# PSIO prototype loads PlayStation 1 ISOs on the console



## lovewiibrew (May 18, 2013)

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Project PlayStation Input Output has been trying to load PlayStation 1 game images through the game system's parallel I/O port since 2010, and now it's ready to show off the first prototype. If piracy is your aim, then modchips that let users play burned discs and emulators that have been available through the console's 19-year history should suffice, but this project aims to bypass those methods. The potential benefits include easier homebrew support and playing of ripped discs on the original hardware without worrying about wearing out an aging console's laser. Eventually the team wants to load games and saves from an SD card, but in this demo video it's playing Klonoa: Door to Phantomile from an attached PC. As seen in the nearly ten minute video it does work, albeit slowly. As the video notes, optimizations for the USB controller and CD sectors that should speed things up have not been implemented yet. According to its FAQ, the PSIO team aims to have a final version done this year.






Source

I've supported the PSIO team from the beginning and I'm glad to see the progress they've made.


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## redact (May 18, 2013)

nice to see an aussie hacking team showing some love for the older consoles


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## Foxi4 (May 18, 2013)

Wow. I've been thinking _just_ about that the other day - why was the Serial port never utilized for this before? I mean, it worked on the Dreamcast, why not the PlayStation? This is pretty dang neat alright.


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## Plstic (May 18, 2013)

I dunno if this legit lol, I remember when this started. The guy who started it had no knowledge on the whole subject of FPGA's or even coding, he pretty much just wanted to get a team to do it for him because he didn't have the knowhow to do it. He ended up quitting the forums a few times lol.


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## Psionic Roshambo (May 18, 2013)

I do remember if you had an Action Replay and a specific code you could boot up burned CD's on an otherwise stock PS1... I found this years after getting rid of my PS1 with the port and the Action Replay.... lol 

I had a CD burner at the time but back then I doubt I would have had the technical know how to pull it off.


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## Another World (May 18, 2013)

Foxi4 said:


> Wow. I've been thinking _just_ about that the other day - why was the Serial port never utilized for this before? I mean, it worked on the Dreamcast, why not the PlayStation? This is pretty dang neat alright.



didn't the golden finger (and other such devices) use the serial port to load back-ups?

-another world


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## lovewiibrew (May 18, 2013)

im under your be said:


> I dunno if this legit lol, I remember when this started. The guy who started it had no knowledge on the whole subject of FPGA's or even coding, he pretty much just wanted to get a team to do it for him because he didn't have the knowhow to do it. He ended up quitting the forums a few times lol.


 
You're referring to the assemblergames fiasco over PSIO. Yes there was drama but this is indeed real. Cybdyn is behind a lot of PSIO work. I've followed it since January of last year.


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## djricekcn (May 18, 2013)

this loads backs up as an ISO file, not a CD-R

And in terms of something official, I don't think anything supported the serial-port


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## AngryGeek416 (May 18, 2013)

They have one customer already whenever they finish. Especially if you can load through SD


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## Cyan (May 18, 2013)

That's a nice idea and would be great to play all my games I never played/completed, as my lens rail is very bad (launch day PS1). No more vertical stand!
The speed seems very slow for the moment, if they can improve it (over a single Serial port? I doubt it) to play videos and audio streaming fast enough it will be a nice.


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## Chocolina (May 18, 2013)

I don't get the excitement here really. It's a highly niche concept for the few people that still own a ps1 and even lower the amount of people that would be interested imo.

No longer has ps1 emulation been confined  high end PC sold in 2003. A PC, a PSP, many kinds of smart phones or tablets with a video out option, homebrew on later consoles, just so many things exist in the world today that can plug into a tv and run ps1 iso's that this kind of thing just seems irrelevant. It's cool don't get me wrong, but it feels like it has no place in this world at this time.


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## ForteGospel (May 18, 2013)

Chocolina said:


> I don't get the excitement here really. It's a highly niche concept for the few people that still own a ps1 and even lower the amount of people that would be interested imo.
> 
> No longer has ps1 emulation been confined high end PC sold in 2003. A PC, a PSP, many kinds of smart phones or tablets with a video out option, homebrew on later consoles, just so many things exist in the world today that can plug into a tv and run ps1 iso's that this kind of thing just seems irrelevant. It's cool don't get me wrong, but it feels like it has no place in this world at this time.


there is nothing like the feeling of playing on the original console


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## Foxi4 (May 18, 2013)

Another World said:


> didn't the golden finger (and other such devices) use the serial port to load back-ups?
> 
> -another world


These devices could be used, but you had to put a black-bottom original disc into your system and swap it for a CD-R, at least that's what I've read. I've never seen devices like this on the market around here - everybody just installed modchips instead.


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## Qtis (May 18, 2013)

Chocolina said:


> I don't get the excitement here really. It's a highly niche concept for the few people that still own a ps1 and even lower the amount of people that would be interested imo.
> 
> No longer has ps1 emulation been confined high end PC sold in 2003. A PC, a PSP, many kinds of smart phones or tablets with a video out option, homebrew on later consoles, just so many things exist in the world today that can plug into a tv and run ps1 iso's that this kind of thing just seems irrelevant. It's cool don't get me wrong, but it feels like it has no place in this world at this time.


 
Can't that be said for pretty much any console excluding the PS360 (and perhaps the PS2 in some ways due to power needs)? It's possible to emulate a lot of consoles, but if you have a working original somewhere, what would be better than the SD loading capability, especially with the lens problems that present themselves after years of gaming. If something like a SD loader was made into a commercial product and didn't cost an arm and a leg, I'd buy it just for the fact that I could stash all my PS1 games into a box somewhere and keep only the console on my TV set.


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## Foxi4 (May 18, 2013)

Qtis said:


> Can't that be said for pretty much any console excluding the PS360 (and perhaps the PS2 in some ways due to power needs)? It's possible to emulate a lot of consoles, but if you have a working original somewhere, what would be better than the SD loading capability, especially with the lens problems that present themselves after years of gaming. If something like a SD loader was made into a commercial product and didn't cost an arm and a leg, I'd buy it just for the fact that I could stash all my PS1 games into a box somewhere and keep only the console on my TV set.


There are two rules I have about all the consoles in my collection - first is that disc use should be avoided when possible _(Applies to PS2, Wii etc. - still have to do something about the Dreamcast and the Gamecube)_ and modification of the hardware should be avoided _(custom memory card hardware like SD Gecko, flashcarts etc. are great, modchips which require soldering not so much)_. This is because I want my collection to resemble retail products as much as possible, which is why the PSIO is interesting - not only I don't have to use the disc drive _(which is actually broken in my PS1 - sometimes it reads a CD but that's that - I need to replace the laser)_, I don't have to solder anything inside the console as well - this is perfect for collectors like me.


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## J-Machine (May 18, 2013)

good to see progress is being made now.


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## Goveynetcom (May 18, 2013)

I'll just leave this here:
http://tsumi.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/brief-update-on-a-notorious-scammer-taking-over-the-psx-scene/


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## Rydian (May 18, 2013)

Goveynetcom said:


> I'll just leave this here:
> http://tsumi.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/brief-update-on-a-notorious-scammer-taking-over-the-psx-scene/


I have to say, there's a shit-ton of personal bias there.  The whole "Paypal closed his account for being involved with modchips, so that means he's a scammer" alone shows that the article needs to be taken with a grain of salt.


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## Necron (May 18, 2013)

If this is finished, I want one. I'm still a big fan of the PS1 and play some games from time to time. With this, I'll just need to backup my games and play, no more disc scratching.


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## tbgtbg (May 18, 2013)

Foxi4 said:


> These devices could be used, but you had to put a black-bottom original disc into your system and swap it for a CD-R, at least that's what I've read. I've never seen devices like this on the market around here - everybody just installed modchips instead.



Yes, they were generally sold as "game enhancers" and were basically knock off Gamesharks/Action Replays with the added function that they'd stop the disc from spinning to let you do the disc swap method. They usually came with a little spring to keep the lid sensor pressed so you could keep open the lid to change discs. Didn't work with multidisc games unless they let you save at the end of the disc.


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## nukeboy95 (May 19, 2013)

why not do like all the other systems and emulate the disk drive?


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## Foxi4 (May 19, 2013)

nukeboy95 said:


> why not do like all the other systems and emulate the disk drive?


Sometimes the serial port is slower than the cartridge port _or_ there are some hardware limitations making it impossible to properly I/O using the port... or there's no serial port at all.

Each system is unique and often pretty tricky, so those devices are the home console equivalents of flashcarts.


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## Cyan (May 19, 2013)

Goveynetcom said:


> I'll just leave this here:
> http://tsumi.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/brief-update-on-a-notorious-scammer-taking-over-the-psx-scene/


Hey, thank you for Gemini's blog ! (or tsumi project)
I searched for some of his websites translation projects few times (and he even closed his facebook page recently). it's nice to see he still want to create a new translation site, we just need to wait patiently.


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## loco365 (May 20, 2013)

...And all my PS1 has is a serial port. This sucks. If I had a parallel port on it, I'd be inclined to get it though.


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## Magnus87 (May 20, 2013)

So is it fake or real?


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