Philips VG8020 VG-8020 MSX, vintage back computer, keyboard, door

Philips VG-8020 MSX

The Philips VG-8020 MSX is an 8-bit home computer produced by Philips, a Dutch company, in 1984. The Philips VG8020 was also marketed under the brand name Phonola: Phonola VG-8020. It is the successor to the Philips VG-8000 and Philips VG-8010.

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Philips VG8020 VG-8020 MSX, vintage retro computer Philips VG-8020 MSX specifications CPU: Zilog Z80A, 8-bit, 3.576 MHz ROM: 32 KB RAM: 64 KB (+ 16KB video separate RAM) Graphics: V.D.P. Video Display Processor, TMS9929A Text mode: 40 columns x 24 rows or 32 columns x 24 rows Graphics mode: 64 × 48 pixels and 256 x 192 pixels (16 colors) Audio:  P.S.G. Programmable Sound Generator, YM-2149 Keyboard: QWERTY 73 keys, includes arrows and function keys Software included in ROM: MSX BASIC version 1.0 by Microsoft Expansion ports: Parallel (Centronics 14 poles) Tape drive (DIN 8-pole) Audio/Video (DIN 8-pole) RF Audio/Video, for PAL analog TV, channel 36 N. 2 x 50-pin connectors for cartridges (at the top of the computer,  with door) N. 2 DB9 connectors for controller, joystick, mouse (on the front of the computer) On the right side of the computer is the power switch.

MSX (Machines with Software eXchangeability) is a standard developed in Japan by Kazuhiko Nishi. The intent was to obtain computers compatible with each other, even if built by different manufacturers.

The Philips VG8020 is a computer that complies with the MSX1 standard, and is based on the Zilog Z80A processor.

In my collection there are two Philips VG 8020 computers:

  • Philips VG-8020/00
  • Philips VG-8020/40

They are several revisions of the same vintage computer model. Both I bought at a good price.

The first MSX I bought is the VG-8020/40: I bought it on eBay at the end of 2021. The second is the Philips VG-8020/00, purchased at the end of 2022: I went to collect it in person, since the seller lives not far from me. The Philips VG8020/00 is boxed and the batch also includes manuals and some magazines.

Philips VG8020 MSX, lot purchased vintage retro computer, magazines, manuals, box, cardboard, MSX magazine, Super MSX, MSX Basic

Philips VG-8020 MSX computer startup screen

The Philips VG8020 computer starts with two consecutive screens. The first indicates the MSX standard version 1.0 of 1983.

MSX system version 1.0, Copyright 1983 by Microsoft

The next boot screen shows the MSX BASIC language version (1.0) and the indication of the bytes of RAM available for programming (28815 bytes free). MSX BASIC is from Microsoft.

MSX BASIC version 1.0, Copyright 1983 by Microsoft, 28815 Bytes free, Ok, Philips Phonola VG8020 VG-8020

Technical characteristics of the Philips VG-8020 MSX

CPU: Zilog Z80A, 8-bit, 3.576 MHz

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ROM: 32 KB

RAM: 64KB (+16KB video separate RAM)

Graphics: V.D.P. Video Display Processor, TMS9929A

Text mode: 40 columns x 24 rows or 32 columns x 24 rows

Graphics mode: 64 × 48 pixels and 256 x 192 pixels (16 colors)

Audio: P.S.G. Programmable Sound Generator, YM-2149

Keyboard: QWERTY 73 keys, includes arrows and function keys

Software included in ROM: MSX BASIC version 1.0 by Microsoft

Philips VG8020 VG-8020 MSX, rear view, connectors, printer, reset, monitor, power Expansion ports: Parallel (Centronics 14 poles) Tape drive (DIN 8-pin) Audio/Video (DIN 8-pin) RF Audio/Video, for analog TV PAL, channel 36 N. 2 x 50-pin cartridge connectors (at the top of the computer, with door) N. 2 DB9 connectors per controller,  joystick, mouse (on the front of the computer)

Expansion ports:

  • Parallel (Centronics 14 poles)
  • Tape drive (DIN 8-pin)
  • Audio/Video (DIN 8 poles)
  • RF Audio/Video, for PAL analog TV, channel 36
  • N. 2 x 50-pin cartridge connectors (at the top of the computer, with door)
  • N. 2 DB9 connectors for controller, joystick, mouse (on the front of the computer)
Philips VG8020 VG-8020 MSX, front view, DB9 joystick connectors

On the right side of the computer is the power switch.

Philips VG8020 MSX, side view, power switch

Emulate MSX computers

The Philips VG8020 home computer, as well as other MSX computer models, can be emulated with the fMSX emulator, for Windows, Linux, Android, ...

Philips VG8020 MSX power supply

The power supply of the Philips VG8020 MSX home computer is internal. A power cord with a two-pole connector type C7 is connected to the computer. The computer is powered by 220 V, 50 Hz alternating current, and draws 24 W.

Papers

1. Philips VG8020 installation manual (multilanguage)
2. Philips VG8020 service manual
3. Manuale MSX-BASIC by Sickler (ITA)

Collection entry date: 28/12/2021 (S/N JM00822035875, made in Japan)

Collection entry date: 05/12/2022 (S/N FF05611010049, made in Japan)

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2 Comments

  1. Hello, a question. The key next to the right schift, the one that shows the quotes, the double quotes what function does it have? I tried two msx with the keyboard working but on both that key does not work

  2. HI! Take a look at the “installation manual” at the bottom of this page. It's written like this:

    This key is used to accent over a character.
    Examples:
    To add an accent (') above a character, press the accent key first.
    At this point, no accent is played on the screen yet.
    Then pressing the button corresponding to the character to be reproduced with the aforementioned accent, then the complete character with the relative accent appears on the screen.
    To use the accent('), first press the button corresponding to the acanthus at the same time as the SHIFT button.
    To get an accent (^) on a character, press the accent key first, then press the CODE key, then follow the same procedure. To obtain the accent(") the same procedure is always followed, with the exception that in this case the CODE, SHIFT and accent keys must be pressed at the same time.
    These accents can only be used in combination with vowels.

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