This is the raw, uncompressed dump of the original CD-ROM. While it offers maximum compatibility with older software, it takes up the maximum amount of storage space and scatters multiple files across your directory. PBP (PSP Eboot)
Instead of having a Final Fantasy VII.cue and four separate Final Fantasy VII (Disc X).bin files, you get one clean file: Final Fantasy VII (Disc 1).chd . 3. Excellent Emulator Support
stands for "Compressed Hunk of Data." It is a file format designed to store disk images (CDs and DVDs) in a highly compressed format.
stands for Compressed Hunks of Data . It was originally developed by MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) developers to compress large arcade hard drives and CD-ROM images. Unlike standard ZIP or RAR compression (which require full extraction to RAM before playing), CHD is a lossless, chunk-level compression format . chd psx roms
It is crucial to discuss the legalities of ROMs. The ROMs (game files) themselves are copyrighted software. Downloading ROMs for games you do not own is considered copyright infringement in most jurisdictions.
Almost every modern PlayStation 1 emulator supports CHD files natively. You do not need special plugins or workarounds. Standard retro gaming frontends and cores handle them flawlessly, including: (The premier standalone PS1 emulator) RetroArch (Using the Beetle PSX HW or SwanStation cores)
While commercial ROM sites exist in a legal gray area, the is a valuable resource for digital preservation. You can find various collections of CHD PSX ROMs there, often designated by regions like "CHD-PSX-EUR" or other community-maintained sets. However, users should note that many files on Archive.org are often locked or removed due to copyright complaints. This is the raw, uncompressed dump of the original CD-ROM
Open Command Prompt in the folder containing chdman.exe . Use this command for a single game:
As of 2026, the CHD format is the gold standard for archival in the MAME, RetroArch, and DuckStation communities. The developers recently added compression to CHD v5+, which yields even better ratios without speed penalties.
Because CHD is lossless, you can reverse the process at any time if you need the original files for modding, romhacking, or burning to a real physical CD-R. Update your batch script with this line to extract them: It was originally developed by MAME (Multiple Arcade
: You can use a tool called chdman (part of the MAME project) to convert your existing .bin / .cue files. For a simpler experience, many users prefer a graphical interface like NAM DHC for Windows.
Create a simple batch file ( .bat ) to automate the process for multiple games.
| Emulator | CHD support | |----------|--------------| | DuckStation | ✅ Native | | RetroArch (Beetle PSX) | ✅ Yes | | ePSXe | ❌ No | | PCSX-Reloaded | ❌ No |
CHD compression is exceptionally efficient, often reducing the size of PS1 games by 30% to 50% or more without any loss in data or audio quality.
Open (or any text editor) and paste the following code: