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Info for x68000


====== Sharp X68000 (1987) ======




===== Features =====

* CPU: Motorola MC68000 10 MHz
* Co-Processor: Unknown
* RAM: 1 MB (up to 12 MB)
* VRAM: 512 KB graphic + 512 KB text
* ROM: 1 MB
* Text Modes: Unknown
* Graphic Modes: 256 x 240 / 256 x 256 / 512 x 240 / 512 x 256 / 512 x 512 / 640 x 480 / 768 x 512 / 1024 x 1024 / 128 sprites (16 x 16 dots)
* Colors: 65535 (16 colors in 1024 x 1024 to 65K in 512 x 512)
* Sound: FM Sound (Yamaha YM2151 : 2 channels / 8 octaves stereo) + ADPCM (OKI MSM6258V : 4 bit mono)
* I/O Ports: Joystick(2), Audio IN / OUT, Stereo scope, TV Control, NTSC Video Image I/O, Expansion (2 slots), External FDD, SASI, RS232
* Keyboard: Full-stroke keyboard
* Built In Media: 2 x 5.25" disk-drive
* OS: Human 68K 1.0 + VS







===== Usage =====

* Some default key mappings:
* Opt.1 -> Print Screen
* Opt.2 -> Pause/Break
* XF1 -> F11
* XF2 -> F12

* ; and + -> ; and :
* : and * -> ' and "
* " -> Shift-2
* Roll Up and Roll Down -> Page Up and Page Down

* Some keys are not mapped, as the X68000 has more keys than most PC keyboards do, but under Human68k, you can open a software keyboard using the right mouse button twice (make sure -mouse is enabled), allowing you to click on keys using the mouse pointer. The software keyboard also includes a built-in calculator.

* Executable files under Human68k or SX-Windows have the .X extension. They are run by typing the filename at the command prompt, minus the .X extension, or double-clicking the file icon in SX-Windows.

* Many basic DOS functions are also present under Human68k, like dir, tree, copy, even pushing F3 (not XF3) to re-display the last command.

* Don't know how to type in Japanese filenames? Under Human68k, you can push TAB to cycle through file or directory names in the current directory. It can also complete file or directory names for you, if you have already typed the first few characters.

* Most game disks are bootable, so generally no interaction with Human68k is needed for them.

* Different BIOS versions are supported via the -bios parameter in MESS:

"-bios 0" or "-bios ipl10" = IPL-ROM v1.0

"-bios 1" or "-bios ipl11" = IPL-ROM v1.1

"-bios 2" or "-bios ipl12" = IPL-ROM v1.2

"-bios 3" or "-bios ipl13" = IPL-ROM v1.3 (92/11/27)



==== Keyboard layout ====

113-key (if I counted it right) Qwerty keyboard.







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

* Lacks emulation of the OKI MSM6258 ADPCM.
* Lacks hard disk (either SASI or SCSI) emulation.
* Real-time clock alarm function is not emulated.
* Raster effects don't work.
* Keyboard emulation isn't perfect (not currently working until new MFP USART code is plugged in, you can still use the software keyboard via the mouse, however).
* Setting of Supervisor area isn't emulated.
* Some games have horizontal sprite offset issues ranging from minimal (Exciting Hour) to major (Kyukyoku Tiger).
* List of tested games that don't work, or have major problems
* Lemmings
* Gemini Wing
* Baraduke
* Viewpoint (corrupt graphics, locks up after a short time)
* Flying Shark
* ...and probably a number of others



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

Here is the first of a great family. It is the successor of the Sharp X1 family, shipped with a unique square screen monitor, fist in a grey case, then in black.

Instead of using the Zilog Z80, it uses a powerful Motorola MC 68000. This computer (and all its family) has great features (look at the emulator), it was more powerful than the other 68000 computers at this time (Atari ST or Amiga 500) : more colors or more hardware sprites, hardware scrolling, genlocking, perspective or playfields (up to 16) .

Unfortunately, it was never marketed outside Japan where it was and still is very very popular! Too bad, I'm sure it would have a great success!! A very great range of games were developed for the X680x0 serie and the best arcade conversions were done on this computer.

It runs under Human 68K, an operating system which looks like CP/M 68 or MSDOS and uses a graphic user interface called VS.

Notice that the development is still active on that computer, several OSes have been ported on the X68000, the most famous are Minix and Unix NetBSD and all the GNU tools and there are some projects under development : XNeptune (a Ethernet card) or Ko-Windows (a 'NextStep-like' graphic environment).

It was followed by the X68000 Ace and Ace HD.

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



===== Links =====

* X680x0 Story -- http://www.kh.rim.or.jp/~tron/X68monogatari.html
* X68000 at old-computers.com -- http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=298



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

* Virtual X68000 -- http://www.vx68k.org/vx68k/
* EX68 -- http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~yamama/emul/
* XM6 -- http://www.ipc-tokai.or.jp/~ytanaka/x680x0/xm6.shtml
* X68000 Java Emu -- http://homepage2.nifty.com/m_kamada/java/x68000/




Generated on Sun Jul 19 10:17:28 2009