BeebEm
Encyclopedia
BeebEm is a BBC Micro
emulator
, first developed by David Gilbert in 1994 and since improved by a number of people, most notably Mike Wyatt who currently maintains the emulator and its website. Although BeebEm's first incarnations were for UNIX
-based systems, the version for Windows
(98
or later) is now the most popular. BeebEm is also available for Mac OS X
, Agenda Vr3
and Pocket PC
.
BeebEm is copyrighted freeware
, and its source code
is distributed with the emulator, although this code is not freely reusable.
As of version 4.13 (January 2011), BeebEm for Windows emulates the following hardware:
The TMS5220 Speech Generator emulator was removed from version 4.1 onwards due to licensing issues.
BeebEm can read images from files representing tape (in UEF
format), DFS or ADFS discs, ROM cartridges and SCSI
or SASI hard disk
s. It is capable of running the vast majority of BBC Micro software, including classics such as Elite, Exile and Firetrack
.
Jon Welch, who maintains the Mac port of BeebEm, has shown a preview of BeebEm (the Windows version) emulating the Master 512 computer, including the GEM
windowing system.
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
emulator
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
, first developed by David Gilbert in 1994 and since improved by a number of people, most notably Mike Wyatt who currently maintains the emulator and its website. Although BeebEm's first incarnations were for UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
-based systems, the version for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
(98
Windows 98
Windows 98 is a graphical operating system by Microsoft. It is the second major release in the Windows 9x line of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on 15 May 1998 and to retail on 25 June 1998. Windows 98 is the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid...
or later) is now the most popular. BeebEm is also available for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, Agenda Vr3
Agenda VR3
The Agenda VR3 was the name of the first "pure Linux" Personal Digital Assistant , released in May 2001 by Agenda Computing, Inc. of Irvine, California.-History:...
and Pocket PC
Pocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
.
BeebEm is copyrighted freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, and its source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
is distributed with the emulator, although this code is not freely reusable.
As of version 4.13 (January 2011), BeebEm for Windows emulates the following hardware:
- BBC MicroBBC MicroThe BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
Models B, B+ and Master 128BBC MasterThe BBC Master was a home computer released by Acorn Computers in early 1986. It was designed and built for the British Broadcasting Corporation and was the successor to the BBC Micro Model B. The Master 128 remained in production until 1993.... - Integra B expansion board
- Cassette, DFSDisc Filing SystemThe Disc Filing System is a computer file system developed by Acorn Computers Ltd, and introduced in 1982 for the Acorn BBC Microcomputer. It was shipped as a ROM to be inserted onto the BBC Micro's motherboard. It has an extremely limited design, and uses a flat directory structure...
and ADFSAdvanced Disc Filing SystemThe Advanced Disc Filing System is a computing file system particular to the Acorn computer range and RISC OS based successors. Initially based on the rare Acorn Winchester Filing System, it was renamed to the Advanced Disc Filing System when support for floppy discs was added and on later 32 bit...
filing systems - EconetEconetEconet was Acorn's low-cost local area network system, intended for use by schools and small businesses. Econet is rumoured to be an abbreviation of Economy Network, but Acorn were always careful to stress the Greek root, oikos, meaning "house"....
networking - 65C02MOS Technology 6502The MOS Technology 6502 is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by Chuck Peddle and Bill Mensch for MOS Technology in 1975. When it was introduced, it was the least expensive full-featured microprocessor on the market by a considerable margin, costing less than one-sixth the price of...
and Z80Zilog Z80The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
second processors - AMX Mouse
The TMS5220 Speech Generator emulator was removed from version 4.1 onwards due to licensing issues.
BeebEm can read images from files representing tape (in UEF
UEF (file format)
Unified Emulator Format is a container format for the compressed storage of audio tapes, ROMs, floppy disks and machine state snapshots for the 8-bit range of computers manufactured by Acorn Computers...
format), DFS or ADFS discs, ROM cartridges and SCSI
SCSI
Small Computer System Interface is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it...
or SASI hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
s. It is capable of running the vast majority of BBC Micro software, including classics such as Elite, Exile and Firetrack
Firetrack
Firetrack is a vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up computer game programmed by Nick "Orlando" Pelling and released for the BBC Micro and Commodore 64 platforms in 1987 by Electric Dreams Software. It was also ported to the Acorn Electron by Superior Software in 1989 as part of the Play It Again Sam 7...
.
Jon Welch, who maintains the Mac port of BeebEm, has shown a preview of BeebEm (the Windows version) emulating the Master 512 computer, including the GEM
Graphical Environment Manager
GEM was a windowing system created by Digital Research, Inc. for use with the CP/M operating system on the Intel 8088 and Motorola 68000 microprocessors...
windowing system.