Sharp MZ-80 Series
Sharp MZ 80c
sha_mz80c

Introduction

The Sharp MZ-80C is an enhanced MZ-80K. The keyboard is a little more comfortable to type on, and the machine comes standard with 48KByte of RAM. The monitor has been changed from white to a green model. The MZ-80C was first sold in October of 1979, and mostly meant for the Japanese market.

CPU View - Sharp LH0080A

The Sharp LH0080A is a microprocessor produced by Sharp, and is fully compatible with the Zilog Z80. The LH0080A has been used in various computers:

  • Sharp 8-bit MZ-series (MZ-80 through MZ-800)
  • Sony HB-55 MSX
  • HotBit HB-8000
In the Sharp MZ series the chip often ran at only 2MHz, but upgrade to 4MHz was regularly done by hobbyists.

CPU View - Zilog Z80 Family

The Z80 quickly became popular in the personal computer market, with many early personal computers, such as the TRS-80 and Sinclair ZX80, using the Z80 as their central processing unit (CPU). It was also widely used in home computers, such as the MSX range, SORD, and the Amstrad CPC, as well as in many arcade games. Additionally, it was also used in other applications such as industrial control systems, and embedded systems. The Z80 was widely used until the mid-1980s, when it was gradually replaced by newer microprocessors such as the Intel 80286 and the Motorola 68000.

The Z80 microprocessor was developed by Zilog, a company founded by Federico Faggin in 1974. The Z80 was released in July 1976, as a successor to the Intel 8080. It was designed to be fully compatible with the 8080, but also included new features such as an improved instruction set, more powerful interrupts, and a more sophisticated memory management system.

The Z80 quickly became popular in the personal computer

Technical Details
Released 1979 Country Japan Brand Sharp Type Sharp MZ-80 Series Name Sharp MZ 80c CPU Class Z80 CPU LH0080A @2 MHz Memory RAM: 48kB
VRAM: 1kB
Sound Chip Intel 8253 PIT generating square wave Sound 1 square wave channel. Display Chip none Display 40x24 Text only Best Color none Graphics 40x24 text Sprites none System OS Monitor System Storage Built in Tape Drive Original Price $1800
External Links 🌐
Z80 CPU
Wikipedia page on the very popular Z80 8-bit CPU used in many computers of the 1980's era.