CP/M on the MZ-80A

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JonB
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CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by JonB »

Hello all, new user here.

I have an MZ80-A in really good condition and I would like to run CP/M on it. I've done a bit of research but haven't found anything that outlines how I can do this. I know I need an 80 column modification that SUC appears to be able to provide (either as a board or design materials so I can make my own) but I've seen no details of this.

The other problem I have is lack of a floppy drive system, as my machine is the basic item. I do however have these, which I designed: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/UIDE_Un ... _computers and the knowledge to amend the CP/M BIOS to use it. I would be thinking in terms of fitting a uIDE device internally, using a Z80 shim to connect it to the main board, and going from there. I'd probably need to build a serial interface as well, in order to facilitate software transfer to/from a PC.

I'd be interested to understand more about any CP/M implementation for the MZ80-A, particularly whether the monitor ROM can be switched out - or rather, what the memory map looks like.

Cheers
JonB
Jo Even
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by Jo Even »

JonB wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:56 pmI know I need an 80 column modification that SUC appears to be able to provide (either as a board or design materials so I can make my own) but I've seen no details of this.
There seems to be several articles about this modification in the SUC magazines.

https://www.sharpmz.no/sharp-users-club-magazine-index/

https://www.sharpmz.no/original/sucmags ... pdf#page=8
https://www.sharpmz.no/original/sucmags ... df#page=58
https://www.sharpmz.no/original/sucmags ... df#page=54
https://www.sharpmz.no/original/sucmags ... df#page=10
JonB wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:56 pmI do however have these, which I designed: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/UIDE_Un ... _computers and the knowledge to amend the CP/M BIOS to use it.
Very interesting piece of hardware :) A pity that the MZ doesn't actually have a BIOS of any kind - you need to add the same hardware support to the monitor, BASIC and cp/m. This has been solved in a much more elegant manner on other (but to be fair - also more recent) Z80 platforms like MSX and CPC.
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mz-80a
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by mz-80a »

JonB wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:56 pm I know I need an 80 column modification
It's interesting because I don't know where that assumption comes from. I have a 40 column MZ-80A and the disks for CP/M and have booted it into CP/M a couple of times before and it works. Not that I know what I'm doing after that as I'm not a CP/M user :) But it certainly seems to work on my 40 column un-modded 80A.
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Jo Even
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by Jo Even »

While cp/m works on 40 column screens, it's not very usable. Most cp/m applications expects an 80 column display, smaller displays either requires some sort of virtual screen with horizontal scrolling, or some fiddling with application setup to adapt to the smaller screen.
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by mz-80a »

Ah well there we go. I did add a disclaimer that I'm not a CP/M user :)
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S_U_C
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by S_U_C »

Hi ,
CP/M 2.2 or 2.3 for the MZ80-A is configured for a 40 column screen.

If you have a MZ80-A fitted with the Kuma 80/40 column moderations there are 2 com files that switch the mode to the selected screen size allowing programs that require 80 column to run as intended.

The Kuma 80/40 moderations have been reprinted in the Sharp User Club 2019 vol1 magazine with photographs of the modifications.
Sharpals
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by Sharpals »

Hello, do you hav an MZ80A CP/M disk image ?

I would integrate that into my emulator.

Greatings michael
fluxeon
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by fluxeon »

S_U_C wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2019 12:37 pm The Kuma 80/40 moderations have been reprinted in the Sharp User Club 2019 vol1 magazine with photographs of the modifications.
Where can I get this? The SUC magazines online seem to end at volume 36 (2016) http://sharpusersclub.org/magazine-archive/

I would like to get my old MZ-80A out of the loft and convert it to 80 columns and perhaps make an emulated FDD board to run CP/M or even just use it as an RS232 terminal.
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by S_U_C »

The SUC online magazines are normally a few years behind current versions for obvious reasons as the SUC is still active.
Current magazines 2019 vol1 and the 2019 vol2 are for SUC members.
The SUC Sharp Users Club will be 40 years old in 2020.
You can still join for 2019 and receive copies of vol 1 and 2 (vol2 is about to be released).
Contact John Duxbury email address sharp.users.club@btinternet.com for details.
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Re: CP/M on the MZ-80A

Post by psmart »

Does anybody have a link for the MZ-80A version of CP/M?

I've got the floppy interface running with a Lotharek HxC and Ive tried modifying the MZ-80B CP/M images setting the IPLPRO flag to 02 which was a long shot as they have different memory maps but nothing works. Even tried PCPM80 from an MZ800.

Alternatively, is there a program to convert MZ-80K floppy disks to MZ-80A? The MZ-80K should be compatible but the floppy disk images cannot be read by the MZ-80A bios (different tracks etc)
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