Emulation / Android Tips If you are deep into arcade emulation (MAME), PlayStation 1, Sega CD, or Dreamcast gaming, you know the struggle of massive file sizes. A single PS1 game can take up 700MB, and a 3DO game isn't much better.
By default, the new .chd saves to the same folder as the original. This takes double space during conversion. To save space:
But what if you don't want to boot up your Windows PC or Mac just to compress a ROM? chdman android
Enter . This official MAME tool compresses those bulky .bin/.cue or .gdi files into .chd (Compressed Hunks of Data) files, often shrinking them by 30–50% without losing any gameplay data or speed .
termux-setup-storage (Grant the permission popup). Emulation / Android Tips If you are deep
After confirming the CHD works in your emulator, delete the original .bin and .cue files to reclaim your space. Have you successfully compressed a tricky game? Let us know in the comments below!
ls *.bin > temp.txt # Manually edit the CUE or use an online CUE creator. Easier fix: Just use .bin files that came with a .cue . This takes double space during conversion
chdman createcd -i "Game Name.cue" -o "Game Name.chd" Wait patiently. A 700MB PS1 game takes about 2-3 minutes on a modern Snapdragon. Do you have 50 games? Don't run the command 50 times. Use this loop: