The ESP32 SoftCard is designed to extend the capabilities of the Apple II/II+ or Apple IIe using the ESP32 module. Similarly to the original Z80 SoftCard, it has its own processor allowing it to run software not originally meant for the Apple II. And similarly to the original 80-column card which was also needed, it generates its own composite video. The composite standards NTSC, NTSC-50, PAL and PAL-60 are supported and the user can switch between them using a command. In addition the ESP32 SoftCard produces its own 8-bit sound that is mixed and played through the Apple II speaker. For most of its applications the card also needs a FAT32 formatted microSD card, which is provided.
So far the ESP32 SoftCard has the following capabilities:
- Run Doom. Its shareware or full WAD files and MP3 music need to be placed in a folder of the SD card.
- Run Wolfenstein 3D. A shareware or a full version of the game needs to be in a folder of the SD card.
- Emulate a Macintosh classic. The ROM and floppy/hard drive images need to be on the SD card.
- Emulate an IBM PC/XT compatible running DOS and Windows 3.0. The floppy/hard drive images need to be on the SD card.
- Emulate Sega Genesis (a.k.a. Sega Mega Drive), Sega Master System, NES and TurboGrafx-16 (a.k.a. PC Engine). Game ROMs need to be on the SD card.
- Emulate an Atari 400/800/XL computer and an Atari 5200 game console. ROMs need to be on the SD card.
- Emulate an Apple II/II+/IIe and IIe Enhanced at up to 3x the normal speed. Disk images need to be on the SD card.
- Play videos stored on the SD card. The maximum resolution is 320x240 for PAL or NTSC-50 and 320x200 for regular NTSC or PAL-60.
- Connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi.
- Listen to Internet audio streams or play MP3 files stored on the SD card.
- Connect to Telnet sites supporting 80-column grayscale ANSI and a 40-column color PETSCII.
- A rudimentary 80x25 text mode command console with more than 30 distinct commands.
- Support for an Apple II joystick. The joystick can be used in Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, SEGA, NES and the Macintosh emulator, where it can either be a regular joystick or emulate a mouse. In the PC/XT emulator it controls the arrow keys, but it does not emulate a mouse.
- Support for the Apple Mouse II. The mouse can be used in Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, SEGA, NES, TurboGrafx-16, the Macintosh emulator and the PC/XT emulator.
- Support for 256 grayscale mode for monochrome monitors.
- Ability to upgrade the firmware from the SD card as new capabilities/bug fixes are added.
- An FTP server which gives access to the entire SD card.
The card has been thoroughly tested on Apple II+, Apple IIe, Apple IIgs, Pravetz 82 and Pratetz 8A. It has also been shown to work properly on Laser 128, Pravetz 8C and Pravetz 8M by some of the early adopters.
The ESP32 SoftCard is not a bootable card and it requires either a Disk II/SmartPort emulating device, such as Xdrive, FloppyEmu, CFFA3000 Card, Dan ][ Controller, TJ Boldt ProDOS card, etc., or an actual Apple II floppy drive with at least one empty diskette.
The card ships with a 20" (50 cm) video cable and a FAT32 formatted 32 GB microSD card.