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A7800
What it is
A7800 is an Atari 7800 emulator and a fork of the MAME Atari 7800 driver. It is free and open source, with support listed for Android, Linux, macOS and Windows. The emulator covers controllers including Proline and VCS joysticks, lightguns, paddles, driving controllers, keypads, Trak-Balls, Amiga mice and ST mice. Display options include selectable palettes and enhanced screen settings, and BIOS files are optional rather than required. A7800 maintains MAME compatibility and syntax, allowing reuse of MAME configuration files and front ends. The project lists work on MARIA DMA timing, RIOT emulation, POKEY sound and SALLY and MARIA performance. Its developer-oriented a7800dev and a7800pdev machine targets display DMA usage per scanline. The project labels v5.2 as its latest release and notes corrections to the POKEY poly9 sequence and initial state. That release specifies 64-bit x64 builds for Linux, macOS and Windows. The source is offered under GNU GPL version 2 or later, though individual source files may specify their own licenses.
For and against
For
- Free and open source under GNU GPL version 2 or later
- BIOS files are optional
- Maintains MAME configuration and front-end compatibility
- Selectable palettes and enhanced screen options
Against
- Version 5.2 lists x64 builds only for Linux, macOS and Windows
- The license provides the program without warranty
The verdict
A7800 combines Atari 7800 emulation with broad controller support and MAME compatibility. BIOS files are not required, and the listed v5.2 x64 builds cover Linux, macOS and Windows.
Who it suits
A7800 suits people looking for an Atari 7800 emulator, including users who want MAME configuration and front-end compatibility. Its developer targets may also interest people examining DMA usage per scanline.
On the record
- BIOS
- BIOS files are optional and no longer required.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Controller support
- It supports emulation of Proline and VCS joysticks, lightguns, paddles, driving controllers, keypads, Trak-Balls, Amiga mice, and ST mice.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Developer tools
- The a7800dev and a7800pdev machine targets display DMA usage per scanline.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Display options
- It includes selectable palettes and enhanced screen options.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Emulation updates
- The project says it fixed a bug in RIOT emulation and improved POKEY sound emulation.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Graphics and performance
- It includes SALLY CPU and MARIA graphics chip performance adjustments, selectable palettes, and enhanced screen options.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Intended audience
- The maker describes its GitHub organization as a collection of development tools for the Atari 7800 console.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Latest release
- The page labels v5.2 as the latest release and lists corrections to the POKEY poly9 sequence and initial state.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- License
- The project source is offered under GNU GPL version 2 or later, with source files potentially having licenses specified in their headers.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- License and pricing
- The repository is public and describes A7800 as an emulator; its pages opened here list no purchase price or subscription plans.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- MAME compatibility
- It maintains MAME compatibility and syntax for reuse of MAME configuration files and front-ends.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- A7800 is an Atari 7800 emulator and a fork of the MAME Atari 7800 driver.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Release platforms
- The v5.2 release states that 64-bit x64 builds are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Timing
- Maria DMA timing has been improved with accurate DMA hole penalties.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Timing and hardware
- The project lists improved MARIA DMA timing, a RIOT emulation fix, POKEY sound improvements, and SALLY and MARIA performance adjustments.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Warranty
- The license states that the program is provided without warranty, to the extent permitted by applicable law.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- What it does
- A7800 is an Atari 7800 emulator and a fork of the MAME Atari 7800 driver.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
