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An open IDE/ATAPI drive emulator

PicoIDE is in preorder at Crowd Supply!
Preorder and check on the latest fulfillment updates there.

PicoIDE is a device that emulates IDE/ATAPI devices developed by Ian Scott, creator of PicoGUS.

  • Fully open source firmware and hardware
  • Emulates ATAPI CD-ROM and IDE fixed hard drives
    • .bin/.cue or .iso image support for CD-ROM
    • .img/.hda/.vhd/.hdf for HDD
  • Built-in CD audio output on 3.5" jack and MPC-2 header
  • Supports PIO modes 0-4 and multi-word DMA modes 0-2
  • Optional front panel/3.5" drive bay enclosure with:
    • 1.3" 128x64 OLED screen & 4-way navigation buttons
    • WiFi for remote control and upload/management of disk images
    • RGB activity LED

Get started Download firmware

PicoIDE seen from an angle on top of a hard drive and CD-ROM drive

Front quarter view of the PicoIDE

Selecting from a list of discs

Running Nero CD/DVD speed, running at 74x speed

SpeedSys benchmark of HDD mode

Illustration of a bird in the genus Picoides

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PicoIDE emulate more than 1 drive at a time?

PicoIDE can emulate two drives at once in "dual mode": a hard drive and optical drive, two hard drives, or two optical drives. See Dual-Device Mode in the documentation for more info.

Can you add [hardware feature]?

The current hardware design is locked in, but who knows what the future may bring.

Will PicoIDE work in my device?

The primary development/testing platform for PicoIDE is 90s-era PCs, but PicoIDE has a high level of compatibility with the ATA and ATAPI standards, so there's a good chance it will work in your device. If your device is particularly finicky, that sounds like a fun development challenge!

What about UDMA support?

In the interest of limiting development scope for the first release, PicoIDE's hardware doesn't support UDMA, but faster systems are very well served in the area of fast HDD replacements by CF, SD, and M.2 to IDE adapters, and for optical, PicoIDE's MWDMA mode 2 and PIO mode 4 support can be as fast as a 100X CD-ROM drive, plenty for fast systems.

Will there be a 5.25" or 2.5" version?

PicoIDE will launch with a 3.5" enclosure only, but depending how things go, other form factors may be made available.

When will PicoIDE be available?

PicoIDE is available for preorder at Crowd Supply. It is currently set to ship by January 2027.

Where will I be able to purchase a PicoIDE?

As said above, PicoIDE is in preorder at Crowd Supply, and other suppliers will carry PicoIDE once the campaign is complete.