website/content/museum/cambridge-computers-z-88.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
CAMBRIDGE COMPUTERS Z 88	Computers	Portable	United Kingdom	1988	CMOS Z80A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware emulators links docs software oc_id source Z 88 /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_system_2.jpg /companies/cambridge-computers CAMBRIDGE COMPUTERS label value NAME Z 88 label value MANUFACTURER Cambridge Computers label value TYPE Portable label value ORIGIN United Kingdom label value YEAR 1988 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE 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 value KEYBOARD 64 rubber-key QWERTY arrangement, including full-size spacebar. label value CPU CMOS Z80A label value SPEED 3.2768MHz label value RAM 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 value ROM 128 KB (up to 1 MB) label value TEXT MODES 104 chars. x 8 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 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 value COLORS 3 shades of gray label value SOUND Miniature loudspeaker, used for alarms or warnings. label value SIZE / WEIGHT A4-size notepad (294mm x 210mm x 23mm). Weight 900g. label value I/O PORTS RS232, 3 Expansion ports (RAM or EPROM), Z80 Bus label value OS OZ label value POWER SUPPLY 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 value PRICE £199.95 exc VAT photos adverts hardware software emulators links docs 289 title subtitle text image SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR 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. /media/museum/photos/cambridge_z88_clive.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE **(1)** External power supply jack\ **(2)** System reset switch\ **(3)** Display contrast adjustment /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_leftside_1.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE Notice the Serial DB9 plug. /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_rightside_1.jpg title subtitle text image BOTTOM SIDE 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. /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_bottomside_1.jpg title subtitle text image DISPLAY CLOSE-UP This is the main menu /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_displaycloseup_1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE **(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 /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE #2 LCD display rear side. The display was made by Epson. /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_inside_2.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE #3 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. /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_insidecloseup_1.jpg title subtitle text image MEMORY MODULES /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_memmodules_1.jpg title subtitle text image BAG AND MANUAL /media/museum/photos/sinclair_z88_bagmanual_1.jpg title subtitle text image UK ADVERT, APRIL 1987 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. /media/museum/pubs/cambridge_z88_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image PRICE LIST April 1987 price list, including VAT. /media/museum/pubs/cambridge_z88_pricelist_s1.jpg title subtitle text image 512 KB RAM CARTRIDGE /media/museum/hardware/cambridge-computers_z88_512kb-ram-cart_1.jpg title subtitle text image 128 KB EPROM /media/museum/hardware/cambridge-computers_z88_128kb-eprom_1.jpg title url platform text Z88 emulators http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/emulator.htm Multiplatform Z88 DOS & Windows emulator title url text Dennis Gröning's Z88 page http://www.algonet.se/~dennisgr/z88.htm Very useful tools and programs for the Z88. title url text John Allen's Z88 Bits http://www.johnallen.com/z88/ Nice dedicated site with interesting articles title url text W.N. Richardson & Co http://website.lineone.net/~alchemistresearch/wnr/z88.htm Those guys sell Z88 systems and parts. title url text www.rakewell.com http://www.rakewell.com/z88/z88.shtml So you want to buy a Z88, or accessories? Go there. title url text Z88 Forever! http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/ The title says it all. You've got to go there first! title url text Z88 Serve http://home5.swipnet.se/~w-57588/z88serve.htm An useful tool that turns your PC into a server for your Z88 title url text Z88 Source Book http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/5865/z88book.txt The Source Book is a kind of Z88 FAQ full of practical info. title url cover text SERVICE MANUAL http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/sm121/index.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/service%20manual.jpg [**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 url cover text DEVELOPPERS' NOTES http://www.worldofspectrum.org/z88forever/dn327/index.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif [**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 url cover text THE Z88 SOURCE BOOK null /media/museum/docs/couvs/z88_source-book.jpg **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/spellmaster 279 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230327015401/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=279 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, ZX 81, ZX Spectrum and QL) 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.

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Contributors: John J. Diamond, Mark Wills