Extract text from compressed disk images (CSO)
To convert CSO disk images to another format, you need PPSSPP or other Disk Image software.
To convert other file formats to the "Compressed Optical Disc Image" file type, you need software like PPSSPP or a similar tool.
The .CSO file extension primarily represents a Compressed ISO Disk Image, commonly known as "CISO". It was widely adopted by the homebrew community for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) to compress standard ISO game dumps. This block-based compression saves significant memory card space but often introduces annoying lag or stuttering during heavy game loading sequences. Users typically open these files using emulators like PPSSPP or decompression utilities like PSP ISO Compressor.
A secondary use for .CSO files is as a Compiled Shader Object utilized by Microsoft DirectX and the MonoGame Framework. These are binary files containing compiled graphics shaders used to render 3D graphics in games and software. Other minor uses include compiled game scripts for Rockstar Games' RenderWare engine and proprietary data files for Cochlear implants.
Users frequently need to convert .CSO game files back to standard ISO format to eliminate emulation lag. Conversely, extracting the internal game assets requires converting the disk image to an archive format like ZIP. For shader objects, conversion is extremely challenging; developers usually require the original source code because the .CSO is a compiled binary.
This file format is difficult to open or convert universally. It is either a closed, proprietary binary shader or a specialized compressed disk image. Standard online converters fail to process it because they lack the specific CISO decompression algorithms or DirectX decompilers. Often, only the original software or specialized emulators can properly read or export the data. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CSO file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted ISO, 7Z, CISO, CHD, RAR, ZIP, PBP, SCO, BIN, CRDOWNLOAD, APK, PCK and CUE files.
If you want to convert CSO file to ISO, CHD, OBJ, FBX, DAE, 3DS, MAX, BLEND, MA, MB, C4D or STL, you can use PPSSPP or similar software from the "Compressed Disk Image Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DWG, DAE, X3D, IGES, WRL, JT, SKP, 3DS, 3DM, OBJ, STEP or FBX files to CSO, try PPSSPP or another comparable tool in the "Compressed Disk Image Storage" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our CSO converter.