Sinclair ZX Spectrum Emulator 'Z80' v3.03 - 29/12/94 - by G.A. Lunter Additions to the Spectrum Emulator, from the the first version that was released, version 1.20. (*) = only available to registered users. Names between brackets are games that first indicated the presence of the corresponding bug in the Z80 emulator. 29/12/94 Version 3.03 released (*) - OUT2VOC now also handles 128k soundchip output. (*) - TAP2VOC can now produce raw sample files. - Bugfix: Mouse and analogue joystick work together and properly. - Improved Hi Color Resolution emulation; the emulator uses different timings in 128K modes, and locks in on memory pushes to synchronise. Most programs that use HCR effects work correctly now. - Bugfix: Without EMS memory, Multiface 128 did not work. - Small error fixed and explanation added in DOC about new .Z80 file headers. - Added: Switch to turn off Hi Color Resolution emulation completely; this saves another 40K over -xt. - Added: Program counter tracing feature. - Added: Information in documentation on Spectrum 128 video timings, and interrupt timings. - In 128 mode, out address 7FFD is decoded using only A15 (and low order byte), making at least one problem program run. 3/11/94 Version 3.02 released - Bugfix: Without EMS memory, a Spectrum error with IF1 on locked the emulator or generated an 'IN 0 crash'. (*) - Bugfix: OUT2VOC did not work properly for long samples. 28/10/94 Version 3.01 released - Bugfix: The ZX Printer code for Epson printer was faulty. - The phone number for B.G. Services in Z80.DOC was wrong. - The emulator can now log Z80 OUTs to any I/O port in a .OUT file, with timing information. (*) - Added utility (OUT2VOC) to translate .OUT log files into .VOC sound sample files, for recording music and SAVEing directly to a .VOC file. - Added a new section to the documentation about the Disciple and +D interfaces. - Added section about the OUT2VOC utility. 20/10/94 Version 3.00 released (*) - Disciple and Plus D disk interface emulation - ZX Printer support, for Epson and HP Laserjet compatibles - Emulation of hi-resolution color and border effects, using exact timing. - Multiface 128 emulation; useful to load M128 snaps without corrupting the screen - Mouse support, controlling either Spectrum joysticks or the AMS Mouse interface (supported by e.g. Art Studio) - A number of improvements and bugfixes of the Z80 processor emulation code, solving several problems with turbo loaders, most notably Ocean's. - All instructions emulated, including unofficial DDCB and FDCB ones, and all unofficial ED instructions. Most unofficial flags emulated. - User defined joystick support (*) - VOC file support - read programs stored in sound sample files (*) - Emulator can read in real mode from SoundBlaster port - Faster code using 386+ instructions for VGA mode - Switch to remove info window when saving or loading - Emulator can set breakpoints at any address, invisible to the running program. - Can save any part of Spectrum memory to disk, and load it back in memory. (*) - Utility to read a sound sample from the standard LPT tape interface, or the SoundBlaster, in a .VOC file (*) - Utility to convert .TAP files to .VOC files - One-key joystick mode change, with ALT F4. - Improved emulation of 'floating bus' (try Arkanoid) (*) - Bugfix Z802TAP; sometimes blocks got corrupted. - Bugfix: Digital Zandbergen joystick didn't work. - Multi-level support, in the same way as implemented in XZX version 0.5.2 - Bugfix: MOVE from cartridge to another cartridge didn't work, due to buffering problems. - Bugfix: Several problems with the keyboard when running under Windows are solved. - Bugfix: R register doesn't change when going to main menu. - Better sound quality, and no border interference anymore in Real Mode when playing music. 20/5/93 Version 2.01a released (registered users only) (*) - Fixed bugs in DISCiPLE disk read utility, and added option to copy all files at once. - Fixed typing error in Z80.EXE - Fixed small errors in Z80FAQ.DOC 3/5/93 Version 2.01 released. - Added LaTeX and PostScript doc, by Lars K\"oller, - Added Windows icon - Added -xb switch (black and white VGA) - Added remark about Czech registration to doc - Added various other things to doc - Fixed bug in (X-)Hercules border dithering 16/4/93 Version 2.00 released. - Z80 now supports the Spectrum 128, including '128 sound through PC speaker or AdLib compatible sound card, - Dutch documentation rewritten in English, - Much better tape support, with tape files on disk, support of headerless files and more difficult formats, easy access to programs using LOAD "name", multiple files in a single tape file, automatic mirroring of loaded blocks to tape files, - Microdrive support, 8 microdrives with cartridge-files holding up to 126K of data, low-level I/O compatibility, - VGA support, fast screen update and accurate colours including bright, - Z80 emulation nearly perfect, including emulation of unofficial flags and undocumented features. Timing of individual instructions is made much more accurate on fast computers, while maintaining maximum possible speed on slow ones, - Spectrum keyboard layout help-screen under ALT-F1, (*) - Disciple/+D disk read utility can translate 48K and 128K snapshots to .Z80 files, and screen snapshots and normal files to .TAP files. It will now also read 5.25'' (720K 80 track double density) disks, and some bugs have been fixed, - Z80 now reads a .INI file at startup for default settings, - Changing the hardware (SamRam, Spectrum 128) now possible on-the-fly, - The R register and LDIR emulation flags are saved in .Z80 snapshots, (*) - The emulation speed slowdown is now accurate from 8 MHz PC's to the fastest available 486 machines. The emulation speed can be brought back to 7%, (*) - Source files now include source of SamRam software, - Support of AZERTY keyboards, - The emulator can now run under Windows, - Emulator can use other default 16K rom (switch -xr), - The program uses EMS if available, for fast bank switching, (*) - CONVERT utility can now also convert a screen to a .PCX file, (*) - CONVZ80 now also supports the .PRG and tape files of SpecEm (Kevin J. Phair) and tape files of ZX (Rindt and Brukner), (*) - New utility: Z802TAP, to convert a .Z80 snapshot to a .TAP tap file, (*) - New utility: TAP2TAPE, to write a .TAP file back to tape, - Fixed CGA colours bug, - Fixed CTRL-BREAK bug, - Fixed several other bugs, and - a nice new intro screen. 14/8/92 Version 1.45 released. - Z80 emulator is now about 5% faster. Arnt Gulbrandsen, the author of JPP, pointed out to me that I was clearing the BL register too often. - The analogue joystick now really works (*) - SAVEing programs to tape now really works (if you're a registered user) - You can now load .SNA files (commonly used snapshot format) directly into the emulator, without having to convert them with ConvZ80. - The Interface-I RS232 channel can now also be attached to COM3 and COM4. (*) - ConvZ80 now also supports the .SP format used by a Spectrum emulator called 'SPECTRUM', written by Pedro Gimeno. - A capacitor in DIAGRAMS.Z80 had the wrong value (17-8-92) - .SNA files that were loaded were not properly closed, resulting in a FILE NOT FOUND error. (17-8-92) 27/7/92 Version 1.41 released. The 1.40 version of Z80.EXE was packed with COMPACK (sort of PKLITE), which was bugged: it didn't run on some '386s and '486s. This version isn't packed anymore. 16/7/92 Version 1.40 released, Shareware and for registered users. (*) - Full tape support! A program DIAGRAMS.Z80 is supplied, that consists of two diagrams of tape-adapters for PC's, and a test-program useful for calibration of the adapters. (*) - A utility to read DISCiPLE floppies. - The analogue IBM joystick and a special interface for digital (Spectrum) joysticks are supported. In the documentation file is a diagram for the digital joystick interface. - A more extensive manual, and a summary for English- speaking users. - Speed measurement of the Z80 emulator is more accurate. (V1.20 overestimated the speed.) - Function keys F1-F7 and F10 are now used. - The Emulator can run in 'Real'-mode, for better sound and for tape (speed-)load and save. - R register emulation is now perfect, so that protected games (e.g. lenslock games) can be loaded. - Video routines are faster. - Several bugfixes concerning writes in ROM. (Strong Man) - The settings of Issue 2 emulation, Double Interrupt frequency, Video synchronisation mode and joystick are stored in .Z80 files. 6/11/91 Version 1.30, for registered users only: - It is now much easier to choose a file from the main menu: the cursor keys, PgUp and PgDn can be used to browse through the list of files, and letter-keys make the bar jump to the first file that starts with that letter. The files are now alphabetically ordered. - Sinclair joystick 1 added (keys 1-5) - If a path is entered at the command line, the Emulator automatically jumps to the main menu, option 'load program', and changes to the specified directory. - If a file is attached to the RS232 in- or output channel, the read- or write-position is shown (main menu, options I and O) - Switches -yl and -yh are added, for Low and High video synchronisation. With these switches, the flickering of sprites of some games can be reduced. (Ghost 'n Goblins, Uridium) - Bugfix: DOS-clock ran too fast in version 1.25 - Bugfix: On AT's the Emulator crashed if Spectrum programs used interrupt mode 2 while the I register was 255. (Full Throttle) - Unofficial flags are now emulated better. (Ghost'n Goblins) (*) - Extra utility CONVZ80, converts .Z80 files in .SP and .SNA files, the snapshot formats of the Spanish Spectrum emulator VGASPEC and the Norwegian Spectrum emulator JPP respectively, and vice versa. (*) - Utility Z80DUMP; displays the header of .Z80 files. 4/10/91 Version 1.25, for registered users only: - Bugfix of instructions CB30 to CB37 (Bounder) - 50 Hz interrupt and video update run 180 degrees out of phase (BC Quest for Tires) - SLA, SRA, SRL sped up. (*) - Switch -z added: the Emulator now can be slowed down to about a factor 4. - Bugfix sound: some computers only produced sound after a OUT 31,13. - Switch -2 added for Issue-2 emulation (Spinads) - Bugfix GETRS: now reading from COM2 works, and an on-screen counter shows the progress. (*) - CONVERT extended: GIF-files can be made directly from .Z80 files 30/7/91 Version 1.20 released. Eerste, geheel Nederlandse versie. (First, entirely Dutch version.)