X68000's MDX
Encyclopedia
MDX is a Music Macro Language
(MML) based format designed to be played on the Sharp X68000
series of computers. The music data is programmed then compiled into the MDX file. An optional PDX file containing PCM data may be present.
MXDRV is a terminate and stay resident
(TSR) driver for playing MDX files. An external player is required to play MDX files. MMDSP was a popular multi-format front end on the X68000 whose interface is emulated by MDXWin on the PC. MDXWin also has a unique feature over other players. It has an online database of MDX files that you can access through the file browser.
The original MXDRV executable was developed by "K.MAEKAWA" and "Missy.M". It was later disassembled by "Gorry" and ported to Windows in the form of the MXDRVg DLL. The X68000 FM chip is emulated by the X68Sound DLL written by mpuusan. These have later been ported to XMMS for UNIX platforms. A hardware based sound emulator also exists called ROMEO.
The X68000 contains two sound chips:
Later in the systems life an expansion card, called Mercury Unit, was released that increased the number of PCM channels to a total of 8. This is known as PCM8.
Music Macro Language
Music Macro Language is a music description language used in sequencing music on a number of computer and video game system platforms.MML is also sometimes known as Music Markup Language, by conflation with the XML musical notation markup language of that name...
(MML) based format designed to be played on the Sharp X68000
Sharp X68000
The Sharp X68000, often referred to as the X68k, is a home computer released only in Japan by the Sharp Corporation. The first model was released in 1987, with a 10 MHz Motorola 68000 CPU, 1 MB of RAM and no hard drive; the last model was released in 1993 with a 25 MHz Motorola 68030...
series of computers. The music data is programmed then compiled into the MDX file. An optional PDX file containing PCM data may be present.
MXDRV is a terminate and stay resident
Terminate and Stay Resident
Terminate and Stay Resident is a computer system call in DOS computer operating systems that returns control to the system as if the program has quit, but keeps the program in memory...
(TSR) driver for playing MDX files. An external player is required to play MDX files. MMDSP was a popular multi-format front end on the X68000 whose interface is emulated by MDXWin on the PC. MDXWin also has a unique feature over other players. It has an online database of MDX files that you can access through the file browser.
The original MXDRV executable was developed by "K.MAEKAWA" and "Missy.M". It was later disassembled by "Gorry" and ported to Windows in the form of the MXDRVg DLL. The X68000 FM chip is emulated by the X68Sound DLL written by mpuusan. These have later been ported to XMMS for UNIX platforms. A hardware based sound emulator also exists called ROMEO.
The X68000 contains two sound chips:
- A 4-operator FM synthesis chip which is a "YAMAHAYamahaYamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
(tm) YM-2151(OPM)" - A single ADPCM chip "OKI MSM6258" ... (1 voice/4bit/3.9/5.2/7.8/10.4/15.6 kHz).
Later in the systems life an expansion card, called Mercury Unit, was released that increased the number of PCM channels to a total of 8. This is known as PCM8.
External links
- Japanese website hosting the MDX Online archive
- Japanese page with some MDX music and MP3s of them
- Internet radio station that plays many MDX songs. Also features a request library
- MDX player for UNIX-like environment
- MDXwin, a Japanese MDX player for Windows
- MXDRV XMMS plugin
- MXDRVg driver
- X68Sound emulator