Sharp 80 is a powerful emulator of TRS-80 microcomputers. The program comes with all the components for Z-80 microcomputer emulation, including its own RAM and DOS. It behaves like a fully functional microcomputer and must be operated using BASIC language commands. Without knowledge of the commands needed to control a TRS-80 microcomputer, using it will be impossible. The emulated TRS-80 runs at a standard 2.03 MHz clock speed and includes a built-in Z-80 assembler and disassembler.
A key feature of the emulator is its support for the BASIC programming language and a program execution method very similar to the original microcomputers. You can also enable floppy disk and tape drives (obsolete today), through which you can access video games and information that would otherwise be impossible to reach.
We reiterate: if you know BASIC, you will move around the microcomputer with ease. But if you are unfamiliar with these commands, it will be almost impossible. That said, we will provide some commands to help you get started.
Getting Started with BASIC
To open the BASIC programming terminal in Sharp 80, run the program and press the F8 key. This action will start the prompt; you just need to press ENTER twice, and the indicator will open so you can type.
Playing Games with Sharp 80
Another important point is using the emulator's games. First, you need to mount a floppy disk. To do this, return to the main Sharp 80 interface by pressing F1. Then press F3 to open the floppy disk manager. You will see four floppy drives appear, each with an identifying letter. Press the letter or number of the floppy you want, for example "L", and a disk will load from the file. After loading, you will see three options: (1) Applications, (2) Games, and (3) Utilities. Select the 2 key for Games and choose the desired game category. Then select the numeric key corresponding to the game to install it. To start the game, just press F8.
The platform truly comes with a large number of games, utilities, and programs that you can use to relive old times, or to understand the background functioning of the electronics of the old BASIC development language.
Sharp 80 is a free program available for Windows operating systems.
