8-Bit Software

The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

Emulators

What is an emulator?
Quite a few programmers have decided that for one reason or another, that they would write a program that would enable the PC to pretend that it is a BBC. There are many people that are appreciative of their efforts. Whilst the emulator (I think) can never recreate the same feeling of switching your Beeb on and sitting down to programming or playing a game on it, they are trying hard to get there. There has even been talk of using a genuine BBC keyboard instead of the PC one!

Who on earth would want to use a BBC emulator on their PC?
Me for one, I store the backup of the 8BS PD library on my PC now, it is easy to double click on any of the images to look at them in the emulator. I can also have a wide range of different 'virtual' machines on my desk due to being able to easily reconfigure the emulator for 1770 and 8271 disc controller for instance.

Here are a couple of examples that I know of. The most common, I think, is the person that suddenly needs to play 'Snapper' or 'Frak' or 'Elite' again. They could pick up a second hand BBC setup, but there is no room for it anywhere, so the next best thing is to play it on the emulator. A business wants to 'Upgrade' from the BBCs they are using to PC's. The staff are used to, and like, the software on the BBC. There seems to be no need to go through the trauma of changing it, a BBC emulator does the job.

Where can you pick up an emulator?
There are various emulators out there to emulate a wide range of Acorn machines. It is pointless for me to reproduce the excellent list that Robert Schmidt of 'The BBC Lives!' has, so please have a look at:
The BBC Lives! Emulators Page

What about Acorn Machines?
I realise that throughout the 8BS website I refer very little to BBC emulators for Acorn machines. This is because I know nothing about non 8 bit Acorn machines. From time to time Acorn owners send me articles which I place on the website. There are links from the 'links' page. Have a look. There are also a couple of articles in the 'on line magazine'.

Emulator roms
BBC B
BBC B+
Electron
Master 128
Master 128 3.50
Master Compact
Master ET