DOSBox PSP vs DOSVisor
DOSBox PSP
github.comDOSVisor
github.comSide by side
| Figure | DOSBox PSP | DOSVisor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · MS-DOS Emulators | 8.2 (#6) | 7.8 (#12) |
| Purpose | DOSBox PSP is a port of DOSBox for the PlayStation Portable. | DOSVisor is a DOS emulator that uses the Windows Hypervisor Platform API to run DOS programs in a virtualized 16-bit real-mode environment on modern Windows systems. |
Plans
In their own words
DOSBox PSP
DOSBox PSP is a DOSBox port for running MS-DOS software on the PlayStation Portable. The project describes it as DOSBox adapted with PSP patches, and credits crazyc with the original port. It supports CUE/BIN disk images, gamepads, audio CDs and Neo Geo CD; save states are not supported. Configuration is stored in dosbox.conf: some settings can be changed through batch files, while others require editing the file. CPU cycle settings are a key factor in performance and may take trial and error to tune. The dynamic CPU core can improve performance for most games, but may reduce stability. Available memory varies by model: the PSP 1000 is limited to around 12 MB, while PSP 2000, 3000 and Go models can allocate about 42 MB by changing memsize; higher settings may cause instability. The initial pre-release build starts at a command line without a file manager, and the project recommends adding a third-party launcher such as LaunchBox for MS-DOS. The project lists a GPL-2.0 license and requires the PSP toolchain to build.
DOSVisor
DOSVisor is a Windows project that runs some MS-DOS programs in a virtualized 16-bit real-mode environment using the Windows Hypervisor Platform API. It is presented as a demonstration of that API rather than a complete DOS emulator. Hardware virtualization handles the CPU, while software emulates the DOS layer. A custom Interrupt Vector Table uses CPUID instructions to trigger VM exits and intercept DOS interrupts. DOSVisor captures I/O requests but supports only a small set of common requests. Timing support includes the BIOS counter, RAM refresh toggle bit, system clock, RTC registers, clock interrupts, and DOS current-time calls; the 8253 PIT timer is not fully implemented. Keyboard handling monitors state, keeps a simple buffer, and passes input through interrupts. Basic terminal commands support simple text-based games and other basic programs. BIOS data areas and the Program Segment Prefix are allocated but mostly unpopulated. The free public repository contains bin and src directories, with no releases or packages listed.