● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
i386 PC Emulator Released for RP2350 Microcontrollers with VGA/HDMI Output
Key points
- i386 PC emulator for RP2350 microcontrollers released.
- Supports VGA/HDMI, SD card, PS/2, and USB input.
- Runs DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Linux.
- Requires 8MB PSRAM and specific board configurations.
Emulator Functionality
The new i386 PC emulator for RP2350 microcontrollers provides full i386 CPU emulation, with partial i486/i586 support and optional x87 FPU. It supports up to 8MB RAM using 8MB PSRAM. Graphics output is available via VGA and HDMI, offering text modes and resolutions up to 640x480. Audio capabilities include AdLib OPL2, Sound Blaster 16, PC Speaker, Tandy, Covox, and Disney Sound Source.
Storage and Input
The emulator supports SD card storage for floppy, hard disk, and CD-ROM images. A runtime disk manager (Win+F12) allows hot-swapping disk images, and a settings menu (Win+F11) configures the emulator. Input options include PS/2 keyboard and mouse, USB keyboard and mouse (via native USB Host), and NES gamepad with mouse emulation.
Supported Operating Systems and Hardware
The emulator can boot various operating systems, including DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Linux. It is designed for RP2350-based boards with integrated VGA/HDMI, SD card, and keyboard input, such as FRANK, Murmulator, Olimex PICO-PC, Waveshare RP2350-PiZero, and the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (RP2350) itself. Essential hardware requirements include 8MB PSRAM, a VGA or HDMI connector, an SD card module, and keyboard input.
Configuration and Setup
Users must create a '386/' directory on their SD card containing a configuration file (config.ini), SeaBIOS ROM (bios.bin), and VGA BIOS ROM (vgabios.bin). Disk images for floppy and hard drives are also placed in this directory. The config.ini file specifies memory allocation and BIOS files. Floppy images are standard 1.44MB, and hard disk images can be up to 2GB.
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Primary sources
GitHub cmc_internal/api GitHub github/collect GitHub rh1tech/frank-386 GitHub _private/browser GitHub get-started/accessibility GitHub open-source/sponsorsReporting from
An i386 PC emulator has been released for RP2350-based microcontrollers, enabling them to run DOS, Windows 3.x, and Linux with VGA/HDMI output, SD card storage, and various input methods. This allows hobbyists to create compact retro-computing platforms using low-cost hardware.