Project PSIO - SD Card Modification for the PS1 / PSX

[Haunted360]

Project PSIO

Project PlayStation Input Output is a project in development, that will allow you to back up your PlayStation CD-ROM's, and then let you play them directly from either a SD card or HDD on the actual PlayStation 1 console itself.

This will decrease load times dramatically, stop skipping, read errors, as well as improve the overall performance of the console.

More information can be found here: http://psio.com.au/

[d123456]

Please let us know as soon as something is available. I want this!

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I really hope you guys finish this project!

[d123456]

The url changed, progress has been made.
http://ps-io.com/
I can't wait for this. Maybe after they're finished they can start with Sat-io. After a well earned holiday ofcourse.
Give these guys some love from all of us Racketeers here.

[Ziggy]

That looks FANTASTIC.

$166 AUD (abotu $123 USD) shipped might seem a little steep to some, but I do understand what goes into making such products (especially in smaller runs). Flash carts are about the same price. It at least looks like a quality product from the pics.

I'll have to keep an eye on the compatibility list, there aren't too many entries right now.

So I read the FAQs. Looks like it plugs into the parallel port and you have to solder a small PCB (a few wires) inside the console. They said they'll release a version compatible with PS1 models that don't have a parallel port, but you'll have to solder each parallel port wire to the motherboard, so it'll be something like a 50 wire install. Also looks like they'll release an SD card version for now (compatible with up to 32GB cards) but plan to release a HDD version down the road, so that's cool.

[Anapan]

I'm so stoked that this is still being worked on... Wow! it's nearing completion! Every time I see it mentioned I think it might've been mothballed, but these guys keep powering through the hardware revisions. Too cool! Thanks for the update.

...I guess I gotta get myself another original PS1. Brandon never said why he wanted my backup NM original system (I'm running on a PSone with screen), but I'm sure that's the reason.

[nightrnr]

Heads up!
Pre-orders are a go!!!! (I'm so excited).

Make sure you are okay with the soldering involved before you place an order (or arrange to send your system board in for them to do it).

Cost is around $111 USD I think (150 AUD).

--Edit--
...aaaand they are sold out until next quarter.
That was fast, not even 24 hours. I wonder how many pre-orders they got total.

[nightrnr]

It's a Thanksgiving miracle!
Second chance guys.
If anyone else wants one of these, there's less than a day before a few more are available to pre-order.
My guess is that it will sell out in minutes, (couple hours if very lucky).
Whelp, word is the timer ended an hour early or so and the pre-order window was less than a minute for those last 50 units.
It's probably going to be hard to get a hold of one of these for the 1st few batches.

[nightrnr]

Whelp, got my PSIO switch board all installed today . Kind of a pain, but definitely doable for the determined gamer (not recommended for a 1st project though, those soldering points are fairly small and cutting traces is scary).

It works though. I tested a few games out today and Tempest X3 is the only one that won't work for me (freezes at the title screen ). I have high hopes that it will work in future FW revisions.

I gotta get me some higher capacity SD cards for this thing. The PS1 library (even my own collection) is quite large and 8GB cards just don't cut it.

They seem to be taking orders at the 1st of each month. They sell out pretty quick though (like in minutes), so you really have to plan for the exact minute/hour they are available (and be a little lucky).
Hopefully the demand will go down soon, I may want to order a 2nd at some point (especially if they can offer a PSone version), but I'm very satisfied for the time being.

[Jagosaurus]

How do you load the 2nd disc of multiple discs games?

This project is awesome!