Sharp X68000

The X68000 (X68000) is a home computer, or personal computer, created by Sharp Corporation, first released in 1987, sold only in Japan.

Processors

 * Main CPU (central processing unit)
 * X68000 (1987) to SUPER (1991) models - Hitachi HD68HC000 (16/32-bit) @ 10 MHz
 * XVI (1991) to Compact (1992) models - Motorola 68000 (16/32-bit) @ 16 MHz
 * X68030 (1993) models - Motorola MC68EC030 (32-bit) @ 25 MHz


 * Sub-CPU: Oki MSM80C51 MCU


 * GPU (graphics processing unit) chipset: Sharp-Hudson Custom Chipset
 * X68000 (1987) model - CYNTHIA Jr Sprite Controller, VINAS CRT Controller, VSOP Video Controller, RESERVE Video Data Selector
 * ACE (1988) to X68030 (1993) models - CYNTHIA Sprite Controller, VICON CRT Controller, VIPS Video Controller, CATHY Video Data Selector


 * Sound chips:
 * Yamaha YM2151: Eight FM synthesis channels
 * Yamaha YM3012: Floating point DAC with 2-channel stereo output
 * Oki MSM6258: One 4-bit ADPCM mono channel @ 22 kHz sampling rate


 * Coprocessor: AMD Banchu Cammago 4007 (Super models in 1990)

Memory

 * ROM: 1 MB (128 KB BIOS, 768 KB Character Generator)
 * Main RAM: 1-4 MB (expandable up to 12 MB)
 * VRAM: 1056 KB
 * 512 KB graphics
 * 512 KB text
 * 32 KB sprites
 * SRAM: 16 KB static RAM

Graphics

 * Color palette: 65,536 (16-bit RGB high color depth)


 * Maximum colors on screen: 65,536 (in 512×512 resolution)


 * Screen resolutions (all out of 65,536 color palette)
 * 256×240 pixels @ 16 to 65,536 colors
 * 256×256 pixels @ 16 to 65,536 colors
 * 512×240 pixels @ 16 to 65,536 colors
 * 512×256 pixels @ 16 to 65,536 colors
 * 512×512 pixels @ 16 to 65,536 colors
 * 640×480 pixels @ 16 to 64 colors
 * 768×512 pixels @ 16 to 64 colors
 * 1024×1024 pixels @ 16 to 64 colors


 * Graphics hardware: Hardware scrolling, priority control, super-impose, dual tilemap background layers, sprite flipping


 * Graphical planes: 1-4 bitmap planes, 1-2 tilemap planes, 1 sprite plane
 * Bitmap planes
 * 1 layer: 512×512 resolution @ 65,536 colors on screen, or 1024×1024 resolution @ 64 colors on screen (out of 65,536 color palette)
 * 2 layers: 512×512 resolution @ 256 colors on screen per layer (512 colors combined) (out of 65,536 color palette)
 * 4 layers: 512×512 resolution @ 16 colors on screen per layer (64 colors combined) (out of 65,536 color palette)
 * BG tilemap planes
 * BG plane resolutions: 256×256 (2 layers) or 512×512 (1 layer)
 * BG chip/tile size: 8×8 or 16×16
 * Colors per BG layer: 256 (out of 65,536 color palette)
 * BG colors on screen: 256 (1 layer) or 512 (2 layers), out of 65,536 color palette
 * BG tiles on screen: 512 (16×16 tiles in 256×256 layers) to 4096 (8×8 tiles in 512×512 layer)
 * Sprite plane
 * Sprite count: 128 sprites on screen, 32 sprites per scanline, 256 sprite patterns in VRAM (can be multiplied up to 512 sprites on screen with scanline raster interrupt method )
 * Sprite size: 16×16
 * Colors per sprite: 16 colors per palette, selectable from 16 palettes (out of 65,536 color palette)
 * Sprite colors on screen: 256 (out of 65,536 color palette)
 * Sprite tile size: 8×8 or 16×16
 * Sprite tile count: 128 (16×16) to 512 (8×8) on screen, 256 (16×16) to 1024 (8×8) in VRAM

Other specifications

 * Expansion: 2 card slots (4 on Pro models)


 * I/O Ports:
 * 2 MSX compatible joystick ports
 * Audio IN / OUT
 * Stereo scope/3D goggles port
 * TV/monitor Control
 * RGB/NTSC Video Image I/O
 * Expansion (2 slots)
 * External FDD (up to 2)
 * SASI/SCSI (depending on model)
 * RS232 serial port
 * Parallel port
 * Headphone and microphone ports


 * Floppy Drives:
 * Two soft-eject 5.25″ floppy drives, 1.2 MB each
 * Two 3.5″ floppy drives, 1.44 MB each (compact models)


 * Hard Disk: 20-80 MB SASI/SCSI (depending on model)
 * Operating Systems: Human68k (MS DOS-alike developed by Hudson), SX-Windows GUI
 * Power Input: AC 100V, 50/60 Hz
 * Weight: ~8 kg (~10 kg Pro)

Optional upgrades

 * Upgradable CPU:
 * HARP: Motorola 68000 @ 20 MHz
 * REDZONE: Motorola 68000 @ 24 MHz
 * X68030 D'ash: Motorola 68030 @ 33 MHz
 * Xellent30: Motorola 68030 @ 40 MHz
 * HARP-FX: Motorola 68030 @ 50 MHz
 * Xellent40: Motorola 68040 @ 33 MHz
 * 060Turbo: Motorola 68060 @ 50 MHz
 * Jupiter-EX: Motorola 68060 @ 66 MHz
 * Venus-X/060: Motorola 68060 @ 75 MHz


 * Additional CPU:
 * CONCERTO-X68K: NEC V30 @ 8 MHz, with 512 KB RAM
 * VDTK-X68K: NEC V70 @ 20 MHz, with 2 MB DRAM and 128 KB SRAM


 * FPU (floating point unit) coprocessor:
 * Sharp CZ-6BP1
 * Sharp CZ-6BP2: Motorola 68881 @ 16 MHz
 * Sharp CZ-5MP1: Motorola 68882 @ 25 MHz
 * Xellent30: Motorola 68882 @ 33 MHz
 * Tsukumo TS-6BE6DE: Motorola MC68882, with 6 MB RAM


 * Sound card:
 * Sharp CZ-6BM1: MIDI card
 * System Sacom SX-68M: MIDI card
 * System Sacom SX-68M-2: MIDI card
 * Marcury-Unit: 16-bit stereo PCM @ 48 kHz sampling rate, 2× Yamaha YMF288 FM synthesis sound chips


 * Graphics accelerator & sound card: Tsukumo TS-6BGA
 * Graphics chip: Cirrus Logic CL-GD5434 (1994)
 * VRAM: 2 MB (2048 KB) 64-bit DRAM
 * Color palette: 16,777,216 (24-bit RGB true color depth) and alpha channel (RGBA)
 * Maximum colors on screen: 16,777,216
 * Maximum resolution: 2048×1024 pixels
 * Screen resolutions (all out of 16,777,216 color palette)
 * 768×512 pixels @ 32,768 to 16,777,216 colors
 * 800×600 pixels @ 32,768 to 16,777,216 colors
 * 1024×512 pixels @ 32,768 to 16,777,216 colors
 * 1024×768 pixels @ 32,768 to 16,777,216 colors
 * 1024×1024 pixels @ 32,768 colors
 * 1280×1024 pixels @ 256 colors
 * 2048×1024 pixels @ 256 colors
 * Graphical capabilities: 64-bit GUI acceleration, blitter, bit blit
 * Audio capabilities: 16-bit stereo PCM @ 48 kHz sampling rate


 * Hard disk drive storage:
 * Sharp CZ-5H08: 80 MB
 * Sharp CZ-68H: 81 MB
 * Sharp CZ-5H16: 160 MB