#zilog

Sony HitBit HB-101 (1984)

The HB-101 is part of the MSX standard, a unified home computer architecture developed by Microsoft and ASCII Corporation.

- CPU: Zilog Z80, running at 3.58 MHz

- RAM: 64 KB

- Video: Video Display Processor (VDP) with a maximum resolution of 256 x 192 pixels, supporting up to 16 colors

🇬🇧 Immerse yourself in the captivating world of computing through the Sinclair ZX Spectrum—a groundbreaking microcomputer that captured the imagination of an entire generation!

🌟 In 1980, the visionary British entrepreneur and scientist, Sir Clive Sinclair, entered the home computer market with the ZX80 priced at £99.95, marking the era's most affordable personal computer in the United Kingdom. A year later, the ZX81 hit the high street, introducing home computing to a generation, with over 1.5 million units sold.

💻 Released in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd., the Sinclair ZX Spectrum swiftly became one of the most iconic home computers of its time. It dominated the UK's computer sales market, fiercely competing against Commodore and Amstrad. This compact and budget-friendly machine brought computing into countless households.

🕹️ Powered by the Zilog Z80A CPU running at 3.5 MHz and equipped with either 16 KB or 48 KB of RAM, the ZX Spectrum sported a sleek, compact design resembling a keyboard with rubber keys, making it innovative and approachable. Its graphics and sound capabilities were ahead of their time, enabling vibrant games and applications.

⌨️ One of the ZX Spectrum's standout features was its vast library of games. From classics like "Manic Miner" and "Jet Set Willy" to innovative titles developed by enthusiasts, the Spectrum's game collection remains a cherished part of gaming history. The computer's BASIC programming language also inspired users to create their own software.

🖥 Despite modest hardware specifications, the ZX Spectrum nurtured a lively community of developers and enthusiasts, serving as a gateway into the world of programming and digital creativity.

🚀 Over its lifespan, the ZX Spectrum evolved with new models, including the ZX Spectrum+, ZX Spectrum 128, and ZX Spectrum +2, each offering enhanced performance and features while retaining the beloved design.

📺 The ZX Spectrum's impact extended beyond its hardware, playing a pivotal role in the British computing scene, inspiring future generations of programmers and entrepreneurs. Its legacy resonates in modern computing and gaming through emulators and remakes that keep its spirit alive.

📊 At the peak of its success and largely inspired by the Japanese Fifth Generation Computer program, the company established the "MetaLab" research centre at Milton Hall near Cambridge to pursue advanced projects like artificial intelligence, wafer-scale integration, and formal verification.

Space Harrier original arcade game soundtrack (1985, 2018)

Sega was the game publisher that made graphical scaling look real good. They flirted with it for 1985′s Hang-On, but Space Harrier gave it true potential and took Sega to the next level. The three-dimensional graphics and sense of perspective was the selling point for a fast-paced one-way rail-shooter that allowed you to run and float off the ground to gun down dragons, robots, stone heads, robots, geometrical objects, pillars, and one-eyed mammoths in a futuristic Never-Ending Story / Roger Dean-type ‘fantasy zone’. With its’ type of motion in gameplay, Sega even created a motorized (sit-in) cockpit version of the game which creator Yu Suzuki put his salary up on the line for; shaking back-and-forth and side-to-side to the hero’s movements that made playing it feel like you were on an amusement ride. On all counts, Space Harrier was way ahead of its’ time. So much that it even encouraged you personally (”You’re doing great!″). The Data Disc label had issued this classic soundtrack on vinyl as with Sega’s other marquee games. Hiroshi Kawaguchi created much of the music with a Yamaha DX7 (with other contributions from Suzuki), with the Zilog Z80 CPU driving both the Yamaha YM2203 synthesis and Sega’s own PCM chips which processed the in-game audio and speech samples. What you heard in the game, all the tones, snyth-lines, chips, processors, and tinny frequencies, is all you’ll find here.

Commodore 128D (Metall)

Der C128D entspricht technisch den C128 und wurde in einen Desktopgehäuse untergebracht. Nicht nur der C128, sondern auch das Netzteil und ein 1571er Laufwerk. In seinem Inneren werkeln zwei Prozessoren. Der 8502 der den C128 in einen fast vollkompatiblen C64-Modus versetzt und einen Z80 für die CP/M Kompatibilität mit 80 Zeichen Darstellung. Sogar ein Videospeicher wurde dem C128 spendiert. Das Basic wurde stark erweitert und auf die Version 7.0 gebracht. Allerdings wurde bei dieser "Metall-Version" der Tragegriff entfernt und es besteht keine Möglichkeit mehr die Tastatur für frn Transport auf der unteren Seite des Gerätes zu fixieren. Vor allem wegen Probleme mit der Abschirmung wurde das Plastikgehäuse durch ein Metallgehäuse ersetzt.

The Olivetti M20 is a curious beast of a microcomputer. Originating from Italy (but seeing a release internationally with a slightly altered color scheme), this system was released in March of 1982 for the heart-stopping price of $5,400. Powering this system is a processor rarely seen elsewhere... Zilog, the creator of the 8-bit Z80 microprocessor, had developed their own 16-bit expansion called the Z8000. And this computer used one, clocked at 4MHz.

Base RAM was 128KB, expandable to 512KB. Expanded RAM allowed for the use of color displays instead of a monochrome, greenscale, or amberscale monitor. Though, you couldn’t just connect any old CGA monitor to it, or even use RF and your TV. The Olivetti M20 had its own proprietary video connection, locking you into only being able to use Olivetti’s official monitors. Storage was either a pair of 5.25″ floppy drives, or one 5.25″ floppy drive and a 11.25MB Winchester hard disk drive.