Project Description

The idea is to learn about the PlayStation 1 CPU and GPU.

Goal for this Hackweek

1. Learn specifics of PlayStation 1 architecture: CPU, GTE, GPU, MMC, etc.
2. Understand differences between common MIPS1 architecture and PS1.
3. Build a simple assembler/disassembler (as PS executables aren't relocatable).

Eventually, building an emulator would be awesome!

Resources

• MIPS:
  • IDT R30xx Family Software Reference Manual (PS1 CPU, PS2 IOP): https://cgi.cse.unsw.edu.au/~cs3231/doc/R3000.pdf
• Guide to writing a PSX emulator: https://github.com/simias/psx-guide
  • Rendered: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/492036343376117778/492037613721616406/guide.PDF
• psx-spx: https://psx-spx.consoledev.net/ (original: https://problemkaputt.de/psx-spx.htm)
• PSX reverse engineering project: https://github.com/ogamespec/psxdev/tree/master/reverse
• BIOS info: http://wiki.psxdev.ru/index.php/BIOS
  • Translated: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://wiki.psxdev.ru/index.php/BIOS
• The PSX GPU texture pipeline and how to emulate it: https://www.reddit.com/r/EmuDev/comments/fmhtcn
• PSX EXE header (also see "CDROM File Formats" section in psx-spx): http://www.emulatronia.com/doctec/consolas/psx/exeheader.txt
• PSX system software reverse engineering project: https://github.com/ogamespec/psxdev/tree/master/reverse
• Other PSX documentation (including a CPU reference manual): http://hitmen.c02.at/html/psx_docs.html
• PSX GTE docs/reverse engineering: https://github.com/ogamespec/pops-gte
• PSX MDEC & CD-ROM info: https://github.com/m35/jpsxdec/blob/readme/jpsxdec/PlayStation1_STR_format.txt
• Dithering on the PSX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XDyQnY5GHI
• PlayStation emulator development info: https://drhell.web.fc2.com/ps1/index.html
  • Translated: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdrhell.web.fc2.com%2Fps1%2Findex.html
• Test ROMs:
  • Amidog's tests: https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/PS1_Tests
  • https://github.com/PeterLemon/PSX
  • https://github.com/JaCzekanski/ps1-tests
  • https://github.com/simias/psx-hardware-tests/tree/master/tests
  • PSX demos: https://www.pouet.net/prodlist.php?order=thumbup&platform%5B0%5D=Playstation&page=1
• Open-source BIOS: https://github.com/grumpycoders/pcsx-redux/tree/main/src/mips/openbios