The workflow is trivial once automated:
For arcade games (MAME .zip ROM sets), no . Arcade ROMs are separate chip dumps, not disc images. CHD is for hard disks, CDs, and DVDs . Keep your MAME arcade ROMs as ZIPs. Convert Zip To Chd
chdman createcd -i "Lunar - Eternal Blue (USA).cue" -o "Lunar - Eternal Blue (USA).chd" Use this syntax for (common for some PS1 rips): The workflow is trivial once automated: For arcade
So open that folder full of dusty ZIPs, download chdman , and start converting. Your hard drive—and your future self—will thank you. Last updated: 2025. Emulation tools on Windows 11, macOS Sonoma, and Linux (Proton/Steam Deck) confirmed working. Keep your MAME arcade ROMs as ZIPs
| Feature | ZIP | CHD | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Generic Deflate | Hunk-level, sector-based | | Multi-track support | Requires multiple files (BIN/CUE) | Single-file container | | Audio compression | None (WAV inside ZIP is huge) | Lossless FLAC for CD audio | | Space savings | Moderate (20–30%) | High (40–60%+ for CD audio) | | Streaming | Must decompress entire archive | Seekable & streamable | | Metadata/Error corr. | No | Yes (checksums) |