Sharp MZ-80A

The Sharp MZ-80A was a more polished successor to the MZ-80K, introduced in Europe in 1981 and sold in Japan as the MZ-1200. It combined the familiar all-in-one CRT and cassette design with a typewriter-style keyboard and a built-in Centronics printer interface.

Like other early MZ machines, the MZ-80A loaded BASIC or alternative languages into RAM, giving owners more freedom than computers tied to a single ROM-based interpreter.

Notable Features

• Typewriter-style keyboard and integrated green-screen display.
• Built-in Centronics-compatible printer interface.
• Known as the MZ-1200 in Japan.

Historical Significance

• Modernised the original MZ-80K design for a broader international audience.
• Continued Sharp’s flexible Clean Computer philosophy.

Collector's Notes

• MZ-80A and MZ-1200 branding depends on market.
• Original cassette software and printer accessories help document how the machine was used.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Sharp MZ-80A
Manufacturer	Sharp
Launched	Thursday, January 1, 1981
Discontinued	Early 1980s
Country	Japan
CPU	Sharp LH0080, Zilog Z80-compatible
Units Sold
Architecture	Sharp Clean Computer system
Keyboard	Full typewriter-style keyboard
Expansion	Optional floppy interface and external expansion unit
Storage	Integrated electronically controlled cassette deck at approximately 1,800 bits per second
Graphics	Optional 320 × 200 graphics with two display areas
Text	40 or 80 columns
Display	Integrated monochrome CRT
ROM	Monitor ROM; languages loaded from external media
RAM	Up to 64KB
CPU Speed	4 MHz