mkpsxiso

mkpsxiso builds PlayStation CD images from an XML document, outputting .bin/.cue or .iso files for emulator use or CD burning. File order in the XML controls LBA placement, which the project says can support access-time optimization. The builder supports mixed-mode CD-XA streams, including XA audio and STR video, as well as CDDA tracks sourced from WAV, FLAC, PCM, and MP3 files. Its related tool, dumpsxiso, extracts PlayStation disc images and can generate compatible XML; it supports 2352-sector images and CUE files and can extract tracks, license data, and raw sectors. The project is intended for PlayStation homebrew development, ROM hacking, and reverse engineering. It is free, GPL-2.0 licensed, and has CI-built releases for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Users must supply their own Sony license data for injection. On ext4 and xfs, missing XML dates prevent some 1:1 rebuilds for files dated before 1901-12-13; a Windows directory-browsing issue is also documented for certain nested structures.

mkpsxiso supports several PlayStation CD image formats and disc features, with dumpsxiso providing a related extraction path. Users should account for its documented date and directory-structure limitations.

mkpsxiso suits people working on PlayStation homebrew development, ROM hacking, or reverse engineering who need to build CD images from XML. Its related extraction tool may also suit users reconstructing images from discs.

mkpsxiso is a free, command-line PlayStation CD-image builder for developers who need exact control over disc structure. It is most useful to homebrew creators, ROM hackers and reverse engineers, while general-purpose disc authors will find its workflow narrower. Its focused format support and companion extraction utility make it a strong specialist choice, provided you can work around its reconstruction and directory limitations.

Overview

mkpsxiso turns an XML document into PlayStation disc images, with dumpsxiso providing a complementary extraction and rebuilding path. The pair targets technical projects rather than casual image conversion: XML describes the disc, and the command line is central to the process.

The project supports PlayStation-specific structures that ordinary ISO utilities do not necessarily address. That specialization is valuable when compatibility, sector placement or streamed media matters, but it also means more setup and less convenience for users who simply want to copy a folder to an image.

Key features

The builder creates .bin/.cue or .iso output for emulator use or subsequent CD burning. File order in the XML determines LBA placement, giving developers a way to optimize access times. This is meaningful for carefully engineered disc layouts, though it requires deliberate ordering and an understanding of how the image is organized.

Mixed-mode CD-XA support includes XA audio and STR video, so a project can combine game data with streamed PlayStation media. CDDA tracks can be supplied as WAV, FLAC, PCM or MP3 files. Optional FLAC encoding requires libFLAC; builds can disable that capability with MKPSXISO_NO_LIBFLAC. Sony license data can be injected, but you must provide your own copy.

dumpsxiso handles 2352-sector images and CUE files, extracting tracks, license data and raw sectors. It can produce compatible XML in strict LBA order while preserving timestamps and XA attributes, which makes the two-tool workflow suitable for reverse engineering and near-identical rebuilds. On ext4 and xfs, however, files without an XML date cannot use dates earlier than 1901-12-13, preventing some 1:1 reconstructions. The README also describes a Windows browsing issue involving certain nested directories with identical names; generated images should be checked before release.

Official documentation covers command-line operation, XML structure, track types, ordering, validation and errors. Building from source requires Git, CMake and a compiler toolchain; Linux users may need distribution packages, while Windows builds can use MSVC Build Tools or MSYS2. GitHub CI-built releases are provided for Windows, Linux and macOS.

Pricing

There is no paid tier or free trial. The free plan includes the software’s documented builder and dumpsxiso workflow, with no stated seat or usage quota. It does not include disc burning, so physical-media production requires another application or device workflow.

Platforms

mkpsxiso supports Linux, macOS and Windows. Releases are linked through GitHub CI builds, and source compilation is available for users prepared to install the required build tools. The Windows directory-browsing caveat is especially relevant when validating complex images on that platform.

Who it's for

This is the right tool for PlayStation homebrew development, ROM hacking and reverse engineering where XML-defined layout, CD-XA streams or sector-accurate reconstruction are priorities. It also suits technically confident archivists who need to extract tracks and regenerate image metadata.

Choose something else if you want a graphical disc authoring suite, direct burning, or a simple drag-and-drop ISO creator. mkpsxiso’s strengths appear when PlayStation-specific control matters more than convenience.

Pros and cons

Pros

• PlayStation-focused output: .bin/.cue and .iso images, CD-XA streams, XA audio and STR video address formats used by specialist projects.
• Precise layout control: XML ordering controls LBA placement, enabling access-time optimization.
• Strong reconstruction workflow: dumpsxiso preserves timestamps and XA attributes while generating strict-LBA XML.
• Broad operating-system coverage: Windows, Linux and macOS releases support cross-platform development.
• No purchase barrier: GPL-2.0 licensing makes the complete toolchain free.

Cons

• No burning: image creation stops before physical disc writing, so another tool is required.
• Technical setup: command-line XML work and source-build dependencies are demanding for casual users.
• Rebuild edge cases: ext4/xfs date limits can block faithful restoration of older file dates.
• Windows validation risk: certain same-name nested directories can cause browsing problems in generated images.
• License-data responsibility: Sony license injection depends on supplying your own copy.

Alternatives

For a broader catalog of image-authoring options, see ISO Creation Software. If your priority is running PlayStation images rather than building them, PlayStation Emulators is the more relevant category.

PhotoDirector is a macOS and Windows freemium app with a free, limited-feature Essential plan, suited to users seeking general creative software rather than a PlayStation image builder.

Express Burn offers a free non-commercial tier and a trial on macOS and Windows, making it a better fit when disc burning is central.

InfraRecorder is free Windows CD/DVD-burning software, appropriate for straightforward optical-disc writing instead of XML-driven PlayStation reconstruction.

Active@ ISO Manager is free Windows freeware for users who want a conventional ISO utility.

Alcohol 52% provides Windows freemium editions, including a 15-day trial, for users seeking a general disc-image environment.

AnyBurn has a free cross-purpose Windows tier covering burning, audio-CD ripping, image tools and bootable USB creation.

BurnAware offers a free personal-use Windows edition for burning data, audio, video and ISO discs.

DeepBurner is a free personal-use Windows option for burning data CDs/DVDs and audio discs.

Verdict

Choose mkpsxiso if you are building or dissecting PlayStation software and need XML-controlled layout, CD-XA media support and a companion path toward faithful image reconstruction. Its main reason to look elsewhere is equally clear: it does not burn discs, and its command-line workflow plus documented filesystem and directory edge cases demand technical care.