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Tech riderRev. 23 Sept 2026

EightyOne

Ch 156.7of 21 ZX Spectrum Emulators
  1. 1Runs onWindows
  2. 2CostsNot stated by the maker
  3. 3Host platformsWindows
  4. 4Snapshot formats.Z80
  5. 5Built-in debuggerYes
  6. 6Open sourceYes
  7. 7Peripheral supportJoysticks (Kempston, Fuller, Sinclair 1, Sinclair 2, Cursor, Boldfield); floppy drives; microdrives; sound and speech interfaces; MIDI output
6 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: github.com
Visit site Alternatives
The EightyOne homepage

Overview

EightyOne is ranked #15 of 21 in ZX spectrum emulators on Specifiction. It runs on Windows.

Compared on ZX spectrum emulators

Free plan
Yesgithub.com
Host platforms
Windowsgithub.com
Snapshot formats
.Z80github.com
Built-in debugger
Yesgithub.com
Open source
Yesgithub.com
Peripheral support
Joysticks (Kempston, Fuller, Sinclair 1, Sinclair 2, Cursor, Boldfield); floppy drives; microdrives; sound and speech interfaces; MIDI outputgithub.com

Facts

Purpose
EightyOne is a computer emulator project; its latest release notes document emulation for ZX80 and ZX81 computers.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Latest release
The repository lists Version 1.41 as the latest release.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Display
Version 1.41 added a full screen option under View → Zoom.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Debugging
The release notes describe debug screen controls and execution breakpoints, including breakpoints above RAMTOP.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Speech emulation
Version 1.41 added emulation of speech interfaces including The Parrot, Sweet Talker, Voice Synthesiser, Fuller Orator, and S-Pack.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Sound
The release notes list emulation for the 3-Channel Sound Unit, ZON X, and SpecDrum, along with speech and SpecDrum volume controls.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Joysticks
The release notes list joystick support for Kempston, Fuller, Sinclair 1, Sinclair 2, Cursor, and Boldfield, with autofire support.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Media and drives
The release notes describe support for Spectrum floppy disk images, formatting, writing, and write protection, plus Microdrive cartridge write protection.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
BASIC listings
The release notes say the BASIC Listing window refreshes automatically after loading programs from cassette through ZX80, ZX81, and ZX Spectrum ROMs.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Download artifacts
The GitHub repository has a Release Files directory containing documentation, examples, and ROM-related folders.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Project profile
The GitHub repository is public and its About section says no description or website is provided.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Documentation
The repository's Documentation directory contains a document titled “EightyOne Development Environment.docx.”github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Licensing
The repository lists a GPL text file in its Release Files directory.github.com · 2 Oct 2026
Product
EightyOne emulates Sinclair ZX home computers and their clones, primarily the ZX80 and ZX81, as well as ZX Spectrum models.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Hardware interfaces
It supports add-on interfaces for storage devices, hi-res graphics, custom character sets, sound and colour cards.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Display emulation
The project describes clock-accurate emulation of the ZX81 and ZX80 display mechanisms.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Debugger
The emulator includes comprehensive debugger facilities.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
BASIC tools
Release notes describe tools to view and save BASIC programs as bitmap or text and to load BASIC listings from text files for ZX80, ZX81 and Spectrum models.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Storage and media
Release notes list support for tape and disk images, snapshots, ZIP-compressed media, Microdrive cartridges and several IDE or CompactFlash interfaces.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
License
The SourceForge project page lists the license as GNU General Public License version 2.0 (GPLv2).sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Platform
The project lists Windows as its operating system and provides Windows downloads.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Audience
The project lists End Users/Desktop as its intended audience.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Development
The project page says creator Michael D Wynne is no longer actively developing the emulator and made the code open source for others to extend.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Latest listed release
The project’s SourceForge files page lists EightyOne V1.26.zip dated February 4, 2022.sourceforge.net · 3 Oct 2026
Repository
The maker’s GitHub repository is public and its About section provides no description, website or topics.github.com · 3 Oct 2026

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