Sharp X1 & MZ¶
Sharp's Z80 lines in Japan, before the X68000: the MZ series ("clean computer", BASIC loaded from cassette) from 1978, and the X1 series (1982) marketed as "pasokon + TV". Good JP game library, a demoscene presence. Standard JP 8-bit repair: recap, drive, keyboard.
Sharp MZ-700 — photo by Bilby, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
Identification¶
| Line | Years | CPU | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| MZ-80K / 700 / 1500 | 1978-84 | Z80 | "clean computer", all-in-one (screen + cassette/QD) |
| MZ-2000 / 2500 | 1982-85 | Z80 | high-end, improved graphics |
| X1 / X1 turbo | 1982-84 | Z80 | TV overlay, text/PCG cards, optional FM |
Sound: PSG (AY/SN) + FM (YM2151) on X1 turbo/high-end; cassette / Quick Disk / floppy media.
Clocks & frequencies ✅¶
| Component | Frequency | Role / scope |
|---|---|---|
| Zilog Z80 | 4 MHz | X1 (modèles améliorés — la vitesse d'horloge est restée à 4 MHz) |
| Zilog Z80B | 6 MHz | MZ-2500 (SuperMZ), à partir de 1985 |
Careful not to mix the two lines: X1 and MZ are two distinct Sharp families with different clock rates.
Why this matters in repair
A clock that is missing or off-value on a frequency counter points straight at the crystal, its divider chain or the component it feeds — the fastest starting point on a machine that will not boot. Source: Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA).
Repair (technician)¶
- Recap (PSU + board; all-in-one models = many electrolytics) → Recap.
- Drive: cassette / Quick Disk / floppy → mechanism, belts (common on integrated MZ units).
- Integrated screen (MZ): it is a CRT → see CRT safety before working.
- Keyboard: contacts → clean.
- Video (X1): RGB output / overlay → check wiring.
Common faults¶
| Symptom | Likely cause | Lead |
|---|---|---|
| Won't load | drive (belt/head) | Mechanism, belts |
| Instability | caps | Recap |
| Dead picture (all-in-one MZ) | CRT / video board | CRT safety first |
| Dead keys | keyboard | Clean |
Modernisation & mods — what to buy, how¶
All-in-one MZ = CRT high voltage + recap
All-in-one MZ units contain a CRT: high voltage, discharge the tube before opening → CRT safety. Substantial recap (all-in-ones have many electrolytics); change drive/tape belts.
Modern storage
- Gotek + FlashFloppy or HxC 🟡 for the floppy drives (X1, floppy-based MZ); Quick Disk
emulators 🟡 for the MZ/X1 that use them.
- Cassette → audio 🟢 from a PC/phone (.wav/.cas images) for tape models (many MZ).
Video - RGB output (X1) 🟢 → SCART then OSSC / RetroTINK or RGB2HDMI. (All-in-one MZ: no "color mod", the display is the built-in CRT.)
⚠️ Do not host ROMs/games — method only.
See also¶
- X68000 (the 16/32-bit successor) · Fujitsu FM-7 · MSX · Recap.
Sources & attribution¶
- Photo Sharp MZ-700 — Bilby, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sharp_MZ-700.jpg
- Wikipedia — Sharp X1 / Sharp MZ (Z80, YM2151, Quick Disk) — CC-BY-SA — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharp_X1
- Established JP retro community knowledge (belts, recap) — synthesis.
Review & corrections
How this space is used
Spotted a wrong value, an outdated procedure, a chip reference that does not match your board? Say so here, with what you observed (model, board revision, serial number, measurement). Every report is cross-checked against a source before anything changes — an unverifiable correction is published as “reported by …, not cross-checked” rather than silently applied.
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