website/content/museum/sharp-mz-80a-mz-1200.md

---
title: Sharp MZ 80A - MZ 1200
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1982'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80
params:
  name: MZ 80A - MZ 1200
  company: /companies/sharp
  company_name: Sharp
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: MZ 80A - MZ 1200
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Sharp
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1982'
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke keyboard
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80
  - label: SPEED
    value: 2 MHz (it was possible to change the clock generator to a 4 MHz clock with a Z80A)
  - label: RAM
    value: 24 KB (up to 48 KB)
  - label: ROM
    value: 4 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 x 25
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 50 x 90
  - label: COLORS
    value: monochrom
  - label: SOUND
    value: one channel
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Expension bus, Centronics
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Tape recorder
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in PSU
  - label: PRICE
    value: 148 000 yen (Japan, 1982)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - emulators
  - links
  photos:
  - title: MZ 80A AND PRALINE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thierry's cat, Praline, is very interested in the MZ80A.
    image: null
  - title: MZ-80A
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: RUNNING
    subtitle: ''
    text: MZ-80A running a Japanese chess game
    image: null
  - title: MZ-1200
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: LEFT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: A plastic case replaces the robust metal case of the MZ-80K.
    image: null
  - title: RIGHT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: TOP VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: REAR SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: The optional MZ80-AEU expansion unit was connected to the back of the computer. Four expansion cards could be inserted. It is here equipped with FDD and Serial interface cards.
    image: null
  - title: TAPE DRIVE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Ready to load the FIG FORTH language editor.
    image: null
  - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: Each key allow to type two graphic characters. They are located in front of the key caps.
    image: null
  - title: OPENED
    subtitle: ''
    text: The motherboard is located below the keyboard and display unit. Notice also the PSU on the right side and the tape drive fixed to the cover.
    image: null
  - title: MOTHERBOARD EXPLAINED
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** 2 KB VRAM\
      **(2)** 2 KB CG-ROM\
      **(3)** Gate Arrays : Display Controler & Char Generator\
      **(4)** 24 KB RAM\
      **(5)** AEU Expansion Box connector\
      **(6)** Power Supply connector\
      **(7)** LH0080A (Sharp Z80A)\
      **(8)** Reset Connector\
      **(9)** Memory Controler\
      **(10)** 2 KB ROM\
      **(11)** Programable Interface Timer 8253\
      **(12)** Programable Peripheral Interface 8255
    image: null
  - title: USER MANUAL
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  adverts:
  - title: GERMAN LEAFLET
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      "The compact Personal Computer with versatile application possibilities."

      Courtesy of **www.sharpmz.org**
    image: null
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT (1982)
    subtitle: ''
    text: '"The computing answer"'
    image: null
  hardware:
  - title: MZ AEU EXPANSION UNIT - FRONT
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      As the MZ 80B, the MZ 80A uses an expansion unit connected directly on the motherboard. It offers four slots for interface cards.\
      Two of them are used on the photo : a Centronics interface card on the left and a Floppy disk interface on the right.
    image: null
  - title: MZ AEU EXPANSION UNIT - REAR
    subtitle: ''
    text: The Expansion box is plugged through this connector to the MZ 80A motherboard.
    image: null
  - title: FLOPPY DISK INTERFACE
    subtitle: ''
    text: This card is plugged into the AEU expansion box. It allows the MZ 80A to use the MZ 80FB FDD.
    image: null
  - title: CENTRONICS INTERFACE
    subtitle: ''
    text: This card is plugged into the AEU expansion box.
    image: null
  - title: FRENCH FDD UNIT
    subtitle: ''
    text: Instead of selling the original Sharp FDD unit, the Sharp French subsidiary (Sharp Burotype Machines) preferred to made their own unit. The case could hold up to 4 drives. The drives were Canon models.
    image: null
  - title: MZ 80P3 - DOT MATRIX PRINTER
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: MZ-P4 PRINTER
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: MZ-P6 PRINTER
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  emulators:
  - title: EMUZ-2000
    url: http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~object/
    platform: Windows
    text: SHARP MZ-80B / 2000 / 2200 emulator for Windows
  links:
  - title: Sharp Games
    url: http://sharpgames.atspace.com
    text: Some homebrew games in develoment for the MZ
  - title: The Sharp Users Club
    url: http://sharpusersclub.org
    text: Very useful web site done by the UK Sharp Users Club
  - title: www.sharpmz.org
    url: http://www.sharpmz.org
    text: THE website for all MZ fans !!
  comments:
  - author: Kelp (UK)
    date: Wednesday 1st July 2015
    text: 'The 2nd computer I ever owned, really loved its all-in-one design and the glow of the green screen. It seemed a good step-up from my ZX-81. If you''''re really interested in this machine then please also see my own site : http://mz-80a.com'
  - author: Peter (UK)
    date: Wednesday 2nd May 2012
    text: I quite agree, this was my second computer (ZX 80 was my first) and I loved it to bits. BASIC and PASCAL where my favourite languages I used to program with at the time. This was a very robust and well made computer with an excellent instruction manual. In the manual was a full assembler print out out of the operating system and this was how I learned to code in assembler.
  - author: Martina (Italy)
    date: Tuesday 19th July 2011
    text: |-
      Hi, I''ve got one to sell. I''m not sure if it''s in working order because I''m no expert (it wasn''t even mine) so any price starting from 120 GBP + shipping costs would be ok to me. If anyone''s interested, contact me.\
      Martina
  - author: Joe (UK)
    date: Wednesday 18th May 2005
    text: |-
      My first computer.

      This was a lovely computer, and I'm thrilled to have one again.\
      Currently working on a PCG and re-writing/improving the games i wrote back in the early 80s.

      The Sharp User's Club by the way is a thoroughly excellent organisation and well worth contacting by anyone still interested in the Z80 Sharps
  related:
  - /museum/sharp-mz-2000
  - /museum/sharp-mz-2200
  - /museum/sharp-mz-2500
  - /museum/sharp-mz-2800
  - /museum/sharp-mz-3500
  - /museum/sharp-mz-5500-5600
  - /museum/sharp-mz-700
  - /museum/sharp-mz-800-mz-1500
  - /museum/sharp-mz-80b
  - /museum/sharp-mz-80c
  - /museum/sharp-mz-80k
  oc_id: 172
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230606205609/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=172
    date: '2023-06-06'
---

The Sharp MZ 80A was the "enhanced" version of the [Sharp MZ 80K](/museum/sharp-mz-80k/). It had about the same technical features but offered a typewriter keyboard, better display, enhanced text mode and a Parallel printer port.

Like the MZ 80K and the [MZ 80B](/museum/sharp-mz-80b/), it had no language in ROM. The disavantage was that user had to load a language from tape each time he switched the machine on, on the other hand, any language or machine code program could be loaded instead of the standard BASIC.

The MZ-80A was the last evolution of the all-in-one MZ-80 serie and the predecessor of the [MZ 700 serie](/museum/sharp-mz-700/). It was sold in Japan under the name **SHARP MZ 1200**.