Nowind Interface

On this site you'll find the latest information about the Nowind interface for MSX. The interface is an MSX cartridge that allows you to connect your MSX to a PC using a USB connection.

Contact?

I would love to hear from you, what are your thoughts about the nowind interface, would you like to help development? having problems compiling sources? or using the interface? or suggestions for improvement? email to: janwilmans at gmail.com.

Also to a good way to atract attention for you problem is reporting it in the google-code issue tracker.

Please report any bugs in the google-code issue tracker.

Posting problems at msx.org might also be a good idea, _but_ email me a link aswell, because I do not check there very often.

Looking for help

We are looking for developers willing to write DOS utilities for the nowind interface. We provide an API and support to access to Nowind Interface from a high level point of view. Functions like 'find nowind interface slot' and 'change image' are available, what we need is people to write DOS utitilies that make use of this API and make it 'user friendly' while we provide the technical support and continue work on the core features.
Interested? Let us know.

What does it do?
The main function of Nowind is to access disk images (.dsk) stored on a PC. These images can be normal disk images (e.g. 360kB, 720kB, etc.) as well as large harddisk images. Nowind has build-in support for MSXDOS 1 & 2 and for FAT16.

Besides accessing disk images, Nowind's direct connection to the PC also offers other new possibilities. Developers can use the device as a development tool. Programs compiled on a PC can be loaded into a real MSX in an instant. It is also possible to share disk images between an emulator and a real MSX. Another possibility is to load .rom images into the MSX memory. Images of 16, 32 and 48kB are supported.

The software is completely open source. This enables others to develop applications for the device as well. The software and sources are available in the download section.

Features

  • MSX/MSX2/MSX2+/Turbo-R compatible
  • MSXDOS 1 & 2 build-in
  • fast data transfer (similar to MSX harddisk)
  • ROM drive
  • BASIC now: device
  • Redirected AUX
  • FAT16 support
  • 7 MHz support (~320kB/s read speed)
  • Flash ROM: 512 kB flash rom in Version 1, 4096 kb in version 2 (enables easy firmware updates)

What does it look like?

Click image for more images.

What is NOT possible?
People often ask if it is possible to connect a usb keyboard or usb memorystick to the MSX using the Nowind Interface. This is NOT possible. The interface is a client device and it needs a host (a PC or MAC) to work. In fact, it turns an MSX into a usb device that is accessible to the PC or MAC.

However!

It is theoretically possible to access any usb device that connects to your PC on your MSX. But you always need the PC and a usbhost and/or rom extension in special cases. These extensions are pieces of software that either run on the PC or can be flashed into the Interface. All kinds of media (cdrom's, dvd's usb memorystick etc.) can be used to host disk images out of the box.

Examples of possibilities / ideas, provided someone writes the software for it:
- use a Wii controller on msx using the bluetooth connection of your PC, this might require some sort of TSR or a game patch for each game to work.
- use your msx keyboard to control your PC or vise versa
- If you think of something we haven't, let us know!

--/--