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---
title: Philips VG 8020
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Netherlands
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80
params:
name: VG 8020
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_3-4_1s.jpg
company: /companies/philips
company_name: Philips
specs:
- label: NAME
value: VG 8020
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Philips
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: Netherlands
- label: YEAR
value: '1984'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: Microsoft Extended Basic (MSX Basic V1.0)
- label: KEYBOARD
value: AZERTY / QWERTY, mechanical keyboard
- label: CPU
value: Zilog Z80
- label: SPEED
value: 3.58 MHz
- label: RAM
value: 64 kb
- label: VRAM
value: 16 kb
- label: ROM
value: 32 kb BASIC/BIOS ( MSX BASIC V1.0)
- label: TEXT MODES
value: |-
Mode 0 : 40 x 24\
Mode 1 : 32 x 24
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: |-
Mode 2 : 256 x 192 with 16 colors (Hires mode)\
Mode 3 : 64 x 48 with 16 colors (Multi colour mode)\
32 sprites
- label: COLORS
value: '16'
- label: SOUND
value: |-
General Instruments AY-3-8910 Programmable Sound Generator\
3 channels, 8 octaves
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Centronics port, 2 cardridge slots, Tape-recorder connector, RGB video output, 2 joystick sockets (Atari standard), RF lead video output (PAL models)
- label: OS
value: MSX DOS (with optional floppy drive unit)
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Biult-in switching PSU
- label: PRICE
value: 455 (France, september 85)
tabs:
- photos
- hardware
- emulators
- links
photos:
- title: FRONT
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to Odessa2020 for this picture
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_msx_front_1.jpg
- title: SECAM MODEL
subtitle: ''
text: This is a french Secam version. The keyboard is AZERTY and the top part of the case is black.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_3-4_1.jpg
- title: CARTRIDGE SLOT
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_cartridge-slot.jpg
- title: LEFT SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_l-side.jpg
- title: RIGHT SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to Odessa2020 for this picture
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_msx_rside_1.jpg
- title: JOYSTICK CONNECTORS
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_prises-joy.jpg
- title: REAR
subtitle: ''
text: |-
**1** - Power cord\
**2** - Reset button\
**3** - Printer / Centronics interface\
**4** - Tape-Recorder\
**5** - Monitor audio/video output
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_rear.jpg
- title: REAR
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to Odessa2020 for this picture
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_msx_rear_1.jpg
- title: INSIDE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_inside_2.jpg
- title: DEEP INSIDE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
**(1)** Video generator chipset.\
**(2)** RGB video out DIN connector.\
**(3)** 2 x ROM cartrige slots.\
**(4)** Cassette recorder DIN connector with remote control.\
**(5)** Parallel Centronics printer connector (MSX standard).\
**(6)** Mains plug.\
**(7)** Power supply transformer.\
**(8)** Power regulation board.\
**(9)** S-3527 MSX dedicated chipset. Provides MSX compatible sound generation, various input / outputs and parallel printer management.\
**(10)** 8 x 4164 chips (64000 cells x 1 bit) holding 64 Kb RAM.\
**(11-12)** Keyboard flat cables.\
**(13)** Z-80 microprocessor.\
**(14-15)** 2 x joystick connectors.\
**(16)** RGB signals generation board. This card may differ, depending on the country where the computer was sold. This one is a french 'Peritel' (scart) version.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_inside_1.jpg
- title: BOX
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to Odessa2020 for this picture
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_vg8020_msx_box_1.jpg
hardware:
- title: NATIONAL CF-2131
subtitle: 16 KB RAM expansion
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/national_cf2131_16k-cart.jpg
- title: CASIO OR-216 - 16 KB RAM EXPANSION
subtitle: Box
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/casio_or216_16kbramexpansion_box.jpg
- title: PHILIPS RAM EXPANSION
subtitle: ''
text: |-
RAM expansion and LOGO language cartridges.
Thanks to Daniele from Italy
image: /media/museum/hardware/philips_vg8020_cartridges_s1.jpg
- title: MEGA RAM DISK 256
subtitle: from DDX (Brazil)
text: This is the famous Megaram cartridge made in Brzail, used to play all Konami cracked Megarom games.6401999243
image: /media/museum/hardware/msx_megaram256-ddx_1.jpg
- title: PANASONIC FS-IFA1 & FW-RSU1W
subtitle: Scanner/Printer interface
text: The FS-IFA1 is the printer/scanner interface (left on the picture) and the FW-RSU1W is the handheld scanner (right on the picture). These expansions are for MSX2 systems.
image: /media/museum/hardware/msx_fs-ifa1_fw-rsu1w.jpg
- title: SONY HBI-232
subtitle: RS232c cartridge
text: Used to connect serial printers.
image: /media/museum/hardware/sony_msx_rs232c-cartridge.jpg
- title: 'YAMAHA MOUSE #1'
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This mouse was compatible with all MSX systems. It connects to the first Joystick port.
Thanks to **www.zonadepruebas.com**
image: /media/museum/hardware/yamaha_mouse_s2.jpg
- title: 'YAMAHA MOUSE #2'
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Brand new!
Thanks to **www.zonadepruebas.com**
image: /media/museum/hardware/yamaha_mouse_s1.jpg
- title: PHILIPS VW0020
subtitle: 80-col dot-matrix printer
text: |-
This printer was a rebadged version of the Seikosha GP-500.\
It was a 80-column, 50 CPS model with a 7x5 dot matrix head.\
Commodore and Atari used same hardware basis for their MPS-801 and 1029 printers.
image: /media/museum/hardware/philips_vg8020_printervw0020_s1.jpg
- title: SANYO PHC-DR II
subtitle: Side
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/sanyo_phc-drii_side_1.jpg
- title: SANYO PHC-DR II
subtitle: Front
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/sanyo_phc-drii_front_1.jpg
- title: SANYO DR-202
subtitle: ''
text: The ADSS system allowed to quickly search a specific program in a cassette tape and load it. Seach time for a C60 cassette was less than 1 minute.
image: /media/museum/hardware/sanyo_phc28_dr202tapedrive_s1.jpg
- title: NATIONAL RQ-8030
subtitle: tape-recorder
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/national_tape_rq8030.jpg
- title: BIT-CORDER
subtitle: ''
text: Cassete recorder dedicated to Hit-Bit MSX systems, though it could be used with any home computers.
image: /media/museum/hardware/sony_hb201_bitcorder_1.jpg
emulators:
- title: fMSX for MS DOS Homepage
url: http://www.komkon.org/~dekogel/fmsx.html
platform: MS DOS
text: ''
- title: fMSX for MS DOS Homepage
url: http://www.komkon.org/~dekogel/fmsx.html
platform: MS DOS
text: ''
- title: BlueMSX
url: http://www.bluemsx.com/
platform: Windows
text: Excellent free MSX emulator
- title: BrMSX
url: http://www.lsi.usp.br/~ricardo/brmsx.htm
platform: Windows
text: A Bresilian MSX Emulator written in 100% assembler
- title: BrMSX
url: http://www.lsi.usp.br/~ricardo/brmsx.htm
platform: Windows
text: A Bresilian MSX Emulator written in 100% assembler
- title: CompuJunk's MSX Emulator
url: http://ftp.castel.nl/msx/
platform: Windows
text: A MSX1 and MSX2 Emulator
- title: CompuJunk's MSX Emulator
url: http://ftp.castel.nl/msx/
platform: Windows
text: A MSX1 and MSX2 Emulator
- title: RuMSX
url: http://members.eunet.at/lexlechz/msx.html
platform: Windows
text: A MSX Emulator for Win95 and Win NT + Direct X
- title: RuMSX
url: http://members.ping.at/lexlechz/msx.html
platform: Windows
text: A MSX Emulator for Win95 and Win NT + Direct X
- title: Virtual MSX
url: http://www.msxnet.org/vmsx/
platform: Windows
text: An other MSX 1 emulator for Win 95 / Win NT
- title: fMSX for MAC OS Homepage
url: http://www.emulation.net/msx/index.html
platform: Apple
text: ''
- title: fMSX for MAC OS Homepage
url: http://www.emulation.net/msx/index.html
platform: Apple
text: ''
- title: fMSX official Homepage
url: http://www.komkon.org/fms/fMSX
platform: Other platform
text: 'fMSX is a portable MSX emulator ported on : Amiga OS, Mac OS, MS DOS, OS/2, Sony Playstation, Risc OS, Towns OS, Unix / X, Win95 / NT, X68K.'
- title: fMSX official Homepage
url: http://www.komkon.org/fms/fMSX
platform: Multiplatform
text: 'fMSX is a portable MSX emulator ported on : Amiga OS, Mac OS, MS DOS, OS/2, Sony Playstation, Risc OS, Towns OS, Unix / X, Win95 / NT, X68K.'
- 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: Baboo!
url: http://www.baboo.net/baboo.shtml
text: MSX dedicated Yahoo clone. Essential !
- title: FILE-HUNTER.COM
url: http://www.file-hunter.com/
text: Excellent! All MSX emulators, sources and utilities!
- title: FTP da MSXBr-L/MSX.Org.Br
url: http://www.caetano.eng.br/msxsoft/
text: Excellent brasilian software archive
- title: MOAI TECH
url: http://www.moai-tech.com/
text: Spanish/English website with interesting content
- title: MPC
url: http://msx.fab.free.fr/MSX1/philips/philips.htm
text: Nice french page detailing the different versions of the VG-8020
- title: MSX Hardware List
url: http://www.faq.msxnet.org/hardware.html
text: An impressive list of MSX hardware. The Bible !!!
- title: MSX Ressource Center
url: http://www.msx.org/
text: Essential site !
- title: Possi's Konami MSX Page
url: http://dynamo.geol.msu.ru/MSX/
text: Nice page dedicated to all Konami MSX games (roms, scans, mids, etc.)
- title: The MSX Games Box
url: http://www.msxgamesbox.com
text: All about MSX gaming (games, covers.etc.). More Fun, Less Mhz!
- title: The MSX Museum BOX
url: http://www.msxmuseumbox.com
text: More than 190 different MSX models in pictures.
- title: The ultimate MSX Faq
url: http://www.faq.msxnet.org
text: Here, you can find near all hardware pieces related to MSX.
- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
text: The MSX home computer system
comments:
- author: Folko (Germany)
date: Tuesday 6th July 2021
text: 'In regards to the idea mentioned here that they sold a 80k RAM version in Spain to avoid taxes (like the Amstrad CPC 472 by adding unusable 8k to the CPC464 in Spain): The 80k statement was printed on all VG 8020 cases and it is just marketing by adding the 64k system ram with the 16k video ram. It’s still a 64k system ram computer and they did have to pay the Spanish tax. $-)'
- author: Thierry (France)
date: Monday 29th June 2020
text: |-
hello :-)\
Sure the vg 8020-19 (France) has no RF out since...RGB (din to scart) output instead, yeah $-)\
Great feature at this times in early 80ties, also on other old computers sold in France.(ex:ti99)\
Better video quality with this $-)
- author: MsxKun
date: Monday 18th June 2012
text: |-
$$Due to some differences in the chipset, the Philips VG-8020 was not always 100$ compatible with other MSX-computers. Typing ''poke -1,170'' before loading programs usually fixed the bug.
That''s not correct. It wasn''t a problem of the comp, but of the software that didn''t follow the standard specs. Well done software never failed.
- author: Eric Wolff (Luxemburg)
date: Monday 24th October 2011
text: Ok update :) mine has written on the top 80kb ram+ 16kbvideo seems this is a model to avoid the spanish n on keyboard tax. Seeing that i got it from spain it makes sense. Hope it helped a bit :)
- author: Wolff Eric (Luxemburg)
date: Thursday 13rd October 2011
text: It s a pal model i got from spain but cant say much more about it:(
- author: Eric Wolff
date: Wednesday 12th October 2011
text: Hi i can say there are 4 models not 3 i have a vg8020/40 no idea what the difference is though. Only wanted to complete the data .
- author: noobsaibot73 ((Madrid (Spain)))
date: Saturday 6th December 2008
text: |-
There''s another difference between the Secam and the Pal models, Pal models come with RF lead which is missing in the Secam models.
This is a superb computer, I owned one and I was so happy with it...If you''re looking for a good MSX1, this is your computer.
Greetings from Spain.
- author: Francisco Martin (Madrid (Spain))
date: Friday 21st March 2008
text: If you look carefully the photographs of the French version (Secam) of the VG8020, and the Pal versions, you'll discover one missing key at the right side of the right shift key. This is another difference between the two models.
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- /museum/canon-v-20
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- /museum/sanyo-mpc-100
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- /museum/schneider-philips-mc-810
- /museum/sony-hit-bit-10
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- /museum/sony-hit-bit-20
- /museum/sony-hit-bit-201
- /museum/sony-hit-bit-501
- /museum/sony-hit-bit-55
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- /museum/yamaha-cx5
- /museum/yamaha-cx5m-music-computer
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oc_id: 250
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230602191702/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=250
date: '2023-06-02'
---
The Philips 8020 belongs to the [MSX 1 family](/museum/msx-1/). In fact, it wasnt't built by Philips, but, as the Yashica MSX, built by Kyocera in Japan. The VG8020 comes in 3 different versions : 8020/00 are first PAL models, 8020/19 Secam models (black case) and 8020/20 PAL models with a more integrated motherboard.
There is another difference between the Secam and Pal models, one missing key. The Pal versions have one key at the right side of the right SHIFT key which is missing in the Secam version. It can be easily checked comparing pictures found [here](/museum/philips-vg-8020/). The function of this key is for entering accents; specifically accent acute, accent grave, circumflex and tréma.
There's another vital difference between Secam and Pal models, the RF lead, which is missing in the Secam models.
Due to some differences in the chipset, the Philips VG-8020 was not always 100% compatible with other MSX-computers. Typing 'poke -1,170' before loading programs usually fixed the bug.
---
**Contributors:** Francisco Martin, Martijn
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