CHD (Compressed Hunks of Data) squeezes a PS1 disc image into a single, smaller, lossless file — and it is now a first-class ePSXe format: Windows v2.0.18 added CHD support for ISOs, and Android v2.0.19 improved CHD support (with a CDDA fix in 2.0.19.5). This guide converts your own rips correctly.
What you need
- Your BIN/CUE master rip (made from your own disc — ripping guide). The CUE file must sit next to the BIN with the exact filename it references.
- chdman, the conversion tool from the MAME project (free, from the official MAME site). ePSXe does not convert files itself; chdman is the standard converter.
The conversion
- Place chdman and your BIN/CUE in a working folder (or add chdman to your PATH).
- Run: chdman createcd -i “Game.cue” -o “Game.chd” — point it at the .cue, never the .bin directly, so the track layout (including CD audio) is preserved.
- Wait for the verify pass; chdman checks the output as it writes. A failed verify means a bad source rip — re-rip, don’t retry the conversion.
- Keep the BIN/CUE master as your archive copy. The CHD is the working copy you copy to your phone, handheld or PC games folder.
Results and expectations
Savings vary by game: data-heavy titles compress dramatically, FMV- and audio-heavy titles less so. The gains that matter in practice are one file per disc (no more BIN/CUE separation accidents — a classic cause of black screens), tidier multi-disc sets (disc swapping points at one file per disc), and faster copying to SD cards (storage guide).
Compatibility notes
- Use a current chdman; CHD format versions have evolved and ancient converters produce files modern emulators dislike.
- ePSXe on Linux/macOS (v2.0.5, 2016) predates the CHD support — keep BIN/CUE working copies for those builds.
- If a specific game misbehaves as CHD but runs as BIN/CUE, keep that one title as BIN/CUE and report nothing — per-game exceptions are a normal part of PS1 emulation, not a conversion failure.