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BupSystem – Atari 7800 Emulator

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BupSystem is an Atari 7800 ProSystem emulator for Windows PCs, It accurately emulates the ProSystem’s hardware, including key components like Sally, Maria, TIA, and RIOT, alongside various cartridge mappers and expansion modules. BupSystem is designed as a development and preservation tool rather than a general-purpose emulator, supporting features like Pokey audio and light gun peripherals.

BupSystem Download

Select which version you require below to be taken to either the official website or app store for your device where you can download:

Windows

BupSystem Setup Instructions

This guide will walk you through the process of setting up the BupSystem emulator to play Atari 7800 games.

1. Download and Install bupsystem

  1. Visit the Website: Go to the official bupsystem download page.
  2. Download the Latest Version: Look for version 0.964 and click on the download link.
  3. Extract the Files: Once the download is complete, extract the contents to a folder of your choice. This will be your emulator’s directory.
  4. Backup Your ROMs: Ensure you have backed-up ROM images of the Atari 7800 games you wish to play.

2. Launching bupsystem

  1. Open the Emulator: Navigate to the folder where you extracted the emulator files, and run the bupsystem.exe.
  2. Locate Your ROMs:
    • Once the emulator is open, click on Open in the main window.
    • Navigate to the folder where your game ROMs are stored.
    • Select the game you want to load and click Open.

3. Configuring Input and Display Settings

Input Configuration

  1. Set Up Controllers:
    • Press F2 to access the input configuration.
    • If you are using a game controller, it should automatically detect the controller and assign the first and second joystick inputs. If not, click on the joystick options to manually assign the controls.
    • You can also configure keyboard input here.
  2. Mouse Input (Optional):
    • If you need mouse support for specific games, you can configure it from the same input settings.

Display Configuration

  1. Screen Filters:
    • You can enable the Bilinear Filter to smooth the game visuals. Turning this off will make the image sharper but less smooth.
  2. Full-Screen Mode:
    • To switch to full-screen, press Alt + Enter. This works from any windowed mode.
  3. Windowed Sizes:
    • You can select from preset window sizes like 640×480 or choose Stretch to Fit to fill your entire screen.

Reshade Compatibility

  • The emulator supports Reshade for enhanced graphics. If you want to use shaders like HQ4X or Advanced CRT, configure these through the Reshade application. For the best results, place the HQ4X shader above the CRT shader in the list.

4. Game Save and Load States

  1. Save State: Press Ctrl + S to save your game at any point.
  2. Load State: Press Ctrl + L to load a previously saved game state.

5. Adjusting Video and Color Settings

  1. NTSC/PAL Selection:
    • Choose NTSC (60Hz) for U.S. games or PAL (50Hz) for European games.
  2. Color Adjustment:
    • The emulator allows you to tweak brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, and warmth. You can find these options in the video settings menu.

6. Aspect Ratio Options

  1. 4:3 Aspect Ratio: Select this option to maintain the original display proportions of Atari 7800 games.
  2. Square Pixels: This will stretch the game slightly to fit the window more uniformly.
  3. Stretch to Fit: This option fills your screen but may distort the image.

7. Final Steps

Once everything is configured, you are ready to play. Simply open the ROM, customize your controls and display options, and enjoy your Atari 7800 games.

If you’re interested in more advanced features like Reshade integration or specific game settings, you can explore further in the emulator’s menus.