X68000's MDX

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MDX is a music markup 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:

   * A 4-operator FM synthesis chip which is a  "YAMAHA(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.

[edit] External links

[1] Human68k Xperiment's X68000 music page
[2] Japanese page with some MDX music and MP3s of them.
[3] Internet radio station that plays many MDX songs. Also features a request library.