CHD (Compressed Hunks of Data) is a container/compression format originally developed by the MAME project to store large disk- and tape-image data (CDs, laserdiscs, hard drives) more compactly while preserving exact, bit-for-bit data. CHD files can bundle CD-ROM images and related metadata (subchannel, TOC) needed to emulate optical-media-based games.
chdman createcd -i game.cue -o game.chd
Wide Support: Compatible with almost every modern emulator, including RetroArch (Beetle PSX, DuckStation cores), DuckStation, and handhelds like the Miyoo Mini or Ambernic devices. How to Convert Your Collection chd psx roms
For PSX games, a standard .bin file (raw disc image) is exactly 2352 bytes per sector, regardless of whether the sector contained actual game data or blank padding. A .chd file analyzes these hunks, removes redundant padding, and compresses the actual data. Overview — CHD and PSX ROMs CHD (Compressed
for %%i in (*.cue *.gdi) do chdman createcd -i "%%i" -o "%%~ni.chd" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Wide Support: Compatible with almost every modern emulator,
In the vast and often nebulous ecosystem of video game preservation, few file formats have caused as significant a paradigm shift as the CHD (Compressed Hunks of Data). When applied to the library of the original Sony PlayStation (PSX), CHDs represent more than just a technical achievement in data compression; they are a cultural watershed. They have single-handedly cured the archival community of its greatest headache—the multi-file nightmare of bin/cue disc images—and ushered in an era of pristine, user-friendly preservation.