The X1 (エックスワン, Ekkusuwan), also known as the Sharp X1 or CZ-800C, is a series of home computers made by Sharp Corporation between 1982 and 1987. It uses a Zilog Z80 CPU.

The RGB display monitor for the X1 includes a TV tuner, allowing a computer screen to be shown on a television. All TV functions can be controlled through a computer program. The character font can be fully customized (PCG) using 4-bit color and was used in many games. All VRAM memory is connected to the I/O area, so it is managed without needing bank switching. These features made the X1 very powerful for game software.

Development

The Computer Division of Sharp Corporation introduced the MZ series of computers. Later, the Television Division unexpectedly released a new computer series called the X1. When the X1 was first made available, most other home computers included a BASIC program stored in a special memory called ROM. However, the X1 did not have this feature. Instead, it required users to load the Hu-BASIC program from a cassette tape. This design allowed more memory space to be used for other tasks when BASIC was not in use. This idea was first used in the Sharp MZ series and was referred to as "clean computers" in Japan. The X1 also had a more modern and attractive design compared to other computers of that time. It was available in several colors, including red.

Sharp Corporation did not produce an MSX computer in Japan. Some developers working on the X1 preferred to create their own technology and avoided collaboration with Microsoft, which aimed to establish a common standard for computers. However, Sharp's Brazilian branch, Epcom, released an MSX computer called the Hotbit HB-8000 in Brazil.

History

While the X1 had difficulty selling, the NEC PC-8801 became popular quickly in Japan. In 1984, Sharp introduced the X1 turbo series, which included high-resolution graphics (640×400, compared to the X1's 640×200). This model had several improvements, but its clock speed remained at 4 MHz. In 1986, Sharp released the X1 turbo Z series, which featured a 4096 color analog RGB monitor. In 1987, the X1 twin, which included a PC Engine inside the cabinet, was released as the last model in the X1 series. The X1 series was later replaced by the X68000.

In the late 2000s, Sharp sold desktop computers and TVs combined into one unit in Japan through its Internet Aquos line. These devices offered a red color design similar to the X1 series.