Action Cave - Links

MacEmuList Links

The following links will take you to different sites which pertain to Macintosh Emulation...

Mac Emulator Software Links

ARDI - Abacus Research and Development Inc.

ARDI produces EXECUTOR, a MacOS Emulator. This emulator combines an x86 re-write of large portions of the Macintosh OS and Toolbox code with a fast Motorola 68040LC processor emulator.

It doesn't run every Mac program, but a large proportion does work rather well.

I've watched this program progress from a 1.0 version (Monochrome, no sound) to the latest version which is 2.1 pre-release 11 (Color and sound). It runs Microsoft Word 5 very well, and many other programs. Check their website for the latest compatibility info.

There is a demo available for download from their site.

Microcode Solutions

This is a site for a program written by Microcode Solutions called Fusion. It is a great Macintosh Emulator for PC's. It currently is at version 2.31. I have owned it since the first retail version 1.21.

It emulates most 68k Macs, and runs up to MacOS 8.1. This is an Emulator which runs in MS-DOS only. It runs in Windows inside of a full-screen DOS box in Windows 95/98. It will run in Windows NT/2000 but with Sound, Printing and Serial ports disabled (SoftMac mode?).

Another version called iFusion which will emulate an iMac with a PPC processor is in the works and promised before the end of 2000.

Recommended. Currently more compatible than Gemulator SoftMac because it supports Open Transport (which Gemulator doesn't) so you can use it to access the internet.

In June of 2000, Emulators, Inc. purchased the exclusive license to Microcode's Fusion 2.x Macintosh Emulator. They have upgraded it to version 3.0 and are including it free on their product CD. Here is what they posted on their website:

After careful consideration, Microcode Solutions has licensed its 68040 emulation technology to Emulators, Inc. Since we are nearing the release of our iMac emulation, and feel that FUSION-PC can no longer be upgraded, we are moving towards our PowerPC goal. Technical support will still be maintained for existing customers. Microcode Solutions has discontinued sales of FUSION-PC.

Basilisk ][ for Windows NT

A Windows 2000 Professional and Windows NT 4.0 port of Christian Bauer's Basilisk II Macintosh II emulator by Lauri Pesonen. Most (but not all) features work under Windows 95 and Windows 98. Please see the included documentation for details. Check out both the original readme file and the Win32 specific readme file.

Like vMac and Fusion, this is somewhat slower than Executor, but seems to run a much larger list of applications

This freeware emulator requires you to use an image of actual Mac ROMs and a copy of Apple's MacOS software to run Macintosh applications on your PC. (This is illegal according to Apple's License agreement.)

Recently 68040 support and an FPU have been added. This emulator also allows you to read and write directly to the host operating systems filesystem. And supports OT/PPP and Ethertalk networking through the hosts NIC.

It currently supports Macintosh Systems up to MacOS 8.1 can be used with this emulator.
Recommended, especially for the price (FREE). This is really much more advanced than all of the currently shipping Mac Emulators.

vMac - The Virtual Macintosh Emulator Project

This is an ambitious project by an International group of programmers to emulate the Macintosh hardware at a very low level.

This is somewhat slower than Executor, but seems to run a much larger list of applications (as long as they are System 6.0.8 compatible).

Currently this emulator uses the UAE (Ubiquitous Amiga Emulator) engine which emulates a Motorola 68000/68020 processor. There is a replacement CPU core under development (Ice Cube) which is planned to speed up the emulator quite a bit.

This emulator allows you to use an image of actual Mac ROMs and a copy of Apple's MacOS software to run Macintosh applications on your PC.

It currently supports Macintosh Systems up to 7.5.5.

This program is freeware, and requires that you own a Macintosh Plus to dump a ROM image from. (Which is illegal according to Apple Computers license agreement.)

There was a recent update to the Macintosh version by Richard Bannister

Recommended, especially for the price.

Emulators, Inc.

This is a site for a number of emulators. The newest one called Gemulator 2000 (also known as Gemulator Pro or Gemulator SoftMac) allows you to emulate an Atari ST, a number of different Macintosh Models, and Atari 8-Bit computers.

You can buy this program with an ISA Board which accepts Atari-ST and Macintosh ROM chips, or you can buy a version which will use copies of these ROMS saved to image files.
This program is the most ambitious of all the Macintosh emulators because it emulates many different Models of Macintosh, both black and white and color, as well as Atari 8/16-bit computers.

This emulator allows you to use an image of an actual Mac's ROM and a copy of Apple's MacOS software to run Macintosh applications on your PC. (This may be illegal according to Apple's Licensing agreements.)

It currently supports Macintosh Systems up to 8.1. At the time of this writing, there is a package deal available to purchase the software, a ROM card, ROMS and a copy of MacOS 8.1 along with a bonus shareware CD for about $199.95.
A version which supports a PPC processor is in the works and promised before the end of 2000.

Gemulator does not currently support Open Transport, so if you need to do dialup networks, this is not your emulator.

Atari ST emulation works great, and I've been having a ball playing with old Atari ST software that I have from when I used an Atari ST full time..

Atari 8-Bit emulation also works great and I've been having a ball playing Star Raiders again! Gemulator includes this, and there is also a separate package called PC Xformer which is the same emulation broken out to a separate file.

Prices range from $79.95 for a downloadable on-line version to $199.95 for a full CD with ROMcard. The $99.95 ROMCard can also be used with the vMac Macintosh Emulator.
A demo version is available from the website. Also, he has available for downloads free releases of his Atari-ST and Atari 8-Bit emulators and utilities.

I am having problems printing and hearing sound with the full release in Macintosh Mode. I can't really recommend this emulator as the tech support is offensive, and the program does not work as advertised. I have made complaints against this company with the BBB and the Washington State Attorney General's Office. It is listed here for completeness, and to warn people away from this product at this time.

In June of 2000, Emulators, Inc. purchased the exclusive license to Microcode's Fusion 2.x Macintosh Emulator. They have upgraded it to version 3.0 and are including it free on their product CD.

On July 31st, 2000, a free downloadable copy of Fusion 3.0 Macintosh Emulator was posted on it's website. A bargain by any means, and I advise you to download it while it's still there...

http://www.emulators.com/fusion.htm

Mac Emulation Websites

The John Stiles Emulation for the Mac Page

This is a page I check often. It is a great site for getting information (and the programs themselves) about Emulation programs for the Macintosh. Highly recommended.

The Mac Emulation Station

This is a Macintosh Emulation website hosted by Jim Watters. Lots of resources, downloads, sound and graphics. Jim is VERY dedicated to the Macintosh Emulation community and puts a lot of effort into his site.

Jim also takes the time to run Benchmarks of all the emulators, which provides one way to measure one emulator against the other.

Recommended. Jim also hosts the MacEmu List (which is different from this list), and the Delphi based Macintosh Emulation Forum.

Other Links

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Copyright © 2000 by: Al Hartman

This page last updated: August, 15th 2000

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	ARDI - Abacus Research and Development Inc. ARDI produces EXECUTOR, a MacOS Emulator. This emulator combines an x86 re-write of large portions of the Macintosh OS and Toolbox code with a fast Motorola 68040LC processor emulator. It doesn't run every Mac program, but a large proportion does work rather well. I've watched this program progress from a 1.0 version (Monochrome, no sound) to the latest version which is 2.1 pre-release 11 (Color and sound). It runs Microsoft Word 5 very well, and many other programs. Check their website for the latest compatibility info. There is a demo available for download from their site.
	Microcode Solutions This is a site for a program written by Microcode Solutions called Fusion. It is a great Macintosh Emulator for PC's. It currently is at version 2.31. I have owned it since the first retail version 1.21. It emulates most 68k Macs, and runs up to MacOS 8.1. This is an Emulator which runs in MS-DOS only. It runs in Windows inside of a full-screen DOS box in Windows 95/98. It will run in Windows NT/2000 but with Sound, Printing and Serial ports disabled (SoftMac mode?). Another version called iFusion which will emulate an iMac with a PPC processor is in the works and promised before the end of 2000. Recommended. Currently more compatible than Gemulator SoftMac because it supports Open Transport (which Gemulator doesn't) so you can use it to access the internet. In June of 2000, Emulators, Inc. purchased the exclusive license to Microcode's Fusion 2.x Macintosh Emulator. They have upgraded it to version 3.0 and are including it free on their product CD. Here is what they posted on their website: After careful consideration, Microcode Solutions has licensed its 68040 emulation technology to Emulators, Inc. Since we are nearing the release of our iMac emulation, and feel that FUSION-PC can no longer be upgraded, we are moving towards our PowerPC goal. Technical support will still be maintained for existing customers. Microcode Solutions has discontinued sales of FUSION-PC.
	Basilisk ][ for Windows NT A Windows 2000 Professional and Windows NT 4.0 port of Christian Bauer's Basilisk II Macintosh II emulator by Lauri Pesonen. Most (but not all) features work under Windows 95 and Windows 98. Please see the included documentation for details. Check out both the original readme file and the Win32 specific readme file. Like vMac and Fusion, this is somewhat slower than Executor, but seems to run a much larger list of applications This freeware emulator requires you to use an image of actual Mac ROMs and a copy of Apple's MacOS software to run Macintosh applications on your PC. (This is illegal according to Apple's License agreement.) Recently 68040 support and an FPU have been added. This emulator also allows you to read and write directly to the host operating systems filesystem. And supports OT/PPP and Ethertalk networking through the hosts NIC. It currently supports Macintosh Systems up to MacOS 8.1 can be used with this emulator. Recommended, especially for the price (FREE). This is really much more advanced than all of the currently shipping Mac Emulators.
	vMac - The Virtual Macintosh Emulator Project This is an ambitious project by an International group of programmers to emulate the Macintosh hardware at a very low level. This is somewhat slower than Executor, but seems to run a much larger list of applications (as long as they are System 6.0.8 compatible). Currently this emulator uses the UAE (Ubiquitous Amiga Emulator) engine which emulates a Motorola 68000/68020 processor. There is a replacement CPU core under development (Ice Cube) which is planned to speed up the emulator quite a bit. This emulator allows you to use an image of actual Mac ROMs and a copy of Apple's MacOS software to run Macintosh applications on your PC. It currently supports Macintosh Systems up to 7.5.5. This program is freeware, and requires that you own a Macintosh Plus to dump a ROM image from. (Which is illegal according to Apple Computers license agreement.) There was a recent update to the Macintosh version by Richard Bannister Recommended, especially for the price.
	Emulators, Inc. This is a site for a number of emulators. The newest one called Gemulator 2000 (also known as Gemulator Pro or Gemulator SoftMac) allows you to emulate an Atari ST, a number of different Macintosh Models, and Atari 8-Bit computers. You can buy this program with an ISA Board which accepts Atari-ST and Macintosh ROM chips, or you can buy a version which will use copies of these ROMS saved to image files. This program is the most ambitious of all the Macintosh emulators because it emulates many different Models of Macintosh, both black and white and color, as well as Atari 8/16-bit computers. This emulator allows you to use an image of an actual Mac's ROM and a copy of Apple's MacOS software to run Macintosh applications on your PC. (This may be illegal according to Apple's Licensing agreements.) It currently supports Macintosh Systems up to 8.1. At the time of this writing, there is a package deal available to purchase the software, a ROM card, ROMS and a copy of MacOS 8.1 along with a bonus shareware CD for about $199.95. A version which supports a PPC processor is in the works and promised before the end of 2000. Gemulator does not currently support Open Transport, so if you need to do dialup networks, this is not your emulator. Atari ST emulation works great, and I've been having a ball playing with old Atari ST software that I have from when I used an Atari ST full time.. Atari 8-Bit emulation also works great and I've been having a ball playing Star Raiders again! Gemulator includes this, and there is also a separate package called PC Xformer which is the same emulation broken out to a separate file. Prices range from $79.95 for a downloadable on-line version to $199.95 for a full CD with ROMcard. The $99.95 ROMCard can also be used with the vMac Macintosh Emulator. A demo version is available from the website. Also, he has available for downloads free releases of his Atari-ST and Atari 8-Bit emulators and utilities. I am having problems printing and hearing sound with the full release in Macintosh Mode. I can't really recommend this emulator as the tech support is offensive, and the program does not work as advertised. I have made complaints against this company with the BBB and the Washington State Attorney General's Office. It is listed here for completeness, and to warn people away from this product at this time. In June of 2000, Emulators, Inc. purchased the exclusive license to Microcode's Fusion 2.x Macintosh Emulator. They have upgraded it to version 3.0 and are including it free on their product CD. On July 31st, 2000, a free downloadable copy of Fusion 3.0 Macintosh Emulator was posted on it's website. A bargain by any means, and I advise you to download it while it's still there... http://www.emulators.com/fusion.htm