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Javascript emulator runs Apple 1 BASIC

A project log for Isetta TTL computer

Retro computer built from TTL, with 6502 and Z80 instruction set. Includes video, sound and filesystem. No microprocessor or FPGA.

roelhroelh 05/09/2023 at 18:430 Comments

The emulator is ready (in Javascript), and the microcode that makes Isetta a 6502 was also completed. The emulator mimics the operation of the hardware, so it needs the same microcode.

What could be better to test it, than the original BASIC of the Apple 1 ?

There were a few mistakes in the microcode, the BIT instruction did not set all flags correctly, and the LDX/LDY-immediate did not set the flags. And originally I thought I could do without the overflow flag, but the Apple BASIC uses it, so I changed my mind and also implemented this.

Here is the proof that it is working:

After the basic is loaded in the memory of the emulator, a few patches are done to enable keyboard-input and textarea-output. It is amazing that you must jump through several hoops to convert javascript-keystrokes in 'normal' ASCII. 

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