View source for Sharp X1

{{Short description|Series of home computers}}
{{one source|date=February 2021}}
{{expand Japanese|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox information appliance
| name = X1 (CZ-800C)
| logo = [[File:Sharp X1 logo.svg|frameless|class=skin-invert]]
| image = Hu-BASIC X1.png
| caption = [[:ja:Hu-BASIC|Hu-BASIC]] start screen
| developer = 
| manufacturer = [[Sharp Corporation]]
| type = [[Home computer]]
| releasedate = {{Start date|1982}}
| price = [[Japanese yen|¥]]155,000
| connectivity = Printer port, joystick port, audio out
| lifespan = 
| unitssold = 
| media = [[Compact Cassette (data)|Compact Cassette]] or [[floppy disk]]
| input = [[Keyboard (computing)|Keyboard]], [[joystick]]s
| power = Built in PSU
| cpu = Sharp [[Z80]] A
| sound = [[AY-3-8910]] or Yamaha YM2149 ([[YM2151]] in later revisions)
| storage = 
| memory = 64 KB RAM, 4-48KB Video RAM, 6KB ROM
| display = Text: 40 / 80 x 25 characters; Graphics: 320 x 200 / 640 x 200; 8 colors
| dimensions = 
| weight = 
| predecessor = [[Sharp MZ]] series
| successor = [[X68000]]
| related = 
| discontinued = 1987
| os = [[BASIC|Hu-BASIC]], [[CP/M]]
| controllers = 2 joysticks
| CPUspeed = 4 MHz
| memory card = Cassette tape, floppy disc
}}

The {{nihongo|'''X1'''|エックスワン|Ekkusuwan}}, sometimes called the '''Sharp X1'''<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=October 30, 1982 |title=So much for miniaturization |pages=6B |work=St. Joseph News-Press / Gazette |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ctbAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Sharp+X1%22&pg=PA14&article_id=2354,5917466}}</ref> or '''CZ-800C<ref name=":2" />''', is a series of [[home computer]]s released by [[Sharp Corporation]] from 1982 to 1987.<ref name=":3" /> It is based on a [[Zilog Z80]] [[central processing unit|CPU]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Sharp X1 (CZ-800C) |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=313 |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.old-computers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sharp X1-C (CZ-801C) |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=312 |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.old-computers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sharp X1-D (CZ-802C) |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=316 |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.old-computers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sharp X1-CK (CZ-804C) |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=314 |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.old-computers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sharp X1-CS (CZ-803C) |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=315 |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.old-computers.com}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sharp X1 Turbo Z III |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=319 |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.old-computers.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Sharp X1 Twin CZ-830C |url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/65330/Sharp-X1-Twin-CZ-830C/ |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=The Centre for Computing History}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sean |date=22 May 2020 |title=Sharp X1 D |url=https://monochromeeffect.org/JVCC/2019/06/24/sharp-x1-d/ |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=Japanese Vintage Computer Collection |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[RGB color model|RGB]] [[Computer monitor|display monitor]] for the X1 had a television tuner, and a computer screen could be superimposed on TV.<ref name=":3" /> All the TV functions could be controlled from a computer program. The character font was completely programmable (PCG) with [[4-bit color]], and was effectively used in many games. The entirety of the VRAM memory was mapped on to the I/O area, so it was controlled without [[bank switching]]. These features made the X1 very powerful for game software.

== Development ==
Despite the fact that the ''Computer Division'' of Sharp Corporation had released the [[Sharp MZ|MZ series]], suddenly the ''Television Division'' released a new computer series called the X1. At the time the original X1 was released, all other home computers generally had a [[BASIC]] language in [[Read-only memory|ROM]]. However the X1 did not have a BASIC ROM, and it had to load the [[:ja:Hu-BASIC|Hu-BASIC]] interpreter from a cassette tape. On the plus side however, this concept meant that a free [[Random-access memory|RAM]] area was available that was as big as possible when not using BASIC. This policy was originally copied from the [[Sharp MZ]] series, and they were called ''clean computers'' in Japan. The cabinet shape of X1 was also much more stylish than others at that time and a range of cabinet colors (including Red) was selectable.

Sharp never released an [[MSX]] computer in Japan. Some X1 developers were proud to develop their own technology, and they didn't want to work with [[Microsoft]] who attempted to create a unified standard.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sekiguchi|first=Waichi|title=パソコン革命の旗手たち|publisher=[[Nihon Keizai Shimbun]]|year=2000|isbn=4-532-16331-5|pages=216–218|language=ja}}</ref> However, the Brazilian subsidiary of Sharp, Epcom, released an MSX computer named [[Hotbit|Hotbit HB-8000]] in Brazil.

== History ==
While X1 was struggling to sell, the [[PC8801]] (from [[NEC]]) was quickly becoming popular in the Japanese market. In 1984, Sharp released the '''{{ill|X1 turbo|jp|X1_(コンピュータ)#X1turboシリーズ}}'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=X1 Turbo Sharp |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=259 |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=www.old-computers.com}}</ref> series with high-resolution graphics (640x400, while X1 had 640x200). It had many improvements, but the [[Clock rate|clock speed]] was still only 4&nbsp;MHz. In 1986, Sharp released the '''X1 turbo Z<ref name=":0" />''' series with a [[12 bit color|4096 color]] [[Component video|analog RGB]] monitor. An '''X1 twin<ref name=":1" />''', which had a [[TurboGrafx-16|PC-Engine]] in the cabinet, was released as the last machine of the X1 series in 1987. The X1 series was succeeded by the [[Sharp X68000|X68000]]. 

In the late 2000s, Sharp sold desktop PC/TV combos in Japan through its [[Sharp Aquos|Internet Aquos]] line, where an [http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20071107/sharp4.jpg X1-style red color scheme] was available.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=Red Sharp Aquos |url=https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20071107/sharp4.jpg |website=AV Watch}}</ref>

==References==
<references />
{{Sharp Corporation}}
{{Dynabook Inc.}}

[[Category:Sharp Corporation computers|X1]]
[[Category:Z80-based home computers]]
[[Category:Home video game consoles]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1982]]