MartyPC – A Cycle-Accurate IBM PC/XT Emulator

summary

MartyPC is a cycle-accurate emulator for early IBM PCs and compatibles, developed in Rust to provide a precise environment for retro software development. By validating its CPU emulation against real hardware using an Arduino, the project achieves near-perfect cycle accuracy for the Intel 8088. This focus on precision allows it to run demanding historical demos that other emulators often struggle with, while offering extensive debugging tools for developers.

key points

1. The emulator achieves 99.9997% cycle-accuracy for the 8088 CPU by comparing its execution results in real-time against a physical CPU connected to a microcontroller.
2. It supports a wide array of historical hardware, including various IBM models, Tandy 1000, and a broad range of video, sound, and storage devices from the early PC era.
3. Designed specifically as a development aid, the software includes a comprehensive debugging GUI with memory viewers, CPU state tracking, and instruction-level logging.

who should read it

Retro computing enthusiasts and programmers writing software for the Intel 8088 who need precise hardware timing and debugging capabilities.

discussion positive