Vanessa (Vanessaira)

MIDI Expansion Card for Sharp X68000

Midiori from user TD-Linux, is a brand new expansion MIDI card for the Sharp X68000.  This card would allow X68K users to interface with the various MIDI Tone and Sound Modules such as the legendary Roland MT-32 or CM-32L for example.  This custom board uses the exact same chips that are used on the official Sharp card, (the CZ-6BM1) to ensure compatibility with the games that support this feature.  Furthermore their design has full MIDI IN, OUT, and Pass Through (THRU) support giving this card flexibility to work in existing MIDI Module setups.  Options include the ability to order your card with the standard MIDI connection ports, or smaller 3.5mm TRS MIDI Connectors.  This is a nice option as choosing the smaller TRS connectors will keep this card from blocking other card slots on the expansion board for the X68K.  TD-Linus states that support for the Tape Hardware Interface is being omitted from this design as its not really applicable due to software limitations.

TD-Linux is releasing the specifications for this board on github as well as taking orders to build and sell.  Prices start at around $75 after finishing the prototypes.  The creator has noted that if you want to make these boards, that you will need to find a YM3802-X chip.  This is a Yamaha MIDI Commication and Service controller chip of note found in MSX and Sharp computers of that era.

Links:

TD-Linux Project from NFGGames  https://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6556.0

Github  https://github.com/tdaede/midiori