--- title: CAMBRIDGE COMPUTERS Z 88 categories: - Computers types: - Portable origins: - United Kingdom years: - '1988' cpus: - CMOS Z80A params: name: Z 88 image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_system_2.jpg company: /companies/cambridge-computers company_name: CAMBRIDGE COMPUTERS specs: - label: NAME value: Z 88 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Cambridge Computers - label: TYPE value: Portable - label: ORIGIN value: United Kingdom - label: YEAR value: '1988' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Diary, PipeDream (combined wordprocessor/spreadsheet), Terminal, Printer Editor, BBC BASIC, Index (application/card manager), Filer (file/EPROM manager), Calendar, Calculator, Clock, Alarm, Import/Export (file transfer) and Panel (control settings). - label: KEYBOARD value: 64 rubber-key QWERTY arrangement, including full-size spacebar. - label: CPU value: CMOS Z80A - label: SPEED value: 3.2768MHz - label: RAM value: 32 KB, 128 KB or 512 KB depending on models (the Z88 can address up to 4Mb of memory, subdivided into 256 banks of 16K each) - label: ROM value: 128 KB (up to 1 MB) - label: TEXT MODES value: 104 chars. x 8 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 640 x 64 (the screen is typically shared between a text area of up to 104x8 characters on the left and a graphics area of up to 256x64 pixels (on the right). Additionally there is a 16x64 pixel status information window at the far right) - label: COLORS value: 3 shades of gray - label: SOUND value: Miniature loudspeaker, used for alarms or warnings. - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: A4-size notepad (294mm x 210mm x 23mm). Weight 900g. - label: I/O PORTS value: RS232, 3 Expansion ports (RAM or EPROM), Z80 Bus - label: OS value: OZ - label: POWER SUPPLY value: |- 4xAA alkaline cells, providing up to 20 hours of use or one-year standby.\ AC mains adaptor (6.5v DC @ 500mA). Internal capacitor provides power while batteries are being replaced. - label: PRICE value: £199.95 exc VAT tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware - software - emulators - links - docs forum_thread: 289 photos: - title: SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR subtitle: '' text: |- Sir Clive Sinclair with his latest innovative computer design. Thanks to Dennis Gröning and [his web site](http://www.algonet.se/~dennisgr/) for this picture. image: /media/museum/photos/cambridge_z88_clive.jpg - title: LEFT SIDE subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** External power supply jack\ **(2)** System reset switch\ **(3)** Display contrast adjustment image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_leftside_1.jpg - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: Notice the Serial DB9 plug. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_rightside_1.jpg - title: BOTTOM SIDE subtitle: '' text: |- The three memory expansion slots are fitted with:\ \- a 128 KB RAM module,\ \- a 32 KB EPROM module holding communication programs,\ \- a 'Z88 to MAC' module allowing file transfers between a Z88 and Macintosh computers. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_bottomside_1.jpg - title: DISPLAY CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: This is the main menu image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_displaycloseup_1.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** Serial connector cable\ **(2)** Custom I/O chip made by NEC\ **(3)** Keyboard connectors\ **(4)** The board provides a bus connector but the case doesn't allow to use it\ **(5)** Z80 processor, here a Zilog version\ **(6)** Beeper\ **(7)** Extension connectors allowing to add up to three RAM, ROM or EPROM modules\ **(8)** 32 KB RAM chip\ **(9)** Built-in software 128 KB ROM\ **(10)** Display contrast knob\ **(10)** Batteries housing image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_inside_1.jpg - title: 'INSIDE #2' subtitle: '' text: LCD display rear side. The display was made by Epson. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_inside_2.jpg - title: 'INSIDE #3' subtitle: '' text: |- Chips close-up.\ From left to right:\ \- 128 KB ROM chip - 32 KB pseudo static RAM chip. This chip can be replaced with a 128 KB and even 512 KB chip.\ \- Custom gate-array chip. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_insidecloseup_1.jpg - title: MEMORY MODULES subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_memmodules_1.jpg - title: BAG AND MANUAL subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_bagmanual_1.jpg adverts: - title: UK ADVERT, APRIL 1987 subtitle: '' text: |- From Personal Computer World magazine.\ Advert said:\ It's an extraordinarily powerful machine which offers word-processing, spreadsheet, and a set of time and data-management tools in a single, highly porlable package.\ At £199.95. the Z88 is supplied with 32K resident RAM. Extra 32K costs under £20, extra 128K under £50!\ And heavy users Will be able to expand the RAM to an astonishing 3 Mbytes, using plug-in RAM cartridges.\ For printing text or data, the Z88 connects direcly to most popular RS232 compatible printers, while for permanent storage the Z88 employs removable solid state EPROM cartridges - no tape to break, no delicate disc to damage.\ Though the Z88 is a powerful, full facility, self-contained computer, it also acts as an extension of an office micro, connecting directly to allow exchange of text or data.\ For every personal computer user, the Z88 offers a comprehensive specification in a package of unparalleled portability. image: /media/museum/pubs/cambridge_z88_pub_1.jpg - title: PRICE LIST subtitle: '' text: April 1987 price list, including VAT. image: /media/museum/pubs/cambridge_z88_pricelist_s1.jpg hardware: - title: 512 KB RAM CARTRIDGE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/cambridge-computers_z88_512kb-ram-cart_1.jpg - title: 128 KB EPROM subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/cambridge-computers_z88_128kb-eprom_1.jpg emulators: - title: Z88 emulators url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/emulator.htm platform: Multiplatform text: Z88 DOS & Windows emulator links: - title: Dennis Gröning's Z88 page url: http://www.algonet.se/~dennisgr/z88.htm text: Very useful tools and programs for the Z88. - title: John Allen's Z88 Bits url: http://www.johnallen.com/z88/ text: Nice dedicated site with interesting articles - title: W.N. Richardson & Co url: http://website.lineone.net/~alchemistresearch/wnr/z88.htm text: Those guys sell Z88 systems and parts. - title: www.rakewell.com url: http://www.rakewell.com/z88/z88.shtml text: So you want to buy a Z88, or accessories? Go there. - title: Z88 Forever! url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/ text: The title says it all. You've got to go there first! - title: Z88 Serve url: http://home5.swipnet.se/~w-57588/z88serve.htm text: An useful tool that turns your PC into a server for your Z88 - title: Z88 Source Book url: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/5865/z88book.txt text: The Source Book is a kind of Z88 FAQ full of practical info. docs: - title: SERVICE MANUAL url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/sm121/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/service%20manual.jpg text: |- [**SERVICE MANUAL**](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/sm121/index.htm)written by Cambridge Computer  compiled/archived by Thierry Peycru\  type of document : HTML\  size : 230 KB\  source : [Z88 Forever](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/) - title: DEVELOPPERS' NOTES url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/dn327/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif text: |- [**DEVELOPPERS' NOTES**](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/dn327/index.htm)written by Gunther Strube, Thierry Peycru and Dennis Gröning  compiled/archived by Thierry Peycru\  type of document : HTML\  size : 355 KB\  source : [Z88 Forever](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/) - title: THE Z88 SOURCE BOOK url: null cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/z88_source-book.jpg text: |- **THE Z88 SOURCE BOOK**\ written by Timothy C. Swenson  compiled/archived by Timothy C. Swenson\  type of document : Online reader **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** software: - /software/spellmaster oc_id: 279 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230327015401/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=279 date: '2023-03-27' --- Amstrad bought the rights to use the Sinclair name on computer products. However, while Sir Clive Sinclair (the creator of the [ZX 80](/museum/sinclair-zx-80/), [ZX 81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/), [ZX Spectrum](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum/) and [QL](/museum/sinclair-ql-quantum-leap/)) retained ownership of Sinclair Research, he couldn't use the Sinclair name. Sir Sinclair therefore created a new company called Cambridge Research, with the intention of realizing an old project, the Pandora Project. The result of this work was the Z88 (it was achieved in 1988). Sir Sinclair at the time thought it was a revolution and said that this computer would be one of the best commercial successes. Actually it was Clive Sinclair's last contribution to the computer world! This small machine was quite powerful; its operating system could exceed the 64 KB limitation of the Z80 with a good memory manager. It could also divide the memory into 16 KB pages, so the RAM could be expanded up to 3 MB thanks to 2 expansion ports. RAM cartridges of 32 KB and 128 KB were available. It had a built-in EPROM programmer available on the 3rd expansion port, so data could be saved directly on 128 KB EPROMs. The ROM contained a lot of software: Pipedream (spreadsheet, word processor and database), the Z80 version of the BBC Basic (the Basic of the BBC or Electron), a diary, a calendar, a clock, a conversion tool, a VT 52 terminal emulator, Filer (the file manager of the Operating System) and a utility to transfer data to a PC compatible via a RS232 link. This transfer utility exported text and spreadsheet files into Wordstar or Lotus 1-2-3 formats. It's probably worth pointing out that BBC basic built into the Z88 also contains a machine code editor, which allows you to embed Z80 assembly language into your Z88 BBC Basic programs! This feature was used quite often for the 'extra speed' portions of programs. Of course, having the assembly language embedded inside your source code meant that the code was very portable, and all loaded in one go - no messy 'support files' for your application. Jan M.L. Bosmans reported to us that the BBC Basic in the Z88, although very powerful, lacks an essential feature: there is neither an editor nor debugger! This means that mistakes in a line can only be corrected by typing the whole line again. While it's true that the BBC basic had no editor built in, but one of the first 'type in programs' in the BASIC section of the manual was a program you could enter (and save to battery backed memory) that provided a line editor feature! It was just a few lines of BBC Basic, and worked very well. --- Contributors: John J. Diamond, Mark Wills