A New and Affordable PS1 ODE Option is Here

A popular way to enjoy classic disc-based games without purchasing physical copies is through Optical Disc Emulators (ODEs). One of the most commonly used options for the PlayStation 1 is xStation.

However, a new and cost-effective alternative has emerged. Modder @TZMWXdiyer highlighted that you now only need a Pico 2040 microcontroller and an SD card slot to make your own PS1 ODE. This DIY project is detailed in the PicoStation GitHub repository (link in the original article).

Original Tweet by TZMWXdiyer: 'A few days ago, I discovered that Johnbaumann updated the PICOSTATION project of Paulocode on 2024/12/10. I modified two motherboards... Both machines run great with improved compatibility.'

While this is a cheap solution, it requires some soldering and modding skills

What DIY projects have you embarked on to emulate classic gaming systems?