System 80 (and TRS-80 Model 1) Emulators
Relive the Thrill - Download an emulator!
TRS-80 Emulators
The
System 80 was a clone of the TRS-80 Model 1 so TRS-80 emulators can be
used to experience the machine. A comprehensive list of emulators can be found at www.trs-80.com.
The first emulator I used was Jeff Vavasour's Model 1 emulator for MS-DOS, which I helped beta-test way back in 1991 (more about this can be found amongst the stories here). However the two emulators I would recommend today are TRS80gp (Windows/Mac/Linux) by George Phillips or TRS32 by Matthew Reed. TRS32 is Windows-only and SDL2TRS is another good one for Linux. If you don't have one of these emulators already, download them from the links and relive those memories.
TRS80gp comes with default built-in boot disks (which can be changed) and Model 1 ROM (which can also be changed). TRS32 needs you to supply the ROM and includes emulation of the Exatron Stringy Floppy (ESF) (Both ROMs are in this zip). SDL2TRS also emulates the ESF.
System 80/Video Genie 1/PMC-80/HT-1080 Emulators
Although the System 80 was an almost perfect clone of the TRS-80 Model 1, there were minor hardware and ROM differences. Some emulators exist which have been written specifically to emulate
a cassette or disk-based System-80 Mk1 (Blue Label)/Video Genie 1.
Users can experience the "Video Cut" and "Page" screen
modes particular to this model.
These emulators (for Windows only) are from Hungary, where the machine was known as the HT-1080z. One has has been written by Attila Grosz, two by Zoltan Kollar and one by Lajos Kintli. Zoltan's programs feature emulation of popular add-on hi-res and colour boards.
Attila's emulator can be found here, and the others here. The programs are entirely freeware and no ROM image is needed. They are great for viewing cassette files but are a little fussy when it comes to disk images, and not all formats are supported. However they will work with the disk images on this site.
SDL2TRS can also emulate several of the Video Genie variants including the System 80/Video Genie 1. Machine language software and ROM calls from BASIC designed specifically to use the cassette and printer addressing of the System 80 (which differs from the TRS-80 Model 1), will work in this version.
TRS32 and TRS80gp also closely emulate a System 80. Apart from (rare) examples of software written specifically for the System 80/Video Genie1's cassette and printer port addressing, the only real difference noticed is in the diskless boot up screen. All you need is a System 80 ROM image. This System-80 ROM zip file (which also includes the original TRS80 Model 1 and Exatron Stringy Floppy ROM) has some to choose from. You will need to rename the System 80 ROM to model1.rom for use in TRS32.
If you know absolutely nothing about TRS-80/System 80 software...
...the following link below might help. These driving instructions are for those who have recently acquired, discovered or inherited a System-80 (or TRS-80 Model 1), and/or want to try one of the emulators but know nothing about running TRS-80 Model 1 software.