OP-1 Origin Emulator

OP-1
1

Hi all, it is 2026 and I am building an OP-1 emulator.

Recently, I built a Blackfin JIT recompiler (largely through vibe coding): GitHub - op1emu/bcore: Blackfin core JIT recompiler by vibe coding · GitHub

Using that, I’ve been piecing together an actual OP-1 emulator and have made some solid progress: GitHub - op1emu/op1emu: OP-1 emulator (WIP) · GitHub.

Current Status & Features:

  • Since te-boot.ldr is not encrypted, you can boot with it directly.

  • Most peripherals are already working, including the keyboard and the display.

  • You can also successfully flash the firmware via USB.

The Challenges:

Running the full OP-1 firmware is much trickier. It is encrypted and has to be decrypted using the key stored in the OTP memory. Because distributing that key directly in the GitHub repo is a legal gray area, I haven’t included it.

However, some other brilliant folks in the community have already dumped the key. If you provide it, the emulator does boot up, but there are still a few significant flaws to iron out:

Screenshot from 2026-02-26 15-08-29
Screenshot from 2026-02-26 15-08-292020×822 242 KB

  • Graphics: The screen currently renders with weird, straight color bars.

  • Audio: The emulator still isn’t fast enough to produce continuous, stutter-free sound.

This is a massive undertaking, and PRs are incredibly welcome!

8 Likes
2

Amazing work! Does this mean full CFW can be made for OP-1 hardware?

3

Very cool!

4

Thanks.
Yes, using the emulator will make developing the new firmware much easier. I also think it’ll not be too difficult to add a dual-boot menu to te-boot.

5

Please keep updating this thread with your progress!