Sony PlayStation 1 xStation Bundle

2 ON HAND AND READY TO SHIP

This Sony PlayStation 1 xStation bundle includes everything you need to play:

• Original Sony PlayStation 1 console modded with xStation microSD card system (internally soldered to replace optical drive)
• My custom designed and 3D printed xStation cover
• DFO (designed by me and manufactured by PCBWay, internally soldered to enable perfect region free sync/timing/refresh rates)
• 64GB microSD card
• PlayStation 1 Multi-Out to HDMI adapter
• 1x BlueRetro wireless controller adapter to use PS5/Xbox/Switch controllers
• 1x original Sony PlayStation 1 controller
• 1x Controller extension cable
• Original Sony PlayStation Memory Card
• Figure-8 power cord 
  

That's AUD $915+ worth of gear if bought separately, plus the extra shipping costs for the delivery of each item. 

As a result of diminishing PS1 unit availability, this can only ever be a limited hobbyist offering: I’ve rescued classic PlayStation systems from becoming e-waste and transformed them into a retro gaming powerhouses. Obsessively restored, I make sure the controllers and console look as close to brand new as possible, almost like you just picked it up off the shelf at your local Target in 1996. Producing these units is a labour of love, but finding good PS1 candidates for restoration is hard, and they take time to build with complex soldering work required… as such, these units will only pop up for sale fewer and further in-between over time. What makes this special is that I’ve soldered on two additional internal circuit boards, yet by design I have still perfectly preserved every facet of the external physical presentation of the original console. There is no blasphemous change to the original connectors or ports (more on this later). My objective is to make this classic console the best version of itself that it can be, with no visible modification to any part of the exterior, for posterity. Read on for more details...

MicroSD card slot installed to replace CD drive spindle

The most common reason a PlayStation is put in the bin is as simple as a failed CD mechanism. Here, I’ve replaced the aging optical drives with an “xStation” circuit board, rewiring the unit with careful solders, totally invisible from the outside of the unit. This cutting-edge modification released in 2020 makes the PlayStation read the SD card as a game CD. Performing this surgery on this system means we can avoid even more PlayStations heading to landfill, while giving you the opportunity to play a role in the retro gaming hardware preservation movement. 

Play both PAL and NTSC games exactly as they were supposed to be

I’ve gone the extra mile by installing Dual Frequency Oscillator (DFO) circuit boards in each of these units, allowing these PAL (Australia and Europe) system to perfectly match NTSC (USA and Japan) timings when you are playing an NTSC game. This means you can enjoy NTSC game files in their full glory, providing a smoother and more accurate gaming experience. Metal Gear Solid has never felt so silky, with an almost 20% frame rate performance boost when playing the NTSC version instead of PAL version! If you’re playing on PAL PlayStations without these upgrades - from Final Fantasy to PaRappa the Rappa - you’re missing out! 

Hand-picked HDMI Adapter Included

There's a lot of cheap and bad HDMI adapter choices on the market which look good, but aren't. Replacing the original Sony PlayStation Multi-Out audio visual port is something I don’t want to do for sake of A/V port preservation. Quite simply, keeping the original Multi-Out port for Composite Video and SCART output options are important for authentic retro visual experiences, rather than forcing modern HDMI. That said, I still want you to be able to connect this unit directly to your modern TV with a HDMI cable, instead of needing excellent-but-expensive Composite and SCART upscale devices like the RetroTINK 4K FPGAs. This is why I’ve included a HDMI adapter that passes minimum threshold latency tests, with USB power, so you can experience your favourite classics with improved clarity and zero lag. If you want to get even more hardcore later, I'd recommend looking at an upscaler from RetroTINK, OSSC, Framemeister, or PixelFX. 

64GB microSD card included

On this card are the boot files required for your games list to be shown when you power the console on. There’s enough room for approximately 150 of your legally backed up PS1 games on this 64GB microSD card, so you can keep your game discs in perfect condition for posterity.

BlueRetro wireless controller adapter bundled in

In this bundle is an OG cabled PlayStation controller with extension cable if you want the authentic retro experience. But if you already have a wireless controller you love, like a PS5 DualSense, Xbox Series, or Switch Pro controller, now you can use that as well. The adapter is self-powered by the console (never needs charging) and only adds 6ms of latency (essentially imperceivable). Now you can play the classics on authentic original hardware, with a modern arsenal. 

Fully Tested and Ready to Play

Each console undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets my performance and reliability benchmarks. This includes internal electronics measurements using oscilloscopes and video output frequency testing using external video processors, right through to making sure all memory card ports and controller ports work as intended. I even fire up the Dual Shock service software to test every button and analogue input ahead of shipping.

Recapping why you want a restored PlayStation 1 just like this: 

🎮 Play both PAL and NTSC games off of a microSD card: Thanks to the xStation, you’re no longer limited to PAL games which run slower than NTSC ones (by almost 20%). Instead, enjoy the entire PS1 library from other regions in their higher frame rates, including games from the USA and Japan.

🏃‍♂️Perfect performance with exactly accurate timings: Soldering on my DFO PCB upgrade allows NTSC games to run at their exact intended 59.82Hz, providing not just smoother gameplay compared to PAL, but perfect sync as well. Any PAL unit with a NTSC-mod installed that does not also have a DFO installed runs NTSC games at 59.27Hz. While that’s a much better frame rate than PAL 50Hz, 59.27 is not what NTSC games expect and thus causes timing and sync issues without a DFO. My DFO-modified motherboard means precise switching to precisely what is experienced on both PAL and NTSC hardware with their games. Don’t just play higher FPS NTSC games, play them with absolute accuracy as originally intended by the developers, and never miss a beat in games like PaRappa the Rapper.

💿 Preservation and archival: By launching your games from a microSD card instead of binning units with prone-to-failure optical drives, you’re helping preserve both the hardware and software of this iconic system for future generations.

💻 No game emulation required: Unlike software game emulators including RetroArch and EmulationStation, with all of their imperfections, this PS1 is the real deal. Experience games that run EXACTLY as they were meant to on their ORIGINAL hardware…

📆 Future-proof: With the optical drive removed, the main reasons that original PlayStations fail and wind up at the junk yard has been removed, which also enables you to keep your original game discs perfectly preserved by avoiding further use and degradation. This console is built to last for years to come.

🦘 Still unique in Australia and New Zealand: This is a massively popular practice in the USA, but we can’t buy those modified consoles without bulky and expensive power transformers, as they’re on 120V AC input US power standards with different PlayStation power supplies inside. As such, I’m stoked to bring the opportunity to own a piece of gaming history, upgraded for the modern era, down under.

I hope you treasure these pieces of gaming history as much as I do, lovingly restored and enhanced for gaming today. Whether you’re a collector, a retro gaming enthusiast, or simply want to relive the classics, you’ll cherish this PlayStation 1 experience. 

Join the retro gaming preservation movement. You’re not just buying a console, you’re investing in a carefully crafted fusion of nostalgia and modern tech, so that my kid, and yours, will still get to experience iconic Sony PlayStation games decades from now, running on ORIGINAL hardware. #EmulationIsForQuitters