EightyOne

About

EightyOne is a Windows emulator for Sinclair ZX home computers and their clones, including ZX80, ZX81, and ZX Spectrum models. It emulates the ZX80 and ZX81 display mechanisms with clock accuracy and supports add-on interfaces for storage, hi-res graphics, custom character sets, sound, and colour. The emulator includes debugger facilities, with controls and execution breakpoints described in the release notes. BASIC tools can view and save programs as bitmap or text, and load listings from text files. Media support covers tape and disk images, snapshots, ZIP-compressed media, Microdrive cartridges, and several IDE or CompactFlash interfaces. Version 1.41 is listed as the latest release; its notes describe a full-screen option, speech interfaces, sound options, joystick support, and floppy-image writing and protection features. The project is open source under GPLv2 and provides Windows downloads. Its creator is no longer actively developing it and made the code open source for others to extend.

Who it is for

EightyOne suits Windows users who want to emulate ZX80, ZX81, or ZX Spectrum systems and use debugger, BASIC, and peripheral features. It may also interest developers looking to extend its open-source code.

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

Where it ranks on Inferse

• Best ZX Spectrum Emulators in 2026#9 of 21

Sources

• github.com/charlierobson/EightyOne/releases· checked 2 Oct 2026
• github.com/charlierobson/EightyOne/tree/master/Rel· checked 2 Oct 2026
• github.com/charlierobson/EightyOne· checked 2 Oct 2026
• github.com/charlierobson/EightyOne/tree/master/Doc· checked 2 Oct 2026
• sourceforge.net/projects/eightyone-sinclair-emulator/· checked 3 Oct 2026
• github.com/charlierobson/EightyOne/blob/master/Rel· checked 3 Oct 2026
• github.com/charlierobson/EightyOne/%20blob/master/· checked 3 Oct 2026
• sourceforge.net/projects/eightyone-sinclair-emulator/fi· checked 3 Oct 2026