Z88

Z88The Cambridge Z88 was under development under Sinclair Research and evolved from Sir Clive Sinclair Pandora portable computer. The Machine was launched in 1987 under Cambridge Computer after Amstrad bought Sinclair Research Ltd. The machine was primary designed for word-processing and spreadsheet and code named PipeDream was a success. As a CPU it is based on a Z80 processor with 32KB RAM which is possible to expand it to 3.5MB with the aid of memory sessions, and 128KB ROM containing its operating system codenamed OZ. The keyboard uses a membrane which makes it silent when you type and has another feature of adding new ROM’s up to 1MB for multiple applications using the available 3 slots externally or the internal slot. Enthusiast users managed to modify the internals for direct access of 512Kb of ram and attaching different types of peripherals to the machine.
Z88
UK: £315 Retail
031779
1988
Zilog Z80A CPU running at a frequency of 3.2768Mhz
32, 128, and 512K Ram version and can be expanded up to 4MB of RAM. 128K ROM that contains OZ operating system and also applications such as Diary, Pipedream, BBC Basic and PrinterEditor.
The case is black with a silver window frame that houses the batteries, motherboard and LCD screen. The screen is quite large and clear and expansion slots are available at the lower end of the case, for upgrading of ram, or installation of new software through rom cartridges. The keyboard is a full QWERTY style rubber keys with additional keys for functions.
The display resolution was handled by an internal chip and is capable of producing text resolution of 104×8 characters and graphical resolution of 256×64 pixels. Additionally there is a 16×64 pixel resolution status information window at the far right.
Small Speaker used for alarms and warnings notifications.
1 x RS232
3 x Memory Slots
1 x Expansion Slot (Sealed)
External Power Supply with a voltage of 6.5V DC 500mA
Dimensions 294mm x 210mm x 23mm (W x L x H) Weight 900g (without batteries)
Not known exactly as machine was doing well and then sales dropped drastically, but less then 100,000 units.

The Club owns 1 Cambridge Z88 with manuals and power supply. No box or other peripherals were included with it. As a machine it works perfectly and cosmetically is considered as band new. The previous owner never used it as when bought software was not available in his area.

 

Cartridge Slot 1

38 Pin Connector female non standard
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 A19 OUT Address Bit 19
2 A18 OUT Address Bit 18
3 A17 OUT Address Bit 17
4 D5 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 5
5 D4 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 4
6 D3 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 3
7 D6 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 6
8 D7 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 7
9 SE1 IN Slot Enable 1
10 A10 OUT Address Bit 10
11 ROE OUT Rom Output Enable
12 POE OUT Prog Output Enable
13 A11 OUT Address Bit 11
14 A9 OUT Address Bit 9
15 A8 OUT Address Bit 8
16 A13 OUT Address Bit 13
17 WEL OUT Write Enable Latch
18 VCC OUT +5V
19 VCC OUT +5V
20 VCC OUT +5V
21 A14 OUT Address Bit 14
22 GND N/A Ground
23 GND N/A Ground
24 SNSL IN Suspend State
25 D2 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 2
26 D1 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 1
27 D0 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 0
28 A0 OUT Address Bit 0
29 A1 OUT Address Bit 1
30 A2 OUT Address Bit 2
31 A3 OUT Address Bit 3
32 A4 OUT Address Bit 4
33 A5 OUT Address Bit 5
34 A6 OUT Address Bit 6
35 A7 OUT Address Bit 7
36 A12 OUT Address Bit 12
37 A15 OUT Address Bit 15
38 A16 OUT Address Bit 16
 

 

Cartridge Slot 2

38 Pin Connector female non standard
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 A19 OUT Address Bit 19
2 A18 OUT Address Bit 18
3 A17 OUT Address Bit 17
4 D5 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 5
5 D4 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 4
6 D3 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 3
7 D6 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 6
8 D7 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 7
9 SE2 IN Slot Enable 2
10 A10 OUT Address Bit 10
11 ROE OUT Rom Output Enable
12 POE OUT Prog Output Enable
13 A11 OUT Address Bit 11
14 A9 OUT Address Bit 9
15 A8 OUT Address Bit 8
16 A13 OUT Address Bit 13
17 WEL OUT Write Enable Latch
18 VCC OUT +5V
19 VCC OUT +5V
20 VCC OUT +5V
21 A14 OUT Address Bit 14
22 GND N/A Ground
23 GND N/A Ground
24 SNSL IN Suspend State
25 D2 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 2
26 D1 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 1
27 D0 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 0
28 A0 OUT Address Bit 0
29 A1 OUT Address Bit 1
30 A2 OUT Address Bit 2
31 A3 OUT Address Bit 3
32 A4 OUT Address Bit 4
33 A5 OUT Address Bit 5
34 A6 OUT Address Bit 6
35 A7 OUT Address Bit 7
36 A12 OUT Address Bit 12
37 A15 OUT Address Bit 15
38 A16 OUT Address Bit 16
 

 

Cartridge Slot 3

38 Pin Connector female non standard
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 A19 OUT Address Bit 19
2 A18 OUT Address Bit 18
3 A17 OUT Address Bit 17
4 D5 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 5
5 D4 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 4
6 D3 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 3
7 D6 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 6
8 D7 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 7
9 SE3 IN Slot Enable 1
10 A10 OUT Address Bit 10
11 EOE OUT EPROM Output Enable
12 POE OUT Prog Output Enable
13 A11 OUT Address Bit 11
14 A9 OUT Address Bit 9
15 A8 OUT Address Bit 8
16 A13 OUT Address Bit 13
17 PGML OUT Program Latch
18 VCC OUT +5V
19 VCC OUT +5V
20 VPP OUT +12V
21 A14 OUT Address Bit 14
22 GND N/A Ground
23 GND N/A Ground
24 SNSL IN Suspend State
25 D2 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 2
26 D1 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 1
27 D0 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 0
28 A0 OUT Address Bit 0
29 A1 OUT Address Bit 1
30 A2 OUT Address Bit 2
31 A3 OUT Address Bit 3
32 A4 OUT Address Bit 4
33 A5 OUT Address Bit 5
34 A6 OUT Address Bit 6
35 A7 OUT Address Bit 7
36 A12 OUT Address Bit 12
37 A15 OUT Address Bit 15
38 A16 OUT Address Bit 16
 

 

DC Power

DC Plug Chassis Mount (Female)
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 GND N/A Ground
2 +6.5V – 7 V N/A 6.5 – 7V Max DC 600mA Min
 

 

Expansion Port

48-Pin Edge Connector
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 GND N/A Ground
2 A11 OUT Address Bit 11
3 A12 OUT Address Bit 12
4 A13 OUT Address Bit 13
5 A14 OUT Address Bit 14
6 A15 OUT Address Bit 15
7 CLK OUT Clock
8 D4 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 4
9 D3 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 3
10 D5 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 5
11 D6 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 6
12 VCC OUT +5V DC Max 1mA
13 D2 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 2
14 GND N/A Ground
15 D0 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 0
16 D1 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 1
17 /INT IN Interrupt Request
18 SLOT N/A Key Slot
19 /HLT IN Halt Request
20 MREQ OUT Mem Request
21 IOREQ IN/
OUT		 IO Request
22 /MAW IN Mem Active WR
23 -BT IN/
OUT		 ?
24 GND N/A Ground
A SNSL IN Suspend State
B 12V OUT +12V DC 5mA
C A10 OUT Address Bit 10
D A9 OUT Address Bit 9
E A8 OUT Address Bit 8
F A7 OUT Address Bit 7
G A6 OUT Address Bit 6
H A5 OUT Address Bit 5
I A4 OUT Address Bit 4
J A3 OUT Address Bit 3
K A2 OUT Address Bit 2
L A1 OUT Address Bit 1
M A0 OUT Address Bit 0
N GND N/A Ground
O D7 IN/
OUT		 Data Bit 7
P /M1 OUT Memory Sel 1
Q FLP IN Flip Switch
R SLOT N/A Key Slot
S /NMI IN Non Maskable Interrupt
T /WR OUT Mem Write
U /RD OUT Mem Read
V /RESET IN Reset
W SVCC OUT +5V Max 1mA
X SNSL IN Suspend State
 

 

RS232

9 Pin DSUB Male Chassis (at the computer)
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 VCC OUT +5V 1uA Max
2 TxD OUT Transmit Data
3 RxD IN Receive Data
4 RTS OUT Ready to Send
5 CTS IN Clear to Send
6 NC N/A No Connection
7 GND N/A Ground
8 DCD IN Data Carrier Detect
9 DTR OUT Data Terminal Ready