Toshiba HX-10

webwit · 07 May 2011, 22:46

Saw this for sale for cheap. I was hoping it had the old Alps as shown here:
http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~hisao/image/hx10d.htm

Has different switches though, yet the keycaps are double shot and Alps compatible.

P.S. This is not a keyboard. It is a computer.

webwit · 07 May 2011, 23:00

Today's quiz question is, what are those switches??

Brian8bit · 07 May 2011, 23:14

I'd assume that it's the same type of switch to what you linked to, just with a circular stem design opposed to that oblong type in the link. You'll only know though if you take the switch apart I guess.

Any further info on the computer itself, what it was used for or the type of software available?

webwit · 07 May 2011, 23:31

I don't know much more than that it is an MSX computer from 1984, made in Japan, and what can be found on google when you search for it. Apparently it did not have n-key rollover. Some problems where reported with converted ZX Spectrum games where certain movements with the keys would fail.

nathanscribe · 08 May 2011, 02:10

Are/were you a Spectrum user, webwit?

The 80s were an exciting time for home computer geeks... lots of incompatible systems to choose from!

The Solutor · 08 May 2011, 02:15

Never heard about this toshiba.

When i read HX something my mind went back to the early 80s, to the Epson HX-20

webwit · 08 May 2011, 02:18

The ZX Spectrum 16k was my first computer. Jetpac, the works. Upgraded to 48k to be able to play The Hobbit. Amiga came next.

Ascaii · 08 May 2011, 11:52

The Solutor wrote:Never heard about this toshiba.

When i read HX something my mind went back to the early 80s, to the Epson HX-20

i want that caps lock key

sixty · 08 May 2011, 13:19

MSX used to be big in Japan, many decades ago. It was a popular gaming platform too. Some of the best games had their debut on the MSX, such as Metal Gear.

webwit · 08 May 2011, 13:30

In Europe it was between the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad and MSX trailing by a large margin. I was intrigued by the concept, and less impressed by the actual implementations.
Considering the time frame and popularity in Japan, and all the different versions, maybe a good source for vintage switches.

nathanscribe · 08 May 2011, 14:24

And the posh kids had the BBC. A friend of mine had an Atari 2600, ZX81 and Acorn Electron; I had the Spectrum 16K (upgraded to 48K later with a replacement keyboard - might post some photos later, it has what I remember as Cherry lookalikes) and I think the Spectrum was the most popular round these parts. I knew one person with a Vic-20, nobody with a C64, one person with an Amstrad, nobody with an MSX. After that the ST and Amiga came along and then the consoles, which I never got into. I bet if I fired up my Speccy now I could still program it...

guilleguillaume · 08 May 2011, 18:08

The pad that is on the plate reminds me to the Keyboard that Sixty showed us weeks ago, I think it was a Cherry board?

By the way I've never seen this kind of Enter, it's like a T.

snerual · 09 May 2011, 05:04

Nice Toshiba MSX machine! It looks brand new. MSX was actually a pretty neat system. I used to have a Spectravideo, as well as a Goldstar and a Sony. Never really used them much though. Also had a ZX81 and a ZX Spectrum 48, an Acorn Electron, a Commodore 128, followed by both an Amiga 500 and an Atari 1040ST. I mainly used the Spectrum and the Amiga and have fond memories of those machines. (Retro) gaming at it's very best. The other machines were quickly neglected and sold.

zulios · 10 Jan 2012, 18:53

Hello everyone,

I'm bumping this thread because I saw that old MSX on sale for cheap :

What do you think about the caps compatibility ? Is it worth giving it a try ?

sixty · 10 Jan 2012, 18:54

Nearly impossible to tell. It could be ALPS compatible, but it could as well be some obscure switch that is incompatible with everything

zulios · 10 Jan 2012, 19:14

Thanks sixty.
I've asked the seller to take a cap off and let me know, we'll see if it works. The caps looks so good...

webwit · 10 Jan 2012, 23:14

Nice cursor keys, lol.

webwit · 10 Jan 2012, 23:17

Check out these pictures:
http://bilgisayarlarim.com/Canon/V-20/

zulios · 11 Jan 2012, 11:48

Thanks webwit. Nice pictures, someone please correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like it's not going to be compatible with anything unfortunately.

ndp · 11 Jan 2012, 19:50

webwit wrote:
Has different switches though, yet the keycaps are double shot and Alps compatible.
...

the switch for the space bar looks like an old alps switch .