Emulators

Emulators logo    

Updated:23/02/2021

QLay | QLay2 | QL2K | QPC1 | QPC2 | Q-emuLator | QDOS4Amiga | QDOS Classic Amiga | QLem Atari | SMSQmulatorMESS | MIST/MISTer | uQLx | QDOS Classic Q40

An extensive collection of QL emulators running on various platforms including Amiga, Atari, DOS, Linux/Unix, Mac and Windows. Where the emulator is still well supported, perhaps updated quite often, I've linked to the relevant website rather than include the package for download here, to help make sure you get the latest version. In any case, I've tried to provide web page addresses for information and general support even where I've placed the archive on this page. Some emulators can use floppy disc images, but not all can create them, so for convenience I've added sample blank DD and HD disk images to the Misc stuff page.


QLAY

QLay logo

QLay is a set of QDOS QL emulators for DOS, Windows and Linux by Jan Venema of The Netherlands. This is a freely distributable emulator with no restrictions. You can download the most recent versions from Jan's Web site: http://web.inter.nl.net/hcc/A.Jaw.Venema

QLATter

QLATter (39K) - Al Feng's utility for QLay users. Provides a simple to use file handling front end.


QLAY2

QLAY2 iconQLAY2 is a development of QLay to run on Windows 2000/Windows XP systems (also seems to work on Windows 98 SE). The update is by Jimmy Montesinos. The support website for QLAY2 is at http://www.jadiam.org/QL/QLay2/

In case of difficulty, the QLay2 files are available to download below, along with the QLTools and QLAYT tools for file transfer.
QLAY2.zip (181K) - Binaries only, with a readme.txt, ROM images, and sample MDV and WIN.
QLAY2-Full.zip (1.6MB) - Binaries, docs and full source code, organised in a Visual Studio 6.0 Workspace, to make it easy to work with. This package is a superset of the QLAY2.zip archive.

You will also find the contents of qltoolsq.zip (90K) and qlayt.zip (54K) useful if you wish to transfer files to QLAY2 from a real QL or another emulator. These are command-line utilities developed for use with earlier versions of QLAY, but they are also applicable to QLAY2.


QL2K

QL2K iconQL2K is a further development of QLay, also for Windows 2000/XP systems, by Jimmy Montesinos. The support and download site for QL2K is at http://www.jadiam.org/QL/. QL2K is registerware - it is free to download and use, but you need to register the emulator (free of charge) with the author.
In case of difficulty, the emulator download files are here, though you should check the author's website for the latest versions and information. The downloads are cumulative updates - you should install the version 0.1 build 96a first, then apply updates successively, as each update contains only the new executables.
QL2K Setup version 0.1 build 096a (October 2005) (468K)
QL2K 0.1 build 098a - patch for above version (181K)
QL2K 0.1 build 0100 - adds sound and flash support (187K)
QL2K 0.1 build 0101 - Vista 32 bits edition, a corrected version of QLAYT program is included (346K)
QL2K 0.1 build 0101 - Vista 64 bits edition, a corrected version of QLAYT program is included (462K)

Quill-View 0.5 Beta 1 - A Quill doc file viewer for Windows, QDOS, Linux Debian, FC3 and Ubuntu. (Mikael Strom) (390K)


QPC1

qpc1

QPC1 is a QL emulator using SMSQ/E running in DOS. Internet address listed under QPC2 below. QPC1 is a QL emulator using SMSQ/E running on DOS/older Windows machines. It needs a minimum of a 486 processor. Instructions document (plain text) in the zip file, or PDF file below.


Download QPC1 v1.52 - if you need a DOS version! (zip file) (196K)
Download QPC1 v1.52 demo version - old demo version is still here if anyone would like to see it (164K)
Download Config Level 1 configuration utility 1.05 - Runs in Windows, can be used to configure SMSQ/E versions prior to 2.98, as used with this version of QPC2. (12K)
QPC1 manual - Word .doc file (47K)
QPC1 manual - PDF file (42K)

Marcel Kilgus has created a "live" version of QPC1, which is run in a DOSBox in a browser. Includes some software in a sample QXL.WIN demo file. When it starts, press a key to start the emulation, or ESC to get the main pointer back. QPC1 has several startup options which can be passed in the command line - see the QPC1 manual for details.
https://www.kilgus.net/qpc/live/

QPC2

QPC2

News: as of 2014, QPC2 full version is now freely available to download!

QPC2 is a QL emulator, based upon the SMSQ/E variant of the QL operating system. Since version 4 appeared on the cover CD of the last issue of QL Today, QPC2 has now been made freely available to download. QPC2 runs in Windows, and features standard QL video modes plus high resolution and higher colour modes (8-bit colour like the Aurora card and 16-bit colour). Mass storage is via the QXL.WIN filing system as also used by QXL, uQLx and QemuLator, for example, and there is also support for reading and writing QL format floppy disks and reading raw images of QL disks, plus a DOS device to read and write form/to Windows hard disk. There's a TCP/IP access system for web access and email using programs like Lynx, QPOP3 etc from Jonathan Hudson. Also, a sound driver based on the QLSSS (QL Sampled Sound System). QPC2 is a very fast emulator, which uses SBASIC, which is SuperBASIC compatible (only much faster!) and can be set to use very large RAM memory. Includes a sample QPCdemo.win file containing some useful free software.

Download QPC2 from Marcel Kilgus's website.
Download QPC2 manual - revision 5.0 PDF file, or get it from Marcel's site linked above. (505K)
Download Martin Head's QPC Keywords Guide - PDF file (477K)
Download Martin Head's QPC Concepts Guide - PDF file (410K)

Probably better to download it direct from Marcel's page, where you can always get the latest version, at https://www.kilgus.net/qpc/downloads/

QPC2 for Mac OSX
Peta Jaeger has put together a ready-to-run version of WINE configured to run QPC2 pretty much as a native Mac OSX application, and the package includes a copy of Black Phoenix from Quantum Technology. Download it here (123MB).

See also the author's web site at http://www.kilgus.net


QemuLator Lite for Mac

Mac logoQemuLator Lite for Apple Macintosh is written by Daniele Terdina and is Shareware. There are versions for 68K Macs and for PowerMacs. Further details from the author's Web site at: http://www.terdina.net/ql/MacQL.html


QemuLator for Mac OS X 10.5 and above

Mac OS logoQemuLator is now available for the Mac OSX operating system. Features include: QL 68008 processor emulation, keyboard, display (512x256x4, 256x256x8), interrupts, file system (access to Mac files, QDOS floppy disks, QXL.WIN files, .ZIP and .QLPAK packages, microdrive and floppy images), sound, built-in ram disk, mouse support, partial Gold Card emulation (to allow SMSQ/E to run). System requirements: Mac with an Intel processor and OS X version 10.5 or later. If you have a PPC Mac and OS X 10.4 or earlier, you may still be able to run the old version for 68k Macs. Further details and shareware download from the author's website at http://www.terdina.net/ql/MacQL.html


QemuLator for Windows

QemuLator for Windows logo

QemuLator for Windows is also written by Daniele Terdina and is Shareware (registration of about 46 dollars at the time of writing). Further details from the author's Web site at:www.terdina.net/ql/q-emulator.html. This emulator can emulate a standard QL, a Gold Card QL, or even a fast QL system with up to 16MB of RAM! It can run some versions of SMSQ/E or use QDOS ROM images (including Minerva), can access QXL.WIN or native file systems and has a built in TCP/IP system, so that you can use email and web browser programs such as those from Jonathan Hudson. The latest versions of QemuLator can also emulate Aurora 256 colour with Aurora/Gold Card version of SMSQ/E and Q60 16-bit colour displays if you write direct access code, extract QL program files from .zip files downladed from the internet (no more loss of QL program file headers!) amd even self-contained QLPAK software archives. The emulation of QL speed is now more precise. Built in dot-matrix printer emulation means you can print to more types of printers. Support for QL Sampled Sound System and smoother graphics thanks to pixel interpolating.


QDOS4Amiga

Amiga

QDOS4Amiga is a QDOS emulator for the Commodore Amiga, by Rainer Kowallik and Mark Swift. It is freeware. Up to date copies may be obtained from most Ami-Net sites. See the README1.TXT file first
The emulator may be downloaded as three LHA-archived files from this page:
qdos4amiga1.lha - Disk 1, the emulator itself (186K)
qdos4amiga2.lha - Disk 2, the complete assembler sources (244K)
qdos4amiga3.lha - Disk 3, the QDOS support utilities disk (315K)


QDOS Classic for Amiga

QDOS classic logo

QDOS Classic for Amiga is a QL emulator for the Commodore Amiga by Mark Swift. QDOS Classic for Amiga is closely related to QDOS Classic for Q40 by the same author. Freeware. QDOS Classic is also available below for Q40/Q60.
Download QDOS Classic v3.25p for Amiga
(1.33M)
QZ_readme.txt (2K) - Description text
QDOS Classic user documentation (26K)
QDOS Classic version documentation (39K)

QL Kick ROM for UAE - UAE is a computer emulator which emulates the hardware of the Commodore Amiga range of computers. Released under the GNU General Public License, UAE is free software. UAE nowadays stands for Ubiquitous Amiga Emulator or Universal Amiga Emulator, since it is available for Windows, Mac, Linux and other platforms.  QDOS Classic runs on Q40, Amiga and now UAE via this Kick ROM. Note you don't need an Amiga Kick ROM to boot UAE as a QL. QL disks images have to be saved as RAW MFM in order to be accessable by UAE.
UAEQLKickROM.zip (53K) -QL Kick ROM for UAE
UAEQLKickROM.readme (6K) - Readme text file for the UAE QL Kick ROM

RAW QDOS Disk Images
UAEQLADF.zip (366K) - RAW QDOS disk image for use with the UAE QL Kick ROM
UAEQLADF.readme (1K) - This archive contains disk images (.adf) for use with the UAE QL Kick ROM. Note, non-amiga disks images have to be saved as RAW MFM in order to be readable by UAE. DF0.ADF is a QDOS disk image with various QL utilities. DF1.ADF is a disk image of an empty QDOS disk.

QDOS support disk for QDOS Classic v3.25 - A set of utilities, some for use with QDOS Classic Amiga, some with QDOS Classic Q40. Includes for Q40: the Q40 SoftROM toolkit, current QDOS Classic ROM for Q40, Q40 Utility ROM that shipped with early Q40s and a simple demo of hi-res screen modes on Q40. For Amiga: Example fo how to use the Amiga blitter in QDOS, a hack to play audio CD tracks from an Amiga SCSI drive, an Amiga palette editor for QDOS and a patch over TAS instructions with Amiga-friendly code. Plus some program patches and miscellaneous QDOS programs - see the list in the Readme text file below.
UTILS3v25.zip (260K) - QDOS Classic support utilities disk. (M. Swift) [14/03/14]
UTILS3v25.readme (3K) - readme text file for the QDOS Classic support utilities disk.

 


QLem for Atari

Atari ST

QLem is an emulator for certain Atari ST machines, by Johan Klockars. Freeware. Details from  the Ancient File Library at http://www.devili.iki.fi/pub/emulators/Sinclair/QL/. May be downloaded here as ZIP or LHA files:
qlem.zip - download QLem as zipped file (67K)
qlem.lzh - download QLem as LHA file (66K)

QL2ST v3.0 is an associated QL disk transfer utility for use with QLem. QL2ST has two functions - initialise disks in the Sinclair QL format and convert files from a QL format disk to a TOS file system.
ql2st.zip - download QL2ST as zipped file (14K)
ql2st.lzh - download QL2ST as LHA file (14K)

TOSforQL is an emulator that allows certain programs written to run under TOS on the Atari ST to be run under QDOS. The emulator works by intercepting calls to the TOS operating system and mapping them onto the equivalent QDOS operating system calls.
tosforql.zip - download TOSforQL as zipped file (68K)
tosforql.lzh - download TOSforQL as LHA file (67K)


ST-QL Emulator utilities

Atari STST_Ql_EmulatorLoad.zip - ST/QL Emulator Load Program v1.7 The QDOS_IPL software is a replacement for the normal load programs that have been provided with the Atari ST QL Emulators. The impetus for its development was the needs of hard disk users. The aim was to minimise (ideally eliminate) the need to use a floppy disk during the process of loading the QL emulator. (D.J.Walker) (13K)


SMSQmulator

SMSQmulator LogoSMSQmulator, the SMSQ/E machine emulator under Java was launched in January 2013. You can use this on pretty much any system that runs the Java 6 or 7 language, including Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. It is not a QL emulator, strictly speaking, it is an MC68000 emulator which allows you to run programs which work with SMSQ/E. Programs which rely on strictly QL features such as fixed address system variables or screen locations may not work. Programs which rely on later processors such as 68020, 68040, or 68060 (e.g. programs written specifically for Q40 or Q60) may also not work on it. That said, this emulator is free and the sources for it are available.

Running SMSQmulator is easy if you have Java installed on your system - just place all the files in a directory on your hard disk and run (e.g. double click in Windows) the "SMSQmulator.jar" file. It comes with a good PDF file manual and supports floppy disk image reading, QXL.WIN, Native File Access (NFA) drives, and SMSQ File Access (SFA). Sound output is supported both via the usual BEEP command plus the Sampled Sound System (QLSSS) within limitations of the Java sound drivers.

Download SMSQmulator from author Wolfgang Lenerz's website at:
http://www.wlenerz.com/smsqmulator


The MESS emulator

MESS logoMESS (Multi Emulator Super System) is a source-available project which documents the hardware for a wide variety of (mostly vintage) computers, video game consoles, and calculators through software emulation, as MAME does for arcade games. As a nice side effect to this documentation, MESS allows software and games for these hardware platforms to be run on modern PCs. This includes an emulation of the Sinclair QL.
http://www.mess.org/ - the MESS wiki, all sorts of information about the system. Click on the link to MAME Release Page for download of binaries.
../qlrom/MESS_ql_romset.zip - a set of ROM mages etc for the QL emulation is available from my QLroms page, thanks to Phill Harvey-Smith.


MIST - QL

The MIST board was designed to implement classic 16 bit computers like the Amiga, Atari ST(E) or the Apple Macintosh (and even early 32 bit computers like the Acorn Archimedes) as a System-on-a-Chip using modern hardware. But it equally well supports 8 bit systems like the Atari XL, ZX81, ZX Spectrum, C64, Atari VCS, Atari 5200, Colecovision, Apple II, Sega Master System, Nintendo Gameboy, Nintendo NES, Odyssey2 and many many more, including the Sinclair QL. The MIST board is not about emulation. It's about the re-implementation of the original hardware itself in so-called FPGAs.

A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is an integrated circuit (IC) that can be programmed in the field after manufacture. FPGAs are similar in principle to, but have vastly wider potential application than, programmable read-only memory (PROM) chips. Essentially, a custom microchip used to build a System-On-a-Chip on demand.

Til Harbaum implemented QL for MIST. It's based on the TG68K core, and the t48core for the IPC of a QL. It runs at roughly twice the speed of a QL, with either 128K or 640K RAM, and ZX8301, ZX8302, microdrive, QIMI and QL-SD available. Files and information on Github at https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-board/tree/master/cores/ql

MiSTer is a port of the MIST project to a larger FPGA and faster ARM. MiSTer provides modern video output through HDMI (VGA and analog audio are still available on daughter board). Sinclair QL for MiSTer Board is at https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/QL_MiSTer - this additionally implements x2,x4 turbo modes and 896K RAM. Marcel Kilgus has worked on the original MISTer QL core to improve and build on it, and maintains a page for it on his site at https://www.kilgus.net/ql/mister/

uQLx for Linux etc.

Linux penguinuQLx is a derivative of the emulation engine used in QemuLator. uQLx is produced by Richard Zidlicky to run on Linux/Unix platforms. The original uQLx site at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/2602/ no longer seems to be available, but various downloads, source files, documentation etc are available from the following links until I can determine a "definitive" site for uQLx:
http://www.oocities.org/siliconvalley/Bay/2602/uqlx_main.html - old uQLx page
http://linux-q40.sourceforge.net/ - Linux-Q40 page, includes uQLx
https://code.google.com/p/uqlx-linux/ - uQLx page on Google Code
http://phpr.tripod.com/e-qhpuqlx.html - uQLx-RPM packages, on H.P.Recktenwald QL site
http://www.geocities.ws/SiliconValley/Bay/2602/uqlx.html - Richard Zidlicky uQLx page

A slightly more recent version of the emulator binaries is available here (courtesy of Urs König), although uQLx author Richard Zidlicky has hinted that he may produce an updated uQLx this year, so this version may be temporary. Download uQLx binaries (332K)

uQLx 2017

A recent version of uQLx that has been ported to 64-bit Linux and ARM by Graeme Gregory, with additional documentation by Timothy Swenson. This is a binary distribution with 32- and 64-bit x86 and ARM (6,7,8) binaries ready to run. Includes documentation to get you started along with a small QXL.WIN file. The sources are available from the QL github at https://github.com/SinclairQL/uqlx-fork. I recommend you download the sources from the github link, to ensure you have the latest versions, although a master zip file of the sources is also available below.
Download uQLx 2017 binaries (3MB)
Download uQLx 2017 sources (366K)

I'm told that one file seems to be missing from the uQLx 2017 sources, a file called uqlx.html (91K) - I've added it here as a separate file as I'm not familiar with uQLx and afraid of "breaking" the original sources archive.

During discussion of uQLx on QL Forum in mid 2018 it became obvious that there was an issue with the "tcp" device, in that the device name has been built as "*tcp" instead of "tcp", causing issues for QDOS/SMS software which accesses the device. Timothy Swenson has produced fixed 32-bit and 64-bit binaries and a README file - uqlx2018a.zip (1052K) [29/10/18]


win-uQLx

uQLx-Win logowin-uQLx is a port of uQLx to Windows systems by Peter Graf and Phoebus R. Dokos. Download it here. (267KB). Alternatively, here is the original 7-zip version from Phoebus, which you can download here (219KB)

You will need the Cygwin distribution (provides a Linux-like environment for Windows) to be able to run this emulator on Windows - get the required files from http://www.cygwin.com/


uQLx for Mac OS X

uQLx-Mac logouQLx for Mac OS X is a port by James Weatherley of uQLx to run on the Apple Mac OS X operating system.Download it here.


uQLx for ARM systems

ARM logoThis is UQXL for ARM based systems (e.g. Raspberry Pi). Adaption/Port by Tobias Fröschle, 2012. There are different ARM architectures which need different binaries:
- Raspberry Pi (Raspi) is armhf
- Genesi ARM notebook is armel

Please be aware that the Raspberry Pi binary still has a few quirks here and there, but it runs well enough to really emulate a QL.

This archive (zip file) contains the complete installation (uqlx-arm.tgz), including the armhf (Raspi) binary. The other gz (qm.gz) contains the armel binary. Please view the README.TXT within the archive for introductory notes by Urs König.
uQLx for ARM (1.3MB)


sQLux

Graeme Gregory has worked on producing an uQLx derivative, based on uQLx but with SDL2 as its OS layer. At the time of writing, it's a work in progress, available from github: https://github.com/SinclairQL/sQLux


ZEsarUX

Cesar Hernandez Bano has produced a ZX Machines Emulator for Unix based systems (and Windows), including all the Sinclair computers MK14, ZX80, ZX81, Spectrum, Z88 and of course QL. Available from github at https://github.com/chernandezba/zesarux

Q68

Q68 circuit boardThe Q68 is an FPGA (field-programmable gate array chip) based QL successor motherboard. Designed by Peter Graf in Germany and built and sold by Derek Stewart in the UK, the Q68 includes a 68000 compatible CPU, graphics, peripherals and sound on a single integrated circuit. It can be fitted into an available case and does not require parts from an existing QL. The Q68 uses a pair of SDHC card drives and has both QL display modes and high resolution/high colour modes. At the time of writing, the Q68 was being built in limited numbers with a  bit of a waiting list for a machine. For latest news, go to the QL Forum and search for posts about the Q68. Forum members can contact Derek Stewart via the Private Message facility on the Forum to enquire about availability. There is a page on this site where you can download a few Q68 items such as a manual.

Q40/Q60

Q60 circuit board image

QDOS Classic for Q40/Q60 may be downloaded from my Q40 page, or from the official Q40 website at www.q40.de. QDOS classic, as the name implies, is an implementation of the traditional QL QDOS operating system rather than the SMSQ/E operating system. There's also a version of Linux for Q40 and Q60 - click on the link above to Claus Graf's Q40 website for further details.


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