Back to index

Info for mz800


====== Sharp MZ-800 (1984) ======




===== Features =====

* CPU: Zilog Z80A 3.5 MHz
* RAM: 64 KB
* VRAM: 16 KB (up to 32 KB)
* ROM: 16 KB
* Text Modes: 40 x 25 / 80 x 25
* Graphic Modes: 320 x 200 / 640 x 200 - Hardware vertical scrolling accelerator
* Colors: 4 (320 x 200 and 16 if extended VRAM), 2 (640 x 200 and 4 if extended VRAM)
* Sound: 3 channels, 6 octaves + white noise generator
* I/O Ports: Centronics, Joystick (2), Z80 Bus, Tape, RGB
* Keyboard: Full-stroke 70 keys with 5 function keys, editing & arrow keys
* Built In Media: Tape recorder
* Built In Language: None
* Peripherals: Quick-Disc unit, external single or dual FDD unit



===== Known Issues =====

Notice that this system is a TESTDRIVER, i.e. it's not included in the pre-compiled MESS you find at mess.org -- http://www.mess.org/.



===== History and Trivia =====

The Sharp MZ 800 was the successor of the MZ 780. It was partially compatible with the 700 series and the old MZ 80K series as well.

The Tape drive could be substituted for a Quick-disk drive unit. The Quick-Disc was a small 2.8-inch disk with sequential access.

Like the MZ 700, there was no language in ROM, it had to be loaded from tape, quick disk or floppy disk. The ROM only contained boot code, OS calls and special code to allow the user to use the 64 KB RAM as a virtual disk.

A single or double 5.25" disk drive could be connected to the MZ 800. It then worked under a special version of CP/M called P-CP/M. Some great products like Wordstar, dBase II and Multiplan were adapted to it. Under CP/M, it was possible to read multiple disk formats from the 360 KB (Sharp format) to the 720 KB (CP/M IBM PC format).

The MZ 800 was sold in Japan under the name SHARP MZ 1500. The MZ 1500 had the same characteristics except its black case, a built-in Quick-Disc drive and a slighty different graphic video management.

== Versions ==

It was sold under three reference numbers:

* MZ-811 without tape drive,

* MZ-821 with built-in 1200-baud tape drive,

* MZ-831 with tape drive and built-in 4-colour printer-plotter.

//(info from old-computers.com)//



===== Links =====

* Info about Sharp MZ -- http://www.sharpmz.org/index.html
* Sharp Users Club -- http://sharpusersclub.org/
* MZ-800 Retro Museum -- http://www.wagemann.li/subpages/mz800/
* Czech MZ-800 Community -- http://mz-800.xf.cz/
* MZ-800 at old-computers.com -- http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=208



===== Other Emulators =====

* Mz800em -- http://sourceforge.net/projects/mz800em/
* MZ-800 Emu -- http://mz-800.xf.cz/




Generated on Sun Jul 19 10:17:28 2009