Canon V-8

The Canon V-8 condensed the MSX1 standard into the company’s smallest home-computer case. A Yamaha MSX-Engine integrated much of the supporting logic, allowing a thin external-power-supply design with 16KB RAM and one cartridge slot.

The compact layout moved the cursor keys to the upper-right corner and omitted the printer port found on larger Canon models. It was intended as an inexpensive, space-saving route into established MSX software.

Notable Features

• Canon’s smallest MSX computer used a highly integrated Yamaha S3527 MSX-Engine.
• Compact 311mm-wide case required an external AC adapter.
• One cartridge slot and no printer interface reduced size and cost.

Historical Significance

• Illustrated the rapid integration and cost reduction of MSX hardware by 1985.
• A distinctive compact alternative to Canon’s earlier V-10 and V-20.

Collector’s Notes

• The external AD-10 power adapter is part of the original configuration.
• Small regional Japanese keyboard and limited RAM are authentic design features rather than faults.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Canon V-8
Manufacturer	Canon
Launched	Saturday, August 31, 1985
Launch Price	¥39,800
Country	Japan
CPU	NEC D780C-1 Z80-compatible processor at 3.58 MHz
Units Sold
Operating System	MSX BASIC 1.0
I/O	RF, composite, cassette, two joystick ports and one cartridge slot
Keyboard	Compact JIS keyboard with separated cursor keys
Storage	Cassette and one MSX cartridge slot
Sound	YM2149 PSG integrated in Yamaha S3527
Graphics	256 x 192 pixels in 16 colours
Display	32 x 24 text via RF or composite output
ROM	32KB MSX BASIC and BIOS
RAM	16KB main RAM and 16KB video RAM
CPU Speed	3.58 MHz