: MK2 AND ITS DOC
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fs-a1-mk2_2.jpg
  - title: FS A1 MK2 BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/panasonic_fsa1mk2_box_1.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: FS-FD1A
    subtitle: 720kB 3.5'' disk drive interface
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/panasonic_msx_fsfd1a.jpg
  - title: FS-FD1A BOX
    subtitle: 720kB 3.5'' disk drive interface
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/panasonic_msx_fsfd1a_box.jpg
  - title: FS-PC1
    subtitle: Colour 48 dot matrix (kanji) printer
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/panasonic_printer_fs-pc1.jpg
  - title: FS-IFA1 INTERFACE & FW-RSU1W HANDY SCANNER
    subtitle: ''
    text: The FS-IFA1 interface (left) is a scanner and printer interface, needed to use the FW-RSU1W (right) & FW-PU1B handy scanners.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/pansonic_fs-ifa1_and_scanner.jpg
  screenshots:
  - title: DESKPAC MENU
    subtitle: ''
    text: When you boot the computer, a menu appears offering different utilities !
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_boot_ss.png
  - title: WORLD TIME CLOCK
    subtitle: ''
    text: International time ! Impressive...
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_clock_ss.png
  - title: CHRONOMETER
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_chrono_ss.png
  - title: ALARM
    subtitle: ''
    text: Nice alarm utility with different alarm sounds...
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_alarm_ss.png
  - title: CALENDAR
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_calendar_ss.png
  - title: CALCULATOR
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_calculator_ss.png
  - title: DIARY
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_notepad_ss.png
  - title: MSX BASIC V2.0
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/panasonic_fsa1_basic_ss.png
  emulators:
  - title: BlueMSX
    url: http://www.bluemsx.com/
    platform: Windows
    text: Excellent free MSX emulator
  - title: fMSX32
    url: HTTP://WWW.RETRODEV.INFO/
    platform: Other platform
    text: The excellent fMSX, but ported onto the GamePark GP32 handheld console.
  - title: openMSX - The MSX emulator that aims for perfection.
    url: http://openmsx.sourceforge.net/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: 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.
  links:
  - title: MSX Faq
    url: http://www.faq.msxnet.org
    text: Here, you can find near all hardware pieces related to MSX.
  related:
  - /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
  oc_id: 618
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608081926/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=618
    date: '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.

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>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.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>