Emulation is a copy of the original system that can function on another computer or equipment. The simplest example is disk emulation using the well-known DaemonTools program. Let's take a closer look at this issue. In fact, what is emulation is not difficult to understand, for this it is necessary to present the principle of its action.
Computer Engineering
The easiest way to talk about how imitation works on computers is because it is most often used on computers, tablets and other equipment. Suppose you have a Canon scanning device, and you want to emulate the work of HP. Installed special software and programs designed for original HP devices that can work without problems on the same Canon. The exact same situation is with most licensed disks that must be present in the drive of your computer or laptop during operation.
So, images of these disks are created, which perform the function of a licensed product. That is how most gamers get to know what emulation is. But it is worth noting immediately that the simulated device will work an order of magnitude slower.
Emulation program, or what to use to create an image
Currently, the problem is only which program to choose. There are a huge number of them, and most worthy options are posted online for free. For example, DaemonTools is a really effective utility that works without failures and does not take up much space on the hard drive. This software plan allows you to emulate multiple drives at once, in most cases you can create 3-5 drives, which depends on the version of the program. The Russian-language interface is quite simple and understandable even to a beginner. In the main window, add the previously created image and emulate it. There are other good programs, such as GizmoDrive, Alcohol 52%, etc. Despite the large selection, the principle of operation of all utilities is approximately the same, the main goal is to make the system think that the drive contains a real, licensed disc.
Drive emulation: a quick overview of GizmoDrive
The main purpose of the utility is to mount files that have the ISO extension. In addition, another format that suits you can be used. The utility automatically creates a drive and inserts an image there, which appears as a real
CD / DVD disc. Here the most popular extensions are available for you, such as ISO, BIN, MDS, MDF and others. It is also worth noting a fairly large number of drives, a maximum of 26 pieces. To simplify the creation of images, a special manager is provided that will help even a novice to understand the work. Gizmo also allows the user to create a GDrive image to emulate your device’s hard drive. It even provides
data compression and
encryption, which improves not only performance, but also the level of file security. In principle, understanding what emulation is, along with such a simple utility as GizmoDrive, will be extremely simple.
About the benefits of imitation
If we talk about disk emulation, you won’t notice the difference. The advantage is that a licensed game does not require a drive, but simply create an image. If you have exclusive equipment on one platform, then using a high-quality emulator you can use software on another computer, laptop, etc. A good example is the use of games designed for Xbox on a computer. Do not underestimate the importance of emulators in media art, where almost all information is stored in digital formats. It is worth noting that creating an image allows you to not only protect files from viruses, but also save space on your hard drive. This is extremely important if you are working with large volumes of information, and the hard drive is not rubber, it has a limit.
Emulation classification
Currently, the hardware platform is almost always used. But there is one important point - first you need to get or emulate the operating system or equipment. This is done only once. Therefore, such simulators have almost unlimited access to equipment. Often these are the usual layers of compatibility, which allow you to access certain software or equipment. Again, for the Windows operating system, this is one layer, and for Linux - a completely different layer.
There is also an emulation of the mathematical process that game developers use. It differs in that it uses the most accurate programs for simulation (simulators). In principle, we can stop here and move on to the next question. As you can see, with regard to classification, there are many ambiguities for the average user, which can only be dealt with in practice.
Simulate keystrokes
If you want to create your own widget for managing audio files, then you will need to use emulation of keystrokes. Currently, quite often, imitation is used when testing various applications. If you have a program that allows you to remotely control the audio system, then this is another reason to use the emulator.
I would also like to note that systems, such as "smart home", also imply the use of remote access. In fact, keystroke emulation may be needed anytime, anywhere, which is why this is an extremely useful feature. Here it is necessary to use special codes that differ from each other depending on the operating system used. As you can see, there is nothing complicated, the only thing to do is practice.
In short, you can sit at work and control your home computer or several of its functions (something like a remote control, but with a large radius of action). True, you will need an Internet connection.
A little bit about COM port emulation
There are special programs that allow you to simulate devices located in your Com-port. The main task is to work with data packets. The utility adjusts them for themselves, using the formats RS232, UPD and others. As practice shows, emulation of Com-port is used by developers of various applications in order to test them and check for operability. The function is extremely useful for people working on the network, for example, for network engineers. System integration is also greatly facilitated. Again, in simple terms, you can check your system or any program without having a real device in the port. In principle, disk emulation is somewhat similar in meaning, but there are still some differences. If you are new, it is recommended to use a utility called COMPortDataEmulator. The Russian-language interface and convenient menu navigation help you quickly figure out what's what.
A few important points
Of course, one cannot fail to say about the emulation of devices running on Android, since recently it has been extremely relevant. You can use different programs, for example, Genymotion, which is quite simple, as well as stable and convenient. The "chip" from the manufacturer is that it supports hardware graphics acceleration , and this is increased productivity.
After you install the utility, you need to configure it, and you can get to work. The Android emulation is not much different from the real game on this device, so most users use this kind of simulation. When you first run the program, you will receive a message stating that there are no virtual devices, so you need to create a new one. Next, click Connect and authorize your account that you previously created. Then there is nothing complicated, find the desired game and click Play.
Conclusion
So we have examined almost everything that is somehow related to emulation. You might notice that the thing is quite useful. Even if your work does not require the use of imitation or simulation of electronic systems, sooner or later it can be very useful to you.
Now you already know a little about how call emulation works, what it is and how to use it. The main thing is to understand the principle of action. Do not forget that before creating a disk image or something like that, you need to check your computer for viruses, because malware can completely ruin the image. After recording the image, do not discard the disk, because you may still need it.
In principle, this is all that can be said on this topic. What is emulation and what is it for, you should be clear. If you are going to use the information received, then start with simple programs, preferably in Russian.