A (trans)portable PC-XT computer made by Zenith, with double 5''1/4 disk drives and amber monitor built-in (23cm).
The computer is unusual in that the 2 built-in disk drives are mounted in a tilting case, on top of the computer. The keyboard folded up over the CRT (if you look at the picture just rotate the keyboard in place so that the spacebar is at the top of the machine). It forms the cover over the CRT.
the cable went into the pop top.
To the right of the two 5.25" floppys is a dark rectangular area. That is an open space for the keyboard and power cable.
The Z-160 was equiped with a color graphic board which could be used with external monitor.
_________
William Pociengel reports:
You could remove one of the floppys and add a hard drive (with an additional card?), you had to format the HD with debug. You could also change the occilator crystal for overclocking but then you had to retune the video circuitry to get the image back to full screen. Original speed was approx 4.78Mhz? same as a standard PC of the day but by changing the crystal you could get up to (on mine at least) a blazing ~5Mhz (whoopie! ;-). I _think_ there was a IC socket for an 8087 on the motherboard (if memory serves me correctly). I ran DR-dos and Desqview (no mouse at the time but it had a serial port, so later you could add one -when they became available-). This was one heavy machine as I recall running through JFK trying to catch a flight while hauling this puppy.
We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system,
please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.
Please consider donating your old computer / videogame system to Old-Computers.com or one of our partners from anywhere in the world (Europe, America, Asia, etc.).
I just started restoring a Z-160. It was sold to me as not having the keyboard cable. Turn out it did have the keyboard cable. It was located in the compartment which is revealed by sliding the panel to the left of the monitor. Neither the description here nor anywhere else mentions this sliding panel.
Friday 31st January 2020
Tim
I do still have one. I can''t seem to message anyone. If you are interested, message me at bamfylde@yahoo.com
Sunday 7th October 2018
caerhl irey (United States)
I have one too. I found mine in an alley. I had a sticker from the University of Minnesota Computer Lab. It was being thrown out. It has a modem installed in it! It works great and weighs a ton!
Saturday 30th June 2018
caerhl irey (United States)
NAME
Z-160 PC
MANUFACTURER
Zenith Data Systems
TYPE
Transportable
ORIGIN
U.S.A.
YEAR
1984
KEYBOARD
QWERTY full-stroke keyboard, 84 keys, 10 function keys.
CPU
Intel 8088
SPEED
4.78 MHz ?
RAM
128 KB (upgradable to 640 KB)
VRAM
Unknown
ROM
Unknown
TEXT MODES
80 x 25 / built-in amber screen (23cm)
GRAPHIC MODES
320 x 200 (CGA)
COLORS
Yes (Color graphic board included, but built-in monitor is monochrom)
SOUND
Beeper
SIZE / WEIGHT
approx. 24'' (W) x 10'' (H) x 28'' (D) / 33 lbs
I/O PORTS
2 serial ports, parallel port, 4 x IBM extension slots
BUILT IN MEDIA
2 x 5''1/4 disk-drives (360k each)
OS
CP-M, MS-DOS, Z-DOS, PC-Dos.
POWER SUPPLY
Unknown
PERIPHERALS
optional 20 MB hard disk
PRICE
$2799 (USA, 1984) 128 KB model : 4565 (France, 1984)
(France, 1984)
