I have Sharp three main units, two data recorder MZ-1T01 and two plotter MZ1-P01.
type computer
country Japan
year 1983
os none – monitor in ROM
cpu Sharp LH-0080 (Zilog Z80A compatible)
speed 4 MHz
ram 64 KB
rom 2 KB
graphic text mode 40 x 25, graphic mode 50 x 80
colors 8
sound one channel, 3 octaves
ports tape, RF, parallel, RGB, two joystick, Z80 bus
The Sharp MZ-700 Series — The Affordable Clean Computer
The Sharp MZ-700 series (comprising the MZ-711, MZ-721, MZ-731, and MZ-731H variants), released in 1982, was Sharp’s affordable entry-level clean computer — a more compact and lower-priced evolution of the MZ-80 series that maintained the clean computer philosophy while bringing the price within reach of home users. Using a Z80A processor at 3.546 MHz with 64 KB of RAM and a built-in cassette interface, the MZ-700 offered the flexibility of Sharp’s ROM-less design in a more consumer-friendly package.
The MZ-700 Variants
The MZ-700 series offered several configurations: the MZ-711 was the base model with cassette storage, the MZ-721 added a built-in 5.25-inch floppy disk drive, the MZ-731 included a thermal printer, and the MZ-731H combined floppy drive and printer. This modular approach allowed buyers to start with basic capability and add storage and printing as needed, reflecting Sharp’s understanding that different users had different requirements and budgets.
Colour Graphics
The MZ-700 offered colour graphics capability — 320×200 pixels with 8 colours — a significant improvement over some contemporaries and adequate for both business applications and games. The machine supported various BASIC dialects loaded from tape or disk, as well as CP/M with appropriate disk hardware, giving it genuine versatility for both home and professional use. The MZ-700 was popular in Japan and found export markets in Europe, where Sharp’s quality reputation gave it credibility against domestic competitors.