Portable Sound Format
Encyclopedia
The Portable Sound Format (PSF) is a sound file format
ripped directly from video games from a variety of game consoles. The format was originally used for Sony PlayStation
video games, but has since been adapted to support other systems.
The PSF format was created by Neill Corlett in 2003, who also wrote the Winamp
plugin Highly Experimental that plays PSF1 and PSF2 files.
Generally, PSF files contain a number of samples and a sequence
player program. This takes far less space than an equivalent streamed format of the same music (WAV
, MP3
) while still sounding exactly like the original track. Background music stored in PSF files can usually be looped forever, as the sequencer handles its own loop points.
Several PSF subformats also have a miniPSF/PSFlib capability, wherein data used by multiple tracks is stored only once in an accompanying PSFlib file. Further differences are stored in a miniPSF file, which can be zlib
compressed to further increasing storage efficiency.
A PSF2 file is the PlayStation 2
equivalent of a PSF. PSF2 is internally structured as a file system
, rather than PSF, which is a single PS executable. PSF's native sample rate is 44,100 Hz, while PSF2's is 48,000 Hz. Rates may vary from 8,000 Hz to 96,000 Hz.
Both PSF and PSF2 files contain a header which specifies the type of video game system the file contains data for, and an optional set of tags at the end which can give detailed information such as game name, artist and length.
"Portable Sound Format" was developed. As a result, PSF and PSF1 interchangeably refer to PlayStation sound data files.
audio format developed by Caitsith2 and Zoopd. The basic USF file structure is a subformat of PSF.
GSF files can be played on the Windows platform using Nullsoft
's Winamp
and the Highly Advanced plugin. Mac OS X
users can play them using Audio Overload v2.0b7 or later. Linux
users can use PlayGSF, or the port of Highly Advanced to Audacious
.
The players emulate the files as sound-only Game Boy Advance ROMs, and as such can be processor intensive when compared to mainstream audio formats.
video game. The basic USF file structure is a subformat of PSF.
USF files can be played back in Winamp
through the use of an appropriate plug-in, such as 64th Note. It requires two files be present in the same directory: the song file (extension ".miniusf") which is quite small (typically less than a kilobyte), and a library file specific to each game (extension ".usflib") which can be somewhat larger (up to several megabytes).
File format
A file format is a particular way that information is encoded for storage in a computer file.Since a disk drive, or indeed any computer storage, can store only bits, the computer must have some way of converting information to 0s and 1s and vice-versa. There are different kinds of formats for...
ripped directly from video games from a variety of game consoles. The format was originally used for Sony PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
video games, but has since been adapted to support other systems.
The PSF format was created by Neill Corlett in 2003, who also wrote the Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...
plugin Highly Experimental that plays PSF1 and PSF2 files.
Generally, PSF files contain a number of samples and a sequence
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
player program. This takes far less space than an equivalent streamed format of the same music (WAV
WAV
Waveform Audio File Format , is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs...
, MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
) while still sounding exactly like the original track. Background music stored in PSF files can usually be looped forever, as the sequencer handles its own loop points.
Several PSF subformats also have a miniPSF/PSFlib capability, wherein data used by multiple tracks is stored only once in an accompanying PSFlib file. Further differences are stored in a miniPSF file, which can be zlib
Zlib
zlib is a software library used for data compression. zlib was written by Jean-Loup Gailly and Mark Adler and is an abstraction of the DEFLATE compression algorithm used in their gzip file compression program. Zlib is also a crucial component of many software platforms including Linux, Mac OS X,...
compressed to further increasing storage efficiency.
A PSF2 file is the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
equivalent of a PSF. PSF2 is internally structured as a file system
File system
A file system is a means to organize data expected to be retained after a program terminates by providing procedures to store, retrieve and update data, as well as manage the available space on the device which contain it. A file system organizes data in an efficient manner and is tuned to the...
, rather than PSF, which is a single PS executable. PSF's native sample rate is 44,100 Hz, while PSF2's is 48,000 Hz. Rates may vary from 8,000 Hz to 96,000 Hz.
Both PSF and PSF2 files contain a header which specifies the type of video game system the file contains data for, and an optional set of tags at the end which can give detailed information such as game name, artist and length.
PSF subformats
PSF initially stood only for "PlayStation Sound Format", but with the addition of the PSF2, SSF (Sega Saturn Sound Format), DSF (Dreamcast Sound Format), USF (Nintendo Ultra 64 Sound Format), QSF (Capcom Q-Sound Format), GSF (Game Boy Advance Sound Format), and 2SF (Nintendo DS Sound Format) subformats, the more generic backronymBackronym
A backronym or bacronym is a phrase constructed purposely, such that an acronym can be formed to a specific desired word. Backronyms may be invented with serious or humorous intent, or may be a type of false or folk etymology....
"Portable Sound Format" was developed. As a result, PSF and PSF1 interchangeably refer to PlayStation sound data files.
GSF
GBA Sound Format (GSF) is an emulated Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
audio format developed by Caitsith2 and Zoopd. The basic USF file structure is a subformat of PSF.
GSF files can be played on the Windows platform using Nullsoft
Nullsoft
Nullsoft, Inc. is a software house founded in Sedona, Arizona in 1997 by Justin Frankel. Its most known products include the Winamp media player and the SHOUTcast MP3 streaming media server. In recent years, their open source installer system, NSIS, has also risen in popularity as a widely used...
's Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...
and the Highly Advanced plugin. Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
users can play them using Audio Overload v2.0b7 or later. Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
users can use PlayGSF, or the port of Highly Advanced to Audacious
Audacious Media Player
Audacious is a free software audio player with a focus on low resource usage, high audio quality, and support for a wide range of audio formats. It is designed primarily for use on POSIX-compatible systems such as Linux, with limited support for Microsoft Windows...
.
The players emulate the files as sound-only Game Boy Advance ROMs, and as such can be processor intensive when compared to mainstream audio formats.
QSF
Capcom Q-Sound Format (QSF) is based upon Portable Sound Format, with a few modifications. Designed to support lower-end consoles, such as the original PlayStation and older PCs, a QSF's data is stored in an uncompressed form.USF
Nintendo Ultra64 Sound Format (USF) is a file format by Adam Gashlin that contains the sound-generating code from a Nintendo 64Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
video game. The basic USF file structure is a subformat of PSF.
USF files can be played back in Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...
through the use of an appropriate plug-in, such as 64th Note. It requires two files be present in the same directory: the song file (extension ".miniusf") which is quite small (typically less than a kilobyte), and a library file specific to each game (extension ".usflib") which can be somewhat larger (up to several megabytes).
External links
Plugins and players
- Audio Overload Mac/Windows/Linux player that supports PSF1 and PSF2.
- Audacious Media PlayerAudacious Media PlayerAudacious is a free software audio player with a focus on low resource usage, high audio quality, and support for a wide range of audio formats. It is designed primarily for use on POSIX-compatible systems such as Linux, with limited support for Microsoft Windows...
*nix player that supports playback of PSF1 and PSF2. - Chipamp - Winamp plug-in bundle compiled by OverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...
allowing playback of over 40 chiptune and tracker formats