The ZX81/TS1000 Emulator is a Linux-compatible software that allows users to play ZX81 games on VGA PCs. It emulates the ZX81 machine and offers a fun way to relive old memories.
The xz81 version of the emulator is specifically designed for X, and though it lacks some features such as the help screen, it works well on non-Linux systems. However, some machines/OSes may not support features like setitimer() and sigaction(). xz81 is compatible with only 1-bit and 8-bit displays and may not work with others.
For text-mode users, z81txt is available, but it requires raw keyboard mode and writes to the screen directly using /dev/vcsa0, limiting it to run only on Linux consoles. But it can run on all Linux PCs, including those with MDA/Herc/CGA/EGA display cards – z81 remains the better option if using VGA.
Before installing, users should check and edit the Makefile as necessary. On non-Linux systems, or for those who only wish to install the X version, compile and install using `make xz81;make install'. For Linux-based VGA systems, compile and install all versions using (as root) `make;make install'. If using a Linux system without VGA, compile and install z81txt only via `make z81txt;make install'.
The software comes with a precompiled ELF of the rawkey library, which is necessary for compiling z81 and z81txt. While compiling z80.c may take a while, users shouldn't worry as it's due to the Z80 emulator's implementation. Lastly, users should read the manual and beware of the software's limitations before running it.
Version 0.2: N/A