Sharp X1 Turbo Z
 | |
| An X1turbo Z II with its front door open. Apart from the colour of its logo it looks the same as the X1turbo Z (photo: Jun Sasaki, AKIBA PC Hotline!, copyright Impress Corporation) | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sharp Corporation |
| Type | Personal computer |
| Released | December 1986[1] |
| Intro price | ¥218,000[1] |
| CPU | Z80A, 4 MHz; two 80C49 sub-processors[2] |
| Memory | 64 KB program RAM; 4 KB text VRAM; 2 KB attribute VRAM; 6 KB PCG RAM; 96 KB graphics VRAM[2] |
| Storage | Two 5¼-inch floppy drives, 2HD (1 MB) or 2D[2] |
| Display | Up to 640 × 400 in 8 colours; 320 × 200 in 4096 colours; analog RGB, digital RGB and composite outputs[2] |
| Sound | PSG (YM2149F), 3 voices over 8 octaves; FM (YM2151), 8 voices over 8 octaves; 300 mW, 8 cm speaker[2][3] |
| ROM | 32 KB BIOS ROM (including 4 KB IPL); 8 KB character generator ROM; 256 KB JIS level 1 and 2 kanji ROM[2] |
| Input | Separate keyboard on a coiled cord; mouse supplied[2][4] |
| Ports / interface | Digital RGB, analog RGB (15-pin D-sub), TV control, video in, video out, video cut, audio out (R, L), cassette (CZ-8RL1), printer, RS-232C, mouse, two joysticks, keyboard, external floppy drive, disk mode DIP switch, two internal expansion slots[5][2] |
| Power | Built-in mains supply; cooling fan; AC 100 V, 50/60 Hz; 32 W rated, 43 W maximum, 5 W standby[2][6] |
| Dimensions | 390 × 390 × 108 mm (computer); 390 × 189 × 35 mm (keyboard)[2] |
| Weight | 9.5 kg (computer); 1.3 kg (keyboard)[2] |
| OS / Firmware | Disk BASIC (CZ-8FB02) on the supplied system disk[7] |
| Predecessor | Sharp X1 Turbo |
| Successor | X1turbo Z II (CZ-881C) |
| Model no. | CZ-880C, suffix B (black) or E (office grey)[1][4] |
The Sharp X1turbo Z is the last series of Sharp's 8-bit X1 computers. Sharp announced it at the same time as the X68000 and released the first model, the CZ-880C, in December 1986 at ¥218,000.[1] It runs X1turbo software in its "compatible mode", which adds FM sound to the X1turbo hardware. A second "multi mode" gives 4096-colour graphics and video capture.[7] A mouse was supplied as standard.[4][2]
Three models were made, each with two floppy drives:
| Model | Number | Released | Price | Colours | Main changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X1turbo Z | CZ-880C | December 1986 | ¥218,000 | Black or office grey | First model |
| X1turbo Z II | CZ-881C | December 1987 | ¥179,800 | Black | 64 KB expansion RAM added; NEW Z-BASIC (CZ-8FB03) supplied |
| X1turbo Z III | CZ-888C | December 1988 | ¥169,800 | Black | No external floppy connector, digital RGB output or data recorder connector; one volume control in place of the FM/PSG mixing control |
The X1turbo Z was sold in black and office grey until July 1987 and in black only from August. The Z II looks the same as the Z apart from its logo, which is gold instead of having a red Z.[8] Oh!MZ reported that the office grey was the same colour as the X68000's.[4]
Hardware
[edit | edit source]| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | Z80A at 4 MHz; 80C49 for keyboard scanning; 80C49 for television and cassette control |
| ROM | BIOS 32 KB (including 4 KB IPL); character generator 8 KB; kanji (JIS levels 1 and 2) 256 KB |
| RAM | Program 64 KB; user-defined characters 6 KB; text VRAM 4 KB; attribute VRAM 2 KB; graphics VRAM 96 KB |
| Text | 80 or 40 characters by 25, 20, 12 or 10 lines; Japanese text 40 or 20 characters by 25, 20, 12 or 10 lines |
| Graphics, compatible mode | 8 colours: 640 × 400 (1 page), 640 × 200 (2), 320 × 400 (2), 320 × 200 (4) with colour set per dot, or 3, 6, 6 and 12 pages with colour set per page |
| Graphics, multi mode | 320 × 200 in 4096 colours (1 page); 640 × 400 in 8 of 4096 colours (1 page) |
| Video | Analog RGB, separate digital RGB and composite outputs; superimposes text and graphics on a television or video picture; captures 320 × 200 video in up to 4096 colours |
| Sound | PSG, 3 voices over 8 octaves; FM, 2 channels, 8 voices over 8 octaves; 300 mW into an 8 cm speaker |
| Floppy drives | Two 5¼-inch drives for double-sided high-density (2HD) and double-sided double-density disks |
| Interfaces | Centronics printer; CZ-8RL1 data recorder; two Atari-standard joysticks; RS-232C; mouse; two internal expansion I/O ports |
| Clock | Built in, backed up by a nickel-cadmium cell |
| Power | AC 100 V, 50/60 Hz; 32 W rated, 43 W maximum (with 1.6 A drawn from the I/O ports), 5 W on standby |
| Operating conditions | 10 to 35 °C; 35 to 75 % humidity |
| Case | Plastic front panel, metal body; 390 × 390 × 108 mm; 9.5 kg |
| Keyboard | Separate, on a coiled cord; kana and ASCII layout with numeric pad, cursor, function, conversion, roll up and down, help and copy keys; all plastic; 390 × 189 × 35 mm; 1.3 kg |
X1 Center's survey of the chips fitted lists the following for the three models:[3]
| Part | X1turbo Z (CZ-880C) | X1turbo Z II (CZ-881C) | X1turbo Z III (CZ-888C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPL and BIOS ROM | IX0857CE | IX1056CE | IX1218CE |
| Sub-CPU (computer, keyboard) | MSM80C49-277, MSM80C49-260 | ||
| CRT controller | HD46505SP-2 | MB89321B | MB89321B |
| Main and bank RAM | 2 × MB81464-12 | 4 × MB81464-12 | 4 × LH2464Z1 |
| Graphics RAM | 12 × MB81416-10 | 12 × MB81416-10 | 6 × LH2464-10 |
| Calendar clock | µPD1990AC | µPD1990AC | µPD4990 |
| PSG | YM2149F | ||
| FM sound and DAC | YM2151 and YM3012 | ||
| Palette RAM | 3 × µPD4314C-45 | 3 × MCM6168P45 | 3 × AAA16K4P-35 |
| Video capture RAM | 2 × µPD41101C | ||
| Floppy data separator (VFO) | MB4107 | MB4107 | MB4107A |
The X1turbo Z's drives are TEAC FD55GFV-73 three-mode units (Sharp part DMECF0009CE00 on the black model), which return to track 0 at power-on. The Z II uses the FD55GFR-345 and the Z III the FD55GFR-045.[9] Japanese Wikipedia notes that the Z III has twice the documented video memory. The Sharp Museum found six 64K × 4 DRAMs beside its CRT controller, 192 KB against the 96 KB the graphics modes use, and an MB8877A floppy controller. On the Z III a separate brown board below the main board holds the digital telopper and front switch circuits.[1][10]
Connections
[edit | edit source]
On the front are the two floppy drives, whose lamps light during disk access, green in 2HD mode and red in 2D mode, the ANALOG, HIGH RESO., TIMER and POWER lamps, the power switch and a keyboard connector. Behind the front door are the video capture colour and contrast controls, the volume and FM/PSG mixing controls, the IPL and NMI reset buttons, the start-up disk type switch (2D or 2HD), the VTR record mode switch, the 200-line automatic switching stop switch (WIDTH and DEFCHR) and the standard/high-resolution switch.[5][8]
On the rear are the main power switch, the external floppy drive connector, video input and output with level and hue adjusters, two frame ground terminals, RS-232C, printer, a panel for two interface cards, digital RGB output (cable 8K-6D2), analog RGB output (15-pin D-sub, for the CZ-600D display), TV control, the CZ-8RL1 data recorder connector, video cut, the disk mode DIP switch, audio outputs (the FM sound is split between left and right), two joystick ports, and mouse and keyboard connectors.[5] The computer has two keyboard connectors and two mouse connectors, but only one of each can be used at a time.[5]
The display television was first the CZ-600D, shared with the X68000, and later the CZ-880D.[1] The CZ-600D has both analog and digital RGB inputs.[4] Sharp also announced a four-slot expansion I/O box, the CZ-8EB3 (¥33,800), with the X1turbo Z.[4] The CZ-520F, CZ-501F, CZ-502F, CZ-503F and CZ-300F external floppy drives can be connected.[11]
Software
[edit | edit source]The X1turbo Z came with Disk BASIC (CZ-8FB02) for the compatible mode, the FM music tool VIP for the FM sound, the graphics tool Z's STAFF for the multi mode, and system and user dictionaries for Japanese input.[7][4] Z-BASIC, which controls the Z's graphics and video functions from BASIC, was sold separately for the X1turbo Z and supplied with the Z II and Z III.[1][8]
Documentation
[edit | edit source]- Sharp X1turbo Z CZ-880C owner's manual (取扱説明書, Japanese, 96 pages), with specifications, connector signals and the disk mode switch settings.[12]
- The CZ-880C user's manual (BASIC) and application software manual are on the Internet Archive.[13][14]
- No Sharp service manual, schematic or parts list for the X1turbo Z series was found on the Internet Archive or at X1 Center.
Repair guides
[edit | edit source]- Sharp X1 Turbo Z General Maintenance
- Sharp X1 Turbo Z Troubleshooting Guide
- Sharp X1 Turbo Z Capacitor Replacement Guide
Related pages
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 X1 (コンピュータ), Japanese Wikipedia—link(accessed 2026-10-21) X1turbo Z series: announced in December 1986 together with the X68000; 4096 colours at 320 × 200, analog RGB palette on a 15-pin D-sub, hardware scrolling, video capture and mosaic; mouse standard; Z II and Z III use the upward-compatible MB89321B CRTC; Z-BASIC supplied from the Z II (sold separately for the Z). X1turbo Z (CZ-880C, December 1986): black (B) and office grey (E), ¥218,000; display television first the CZ-600D shared with the X68000, later the CZ-880D. X1turbo Z II (CZ-881C, December 1987): 64 KB expansion RAM added, black only, NEW Z-BASIC (CZ-8FB03) supplied, ¥179,800. X1turbo Z III (CZ-888C, December 1988): black only; external FDD, digital RGB display and data recorder connectors removed; FM/PSG mixing knob replaced by a single volume control; the fitted parts differ from the documents and specification, for example in having twice the VRAM; ¥169,800.
- ↑ 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 X1turboZ CZ-880C 取扱説明書, pages 84 to 88, specifications: CPU Z80A 4 MHz, 80C49 (keyboard scan), 80C49 (TV and cassette control); BIOS ROM 32 KB (IPL 4 KB), character generator ROM 8 KB, kanji ROM (levels 1 and 2) 256 KB; program RAM 64 KB, user-defined character RAM 6 KB, text VRAM 4 KB, attribute VRAM 2 KB, graphics VRAM 96 KB; text 80 × 25/20/12/10 and 40 × 25/20/12/10; compatible mode 8 colours set per dot at 640 × 400 (1 page), 640 × 200 (2), 320 × 400 (2), 320 × 200 (4), or set per page at 3, 6, 6 and 12 pages; multi mode 320 × 200 in 4096 colours (1 page), 640 × 400 in 8 of 4096 colours (1 page); Japanese display 40 × 25/20/12/10 and 20 × 25/20/12/10; screen composition of text, graphics and television or video picture; analog RGB, digital RGB separate and composite outputs; PCG 256 characters; video capture 320 × 200 in up to 4096 colours; PSG 8 octaves 3 voices; FM 2 channels 8 octaves 8 voices; audio 300 mW; 8 cm round speaker; two built-in 5.25-inch FDDs for double-sided high density and double-sided double density; Centronics printer, 8-bit parallel; CZ-8RL1 cassette interface; two Atari-standard joysticks; RS-232C and mouse; two expansion I/O ports inside; clock built in, backed by a built-in NiCd cell; AC 100 V; 32 W rated, 43 W maximum (I/O output 1.6 A), 5 W standby; 50/60 Hz; 10 to 35 °C, 35 to 75 %; front panel plastic, body metal; 39.0 × 39.0 × 10.8 cm; 9.5 kg (computer only); keyboard separate with curl cord, kana-labelled ASCII layout, ten-key, cursor, function, conversion, roll up/down, help and copy keys, all plastic, 39.0 × 18.9 × 3.5 cm, 1.3 kg; accessories include a mouse.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 搭載チップセット, X1 Center—link(accessed 2026-10-21) CZ-880C, CZ-881C and CZ-888C columns: IPL/BIOS ROM IX0857CE, IX1056CE, IX1218CE; sub-CPU MSM80C49-277; keyboard MSM80C49-260; CRTC HD46505SP-2, MB89321B, MB89321B; main/bank RAM 2 × MB81464-12, 4 × MB81464-12, 4 × LH2464Z1; graphics RAM 12 × MB81416-10, 12 × MB81416-10, 6 × LH2464-10; RTC µPD1990AC, µPD1990AC, µPD4990; PSG YM2149F; VFO MB4107, MB4107, MB4107A; palette RAM 3 × µPD4314C-45, 3 × MCM6168P45, 3 × AAA16K4P-35; video capture RAM 2 × µPD41101C; FM YM2151 and YM3012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Oh!MZ, December 1986 (Nihon SoftBank), "速報 X1turbo Z" (news preview): X1turbo Z (CZ-880CE/B) announced; the grey is the same as the X68000's; display television CZ-600DE/B shared with the X68000, with analog and digital RGB inputs; original mouse fitted as standard; graphics tool Z's STAFF, FM music tool VIP and system and user dictionaries supplied; modem unit ¥41,800 and four-slot expansion I/O box CZ-8EB3 ¥33,800 announced. Scan on the Internet Archive, item OhMZ198612X68000X6800X1turboZX.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 X1turboZ CZ-880C 取扱説明書, pages 18 to 22, names and functions: front 5-inch floppy drives with front levers; drive indicator green in 2HD mode and red in 2D mode; keyboard connectors at the front and the rear, either may be used but not both at once; internal speaker on the side; indicators ANALOG, HIGH RESO., TIMER and POWER; power switch (switch on the rear main power switch first); mouse connector, two connectors not usable at once; front door: capture picture adjusting controls, volume, FM/PSG mixing, reset switches (IPL and NMI), start-up disk type switch (2HD or 2D), VTR record mode switch, 200-line automatic switching stop switch, standard/high-resolution switch; rear: main power switch, expansion floppy drive connector, video input, video output, video level and hue adjusters (consult the dealer), two frame ground terminals, RS-232C, printer, optional device panel for up to two interface cards, power cord, digital RGB output (cable 8K-6D2), analog RGB output (15-pin D-sub, for the CZ-600D), display television control connector, data recorder connector (CZ-8RL1), video cut (CZ-600D, CZ-870D, CZ-855D, CZ-850D), disk mode switch, audio outputs R and L (FM output split between right and left), mouse connector, two joystick connectors, keyboard connector.
- ↑ X1turboZ CZ-880C 取扱説明書, page 29: the computer uses an air-cooling fan, so leave at least 10 cm of space to the right of the computer; the fan can draw in dust, so avoid dusty places.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 X1turboZ CZ-880C 取扱説明書, page 11: the computer is software compatible with the X1turbo series (CZ-870C, CZ-856C, CZ-852C and others); the mode that runs X1turbo software is called the compatible mode and adds FM sound to the X1turbo functions; the mode that uses the 4096-colour graphics and video digitising is called the multi mode; the compatible mode is supported by BASIC CZ-8FB02 (and the FM music tool for FM sound) and the multi mode by the graphics tool Z's STAFF; mouse fitted as standard; capture modes include mosaic, reduced-gradation and reversed capture.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "NEW Z-BASIC"が同梱され多色モードに対応した「X1turboZII」– 佐々木 潤 (Jun Sasaki), AKIBA PC Hotline! (Impress), 2021-09-15—link(accessed 2026-10-21) The Z II looks exactly like the X1turbo Z except that the X1turbo logo changed from white to gold and the Z from red to gold; the X1turbo Z came in black and office grey (both until July, black only from August), the Z II in black only; shown in November 1987 and released in December; main memory 128 KB (64 KB plus 64 KB expansion); NEW Z-BASIC (CZ-8FB03) supplied; ¥179,800; front door contents: capture colour and contrast controls, volume, mixing, IPL and NMI reset buttons, start-up disk type, VTR record mode, 200-line stop and standard/high-resolution switches, mouse connector beside them.
- ↑ X1/turbo/Zシリーズ搭載FDDインターフェース仕様, X1 Center—link(accessed 2026-10-21) CZ-880CB and CZ-880CE: two FD55GFV-73 (19307200-73) 2D/2DD/2HD drives, Sharp part DMECF0009CE00 (black model); FD55GFV-73: three modes, step rate 6 ms (2D) or 3 ms (2DD/2HD), 1 kΩ terminator, power-on restore; CZ-881C-BK: FD55GFR-345, DMECF0011CE00; CZ-888C-BK: FD55GFR-045, DMECF0014CE00; all FDCs believed to be MB8877A.
- ↑ X1turboZ3, シャープ博物館 (Sharp Museum)—link(accessed 2026-10-21) The Z III omits the external floppy connector (3.5-inch drives cannot be fitted either) and digital RGB output; its start-up DIP switch has moved inside; a brown board below holds the digital telopper and front switch circuits and the large green board is the main board; CRTC MB89321B; six LH2464 (64K × 4) DRAMs near the CRTC make 192 KB, twice the 96 KB the graphics needs; RTC µPD4990; floppy controller MB8877A with MB4107 VFO.
- ↑ X1turboZ CZ-880C 取扱説明書, pages 62 and 63: external floppy drives CZ-520F, CZ-501F, CZ-502F, CZ-503F and CZ-300F can be connected to the expansion floppy disk interface on the rear.
- ↑ Sharp Corporation, X1turboZ CZ-880C 取扱説明書 (owner's manual, Japanese, December 1986), 96 pages. Hosted here as Sharp X1turbo Z CZ-880C Owner's Manual (Japanese).pdf; scan on the Internet Archive, item sharp-x-1turbo-z-cz-880-c.
- ↑ Sharp Corporation, X1turboZ CZ-880C USER'S MANUAL (December 1986). Scan on the Internet Archive, item sharp-x-1turbo-z-cz-880-c-users-manual.
- ↑ Sharp Corporation, X1turboZ CZ-880C アプリケーションソフト説明書 (application software manual). Scan on the Internet Archive, item sharp-x-1turbo-z-cz-880-c_202409.