chip8

CHIP-8 was created by RCA engineer Joe Weisbecker in 1977 for the COSMAC VIP microcomputer.

The Chip-8 language is capable of accessing up to 4KB(4096 bytes) of RAM, from location 0x000 to 0xFFF(0-4095). The first 512 bytes, from 0x000 to 0x1FF, are where the original interpreter was located, and should not be used by programs.

Registers

Register	Size	Description
V[16]	byte	General purpose
I	short	General purpose
PC	short	Program counter
SP	byte	Stack pointer
DT	byte	Delay timer
ST	byte	Sound timer

Keypad

The computers which originally used the Chip-8 Language had a 16-key hexadecimal keypad.

`1`	`2`	`3`	`C`
`4`	`5`	`6`	`D`
`7`	`8`	`9`	`E`
`A`	`0`	`B`	`F`

Screen

The original implementation of the Chip-8 language used a 64x32-pixel monochrome display. Programs may also refer to a group of sprites representing the hexadecimal digits 0 through F. These sprites are 5 bytes long, or 8x5 pixels. The data should be stored in the interpreter area of Chip-8 memory (0x000 to 0x1FF).

Instructions

CHIP-8 instructions are always 2 bytes long and arranged in big-endian order, that is with the most significant byte first. The original implementation of the Chip-8 language includes 36 different instructions, including math, graphics, and flow control functions.

All instructions are 2 bytes long and are stored most-significant-byte first. In memory, the first byte of each instruction should be located at an even addresses. If a program includes sprite data, it should be padded so any instructions following it will be properly situated in RAM.

nnn or addr - A 12-bit value, the lowest 12 bits of the instruction
n or nibble - A 4-bit value, the lowest 4 bits of the instruction
x - A 4-bit value, the lower 4 bits of the high byte of the instruction
y - A 4-bit value, the upper 4 bits of the low byte of the instruction
kk or byte - An 8-bit value, the lowest 8 bits of the instruction

Opcode	Type	C Pseudo	Explanation
0NNN	Call		Calls machine code routine (RCA 1802 for COSMAC VIP) at address NNN. Not necessary for most ROMs.
00E0	Display	disp_clear()	Clears the screen.
00EE	Flow	return;	Returns from a subroutine.
1NNN		goto NNN;	Jumps to address NNN.
2NNN		*(0xNNN)()	Calls subroutine at NNN.
3XNN	Cond	if (Vx == NN)	Skips the next instruction if VX equals NN. (Usually the next instruction is a jump to skip a code block);
4XNN		if (Vx != NN)	Skips the next instruction if VX does not equal NN. (Usually the next instruction is a jump to skip a code block);
5XY0		if (Vx == Vy)	Skips the next instruction if VX equals VY. (Usually the next instruction is a jump to skip a code block);
6XNN	Const	Vx = N	Sets VX to NN.
7XNN	Const	Vx += N	Adds NN to VX. (Carry flag is not changed);
8XY0	Assig	Vx = Vy	Sets VX to the value of VY.
8XY1	BitOp	Vx \|= Vy	Sets VX to VX or VY. (Bitwise OR operation);
8XY2		Vx &= Vy	Sets VX to VX and VY. (Bitwise AND operation);
8XY3		Vx ^= Vy	Sets VX to VX xor VY.
8XY4	Math	Vx += Vy	Adds VY to VX. VF is set to 1 when there's a carry, and to 0 when there is not.
8XY5	Math	Vx -= Vy	VY is subtracted from VX. VF is set to 0 when there's a borrow, and 1 when there is not.
8XY6	BitOp	Vx >>= 1	Stores the least significant bit of VX in VF and then shifts VX to the right by 1.[b]
8XY7	Math	Vx = Vy - Vx	Sets VX to VY minus VX. VF is set to 0 when there's a borrow, and 1 when there is not.
8XYE	BitOp	Vx <<= 1	Stores the most significant bit of VX in VF and then shifts VX to the left by 1.[b]
9XY0	Cond	if (Vx != Vy)	Skips the next instruction if VX does not equal VY. (Usually the next instruction is a jump to skip a code block);
ANNN	MEM	I = NNN	Sets I to the address NNN.
BNNN	Flow	PC = V0 + NNN	Jumps to the address NNN plus V0.
CXNN	Rand	Vx = rand() & NN	Sets VX to the result of a bitwise and operation on a random number (Typically: 0 to 255) and NN.
DXYN	Disp	draw(Vx, Vy, N)	Draws a sprite at coordinate (VX, VY) that has a width of 8 pixels and a height of N pixels. Each row of 8 pixels is read as bit-coded starting from memory location I; I value does not change after the execution of this instruction. As described above, VF is set to 1 if any screen pixels are flipped from set to unset when the sprite is drawn, and to 0 if that does not happen
EX9E	KeyOp	if (key() == Vx)	Skips the next instruction if the key stored in VX is pressed. (Usually the next instruction is a jump to skip a code block);
EXA1	KeyOp	if (key() != Vx)	Skips the next instruction if the key stored in VX is not pressed. (Usually the next instruction is a jump to skip a code block);
FX07	Timer	Vx = get_delay()	Sets VX to the value of the delay timer.
FX0A	KeyOp	Vx = get_key()	A key press is awaited, and then stored in VX. (Blocking Operation. All instruction halted until next key event);
FX15	Timer	delay_timer(Vx)	Sets the delay timer to VX.
FX18	Sound	sound_timer(Vx)	Sets the sound timer to VX.
FX1E	MEM	I += Vx	Adds VX to I. VF is not affected.[c]
FX29	MEM	I = sprite_addr[Vx]	Sets I to the location of the sprite for the character in VX. Characters 0-F (in hexadecimal) are represented by a 4x5 font.
FX33	BCD	set_BCD(Vx) (I+0) = BCD(3); (I+1) = BCD(2); *(I+2) = BCD(1);	Stores the binary-coded decimal representation of VX, with the most significant of three digits at the address in I, the middle digit at I plus 1, and the least significant digit at I plus 2. (In other words, take the decimal representation of VX, place the hundreds digit in memory at location in I, the tens digit at location I+1, and the ones digit at location I+2.);
FX55	MEM	reg_dump(Vx, &I)	Stores from V0 to VX (including VX) in memory, starting at address I. The offset from I is increased by 1 for each value written, but I itself is left unmodified.[d]
FX65	MEM	reg_load(Vx, &I)	Fills from V0 to VX (including VX) with values from memory, starting at address I. The offset from I is increased by 1 for each value written, but I itself is left unmodified.[d]

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