Sharp X1C
.jpg) | |
| A silver X1C (CZ-801C) with a CZ-801D display television on its tilt stand (photo: Oh!MZ, November 1983, Nihon SoftBank) | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sharp Corporation |
| Type | Personal computer |
| Released | October 1983 (X1C); July 1984 (X1Cs and X1Ck)[1] |
| Intro price | ¥119,800 (X1C and X1Cs); ¥139,800 (X1Ck)[1] |
| CPU | Z80A (Sharp LH0080A), 4 MHz[2][3] |
| Memory | 64 KB main RAM; 4 KB text RAM; 6 KB PCG RAM; 48 KB graphics RAM fitted as standard[2] |
| Storage | Built-in cassette data recorder, 2700 baud[2] |
| Display | Text 80 × 25 or 40 × 25; graphics 640 × 200 or 320 × 200 in 8 colours; digital RGB output[2] |
| Sound | AY-3-8910 PSG, 3 voices over 8 octaves; 300 mW, 8 cm speaker[2][4] |
| ROM | 4 KB IPL ROM; 2 KB character generator ROM[2] |
| Input | Keyboard built into the computer[5] |
| Ports / interface | RGB, TV control, expansion box bus, printer, two joysticks, external keyboard[5][3] |
| Power | Built-in mains supply, AC 100 V ±10 %, 50/60 Hz, 30 W[2] |
| Dimensions | 420 × 344 × 114 mm[2] |
| Weight | 5.0 kg[2] |
| OS / Firmware | None in ROM; the IPL loads Hu-BASIC from cassette[1][5] |
| Predecessor | Sharp X1 |
| Successor | Sharp X1F |
| Model no. | CZ-801C (X1C); CZ-803C (X1Cs); CZ-804C (X1Ck)[1] |
The Sharp X1C (CZ-801C) is a version of Sharp's X1 personal computer with the keyboard built into the computer case. Sharp announced it on 28 September 1983 together with the Sharp X1D, and it went on sale in October 1983 at ¥119,800, in rose red or silver.[5][1] Unlike the first X1, it has the 48 KB graphics memory fitted as standard.[1] It was nicknamed the "active type".[1]
The X1C runs all software written for the first X1 without changes.[5] Like the X1, it has no BASIC in ROM: Hu-BASIC comes on a cassette (CZ-8CB01) and loads from the built-in data recorder.[5][1]
In July 1984 Sharp added two variants. The X1Cs (CZ-803C) has two expansion I/O slots inside, in the space the X1C keeps for its plotter printer, and sold at the same price. The X1Ck (CZ-804C) is an X1Cs with a kanji ROM fitted, at ¥139,800.[1][4]
Models
[edit | edit source]| Model | Name | Released | Differences | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CZ-801C | X1C | October 1983 | Space inside for the optional colour plotter printer; expansion through the external CZ-8EB box | ¥119,800 |
| CZ-803C | X1Cs | July 1984 | Two internal expansion I/O slots in place of the plotter printer space | ¥119,800 |
| CZ-804C | X1Ck | July 1984 | As the X1Cs, with the JIS level 1 kanji ROM fitted | ¥139,800 |
Hardware
[edit | edit source]Sharp's specification for the X1C matches that of the first X1 in processor, memory and display. The differences are the graphics memory fitted as standard, the built-in keyboard and the expansion arrangements.[2]
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processors | Z80A at 4 MHz; 80C48 for key scanning; 80C49 for television and cassette control |
| ROM | 4 KB IPL ROM; 2 KB character generator ROM |
| RAM | 64 KB program RAM; 4 KB text RAM; 6 KB user-defined character RAM; 48 KB graphics RAM |
| Display | 80 × 25 or 40 × 25 text; 640 × 200 or 320 × 200 graphics; 8 colours; R, G, B separate outputs |
| Cassette recorder | Built in, full-logic electromagnetic mechanism; Sharp PWM at 2700 baud |
| Sound | 8 octaves, 3 voices; 8 cm round speaker, 300 mW |
| Interfaces | Centronics 8-bit parallel printer; colour plotter printer (TTL level, 8-bit parallel); two Atari-standard joystick ports; I/O bus connector for the expansion I/O box |
| Clock | Built in (Sharp lists battery backup for the X1D only) |
| Power | AC 100 V ±10 %, 50/60 Hz; 30 W |
| Operating conditions | 10 to 35 °C; 35 to 75 per cent humidity |
| Size and weight | 420 × 344 × 114 mm; 5.0 kg |
The 1985 book X1システム研究室 prints a complete schematic headed "X1C". It includes the kanji ROM, the two I/O slots, the IX0489CE gate array and MB81416 graphics memory, which X1 Center lists for the X1Cs and X1Ck, and X1 Center describes it as the X1Cs and X1Ck schematic.[3][6][4] It and X1 Center's survey of the chips on real boards show a Sharp LH0080A (Z80A) CPU, a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a Hitachi HD46505SP-2 CRT controller, an AY-3-8910 sound generator, an MSM80C49 sub-CPU and a µPD1990AC calendar clock.[3][4] The X1C's graphics memory is six TMS4416 chips in place of the first X1's twenty-four MB8118 chips, and its IPL ROM is IX0422CE.[4] The sound output stage is built from discrete transistors.[3]
The X1C has no clock backup battery; X1 Center lists none on the X1C, X1Cs or X1Ck, and the schematic shows the clock chip fed from the computer's standby supply.[4][3] Sharp's specification likewise lists battery backup for the X1D only.[2]
The keyboard, although built in, is a separate circuit of the same kind as the separate X1 keyboards. X1 Center connected an X1C keyboard to an X1turbo Z through its internal three-wire connector, which is reached by opening the cover of the plotter printer bay.[7] The X1C also has a rear socket for an external keyboard.[3][7]
Connections
[edit | edit source].jpg)
Oh!MZ lists the rear connectors from the left as RGB output, TV control, the bus line for the expansion I/O box and the printer port, with two identical joystick ports at the right.[5] The power switch and mains lead are at the right-hand end of the rear panel.[8]
Options
[edit | edit source]- Colour plotter printer: fits inside the X1C, in the bay to the left of the cassette deck. It resembles the MZ-700 plotter printer and prints in four colours.[5]
- CZ-8EB expansion I/O box: takes up to four interface boards, such as a floppy drive interface or a kanji ROM board, because the X1C has no room for an internal expansion port. Sharp's specification table names it CZ-81EB.[5][2]
- CZ-801D and CZ-802D display televisions, with 0.45 mm and 0.40 mm shadow mask pitch. They work with the X1C and the X1D, and the earlier CZ-800D can be used as well.[5][1]
Documentation
[edit | edit source]- No Sharp owner's manual or service manual for the X1C was found online. The owner's manual for the first X1 is hosted as File:Sharp X1 CZ-800C Owner's Manual (Japanese).pdf.
- A complete schematic headed "X1C" is printed on pages 279 to 283 of X1システム研究室 (Nihon SoftBank, 1985), in five parts: kanji ROM, main board, cassette interface, graphics V-RAM and I/O slots. It matches the X1Cs and X1Ck, and the plain X1C may differ in places. A scan of the book is on the Internet Archive.[3][6]
Repair guides
[edit | edit source]Related models
[edit | edit source]- Sharp X1: the first model, with a separate keyboard.
- Sharp X1D: announced with the X1C, with a 3-inch floppy drive.
- Sharp X1F and Sharp X1G: later X1 models.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 X1 (コンピュータ), Japanese Wikipedia—link(accessed 2026-10-21) X1C (CZ-801C, October 1983): keyboard built into the computer; a plotter printer can be fitted inside; an external expansion I/O option connects to a dedicated bus; nickname "active type"; rose red and silver metallic; 48 KB graphics RAM built in; ¥119,800; display televisions CZ-801DS/R (0.45 mm mask pitch) and CZ-802DS/R (0.40 mm) work with both the X1C and X1D. X1Cs (CZ-803C, July 1984): the X1C with two expansion I/O ports built into the plotter printer space; rose red and silver metallic; ¥119,800. X1Ck (CZ-804C, July 1984): the X1Cs with a kanji ROM; ¥139,800. Series: no BASIC in ROM; the IPL loads the system from floppy, ROM board or cassette.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Oh!MZ, November 1983, page 26, table 1 "パーソナルコンピュータ(CZ-801C/802C)仕様": Z80A 4 MHz; 80C48 for key scanning; 80C49 for television and cassette control; IPL ROM 4 KB; character generator ROM 2 KB; program RAM 64 KB; text RAM 4 KB; user-defined character generator RAM 6 KB; graphics RAM 48 KB; 80 × 25 or 40 × 25 text; 640 × 200 or 320 × 200 colour graphics in 8 colours; R, G, B separate output; full-logic electromagnetic cassette deck built in (X1C), Sharp PWM, 2700 baud; sound 8 octaves, 3 voices; 8 cm round speaker, 300 mW; Centronics 8-bit parallel printer interface; colour plotter printer (X1C) TTL level, 8-bit parallel; Atari-standard joystick interface, two usable; I/O BUS connector (X1C) for the CZ-81EB expansion I/O box; clock built in (X1D backed up by a built-in nickel-cadmium cell); AC 100 V ±10 %, 50/60 Hz; power consumption 49 W (X1D), 30 W (X1C); 10 to 35 °C, 35 to 75 % humidity; X1C body 42.0 × 34.4 × 11.4 cm, 5.0 kg. Scan on the Internet Archive, item oh-mz-1983-08-12, file Oh!MZ_1983-11, leaf 27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 有田隆也 (Arita Takaya), X1システム研究室 (Nihon SoftBank, first edition 28 June 1985), pages 279 to 283, "X1C全回路図" (complete X1C schematic) in five parts: kanji ROM, main board, cassette interface, graphics V-RAM and I/O slots. Graphics V-RAM part: gate array IC86 (IX0489CE) and MB81416-12 memory (IC87 to IC95). Main board: Z-80A (LH-0080A, IC31) with a 16 MHz crystal X2; HD46505SP-2 CRTC (IC34); IPL ROM IC6 (IX0422CE); AY-3-8910 (IC29) with a discrete output stage (Q1 2SC1815Y, Q2 2SA673C, Q3 2SC1213C) to the speaker; MSM80C49 sub-CPU (IC83) with a 6 MHz crystal; µPD8255AC-2 (IC70, IC82); calendar clock with a 32.768 kHz crystal X4, trimmer C41 and supply from VCC2 through diode D5, with no backup cell; power input connector I-1 GND, I-2 VCC1, I-3 VCC2; external keyboard jack J2 (GND, VCC2, DATA). Cassette interface: VCC3 (12 V) from the power unit; NJM2903D and NJM2904D read circuit; IR2411 drivers for the deck. The page notes that the schematic is published on Nihon SoftBank's responsibility and asks readers not to contact the manufacturer about it. Scan on the Internet Archive, item x-1_TechnicalDocuments, leaves 281 to 285.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 搭載チップセット, X1 Center—link(accessed 2026-10-21) CZ-801C (X1C): IPL ROM IX0422CE; 8 × 8 font IX0286CE; no kanji ROM; main-unit sub-CPU MSM80C49-61; keyboard sub-CPU MSM80C48-14; CRTC HD46505SP-2; main RAM 8 × MB8265-15; attribute and text VRAM 2 × MB8416A-15-SK; PCG RAM 3 × MB8416A-15 or 3 × LH5128-20; graphics RAM 6 × TMS4416-12NL; RTC µPD1990AC; backup battery none; PSG AY-3-8910; custom IC IX0395CE. CZ-803C (X1Cs) and CZ-804C (X1Ck): IPL ROM IX0422CE; main RAM 8 × M5K4164AP-15; graphics RAM 6 × MB81416-12; backup battery none; custom ICs IX0395CE, IX0489CE, IX0490CE; kanji ROM HN61256P-C11 to C14 on the X1Ck only. CZ-800C (X1) for comparison: graphics RAM 24 × MB8118-12, backup battery 2.4 V 30 mAh.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 Oh!MZ, November 1983 (Nihon SoftBank), pages 26 and 27, "姉妹機X1C、X1Dが新登場", and the colour page "ファン待望のニューフェイス": Sharp announced the X1C and X1D on 28 September 1983; full compatibility with the X1, so all X1 software runs unchanged; the X1C combines keyboard and CPU unit in a compact design slimmer than the MZ-2200, with the X1's full-logic high-speed data recorder (2700 baud) as standard and an optional colour plotter printer fitted inside, similar in appearance to the MZ-700's and printing in four colours; because the X1C is compact, expansion I/O cannot be fitted inside, so an optional expansion I/O box takes floppy disk interface and kanji ROM boards; new display televisions CZ-801S/R (0.45 mm pitch) and CZ-802S/R (0.40 mm), usable with the X1's CZ-800D as well. Photo captions: X1C (CZ-801C) with the CZ-801D display television on a tilt stand, silver shown, rose red also available; keyboard layout as on the X1, with the full-logic cassette deck at the upper right and the colour plotter printer bay to its left; rear connectors from the left: RGB, TV control, bus line for the expansion I/O box, printer, and two identical joystick ports at the right; expansion I/O box CZ-8EB holds up to four boards such as floppy disk interface and kanji ROM boards; supplied with the owner's manual, the Hu-BASIC manual, the BASIC tape (Hu-BASIC CZ-8CB01) and an application tape. Scan on the Internet Archive, item oh-mz-1983-08-12, file Oh!MZ_1983-11, leaves 18 and 27.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 図面資料, X1 Center—link(accessed 2026-10-21) Schematic list: "CZ-803C（X1Cs）/CZ-804C（X1Ck）全回路図 ---> X1システム研究室 P279-283".
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 X1Cを、他のX1/X1turboのキーボードにする。, X1 Center, 2009-01-16—link(accessed 2026-10-21) The X1C keyboard is a circuit independent of the main unit and compatible with the separate X1 keyboards; its connector is easy to reach by opening the cover for the add-on plotter printer; three wires (brown, red, orange); converted to a 3.5 mm mini jack it works on other X1 and X1turbo models without power from the X1C, tested on an X1turbo Z; it can also be plugged into the X1C's own rear keyboard connector; the EJECT key then does not work, but SHIFT+STOP does the same; the photographs apply to the CZ-801C only, and the connector may be elsewhere on the X1Cs and X1Ck.
- ↑ Rear panel photograph from Oh!MZ, November 1983, File:Sharp X1C CZ-801C rear panel (Oh!MZ 1983).jpg: a rocker switch marked ON and OFF and the mains lead marked AC 100V at the right-hand end.