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# FAQ: Emulation Questions
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2025-02-13 15:46:10 +00:00
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2025-02-13 15:10:57 +00:00
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## What are CD Image Formats and Disc Images?
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Disc images are exact copies of physical discs. They allow you to play games without using the original discs, which helps preserve them.
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2025-02-13 15:46:10 +00:00
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Here we list some common file formats for disc images.
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2025-02-13 15:10:57 +00:00
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### .iso (Optical Disc Image)
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- The most common disc image format.
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- Used for uncompressed disc images.
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### .nrg (Nero CD/DVD Image File)
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- Created with Nero disc authoring software.
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- Used for CD or DVD disc images.
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### .bin and .cue (Binary file and Cue sheet)
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- .bin file contains the data or audio track.
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2025-02-13 15:46:10 +00:00
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- .cue file contains the structure details of the disc (you always load the .cue file).
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2025-02-13 15:10:57 +00:00
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### .mdf and .mds (Media disk Image File and Media Descriptor File)
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- .mdf file contains the CD or DVD data.
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- .mds file contains the header and track information.
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### .chd (Compressed Hunks of Data)
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- A lossless compression format originally developed for MAME.
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- Compresses the contents of a disc image into a single .chd file.
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- Supported by many systems and recommended for 3DO, Dreamcast, Sega CD, Neo Geo CD, PC Engine CD, PSX, PS2, and Saturn.
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