Minimal system requirements:
- Intel Pentium 166MHz processor or better (Intel Celeron 300A recommended)
- 16MB memory (32MB recommended)
- Windows 95/98/NT4+SP4
- DirectX 3.0 or better
- DirectX compatible VGA card
The program works without sound card. But if we want to emulate sound, we need a DirectX compatible sound card, too.
WinEMU has two programs: WinEMUSetup and WinEMU. With the first program you can set the default values. The second one is the emulator. At the first run it is recommended to execute the WinEMUSetup first. The programs use the system registry database.
WinEMUSetup
With this program you can set the following values:
- resolution (320x200, 320x240, 400x300, 512x384, 640x400, 640x480, 800x600) - (Screen resolution),
- ModeX support for notebook computers,
- sound emulation (Sound emulation),
- start in debugger (Debug),
- task priority under the Windows system (Process priority),
- default synchronization (Default synchronization),
- default joystick (Default joystick),
- log files (Create startup log),
- built in Plus4 ROMs (Plus4 ROMs).
The 320x200 resolution is the fastest and it works well on every computer. The 400x300 resolution is the best choice because in this resolution it emulates the border. Not all VGA card can handle this mode. The last 512x384 resolution is only for fun, if your card does not support 400x300, try this one, may be it will work.
ModeX: If you see black screen when you start the program this feature is recommended. Your DirectX drivers cannot handle correctly your graphic chipset, maybe it will help. Typically you need this on notebook computers.
Of course, you can use sound emulation only if you have DirectX compatible sound card. If we have not got it, turn the emulation off and the program will skip the sound dependent stuffs.
If you want to examine the "boot" sequence of the emulated computer, you can use the Start debugger function.
The Windows priority is not too important thing, therefore leave it on the Normal level. On Higher pirority level other programs may stop!
If you do not want to switch the synchronization inside the program, here you can set it to a default value.
You can set the default joystick emulation, too.
You can enable or disable the Plus4 ROM files (3plus1lo.rom and 3plus1hi.rom).
WinEMU
This is the actual emulator. After the start it will initialize the DirectX system and if there are no errors the C16/Plus4 screen will appear.
Keyboard layout:
TAB |
Run/Stop key |
Bal Alt |
Commodore key |
Home |
Clear/Home key |
F6 |
Save OUTPUT.BMP |
F7 |
Opctions |
F8 |
Loader menu |
Shift F8 |
Saver menu |
F9 |
Debugger |
Shift F9 |
Quick registers |
F11 |
Soft reset |
Shift F11 |
Hard reset |
F12 |
Quit |
Options
J - Switch joystick emulation
S - Switch the synchronization:
O - Turn on and off the sound (if sound emulation is enabled)
Loader
With the cursor left and right keys you can select the input source: program (*.prg), snapshot (*.fre), tape (*.t64) or disk (*.d64). This time you can use only the program and snapshot, the others will implemented later. If you press the ENTER key the selected *.prg or *.fre file will load into the memory.
Saver
You can save the memory content into *.prg or *.fre files. You have to define a file name and if requires a memory area. The saved *.fre files are compatible with the Minus4.
Debugger
The debugger contains four parts:
- disassembler (F1)
- memory dump (F2)
- TED registers (F3)
- CPU registers (F4)
If you press the ESC key the program will continue the emulation.
Quick registers
When you turn it on, you will see the current register values after every frame.
Disassembler
The disassembler disassembles the memory content from the value of the actual PC (Program Coutner) register. With the Cursor Up and Down keys you can move. With the PageUp and PageDown keys you can jump pages.
More keys:
F2 - Memory Dump
F3 - TED registers
F4 - CPU registers
F5 - Jump to the given address (the PC register will NOT change!)
F6 - Set BreakPoint
F7 - call JSR (step over) or normal execution
F8 - normal execution (step in)
B - BreakPoint On/Off
Shift F8 - quick run (for long cycles)
TAB - switch to the next page (Memory Dump)
Memory Dump
In this part the program will show the memory content in hexadecimal and character format. You can move it with the cursor up, down, PageUp and PageDown keys. The dump will start from the current value of PC. If you press the L key, it will lock the current dump address and later it will start the dump from this point. With pressing T key it will jump to the TED register area. If you press the TAB key, the program will show the TED registers page.
More keys:
F1 - Disassembler
F3 - TED registers
F4 - CPU registers
TED registers
On this page you can see the TED registers in better format. If you press the TAB key the program will go to the CPU registers page.
More keys:
F1 - Disassembler
F2 - Memory Dump
F4 - CPU registers
CPU registers
This time here you can see only the CPU registers. You can modify them. For instance if you want to run your program from an other address simply modify the value of PC.
Finally...
I want to say thanks for Tibor Biczó, Mike Dailly and Róbert Cseh for the extremely useful technical help they gave to me. And to the following people for their help:
Zsombor Bolyóczki,
Tamás Nagy,
Stephan Süberkrüb,
Ben Wise,
Péter Gyukity,
Linus Åkerlund,
Andrzej Pawlowski,
and everybody who told me his experience and gave me ideas.
If you like WinEMU or you find CPU bug, then please, write to the following addresses: