XXIIVV — 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.

An implementation for Varvara is currently under development.

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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