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

Technical specifications[ | ]

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[1]
  • GPU (graphics processing unit) chipset: Sharp-Hudson Custom Chipset[2][3]
    • 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:[4]
    • 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)[5]

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[ | ]

  • Maximum colors on screen: 65,536 (in 512×512 resolution)
  • Screen resolutions (all out of 65,536 color palette)[4][6]
    • 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
  • Graphical planes: 1-4 bitmap planes, 1-2 tilemap planes, 1 sprite plane[6][7]
    • Bitmap planes[1][6]
      • 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[6][7]
      • 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[1][6][7]
      • 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[8])
      • 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:[9]
    • 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:[9]
    • 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:[9][10]
    • 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:[9][11]
    • 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[12][13][14]
    • 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:[10]
    • Sharp CZ-5H08: 80 MB
    • Sharp CZ-68H: 81 MB
    • Sharp CZ-5H16: 160 MB

See also[ | ]

References[ | ]

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