diff --git a/site/docs/install/index.md b/site/docs/install/index.md index 4bec308..f1b434c 100644 --- a/site/docs/install/index.md +++ b/site/docs/install/index.md @@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ systems, you can use the U-Boot payload (coreboot still initialises hardware). Canoeboot currently supports the following systems: +Games consoles +-------------- + +- [Sony Playstation](playstation.md) (PS1/PSX) + Servers (AMD, x86) ------------------ diff --git a/site/docs/install/playstation.md b/site/docs/install/playstation.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8fd62e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/docs/install/playstation.md @@ -0,0 +1,224 @@ +--- +title: Sony PlayStation (PS1/PSX) +x-toc-enable: true +... + +The PlayStation is a computer like any other. It ought to run all Free Software +if you want it to, and you can! + +
+
+Sony PlayStation (PSOne) console +PCSX-Redux Open BIOS +
+ +| ***Specifications*** | | +|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------| +| **Manufacturer** | Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. | +| **Name** | PlayStation | +| **Variants** | PlayStation, PSOne, Net Yaroze | +| **Released** | 1994 (Japan), 1995 (Worldwide) | +| **CPU** | MIPS R3000 @ 33.8688 MHz | +| **Graphics** | Custom 3D processor by Toshiba, 1MB Video RAM | +| **Sound** | 16-bit custom Sony SPU | +| **I/O** | CD-ROM, analog Audio/Video, Serial, Parallel | +| **Memory** | 2MB EDO DRAM | +| **Architecture** | MIPS I instruction set (RISC) | +| **Original boot firmware** | Sony PS1 BIOS (USA/JPN/EU) | +| **Flash chip** | 512KB Mask ROM | +
+Introduction +============ + +**Unavailable in Canoeboot 20240612 or earlier. You must compile from source; +first, check the [main build guide source](../build/) to get dependencies.** + +You can use the following command in lbmk (on Linux) to build the BIOS: + + ./mk -b pcsx-redux + +This command only compiles the BIOS code found in `src/mips/openbios/`, of +PCSX-Redux, which is downloaded to `src/pcsx-redux/`, so the BIOS source code +in full would be located at `src/pcsx-redux/src/mips/openbios` within lbmk. + +You will then find the BIOS image under `bin/playstation/openbios.bin`. This +can be used on PlayStation emulators, and it can also be used on the real +hardware. It has a relatively [high +compatibility](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UNGs7uYb8viAbm7YJaf1CR4dkgX7ZzntUdcowGsjcVc/edit?pli=1&gid=772799649#gid=772799649) according to the developers. + +This uses the free/opensource BIOS developed by the PCSX-Redux team, which you +can learn more about here: + + + +NOTE: As of 26 September 2024, lbmk for PlayStation has only been build-tested +on Debian 12 (x86\_64). The build dependencies script provides a `mipsel` cross +compiler; otherwise, PCSX-Redux's page has general instructions for how to get +a compatible toolchain:\ + + +Installation +============ + +Emulators +--------- + +Most PlayStation emulators rely on low-level emulation to execute the real BIOS. +The Open BIOS by PCSX-Redux (as distributed by Canoeboot) can also be used, and +boots many commercial games, plus homebrew. + +These emulators can boot many commercial games, with varying degrees of +compatibility, and they can also boot any homebrew/opensource games that you +might develop yourself, or that others have written. + +Hardware +-------- + +Not yet tested by the Canoeboot project, but the PCSX-Redux developers have +stated that it will work on the real console. It should be noted that the Open +BIOS does not seem to implement a memory card save handler at present. If +someone can recommend a boot disc that could replace this, that'd be nice; +otherwise, read on. + +Game compatibility +================== + +The upstream maintains a compatibility list, here: + + + +NOTE: Google Docs, but an option exists on there to export it for LibreOffice +Calc. The list is provided as a spreadsheet. + +Memory card handling +==================== + +Basically, the Open BIOS from PCSX-Redux does not yet support handling the +memory cards. The game compatibility is also not complete, though it is +excellent. Therefore, you might consider a *dual BIOS* setup - and this has +not been tested, but should work just fine (it will be tested at a later date). + +Using it on hardware +==================== + +The dual BIOS works like so: manipulate the OE/chip select pins on the BIOS +chip (original one), between that and the one on the replacement chip. You +would have both chips present, one of them containing your Open BIOS. You would +control the OE/CS pins via a toggle switch. When the switch is set one way, it +boots the original Sony BIOS, and the other position boots the Open BIOS. You +would take care not to switch it while the machine is in operation, but it could +be set before turning the machine on. + +Modern NOR flash can be used. You specifically want a TSOP-32 SMD/SMT type device, +one that operates at 3.3v (tolerance 2.7 to 3.6v), organised into 512KB blocks, +for example 512KB x8 is a common part, for example [SST39VF040](https://eu.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Microchip-Technology/SST39VF040-70-4C-WHE?qs=I6DYTe5pEPUDs7BrdNtR9w%3D%3D). + +Look here: + + +This person has designed PCBs that can be used to add a NOR flash, adapting to +the pinout of the playstation BIOS. Some early launch model PlayStations used +a 40-pin chip but most later ones soon after and to end of life were 32-pin. +This page only sells adapters for use with 32-bit boards. + +For most boards, the one you want is probably the `PS1_Flash_Bios_(A)` one. +You must flash the chip first, before soldering it onto this adapter board. +You can then de-solder the BIOS chip; look for a 512K mask ROM on the board. + +Make sure the adapter is soldered properly, and solder it into place. You can +find some videos online for how to do this. Canoeboot cannot verify the quality +of all of them and may provide such guidance itself in the future. + +**Do not** assume that the dual-BIOS idea will even work, because to our +knowledge, it has not been tested. It is highly theoretical at this point, and +recommended (assuming it would work) instead of simply replacing the original +BIOS outright. Even if game compatibility were 100%, it helps to have a backup +solution in case of bugs. + +There are a few edge cases: PsNee (referenced below) might not work well on +some Japanese playstations, or PAL PSOne Slim, due to extra restrictions in +the Sony BIOS; therefore, if doing Dual BIOS, it might be wise to use two of +those adapter PCBs stacker, using the same OE/CE switch idea. On the one +containing Sony BIOS, you might use a dump for US NTSC console for example, if +setting it up on a PAL PSOne or Japanese console. Japanese consoles otherwise +have additional region checks at startup, and PAL PSOne slims check what video +mode a game starts in. + +This page may or may not be updated at some point, to document installation on +real hardware. For now, the Open BIOS is only intended for use with emulators. + +Video timings +------------- + +The purpose of these kinds of mods *on hardware* is typically that the user +wants to remove all DRM. Well, there's something many people overlook: video +timings out-of-region are often wrong on these machines. The GPUs have two +clock inputs (early launch models only have one clock input): one for PAL and +one for NTSC. More info could be written here at a later date but these consoles +typically don't have a PAL GPU clock on NTSC consoles, and vice versa. You can +correct this. +Look up the PS1 "dual frequency oscillator" mod. + +Other mods +========== + +If using hardware, you will probably still want a modchip. Many proprietary +modchip firmwares exist, such as Old crow, MultiMode3 and Mayumi; these run on +PIC chips e.g. PIC12C508A. A special *OneChip* firmware is often used on PAL +PSOne Slims. + +There is a *free/opensource* modchip type called PsNee, which is what Canoeboot +recommends: + + +Unlike the other modchips, PsNee runs mostly on Arduino-type boards. You can +find more info on its GitHub page. + +The way copy protection works on a playstation is: the commercial discs have +a special wobble in them, that can't be reproduced on consumer hardware. This +wobble encodes region data for the disc, and it's checked for by the CD controller; +if no wobble is present, or the region is incorrect, the disc stops booting, +though it will still play music CDs regardless (in the Sony BIOS). + +The Open BIOS will contain no restrictions whatsoever, but you are still advised +to have a modchip. + +The [PicoStation](https://github.com/paulocode/picostation) project provides +free firmware for RP2040 devices, which you can solder into a modboard which +then emulates the PS1 CD drive. It then lets you boot software (including +many games) from an SD card instead of a CD, using disc image files. + +Combined with PsNee and PicoStation, the Open BIOS from PCSX-Redux team will +turn your 90s PlayStation into a very hackable machine. There is +also PSXSDX (which is also free/opensource) allowing for libre game +development, also known (somewhat ambiguously) as "homebrew" development. The +fact that these old consoles were designed to boot proprietary games, they are +simply computers, fully reprogrammable and as such, Canoeboot is happy to provide +this support, for the Sony PlayStation + +This page is very new, as of 26 September 2024, because the PS1 Open BIOS was +only added on this day (26 September). It'll be fleshed out over time, especially +to talk about hardware. The Open BIOS does boot a lot of software, but it is +mostly only recommended for use in emulators at this time. + +Credit +====== + +Thanks go to the PCSX-Redux team for their excellent work reverse engineering +the Sony PS1 BIOS. + +The two photos shown are as follows: + +* PSOne Slim photo was taken from here (the one provided by Canoeboot is + scaled down and cropped, with color levels enhanced for better contrast): + - + released under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license +* The cube screenshot is of the PCSX-Redux Open BIOS in operation, on an emulator. + +PlayStation, PS1, PSOne and other terms are the trademark of Sony Interactive +Entertainment. Canoeboot is in no way affiliated to Sony Interactive +Entertainment; this page is not an endorsement of Sony Interactive Entertainment, +nor do they endorse Canoeboot. + +PCSX-Redux developers are not affiliated with Canoeboot in any way. We simply +integrate their Open BIOS into Canoeboot because their work is awesome.