Introduction to mkpsxiso
mkpsxiso is a modern, cross-platform tool for building PlayStation CD images from XML documents. It provides a faster replacement for the legacy BUILDCD tool from the official PlayStation development SDK, with output compatible with modern CD burning tools and emulators.
What is mkpsxiso?
mkpsxiso builds PlayStation CD images from an XML document, outputting standard .bin and .cue or .iso files ready to burn to CD or use in an emulator. The companion tool dumpsxiso can dump existing PlayStation CD images to files and generate mkpsxiso-compatible XML documents.
The tool was created to ease PlayStation homebrew development, ROM hacking, and reverse engineering efforts, while also serving as a general ISO creation tool compliant with the ISO9660 standard.
Key Features
XML-Based Projects
Uses XML for scripting ISO projects with full control over file ordering and attributes
Multiple Output Formats
Outputs ISO images directly to
.iso or .bin+.cue image format ready for burning or emulationMixed-Mode Support
Supports mixed-mode CD-XA stream files including XA audio and STR video used by PlayStation games
CDDA Audio Tracks
Supports CDDA audio tracks from wav, flac, pcm, and mp3 files, both as DA files and audio tracks
License Injection
Properly injects Sony license data into ISO images eliminating the need for extra programs
LBA Control
File LBA (Logical Block Address) controlled by file order allowing for seek time optimization
Why Choose mkpsxiso?
Cross-Platform Modern Tool
Unlike BUILDCD which only runs on 16-bit DOS compatible systems, mkpsxiso is a modern cross-platform tool that works on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Its output format is compatible with modern CD burning tools and emulators.Precise File Control
Other ISO creation tools like MKISOFS don’t allow controlling the precise order of files, which is necessary for optimizing access times on PlayStation hardware. mkpsxiso gives you full control over file placement.PlayStation-Specific Features
The tool supports PlayStation-specific features that generic ISO tools don’t:- Mixed-mode CD-XA files for streaming audio and video
- DA (Direct Audio) file support for CD-DA tracks
- Proper license data injection
- XA audio and MDEC video stream support
- Timestamps and XA attributes preservation for 1:1 rebuilds
Getting Started
Installation
Learn how to compile mkpsxiso from source or download pre-built binaries
Quick Start Guide
Create your first PlayStation ISO image with a complete working example
XML Reference
Explore the XML schema and all available elements and attributes
Command Reference
View all available command-line options and usage examples
Use Cases
Homebrew Development
Create bootable PlayStation disc images for your homebrew games and applications. The tool handles all the complexity of ISO9660 filesystem creation and PlayStation-specific requirements.ROM Hacking
Modify existing PlayStation games by dumping ISOs withdumpsxiso, editing files, and rebuilding with mkpsxiso. Almost all images can now be rebuilt 1:1 with preserved timestamps and attributes.
Game Preservation
Document the precise structure of PlayStation disc images with XML output. Extract and rebuild images while maintaining the exact original structure.Tools Overview
mkpsxiso
The main tool for building PlayStation ISO images from XML project files. It reads your XML document describing the disc structure and creates a compliant ISO image. Key capabilities:- Build ISO images from XML documents
- Control precise file LBA locations
- Support for data tracks and CDDA audio
- License data injection
- Generate LBA location logs for debugging
dumpsxiso
The companion tool for dumping existing PlayStation ISO images to files and generating XML documents compatible with mkpsxiso. Key capabilities:- Extract all files from PlayStation ISOs
- Generate mkpsxiso-compatible XML documents
- Extract CDDA tracks as wav, flac, or pcm
- Preserve timestamps and XA attributes
- Dump license data from existing discs