The X1 Turbo Z is the successor of the X1 Turbo III. The name of the X1 serie becomes a bit surrealistic !
The Turbo Z enhances the graphic and sound characteristics : more colors and more voices. It can display the 4096 colors simultaneously in the 320 x 200 mode. It was also possible to digitize video samples!
There are 3 different models: X1 Turbo Z, Z II and Z III:
- Z II is VCCI compliant (electromagnetic emissions control) and has 128 KB RAM as standard.
- Z III does not have any remote connector for data recorder. Otherwise it is identical to the Z II.
The languages available were Hu-basic (developed by HUDSON soft), Turbo Basic and new Z-basic. The new Z basic language introduced enhanced functions (graphics and sound), but needed 128 KB RAM to operate. It was bundled with the Turbo ZII and ZIII, but Turbo Z owners had to buy it separately. An expansion memory board fitted with 64 KB RAM was then sold with the box, so Turbo Z systems could have 128 KB RAM. In fact you could add up to 256 KB RAM on this board, so Turbo Z owners could finally upgrade more easily their systems than ZII and ZIII ones.
More info needed!
We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system,
please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.
Please consider donating your old computer / videogame system to Old-Computers.com or one of our partners from anywhere in the world (Europe, America, Asia, etc.).
Any chance to unbox it the last four years?
Monday 28th March 2016
Hamlet440
I have an X1 TurboZII CZ-881C-BK on it''s way to me from Japan right now. When it arrives I will take pictures of it, outside and inside, and post them here. I am going to hook up the keyboard to a logic analyzer and try figure out the keyboard protocol, for all those people out there who have an X1 without a keyboard. Anyway, pictures to come soon!
Saturday 17th March 2012
Conrad Russo (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
NAME
X1 Turbo Z (CZ-880C)
MANUFACTURER
Sharp
TYPE
Professional Computer
ORIGIN
Japan
YEAR
1986
KEYBOARD
Full-stroke keyboard, JIS standard
CPU
Sharp Z80 A
SPEED
4 MHz
RAM
64 KB (ZII & ZIII have 128 KB)
VRAM
96 KB
ROM
128 KB + 40 KB
TEXT MODES
20 / 40 / 80 x 10 / 12 / 20 / 25
GRAPHIC MODES
320 x 200 / 320 x 192 / 320 x 400 / 640 x 192 / 640 x 200 / 640 x 400
COLORS
4096
SOUND
3 voices PSG + 8 voices FM
SIZE / WEIGHT
Unknown
I/O PORTS
Two I/O ports, analog video out, disk drive expansion, video in/out, RS232c port, printer port, keyboard, 2 x joysticks (Atari standard), tape interface, digital display connector (8 colors), audio out
