![]() An Overview of the MZ-80K
written by Maurice Hawes / SUC/UK
Source: SUC-magazine July 1994, Volume 14 Number 2, p. 18 - 19 |
An Overview of the MZ-80K ( Software / Hardware ) |
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IMPROVED BASICS |
The original Sharp disk Basic, SP-6015, was similarly deficient, and
we rate SP-7011 as the best all-round upgrade ( although the Knight
Commander, Ardensoft and CPE Disk Basic Plus
toolkits all have their points ). For 16 s.f. arithmetic, Sharps
SP-6115 is adequate, but SBM-SUPERBASIC ( Hu-BASIC on disk ) is more
powerful. |
UTILITIES ( INCLUDING ASSEMBLERS AND DISASSEMBLERS ) |
Sharp provided DISKETTE INIT to format disks, and DISKETTE COPY to
copy disks ( the original version will not copy a master disk, but the
SUC's DISK COPY V2.0 will ). Sharps FILING<CMT will copy machine-programs
from tape to disk, but not vice-versa. A much better bet is DISK
UTIL; this program, of French origin, will copy anything, in either
direction, and do a lot more besides. We also have DISKEDIT.K4
( German origin ) for direct disk-editing. And finally we have Dr. Gladmans
ZEN on disk, running under its own DOS; in this form ZEN is invaluable,
and in the hands of John Edwards it has provided many of our own upgraded
programs. |
APPLICATIONS |
On disk, we have WDPRO 2.25KD ( with its SDOS operating System ),
and Sharpsofts WORDPOWER / DATAPOWER suite ( running under ZEN
DOS ). Unfortunately, we do not have legal access to a disk database,
but WDPRO can be used as a database, thanks to its FIND command. |
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
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GAMES |
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OTHER DISK OPERATING SYSTEMS FOR THE MZ-80K |
To run XTALs CP/M, the MZ-80K must be modified. Some of the
changes are tricky, and a reliable solution remains exlusive. |
MANUALS |
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EXPANSION BOXES, DISK DRIVES, PRINTERS AND PRINTER LEADS |
The Sharp P3 printer was designed for the MZ-80K, and is rugged, reliable, and cheap on ribbons; and the SUC can supply an improved character eprom for £5. Later Sharp printers ( P4 / 5 / 6 ) may also be used, if fitted with a K character eprom. These Sharp printers have only one mode of operation. They expect an end-of-line CR ( $0D ), upon which they print the line, and then do AUTO LF; this precludes any operation requiring two passes e.g. underlining. Standard printers may be used; for years, we were led to believe that a special printer I/F was needed, but we now know that this is not so, and a Standard Sharp printer I/F may be used. Sharps special ASCII character set, and their strange printer control codes, both rernain inherent problems; if your software does not contain built-in cover on these two points, it must be modified. In most cases we can provide either software which is already modified ( /IM, /LF, or /C ), or CENTRONICS patch programs. A standard printer with AUTO LF ON behaves like the Sharp 'P printers described above. lt is more flexible to set AUTO LF OFF and send $0A to print a line and do a line feed; an $0D alone may then be used to print a line but allow another pass. Most of our modified software ( /LF, /C and CENTRONICS ) is for AUTO LF OFF. The built-in P3 lead fits the K printer card. P5 / 6 leads
are straight through 1 - 25 ( 25 D-plug / 26 DIL socket
). Special leads are needed for standard and P4 printers, see Vol. 10
No.3 pp.10 - 11. |