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Classic Computer Emulators
Figure 1: Sometimes the authentic hardware takes up too much damn space!
I love emulators and am in awe of the people who can write them. I've even been involved in beta testing one or two. Emulators give you a vintage machine in your own computer! While it's not quite the same as the real thing, they do have their uses. For example, you might want to:
- Get a nostalgia fix (one of the main uses)
- See what the interface of a classic machine looked like
- Run some classic programs
- Try out software before converting it for your real machine
- Develop software for a classic machine (Easier to do this in an emulator than in a real classic computer)
Some can also be handy in converting software from disk/cassette images to a form where the programs can be loaded into your modern machines. Whatever you want to use them for, they can be a lot of fun and most are free.
The machines I used to own are mirrored with corresponding emulators. I use them mostly for conversion purposes along with the other reasons cited above. Once a year or so, I scour the web and update all my emulators. Having just undertaken this task I figured the results might be useful to others. Consequently, the emulators I use are listed below. Before you jump into this list and download an emulator for your favourite machine though, note these caveats:
- These seem to work on Windows 10/11. They may or may not work on earlier platforms.
- They are not the only ones out there. They are just the ones I use.
- Some are still supported and some are not.
- Some come with ROMS and some do not. ROMS are not difficult to find on the Internet though.
- By the time you read this it will already be out of date. Make sure you get the latest version from the websites listed.
Here they are...
Platform |
Name | Notes | Acorn | Arculator | Good. ROMS not included. |
---|---|---|
Amstrad CPC | Retro Virtual Machine | Excellent multi-machine emulator. |
Apple II series | AppleWin | Apple II+ and IIe also. Very good. Also supports the virtual Z80 card. |
Apple IIGS | GSPlus | MultiPlatform. Get the ROMS and software from this site. |
Apple Lisa | LisaEM | Sets the emulator within a Lisa image. Good. Lisa Office install disks required. |
Apple Mac (1980s and 90s) | Basilisk II | Good. Interfaces nicely with the host computer to allow file sharing. |
Atari 8-bits | Altirra | All the Atari 8-bit range including the 400, 800XL and 130XE. Very good. |
Atari 16-bits | Steem SSE | All the Atari 16-bit range including the 520 and 1040ST. |
BBC | BeebEM | For the BBC class of Acorn computers. Comprehensive. |
Commodore 8-bits | VICE | For the PET, VIC 20, C-64 and other Commodore computers. A superb emulator . |
Amiga 16-bits | WinUAE | For the Amiga machines. Good - Somewhat confusing to configure. |
General CP/M 8-bits | iz-cpm 1.2 or myZ80 1.24 | myz80 is ok in a DOS Box on a Windows platform that can run 16-bit ptograms. |
Kaypro 2x or 84/4 | Virtual Kaypro | Java based emulator which works well in Windows 10. |
EACA Colour Genie | Genieous | Very good. I helped test this one. |
Epson HX-20 and QX-10 | eHC-20 and eQC-10 | Emulator from Japan. Find eHC-20 and qQC-10 on the menu. |
Exidy Sorcerer | JSorcerer | Java-based emulator which can be downloaded or played on the web. |
Intel "PC-type" Computers | Oracle VM VirtualBox | General emulation Win 10 platform that still supports floppy disk images. |
86Box | 8088 to 486 box emulation. 86Bix is a fork of an earlier emulator, PCem. | |
VMware Workstation Player | A modern general emulation platform for intel operating systems. | |
PCjs Machines | PC emulation in a web browser. | |
Mattel Aquarius | Virtual Aquarius | Simple but good. |
MSX Computers | BlueMSX Live | For MSX units. Runs in the browser. |
OSI Challenger | WinOSI | For the Ohio Scientific Challenger range of machines . Good. |
Polycorp Poly 1 | Poly and Proteus Emulator | An emulator for the New Zealand Pol.y |
Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81 | EightyOne | Also does the ZX Spectrum. Not the most modern emulator but free. |
Sinclair Spectrum | Retro Virtual Machine | Excellent multi-machine emulator |
Sinclair QL | QemuLator | Shareware. Great program. Easy to set up and run. |
System 80/Video Genie | HT-1080Z | Also good for the TRS-80 Model 1 |
Tandy Colour Computer | Xroar | Actually a Dragon emulator but with a CoCo ROM it becomes a CoCo! |
Texas Instruments TI-99/4a | Win994a-TI-99/4A | Easy to use. Good |
TRS-80 Model 100 | Virtual T | Very good. Also emulates the NEC 8201a |
TRS-80 Model 1,III and Model 4 | TRS32 or trs80gp | Good emulators for the Model 1/III/4 and 4-P. Disk image tools avaialble too |
Tez
10th May, 2024
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