GoKawiilUSBSID-Pico brings real Commodore 64 SID chips to USB-connected devices
A developer known as LouD has built USBSID-Pico, an open-source hardware board that connects genuine MOS Technology SID chips (6581/8580) from the Commodore 64 to modern computers, phones and media players via USB, MIDI and ASID protocols. Built around the Raspberry Pi Pico's rp2040 and rp2350 microcontrollers, the device can currently drive up to two real SID chips or compatible replacements, with support for four planned.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Software emulation of the SID chip has never fully replicated its analog filters and distortion characteristics, so projects like this keep original chiptune hardware relevant and usable with today's devices. By open-sourcing the design and adding wireless plans like WiFi and Bluetooth, the creator is also lowering the barrier for other retro-audio hobbyists to build or modify their own SID interfaces.
- USBSID-Pico connects real Commodore 64 SID sound chips to modern USB devices
- It's built on Raspberry Pi Pico's rp2040/rp2350 microcontrollers and supports MIDI, ASID, USB CDC and WebUSB
- The project can control up to two SID chips now, with four-chip and wireless support planned
Raspberry Pi Pico 2 Microcontroller Board — The USBSID-Pico is built around the Raspberry Pi Pico family (RP2040/RP2350), so grabbing a Pico 2 is the natural first step if you want to build or hack on the project yourself. It's a tiny, cheap, well-documented board with a huge community, and its programmable I/O makes it a favorite for talking to vintage chips like the SID.
See Raspberry Pi Pico 2 Microcontroller Board on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: smallrun.net, 2026-09-03
Published there as: “Usbsid-Pico: Bridging Real Commodore 64 Sound to Modern USB”
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