PSIO prototype loads PlayStation 1 ISOs on the console

lovewiibrew

Sifjar is a pirate
OP
Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2010
Messages
257
Trophies
1
XP
179
Country
United States


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.




icon11.gif
Source

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

Foxi4

Endless Trash
Global Moderator
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
30,818
Trophies
3
Location
Gaming Grotto
XP
29,788
Country
Poland
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. :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: chavosaur

Plstic

Guru Meditation Error
Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
1,196
Trophies
1
Location
Milwaukee WI
XP
2,801
Country
United States
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.
 

Psionic Roshambo

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
2,244
Trophies
2
Age
50
XP
3,315
Country
United States
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.
 

Another World

Emulate the Planet!
Former Staff
Joined
Jan 3, 2008
Messages
10,579
Trophies
2
Age
48
Location
From Where???
Website
wiki.gbatemp.net
XP
5,533
Country
Colombia
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. :D

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

-another world
 

lovewiibrew

Sifjar is a pirate
OP
Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2010
Messages
257
Trophies
1
XP
179
Country
United States
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.
 

djricekcn

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
1,100
Trophies
1
XP
831
Country
United States
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
 

Cyan

GBATemp's lurking knight
Former Staff
Joined
Oct 27, 2002
Messages
23,749
Trophies
4
Age
45
Location
Engine room, learning
XP
15,646
Country
France
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.
 

Chocolina

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
450
Trophies
0
XP
176
Country
United States
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.
 

ForteGospel

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
643
Trophies
0
XP
331
Country
United States
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 :gba:
 

Foxi4

Endless Trash
Global Moderator
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
30,818
Trophies
3
Location
Gaming Grotto
XP
29,788
Country
Poland
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.
 

Qtis

Grey Knight Inquisitor
Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Messages
3,817
Trophies
2
Location
The Forge
XP
1,737
Country
Antarctica
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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Foxi4

Foxi4

Endless Trash
Global Moderator
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
30,818
Trophies
3
Location
Gaming Grotto
XP
29,788
Country
Poland
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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boriar

Rydian

Resident Furvert™
Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Messages
27,880
Trophies
0
Age
36
Location
Cave Entrance, Watching Cyan Write Letters
Website
rydian.net
XP
9,111
Country
United States

Necron

Lurking~
Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
1,078
Trophies
1
Location
Mi casa
XP
2,332
Country
Chile
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.
 

tbgtbg

Shaking the ring ropes up in the sky
Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
1,996
Trophies
1
XP
998
Country
United States
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.
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
    K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2: Did you pee in the water